Go Hard: A Bad Boy Sports Romance(95)

“What’s wrong? You just said some totally inappropriate things about me!”

“So?” I asked. “You’re my wife, and that’s the sort of shit those readers want.”

“Still,” she said, clearly annoyed. “You’re such an asshole.”

“And you seem to love that about me,” I said, sitting down and leaning in toward her.

Livy walked in at that moment. “So,” she said. “We have a break scheduled for you two. I guess you can do that.”

Selena stood up quickly. “Good. I’ll meet you guys back at the hotel.”

Livy shrugged and Selena quickly left the room. Livy looked at me. “What did you do?”

“Nothing,” I said, grinning. “I was just being my normal self.”

Livy rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well, don’t. It’d be easier for everyone if you’d be someone else.”

I laughed as I walked out of the room, my mind still locked on the memory of Selena sucking my cock and greedily swallowing my come.

She pretended like she was a nice girl, embarrassed of sex questions, but I knew the truth. The girl was insatiable, starving for me.

And I fucking wanted to keep her that way.





25





Selena





This was my life now. One second I was down on my knees, Nash’s cock down my throat, and the next he was embarrassing me in front of a reporter.

I was so angry that I had to just get out of there. I stormed out of the bookstore, ignoring everyone around me, and headed back to the hotel.

I needed to think. I could walk the whole way, which was fine, as I really didn’t feel like seeing or talking to Nash at the moment. Of course there was nobody in the world I could talk to about this since everyone believed I was Nash’s real wife. And what would I say, even if I could?

I was conflicted. He was an asshole one second and an amazing man the next. There I was, feeling bad that he wanted to leave, when a minute later he was making fun of me in front of a reporter.

He drove me crazy, absolutely insane. He got under my skin like nobody else before him.

At least Providence was a cute town. I walked through the cool streets, and nobody stopped to bother me. Without Nash at my side, I was just another invisible face in the crowd, which I really liked.

A few minutes into my trek back to the hotel, I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. I pulled it out and checked it, assuming it would be Nash. Instead, it was my mother.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Hi, sweetie,” she said. “How are you?”

“I’m good. Just walking home from a book signing right now.”

“Really?” she asked. “Don’t they have cars for you?”

“I wanted to walk,” I said, smiling.

“Well listen, I have a surprise for you.”

I frowned. “What’s that?”

“Me and your father are in Providence right now.”

I stopped dead in my tracks, right in front of this cute little pizza place. The smell of cheese and grease wafted all around me as I stared ahead.

“Are you serious?” I asked.

“Of course.”

“How did you know we were here?”

She laughed. “I can read a website, honey. Your tour dates are right there.”

“You and Dad are both here?”

“Of course we are.” She paused. “Look, I’m sure you’re busy. I know this is a big surprise. But you haven’t been very responsive, and we both want to meet your husband. Frankly, we’re worried about you.”

“You don’t have to worry,” I said.

“Good. Prove it. Have dinner with us tonight.”

“I’ll have to ask Nash.”

“Good. Call me back soon.” She hung up.

I stared at my phone in total shock and horror.

My parents were here and wanted to meet Nash. I couldn’t blame them, not really. I’d been putting them off for a while now, trying to ignore them, trying not to put myself in the position where I’d have to lie to them.

Like going to dinner and introducing them to Nash.

Shit. I couldn’t imagine a worse position. I clenched my jaw and dialed Nash’s number.

“Look who’s crawling back,” he said smugly.

“Nash,” I said, “I have a problem.”

“Got lost? Listen, babe, you really shouldn’t storm off like that.”

“Cut it out,” I said.

“I’m just saying, you need your big strong man around to protect you at all times.”

“Listen to me,” I said, annoyed. “My parents came to Providence. They want to meet you.”

He paused. “Seriously?”

“Tonight. They want to get dinner.”

He burst out laughing.

I held the phone away from my ear, frowning. “It’s not funny,” I said into the receiver, but I could still hear him laughing.

