Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 37217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 186(@200wpm)___ 149(@250wpm)___ 124(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 186(@200wpm)___ 149(@250wpm)___ 124(@300wpm)
“You had us followed?” I croak. “What the fuck?”
“Now, you knew your daddy ordered Carter and me to stay away from you, right?” Ryder asks. “What do you think he’d say if he knew you were fucking him?”
“Ryder, this is low. Even for you.”
“I bet you anything that your dad would be so pissed, he’d cut Carter. Like immediately,” Ryder goes on like I hadn’t said a word. “And for a man Carter’s age and with his injury history, how many other chances do you think you’d get? The way I hear it, he only signed on here because the GM is his old college coach.”
“You son of a bitch.”
“If your pops saw those pictures and cut Carter, I bet you cash money that would effectively end his career,” Ryder says nonchalantly. “On the upside of that, there’s no question I’d be QB1 coming into the season. I mean, I’m the future of this franchise and your pops knows that, so I’m almost positive I’m going to be QB1 anyway, but getting Carter off the roster will guarantee it.”
“You are disgusting. You are absolutely revolting.”
“Do you want to be responsible for Carter’s playing days coming to an end? On second thought, you will be either way.”
“Why are you doing this?”
He leans forward, his dark brown eyes filled with a malevolent glee, fixed on mine. That slow, creepy smile crosses his lips again.
“Because I’m a winner, Cami. I win everywhere I go,” he says. “Because I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win. This is just another example of that. I win and I get what I want. In all things. I always get what I want. Always. You get me?”
"No, I don't. What is it you want?" I ask. "If it was as simple as getting Carter cut, you would have gone to my father straight away, so I know that's not it. So, what do you want?"
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Everything inside of me screams and tells me to leap over the desk and slap that smug smirk off his face. I know if I do that, it will only make him go to my father with the pictures.
I’m a daddy’s girl. I always have been. And if there’s one thing I wouldn’t be able to bear, it would be the look of disappointment on my dad’s face when he sees the pictures. The only thing worse than that is Carter being cut and having his career come to a premature end because of me. Because of us. I feel caught between the proverbial rock and hard place, and I don’t know how to get out.
“I’m not in the mood to play your fucking games. What. Do. You. Want?”
“I want you to leave Carter and go out with me instead.”
“You don’t want me—”
“Oh, sorry. Let me be more specific,” he says with a gleeful chuckle. “I want to rub it in Carter’s face that you left him for me. That should throw him off his game.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“Oh, it will. Otherwise, daddy dearest is going to get these pictures. Anonymously, of course.”
“I’ll tell him you sent them.”
He shrugs. “With what proof? Believe me when I tell you my fingerprints are nowhere near this. You’ll never be able to prove it. But even if he did believe you, I’m not going to suffer any consequences. They gave up so much to draft me, the team’s future is tied to me. And I think you know the game and this organization well enough to know that. Your dad can’t and will never cut me.”
I slump back in my chair, his words ringing in my ears. What’s killing me most is I know them to be true. The team did tie its future to Ryder Simmons, and the likelihood of him being cut is probably non-existent. Even if my dad wanted to, I have a feeling he’d be overruled by the brass. Carter doesn’t have that sort of guarantee. Ryder is more devious and underhanded than I ever expected. I underestimated him.
“So, this is how it’s going to work. I’m coming over to your place tonight to take you out for dinner. We’ll take photos, of course, and maybe I’ll post it on social media. Then, you’ll break up with Carter in front of me. I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he realizes he’s about to lose his spot and you.”
My eyes sting as they well with tears, but I shake my head, willing them not to fall, not wanting to show Ryder any weakness.
“No,” I say. “I won’t—”
“Then your boyfriend’s playing days are over. And that will be on you, Cami. More than that, I bet your daddy won’t ever look at you the same way again if he knows you’re fucking his players and are just another helmet bunny,” Ryder says with a laugh. “But you can make the smart decision and save both you and Carter a lot of trouble and a lot of pain. I mean, do you really believe Carter is going to want to be with you when he learns you’re the reason he’s out of the game he loves so much?”