Long: A Secret Baby Sports Romance(100)

I watched her go and picked up the bottle she had left behind. I took a deep swig, sighing to myself.

The girl was a damn pain in my ass. One second she was practically begging for it, and the next she was storming off like I fucking grew a second head.

Still, that fucking kiss. It was unreal. Never before in my life had I felt something hit me like that. Her taste, her body, it all mingled in my brain like a shot of crack straight to my gray matter.

I took another swig, hard as fuck. I needed to gather myself before I rejoined the boring-as-hell party downstairs.

That girl was a problem. Although I told Alex that she hadn’t seen anything, I wasn’t so sure. I resolved to look into that Madison girl a little bit, find out if she harbored any grudges against my mother.

Knowing Cindy, though, I was willing to bet poor Madison had a laundry list of complaints.

Erection subsided, I walked down the steps and rejoined the festivities. Dinner was being served finally, and Alex was deep in conversation with her dad and another older gentleman. I deposited the bottle back at the bar, giving the barman a little grin, and returned to my seat next to my stepsister.

Actually, next to my wife.

The night after that was a blur of formalities. I said hello to whoever my mother introduced me to, and I smiled nicely at everyone else. I was on my best behavior, not bothering to act like a pain in the ass.

Finally, people began to filter out of the hall. Alex wasn’t speaking to me, but she wasn’t exactly ignoring me, either. That was fine; I was drained and didn’t feel like playing games, anyway.

But as soon as we got out into the parking lot, a disheveled-looking man approach us. At first I tensed, ready to fight him off, assuming he was a mugger. But quickly I realized that he was holding a camera, not a gun.

“Cole Redson? Alexa Carter?” Alexa stopped and stared at him.

I grabbed her elbow and pulled her along. “What the hell?” she hissed at me.

“Reporter,” I answered.

“What do you think about your parents’ marriage?” he called out, taking pictures. “Are you aware of the allegations against them?”

“No comment,” I growled at the guy.

People were staring as I hauled Alexa behind me. I noticed two big dudes in suits and earpieces walking toward us.

“Cole, do you think your mother is a cold, careerist bitch?”

I stopped dead in my tracks and let go of Alexa’s arm.

“What did you say?” I asked the guy.

“Do you think your mother is using Alexa’s father for success?”

“Before that,” I growled.

“Is your mother a cold bitch?” he asked, sneering at me.

I stepped forward and swung my fist faster than he could think. I struck him directly in the jaw, clattering his teeth. He dropped like I had pressed the off switch on a robot.

Alexa gasped. The two security guys showed up just in time.

“Are you okay, sir?” the one asked me.

“Fine,” I said, turning away. “Come on,” I said to Alexa, grabbing her again.

“Is he okay?” she asked.

“Fuck him.”

We got into the car and I started the engine. Alexa was staring at me, wide-eyed, obviously shocked by what I had just done. I knew that shit was going to be in the papers tomorrow, or maybe just the tabloids if I was lucky. Maybe even I was going to have some charges pressed against me.

“Why would you do that?” Alexa asked as I pulled out into traffic.

“My mother may be a bitch,” I said, “but only I get to say so.”

She stared at me for a second and then burst out laughing, shaking her head.

I couldn’t help but grin myself, and I laughed along with her.

We sped back toward her dad’s house, moving through the night.





7





Alexa





“Hello?” I said, answering the phone on the third ring.

“Hey. It’s me.”

“Hi, Lace. What’s going on?”

“Nothing.” She paused. “Just embarrassed.”

“About the other night?”

“Yeah.”

“I was wondering why you hadn’t called already.”

I rolled over onto my back and looked up at the ceiling of my bedroom. I was happy that Lacey had called me, even though it was still pretty early in the morning, because I’d been dying to tell her all about what had happened with Cole and me on the roof of the banquet hall.

“I’m really sorry about that, Alex. I don’t normally let myself get like that.”

It was true. Despite her confidence, her outgoing nature, Lacey very rarely got too drunk. Sure, she went home with guys from time to time, but that was just because she knew what she wanted and she went for it. She rarely made those decisions based on how much alcohol she’d had to drink.