It’s the first game Asher has been able to make since he moved back. I was nervous when I saw him come in. He was checking the place out, taking it all in like he always does. His jeans were loose on his legs, as was his jacket on his shoulders. Now, though, he has the jacket off, and the shirt my mom made him back when he was in high school doesn’t fit a lick. I don’t even know why he is wearing it. I’m sure it’s for me, and it makes me all giggly inside. Special. He makes me feel special.
And I am going to win this game for him.
We lose the ball after our libero passes it way too hard to our second setter since Angie and I are blocked, and Jenny’s pass goes right into the net instead of up so her hitter can make it over. They’ve figured out our signature play, so we have to move it to the left. It’s cool; I can set Lisha just fine. I pat my chest and Katie looks confused, but I give her a stern look, willing her to know what I mean. Thankfully, when the ball comes to her, she passes it to me. Angie goes to move as if she is going to hit it, but I pass it backward to Lisha, who demolishes the ball. Point.
As we hug up, I pat Katie’s back. “Yes, fucking yes. Back row, pass it to me, and let’s end them.”
And we do. By a landslide.
Asher and Dad are so loud as we clap hands with the other team. It excites me to no end that they fell back into their normal cheering groove. I was actually worried Asher would feel a bit awkward since he hasn’t seen my parents or hung with them in a long time, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. He’s family. He’ll always be family. No matter what I feel.
My team falls on the floor, locking arms as we snuggle close, our heads touching. “Great game, girls. Great hits, Angie and Lisha, badass volleys. I am proud of us. We are going to the top. I can feel it.” The girls agree with hoots and hollers before we let one another go to start patting the court. It sounds like one hell of a thunderstorm, and I love it. This is my favorite part of a win, the togetherness and bringing the storm of our power.
“We are!” I scream and they repeat. “Strong.” Again, they repeat after me, all of them grinning. “Fierce.” I wait as they yell it. “Talented!” Angie meets my gaze, and with her, we yell, “We are the Bellevue Bullies!”
When the whole gym yells it with us, I realize maybe that’s my favorite part. Our whole student body coming together for its sports team. I’m going to miss this. I can play club volleyball until my hips go out, but it won’t be anything like this, the specialness of being on a team and being a part of something great. This team is going places, and I will make that happen. I have to. I have to leave behind a legacy. I want to come back and be welcomed with open arms. Just how my dad is. How the Assassins begged him to work for him and be a part of their success. I want that.
As we walk toward Coach, I wrap my arm around Katie, holding her close. “I know I’m hard on you—”
“It’s because you want more from me. I’ll get there. I promise.”
I grin at her. She wasn’t our starter before the season began, but our senior left school to play for Team USA. I could have gone too, but I’d already pushed back school enough. My dad was pissed the first time I took a year off. He didn’t finish school; he depended on his talent, and he wants more for me. I really wanted to follow my talent, but I learned real quick that talent can be taken away with injury. I broke the shit out of my ankle, which ended my time with the club team and brought me home. I don’t want to chance it anymore. I need to finish.
I want to finish.
When I reach the bench for my water, Angie and Katie are looking up the bleachers. “That’s him.” I hear Angie say.
I glance up to where she is pointing, and of course, it’s at Asher as he helps my mom gather her stuff. Jealousy eats at my soul as I bite the inside of my cheek. “Isn’t he beautiful?” Angie says.
Katie nods eagerly. “So fucking hot. You going to talk to him?”
“Hell yes, just waiting for him to come down.”
Horny bitches.
I move to head off Asher and my parents, hoping to get in the way of Angie since I’m a petty bitch apparently, but Coach stops me. “Allison, I can’t rave on your leadership any more. I’m so glad with my choice to make you captain.”
I want to scream. “Thanks, Coach.”
“I’m going to need your help with getting Katie where we need her. She’s our weak link.”
I nod in agreement and almost cut him off when Asher stops at the bottom of the bleachers with my parents. I even hear Angie say, “Here I go,” before she moves.
Damn it!
