Chapter One
October 7, 2020 - columbus
Nico believedhe could charm his way out of anything until he became a professional football player.
The shades were drawn and the lights dimmed out of an abundance of caution.
Ever since Nico was signed in the first round of the draft, everyone accommodated him. Everyone but head coach Carson White, who sat on the other side of the desk, tapping his fingers on the arm of a leather chair. White’s brows were in a constant state of being furrowed and his expression never changed, not that Nico ever noticed anyway.
It had been nine days since Nico charged headfirst into the defensive line. Nine days since the lights went out in Columbus, so to speak. Escaped the pocket, just to run about two yards too far, but too far was far too subjective. It’d been ingrained into Nico since he first startedplaying football that games were won a yard at a time, that every inch counted.
Nico wasn’t exactly a size queen, but he was prone to agree. And so he ran those two extra yards, secured the first down, and made his way to the blue medical tent.
“Your eyes are dilated,” Coach White said from across the desk. His posture was relaxed, a stark betrayal of the way the words simmered from his lips. “They weren’t dilated yesterday. So either you’re on drugs or?—”
“I tripped when I was getting out of bed this morning and banged my head on the nightstand.”
Nico was good at three things—football, getting what he wanted, and lying.
He’d certainly hit his head on something, but it was the wall of the shower after failing to line up a blue rubber dildo with his hole. One of the most embarrassing things to happen to him, and there was nobody around to watch it happen. A fever flushed in his cheeks.
White stared at Nico, like he knew he was lying. Like he knew the whole-ass dildo-shaped truth.
Nico squirmed in his seat.
“You’re a professional football player, so forgive me for finding it hard to believe that story of yours.”
Nico forced a smile. “I’ve worked extremely hard to overcome my klutzy nature.”
“Concussions aren’t a joke. The league takes this very seriously.”
“Rookie mistake.” Nico waved his hand to the side. “It won’t happen again.“
“Before we drafted you, we had this exact conversation. There’s a huge difference between college footballand the big leagues. The defense doesn’t hold back. Your opponents are stronger. They’re heavier. And when the division is on the line, which is every game, the enemy plays to kill.”
Nico squinted as a hollowringingsound stretched through his skull. He pinched and shook the middle of his ear in a desperate attempt at relief.
“Running straight into the enemy isn’t a rookie mistake,” White continued, narrowing his eyes on the rookie. “It’s a stupid one. You’re great on your feet. You have the potential to be the next Allen or Jackson, but the difference between them and you is they know when to run out of bounds to avoid getting hit. You’re not just risking your life out there. You’re risking the careers of everyone who depends on you. Your fellow players. Your coaches. The Cobras have a pedigree, one I have upheld for over a decade. You have all the physical attributes to be one of the greats. You’re built like you were bred in a lab specifically for this game. You got the same arm as all the greats. The only thing you’re missing is common sense.”
Nico dragged his palms over his face and sighed. “You’re benching me, aren’t you?”
“Yes.” White scowled. “I’m going to bench the promising second-round draft pick for a washed up thirty-seven year old, third-string quarterback who should have retired three years ago.” He rolled his chair back and stood up. “This is what I’m talking about when I say you lack common sense.”
White braced a hand on the rookie’s shoulder and Nico breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’m not benching you, but I am strongly considering bringing in some outside help.”
The devil came in the shape of comparison, and in the eyes of the whole world over, Nico couldn’t measure up to the legendary quarterback Nico was brought in to replace. Not yet. But he’d show them.
Eventually.
Just as soon as he could escape the remnants of a migraine that lingered at the front of his skull, the pounding ticking down like a winding clock.
White excused Nico, and he couldn’t get out of there fast enough. He lowered a pair of sunglasses over his eyes to block out the bright overhead lighting of the walkway. He walk-jogged away from White’s office, towards the elevators, and when he rounded a sharp corner, he ran straight into another person.
“Watch your step,” Nico barked quicker than he could see who he was barking at.
He swallowed a gulp.
