Beg You to Trust Me (Lindon U #2)(14)

He frowns, scratching the side of his neck. “Okay, well… Sorry that I bothered you.”

Sorry.

He’s sorry.

Apparently, his friend is sorry.

But where does that leave me?

He watches me for a second, still frowning, before nodding once as if he’s reluctantly backing down. “If you change your mind…”

I shake my head. “I won’t.”

He glances over his shoulder before sighing lightly. “What’s your name anyway?”

Why does he want to know? I debate on whether or not to answer. Indecision swirls in my head before I finally say, “Skylar.”

His smile returns, friendly with something else woven in that I can’t discern. “I’ll see you around, Skylar.”

Doubtful.

Even after he’s gone, I can’t focus on my homework. So, I pack up and head back to my empty dorm room where I think about the interaction.

DJ feeling bad about what he said doesn’t add up. And his friend obviously thinks there’s something way different going on besides a few short-lived conversations.

Flopping onto my bed, I groan.

When Tyler texts me about meeting up to hang out, I accept it without hesitation hoping it’ll be a welcome distraction from the feeling building deep in my stomach.

The less I let myself think, the better.





CHAPTER SEVEN





DANNY





I jog up to Aiden and smack him in the shoulder before falling into step with his long strides as we head toward the locker room. “What the fuck is Coach’s deal?”

He gives me a blank look. “Why would you think I know?”

I refrain from rolling my eyes. “Because he tells you everything.”

The brute doesn’t argue, but also doesn’t indulge me with an answer. I have no doubt he knows what crawled up Coach Pearce’s ass, but I decide not to push because Griff seems to be in a mood. About what, I don’t know. He’s not the type you can pry much from.

We’re all in the process of showering, drying off, and changing when Pearce storms into the room. “Listen up,” his loud voice booms throughout the room. “I don’t want any questions, just listen and do what you’re told. There’s some shit going around that needs to be taken care of, and I want all of you to get tested to be sure you’re in the clear from it.”

That’s definitely going to raise some questions whether he wants them to be asked or not. He might as well have told us we were all going to die but couldn’t ask when or how.

“What shit?” one of the fresh asks.

Pearce deadpans. “What the hell did I just tell you, O’Keefe? No questions.”

I snicker at his irritation. “Sorry, Coach, but you have to admit that sounded ominous.”

A few people murmur their agreement, and a couple players even look a little worried as we all focus on the aging man.

Pearce scrubs a hand down his wrinkled face and sighs. “You want me to give it to you straight? Fine. I know how some of you act. I also know that most of you think with the wrong head. And I’ve been informed that there’s a rise in STD cases going around campus. You all signed forms that agreed to go through testing when the coaching staff sought fit. This is me telling you hussies you’re getting tested. I can’t have any of you out on the field if you’re not in tip-top shape because you got your dicks wet one too many times. Understand me?”

Now there’s way more conversation, mumbles and curses going off across the room that can be heard over the running showers.

STDs? Christ. I remember all the lectures in health class. I also remember the uncomfortable as hell sex talk my mother gave me when I turned fourteen. I’d entered high school which apparently meant in her mind that I was looking to get laid. I think my face was bright red when she passed me a condom and asked if I knew how to put it on.

I didn’t, but I wasn’t about to ask her to show me that was for fucking sure.

If what Pearce says is true, I can’t help but wonder if some of my teammates didn’t get the same awkward talk melded into their brains early on.

We get tested randomly for drugs throughout the season and signed our name on a dotted line agreeing to other lab work if something came up. For those on scholarships, it’s do or die when it comes to following the rules. Was I worried? No. It’s been a while since I buried myself between a woman’s thighs, and I always wore protection.

The thought of having kids at a young age is terrifying, especially seeing what it did to my mother. She was only fifteen when she had me. Probably why she felt the need to tell me all about the birds and the bees when she did. Parents are always trying to make sure you don’t make their mistakes, and that was one she could be rest assured I wouldn’t be making for myself.

Coach ignores the groans and complaints coming from the team and tells us the info we need to get the testing done. Based on the atmosphere from the guys, I’d say there are plenty of people who are going to sweat it out until they get their results back.

I can’t help but snicker.

“Something funny?” Caleb asks, sidling up to me while towel drying his hair.

I shrug, slamming my locker door once I have my fresh clothes in hand. “I guess the advantage of a dry spell is that I don’t have to worry about shit.”