Of course he found this amusing. He had no family he needed to lie to. The only things he cared about were the Navy SEALs and going back into combat. Everything else was just one big freaking joke to him. Including me.

It was so damn frustrating. And if I could, I’d hang up on him then and there. But I needed him to play along. I couldn’t just keep putting my parents off forever. They’d have me committed to an institution or something eventually.

“Nash?” I asked finally. He had calmed down.

“Yeah, okay,” he said. “I’m in.”

I sighed. “You’re sure?”

“Positive. Parents like me.”

“Please don’t mess this up.”

“Babe, you’re my wife.” I could practically hear the huge grin on his face. “I’d do anything to make you happy.”

He hung up the phone, and I had a sinking feeling that something was going to go very, very wrong.



A couple hours later and I was in the back of the town car with Nash, butterflies tearing up my stomach.

“Don’t look so nervous,” he said. “It’s going to be fine.”

“I’m not so sure,” I said. He grinned at me, and I couldn’t help but stare at him. He was wearing his suit and tie again, and he looked absolutely incredible. I hadn’t even needed to force him to put it on; he had just done it on his own, which had surprised me.

“Need to make a good first impression,” he had said, grinning at me back in the hotel room.

I came back to the present and glanced at him. He smiled. “Relax,” he said.

“I just hate lying to my parents,” I admitted. “It’s stressful.”

“I get it,” he said. “Let me do most of the talking then. You won’t have to say too many lies.”

“Thanks, but that doesn’t make me feel too much better.”

“Sorry, babe. Best I can do.”

The car pulled up outside the restaurant. It was a small place, cute but expensive. I followed Nash inside. The hostess sat us right away, probably because she recognized Nash. He ordered a whisky and I ordered a glass of wine. Fortunately, my parents were running a little late.

“So, what are they like?” he asked.

“Nice people, I guess,” I said. “I like them, but they’re my parents.”

“Doesn’t always mean you’ll like them. I didn’t get along with my parents.”

“Really? What happened to them?”

“Dad ran off when I was a kid. Mom drank herself to death by the time I was eighteen.”

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“She was a bitch and he’s an asshole. I joined the military and never looked back.”

“So the military is like your family.”

“Yeah,” he grunted, “it is. They brought me up more than my drunk-ass mother ever did.”

I nodded, and just then I spotted them. Mom waved and Dad smiled as they walked toward us.

The butterflies in my stomach intensified, and Nash followed my gaze.

“Game time,” he mumbled.

I stood up. “Hi, Mom, Dad.” I hugged them both.

“Hi, honey,” Dad said.

“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Wood,” Nash said. “I’m Nash Bell, your daughter’s husband.”

“You’re taller in real life,” Mom said.

“Thanks,” he said, smiling.

Dad shook his hand. “It’s good to meet you, Nash.”

“Likewise, sir.”

We all sat down, and immediately I felt incredibly strange.

“So,” Mom said. “Tell me. Why are you two married?”

I gaped at her and Nash laughed.

“We’re impulsive and impatient, I guess,” Nash said. “There was no disrespect meant, Mrs. Wood.”

“Call me Tracey,” she said. “We’re family now after all.”

“Honestly, I love your daughter. We married because we want to be together. We never meant to leave you two out of the process or to surprise anyone.”

“Which was why you told us after the wedding,” Dad said.

Nash nodded. “It’s my fault. Selena wanted you both there, but my life is so crazy right now. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing.”

Dad nodded, and I was so terrified that they could see through his bullshit.

“No more of that,” Dad said.

“No, of course not, Mr. Wood.”

“Chris,” he grunted. “Call me Chris.”

Mom smiled. “Well. Let’s get drinks and celebrate.”

Mom ordered a wine and Dad ordered water. He looked so thin, much thinner than I remembered, though he was smiling and laughing. I guessed he was probably hiding his suffering and sickness for the sake of the meal.