“You were close with that All-American shit too,” he said with a nod. "Sucks you didn't get it."
Can just tell people that we grew apart.“Some of us don’t have the option to make millions as an athlete.” I said the words before I could stop myself.
“Hah. But our kids’ll be ballers, babe.”
My lungs forgot how to breathe air.What?
His overly large hand lifted from his pocket, a small item hidden in his palm. He fake coughed into his fist. “First thing I bought with my signing cash.”
He flipped open a ring box, and everything inside me went cold.
“She’s not really his type.”
“Just a nepo baby who thinks she's got aura.”
“Ash?” My hands trembled. The gold ring presented a round, electric blue sapphire surrounded by yellow-tinted diamonds. It didn’t bother to glitter as much as lay there like a lump.
“Blue and gold. You know, Mountain Lions’ colors.” His arm circled around me again.
“Thought you’d love it.”
I shuddered and pulled away.Don’t touch me.The room pulsed at the edges of my vision.
“Bree, what the hell, babe?"
Don't call me Bree. I hate it. I've always hated it. You never listen.
"I’m willing to let you finish out your softball season, but that'll be it. The wife of a pro quarterback can't still be in college."
The room froze, and I turned to ice.
“You should be happy, babe. I’m taking you with me.”
Chapter Seven
Ten Months Ago
Greenhouse, Lloyd Commons Residence
Pain seared my scalp as Ash grasped my hair, yanking me back into the greenhouse. "You ungrateful bitch!"
The world shook and my stomach pitched. His face contorted into something unrecognizable. "I call the shots. It’s my fucking celebration." His grip tightened on my hair, and he jerked me forward. "I want to see some gratitude out of you."
I tried to shove him away, but he held on tight. I fought and clawed and kicked him in the shins.
"You stuck-up whore?—"
His arm flew up to block Maddox's punch. I stumbled as Ash released me, caught my balance and turned.
"Oh, you want a piece of me, is that it, Mick?" He staggered a step, then crouched into a fighting stance.
"Go sleep it off." Maddox's left hand flexed and curled back into a fist. Blood smeared across his knuckles and dripped onto the floor. "And when you wake up? You're still going to leave her alone."
"Don’t tell me what to do. You’re less than nobody without me.” Ash sniffed, rubbing the back of his hand against his jaw. "This whole team is. A buncha fucking nobodies."
"Maybe so. But you're the kind of trash that hurts women."
Ash lunged.
