Fake Fiancée(52)

“Sunny,” I whispered.

My eyes flared open as I awoke with a jump. Fuck me. She had been in front of me the entire time—and I’d forgotten her. I’d always remembered helping a girl out of a watery grave—hell, I’d even told Tate about it freshman year, but the other details . . .

I raked a hand through my hair. Did she remember me?

She did. My gut knew it.

And suddenly my heart was pounding. Was this why she’d been off with me lately?

“Bad dream?” Tate asked.

I blinked and rubbed my eyes, still wrapping my head around the knowledge.

“Must have been. Dude. You okay?”

No. I wasn’t. I shook my head, pushing his voice out as he continued to talk. So many things clicked into place—the automatic connection, that magnetic pull I felt, how she’d never been a stranger to me.

“You getting off the bus?” Tate asked as he gathered up his gym bag.

What?

I gazed around. We’d pulled up at the field house and parked. “Yeah. I—I need to see Sunny.”

Tate had already texted a groupie to pick him up, and he headed to her car as he stepped to the curb. Ryn was riding with me, and we headed to the Land Cruiser parked closer to the field house.

I’d just crawled in the front seat and cranked it when I heard a girl scream.

“What was that?” Ryn said as we both flipped around to look out the rear window. We saw Bianca and Felix arguing a few feet away next to her white Lexus. She’d apparently been here to greet him.

Let it go, Max.

But then he jabbed his finger in her shoulder.

My eyes swept the lot. Of course, all the coaches had bolted, either heading off in their car or they’d gone into the field house to dump equipment. The only people left were the handful who’d been in the back of the bus.

Ryn and I got back out of my car and headed to where they were. Because I had issues with Felix, I let Ryn step in first. I was the captain of this team, but sometimes that came with knowing when not to open your big mouth.

“Nothing to see here,” Felix snapped when Ryn asked what was the matter.

Bianca sent me a pleading look, almost as if telling me to go away. She played with her wrists, red marks on them. He’d tugged on her. Maybe she’d been in his face? My hands tightened. Whatever the reason, there was no excuse for manhandling a girl—not when you’re as big as Felix.

A flush rode his cheek, showing a definite handprint where she’d slapped him. I’d been on the receiving end of that as well, once, only I’d walked away.

Ryn looked at Bianca. “I’m not leaving until you tell me you’re okay.” He pointed to my car. “If you don’t feel like driving, we can take you wherever you need to go.”

She nodded and seemed to compose herself. “It—it’s fine. I’m sorry I startled everyone. Felix—Felix didn’t know I was going to be here, and we had an argument.”

“Do you need anything?” I said.

“No. I’m going home.” Her gaze went to Felix. “Alone.”

Felix narrowed sly eyes at her, his lip curling. “Do what you want—but I won’t be alone tonight.”

As if his words had electrified her, she straightened up from where she’d been leaning against her car. She pointed her finger at him, frustration and hurt mingling on her face. “You think you can do whatever you want just because you wear a jersey and I care about you,” she said. “But I’m done letting you get away with treating me like dirt. It’s over.” Her voice broke and she swiped at a tear that slid down her cheek.

Her eyes landed on me. “Even you,” she whispered.

She opened her car door and with a peel of her tires, she flew out of the lot.

For the first time since we’d broken up, two things became very clear.

First of all, I’d never cared for Bianca the way I should have. She was too unstable and flighty for the long term. Had she just been the best fuck I’d had in college at the time? Maybe. Nothing I felt for her even came close to Sunny.

And second, I’d never cheated on her, but I hadn’t given her the attention she needed. I hadn’t spent the time with her she’d wanted because I hadn’t been ready to commit. Not really. Football had always been first. It still was.

At the same time, I wasn’t going to let Felix push her around either. She was a human being for fuck’s sake, and if he’d been pushing her around . . . my fists clenched.

Felix started to walk away toward his vehicle, and I grabbed his arm and flipped him around. Ryn got between us. “Whoa, guys. We don’t need another fight between you two.”

I bit my words out slowly, making sure he saw the promise in my eyes. “If you ever hit her, I’ll break your arm. You’ll never throw another pass again.”

An ugly snarl crossed his face. “You’re too scared of ruining your career to back that up. Fuck off.”

Then he popped away from us and jogged to his car.

We watched him speed off. “Dude, he looked scary,” Ryn said. “Should we be worried about her?”

“I don’t know.” I rubbed my temple.

Ryn exhaled. “Do you mind if we just drive by Bianca’s and make sure he doesn’t go over there? I know she’s not your favorite person, but . . .”