5: Mae
“Ano-fraternisation contract? Really?” The ballpoint pen hangs limply from my fingers as I glance up at my mother from the armchair in her office.
“Do you think rules don’t apply to you, Mae? You get treated the same as everybody else.” Her lips are pressed together as she slims her eyes, daring me to challenge her.
She’s hoping I will. It means she can assert her dominance.
I clamp my teeth down on my bottom lip, stopping myself from making a snarky comment. I can be a bigger person.
I skim over the written words on the sheet of paper quickly before signing it.
Him.
I’m paired up with him.
Nathan Slater.
Not being big into sports, I didn’t truly recognise him at the wine store, but my heart almost fell out of my butt when he walked through that tunnel.
The captain of the Missarali Storks. The heartthrob that every horny sports fan longs to have just one wild night with. The so-called untouchable and forbidden man—always wearing that intimidating scowl that sends people running.
He’s around six feet three and all muscle. He’s sculpted. Toned. His body matches his personality. Hard and impenetrable. Or so I’ve heard from the media.
He didn’t seem like that at the wine store though.
“Mae? Are you even listening to me?”
I stare at my mother with wide eyes. “Sorry. What?”
“Nathan Slater. He’s a piece of work. He has no control over his teammates, so do what you need to do regarding the charities and stay away from him.”
“If you hate him so much, why did I get paired with him?”
“Because I know he won’t risk ruining his career to mess around with my daughter.” My mother glances down at me like I’m some whore who’s going to beg him to fuck me. Like she’s done this just to piss him off.
I fight the urge to spit bitter words at her, but I don’t need to be reminded of how I’m staying in her house for free for the tenth time today.
“The last thing I need is you being impregnated by one of them.”
I scoff. “Mom, seriously. The last person I’m going to fuck is a football player.”
“Have I made myself clear?”
I stand from my seat. “Like the contract threatening me with legal action wasn’t enough?” My tone is grim, but my mother’s never paid any mind to my unhappiness. She doesn’t care about how her words affect me.
I exit her office and head toward the stadium field where the meeting was being held before my mother called me into her office. We’d been told to discuss where we want our first charity appearance to be within our groups before heading home.
I catch a glimpse of bright blonde hair, and Poppy waves me over. Nathan is standing beside her with his arms crossed over his chest, his workout clothes tight around his athletic body. Under the dim lights in the wine shop, I couldn’t properly see all his features, but beneath the bright stadium rays, I take notice of more than I should.
More than what’s appropriate.
His lips are plump, surrounded by a smattering of stubble. He has a square jaw and high cheekbones, with thick eyebrows framing his face, hovering over his narrowed eyes. His dark hair is tousled and slightly damp—fresh from a shower after what I assume was a gruelling training session on the practice field outside.
“Mae, this is Bennett,” Poppy introduces me, gesturing to the beaming man beside her. He’s your standard good-looking football player. Tall. Muscular. Great hair and teeth.
He holds his hand out to me and shakes mine with a smile.
“And this is Nathan, he’s—”
