Twisted Collide: The new sports romance in the Redville Saints series
Twisted Collide: Chapter 34

Yesterday sucked.

I’m not hopeful that today will be any better.

Lord, I’m late.

Something I try not to be. I might not be here of my own volition, but I intend to do the best job I can. I want to get a good reference and get out of here before things implode. Which should be very soon, judging by my dynamics with Dane. And sperm donor.

I turn the corner to head toward the locker room when I stop dead in my tracks.

“So, did you miss me?” A soft voice giggles.

My back goes ramrod straight, and every muscle in my body feels tight, like a rubber band ready to snap.

Who in the hell is this girl?

And a better question: why are her arms wrapped around Dane’s neck?

Breathe.

Throwing a shit fit won’t go over well. Kicking her ass won’t get me any brownie points either. This doesn’t change the fact that I want to rip her off him, bang my hands on my chest, and tell her he’s mine.

Wow. I’m pathetic.

What has gotten into me?

One kiss—okay, it was more than a kiss—and I’m already gone for this man.

I take a step forward from the shadows, where I’m hiding, and make my presence known.

This is a good thing.

He rejected me yesterday, and now he’s moved on. That means by the time the season starts at the end of the week on Friday, I’ll be over him.

The first game is an away game, with the Saints playing the Chicago Warriors. I’ll be going with the team, and since I wouldn’t know what that meant for Dane and me, I’d be worried and nervous all day. Yeah. This is a good thing. Now I know where I stand.

Time to rip the Band-Aid off on this awkward moment. I cough, and the girl turns to look at me. Her eyes narrow.

Shit. She’s gorgeous. With dark wavy brown hair and sun-kissed skin, she looks like she just left a beach. Probably to pose for a magazine, seeing how tall she is. Bitch. Well, what did I expect? Of course, Dane would date a supermodel.

A giant knot forms in my stomach, and I swear I can feel sweat forming on my brow. Is this his wife? Wait, he doesn’t have a wife. I’d know if he did, right? She’s also too young for him.

Actually, she looks my age. Double shit. Pot meet kettle. She’s perfect for him.

“Are you Josie?”

“Josephine,” Dane corrects, and I look from her to him. I feel like a fish out of water. I’m not sure how to answer.

“That’s me,” I try to put on a cheerful tone.

Then, the girl moves away from Dane and approaches me. Her arms are raised, and I brace for a slap, but that doesn’t happen. Instead, she launches herself at me and hugs me.

“Josie, it’s so good to meet you. Thank you so much for taking care of my brother when I was away.”

“Molly?”

“Duh. Who else can love this big, grumpy asshole?” She laughs.

Okay, heart, time to regulate. Passing out while in front of Dane’s sister won’t be cool.

I take a deep breath, willing myself to calm before I cough and then speak. “You have a point there. I didn’t think you were coming back until Thursday.” According to Dane, she wouldn’t return until then. Wonder what changed.

“My brother needed me—”

I look up at her, and she shakes her head. “Not that you did anything wrong. He just can’t start the season without me. Tradition and all.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal.

“Got it,” I mutter. Even though her excuse makes sense, something tells me it’s a lot more than that. It feels almost like her brother wants to stay far away from me.

That idea sounds more probable. It also makes me want to vomit.

“Let’s go grab coffee and chat, then I’ll tell Coach I’m back.”

I wonder what that will mean for me. Sure, I’ve been doing work that’s for the whole team, but the majority of my time has been helping Dane.

I follow Molly toward the back office, and when we get there, my father sees her. His face lights up, eyes soft, and he’s wearing the largest smile I have ever seen on his face. He’s never looked at me like that. My stomach hollows.

He looks at her like a daughter. Like when she’s around, his life is complete.

I’m his actual biological daughter, and he doesn’t look at me like that.

It’s soul-crushing.

A weight presses down on my chest, and it feels like I can’t breathe. It feels like a hand has reached into my chest, squeezing my heart.

I need to get out of here, but for some reason, I can’t will my legs to move. The longer I stay, the more I will shatter, yet I can’t turn away. Can’t stop the pain that’s filling my veins.

“Molly, you’re back early,” my father says as he pulls her in for a hug.

“Between us, I missed home.” Her words sound muted and distant next to the loud ringing in my ears.

I look at her and take in her soft features. “I’m not used to being away from family that long.”