Coach keeps talking, but my gaze is stuck on where Angie and Asher are talking. Of course, she’s stunning and perfect with her grins and holding her hands like an innocent little sex bunny! Did she pull up her shorts so her ass hangs out? Asher obviously is attracted because he’s smirking at her. His eyes are dark, and his body language says he wants to do her. Angie is clearly two seconds from climbing him like a tree and humping his head.
Fucking fuck.
“What do you think?”
I meet his gaze, and I hope my face doesn’t reveal that I didn’t listen to a word Coach said. “I think we need to make her pass and not quit until she hits her target twenty times. That’s what they did with me with my sets. I think she needs to hit the weight room and the endurance room more than everyone else. A little longer each day. Pair her up with Nic ’cause Lord knows she needs to go too. She was sucking air the whole game, and that’s uncalled-for.”
He nods. “I agree. Really, I’m more than impressed with you, Allison.”
I smile. “Anytime, Coach. My parents are waiting, excuse me.”
He pats my back. “Great game.”
I send him a wide grin that instantly falls when I see Angie and Asher exchanging numbers. My mom watches with disdain swirling in her blue depths, while my dad grins like a proud father.
Damn it.
When Angie turns, a little pep in her step, I notice as Asher watches her walk away. His lips slowly curl into a sensual grin, and I want to trip Angie. Again, I realize that makes me petty, but I don’t care. As she passes me, she looks so damn proud of herself. “Told ya.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I snarl at her, but then I flash her a grin so she doesn’t know I want to trip her. I go to my dad first, hugging him tightly as he kisses my temple. “I feel since you guys won, the Assassins will do the same.”
I beam. “Well, with you and Posey on the power play, I think it’s a done deal.”
He kisses my temple again. “Great game, sweetheart.”
“Thanks, Dad,” I say as my mom hugs me tightly.
“So good! You were everywhere!”
“Gotta keep the captain game strong,” I say, shaking the C part of my jersey at her. She chuckles at my silliness as I look Asher over. “Dude, that shirt doesn’t fit.”
He laughs as he high-fives me. “I know. I told Mama Harp I need her to make me a new one.”
“A bigger one to fit all those muscles in,” Mom teases. “He claims he didn’t eat little Asher and he’s not on steroids.”
I laugh as Dad slaps Asher hard on the back. “He isn’t on steroids. Lucas would kill him.”
Asher nods. “Dead. And then after he killed me, he’d kill me again.”
I snicker as Mom grins. “So, what’s y’all’s plan? Wanna get some dinner?”
“Sure,” I say with a shrug, and then I glance at Asher. “Make them pay for us.”
Asher grins. “Yeah, I want to, but I just made plans with Angie. She’s cute. You didn’t tell me that.”
Because I hate her. That’s not true; I love her. But, ugh. Why Asher? I think I would be less upset if she hit on my dad. At least then, my mom could flick her away like a bug, and that would be that. Nope. Instead, I have to grin. “Yeah, she’s great.”
“But I’ll come for a drink, some apps. We can go to Brooks House, make my sister serve us.”
Mom and Dad nod, and then everyone looks at me. I can refuse, go back to my room and sulk, or I can keep this game of hiding my feelings strong.
I love games.
“Yeah, totally. Let me go shower and change. I’ll meet you guys there.” I turn, but then I stop, turning back. “Can you give him a ride? He Ubered here.”
“I can wait for you,” he says. And then he sits to decide it. “So you don’t have to drive alone.”
“Great!” I say a little too over the top, but then I remember he doesn’t have a car yet. “What are you going to do, Uber to Angie?”
“No, she’s meeting us at Brooks House.”
Fan-fucking-tastic. I so don’t want to see them together. I try to keep my face neutral, but it doesn’t work. “So, we’re going to Brooks House for your date?”
He shrugs. “I’ll buy you wine and apps.”
I scrunch up my face. “No, you’ll get your mom to give it to me for free.”
“Same thing.”
“It isn’t, but whatever. We’ll be there soon, guys.”
I don’t even wait for them to say bye to me, I just head back to the locker room. When I enter, the room is full of winning chatter, but all I hear is Angie. “He’s so dreamy. So big. Yeah, his brother is Aiden Brooks. The star of the Assassins? Yeah, girl, he is so beautiful. I don’t know how Ally doesn’t bang him from sunup to sundown.”