My last bit of strength slips away.

“I can understand that.” He nods as he steps back. A sad, pathetic sound squeaks out from behind my closed lips. My father turns in my direction, and his mouth drops open the moment he sees me. I think he just realized what he said and how it would affect me, or maybe that’s wishful thinking.

My heart thumps violently, and I fear it will break in half.

Can that even happen?

Mom once told me that you can die from a broken heart. Maybe she was referring to my father. Maybe her former self perished from his rejection.

Tears form in my eyes. I want to weep with jealousy, with how unfair this all is, but I can’t. I need to stay strong. With each second that passes, more liquid collects, and I know without a doubt that if I don’t get out of here right now, I’ll fall to the ground and sob.

I turn back to Molly but don’t meet her stare. “I’ll meet you in a few minutes. I just forgot something.”

Without waiting for her to object, I dart back in the direction we came, looking for an exit, for somewhere to go.

Finally, I see a door and throw it open.

It’s a closet. A large one, but still a closet. This one houses equipment.

The moment the door closes behind me, I start to breathe heavily. I think I’m going to hyperventilate.

My lungs feel heavy, and it’s hard to pull air in. I lean forward, placing my hands on my knees, and try to gulp in air. The sound of the door opening filters in through my ears, but I’m too lost in my mind to turn to see who’s walked in. Then a hand touches my back.

It’s comforting.

“Shh, you’re okay.” Dane.

He moves in closer until his presence feels large around me.

My shoulders shake until Dane envelops me in his arms, pulling me close. The warmth from his embrace calms the tremors working their way through my body.

“Take a deep breath, okay?” I follow his orders. Inhaling slowly. Then exhaling.

“You’re okay,” he coos, and I want to believe him. Want to cling to his words as if they are a life raft that will protect me and keep me safe.

Life doesn’t play out like that, though.

Even if, for a moment, the world outside ceases to exist while in his arms, it will all come rushing back to drown me the second I walk out the door.

I’d still have no answers from my mother.

I’d still be living with a father who didn’t want to be part of my life.

And I’d still be desperately attracted to a man who would never fight for me.

Dane brushes away a tear on my cheek with his thumb.

I can’t imagine what I look like. My eyes sting, and my nose most likely is red and puffy.

A real picture of perfection.

It takes a few minutes of following his breathing prompts, but soon my heart is no longer racing, and I’m feeling more myself.

His hand reaches out, and his fingers lift my jaw.

“What happened?” His voice sounds gruff.

I try to pull away, but he won’t let me. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Resting my head on his chest, I listen to the steady rhythm of his heart. The sound grounds me, keeps me present in the moment, and allows me a brief second of solace before reality crashes back in with the sound of his sigh.

“Talk to me. I know all too well about keeping stuff inside you, but sometimes it does help to let it go.”

“And you know this how? You talk about all your issues?”

Dane inclines his head down, forcing our eyes to lock. “Hellfire . . .Talk to me.”

“I’m not a hellfire now. Am I?”

“You will always be a hellfire. Even if you don’t think so.”

I search his eyes but don’t know what I’m looking for anymore. “Because I’m always trouble?”

“No.”

“Then I don’t understand.”

“You’re a hellfire. You’re strong. Powerful. Independent. You take no shit from anyone. March to the beat of your own drum. You walk the tightrope.”

I shake my head. “I take more shit than you can even imagine.”

He pulls back, placing his fingers under my chin, not allowing me to look away from him. “Then tell me what’s going on.”

“It’s not your burden. We aren’t anything. We just fucked, twice.” My snarky attitude probably pisses him off, but I don’t care. Right now, I’m allowed to act like a petulant child.

He scrubs at his eyes. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Fuck me again.” I shrug.

He shakes his head at my suggestion but having him this close has me all types of confused. His presence calms me, and I want him. I want to touch him and feel him. “I can’t.”

“Please.” I place my hands on his chest and trail them down. I dip one hand inside his sweatpants.

“Fuck. I can’t think when you do that.”

I run my other hand over his now hard dick. “Do what?”

“Touch me.”

“Oh, does this bother you?” I slip my hand under his waistband, then under the material, and palm his hard dick in my hand. Stroking him. He tilts his pelvis up.

“You have to stop.”

“Make me.” I drop to my knees in front of him.