Page 3 of Ruthless Game

“It’s some girl,” Asher spoke up.

I glared at him. How the fuck did he know about Emma?

“No idea who she is, but he saw her on campus a few times last year and freaked the f—heck out.” Coach hated when we swore, said it made us seem childish. “He’s never talked about her, but it’s obvious for … various reasons he’s not over her. That’s what’s messing with his game. I’m not sure if he needs closure or to beg for her forgiveness or what, but it’s time to deal with this and move on.”

“She doesn’t deserve forgiveness,” I muttered, unable to keep my feelings buried. “And I don’t need closure. She doesn’t mean anything. Just a reminder of my past I want gone.”

A small smile passed over Coach’s face. “You boys, so sure you can cut off feelings like they won’t still bleed. Lawson, deal with your girl. Get things settled, get yourself sorted. Otherwise, you’re not benched for the season—you’re off the team.”

“What the hell?” My throat squeezed tight, the vision of that small town in Maine looming closer. “But I have an athletic scholarship.”

Even if the Beasts didn’t cancel my contract, I needed to graduate. My father said I’d amount to nothing, and so that degree meant everything.

“Then you best stop avoiding your past and face it.” With that, Coach lifted his chin toward the door. “Asher, I’ll see you at practice tomorrow. Lawson, you get the week off to get your shit together .”

“But—”

“Clock’s ticking,” he said.

I slammed out of his office, whipping around to face Asher in the locker room. Asher ignored me as he changed out of his gear and into workout clothes.

“What the hell was that?” I demanded.

“The truth.”

“I didn’t realize you’d been spying on me.”

“Someone has to. You’re a goddamn mess. Everyone can tell. Do you want to throw your whole future away?”

“Asher, I swear to fucking god⁠—”

“No.” He looked up at me from where he sat, lacing up his skates. “Here’s the thing, David.” I flinched when he called me by my first name. “You owe me. You kept your mouth shut last year when I needed you to speak up about Coach Jensen, and it almost cost me everything. If my sister hadn’t…if Jack hadn’t…” he shook his head. “Like I said, you have a hell of a lot to atone for. Now, I could’ve made it so you don’t play, but for whatever reason, I like you, even if you’re an idiot. So instead, you’ll make it up to me by working shit out with that girl and then getting your damn head in the game where it belongs.”

Shit.

Fuck.

Like there wasn’t already enough pressure on me. His demand felt like ice water, closing over my head. Like I was drowning.

I had drowned once, years ago. Had briefly died. Aside from Emma’s swim meets in high school, I went nowhere near water. Never took that risk. But that memory returned when I was stressed. And I was fucking stressed.

How was I going to get Emma out of my head, for good? I’d been trying and failing to exorcise her from my mind for years.

“Well what do you recommend?”

Asher shrugged. “Usually when I need to get someone out of my system, I fuck them. And then poof, gone. Maybe you need to fuck her again.”

I’d never fucked her betraying pussy in the first place. Never even touched it. Our relationship had been innocent, sweet, and even though I’d wanted her back then, I’d never been willing to push her too hard. I’d been content to kiss her, hold her, and whisper about our futures together late at night when everyone else in the house was asleep.

Was that it? Did I need to fuck Emma, lose my virginity inside the body I’d always dreamed about, to finally purge her from my thoughts and muscle memory forever? Maybe torture her for her past wrongs to really make sure I’d moved on? Just the thought made my cock hard, pushing against my cup painfully.

God, I wanted to take my years-long hurt out on her.

Not hurt. I wasn’t hurt. I was angry. Real men didn’t get hurt. My father had taught me that, too.

“She’s not even in the country,” I admitted. “And I don’t know how I’m going to convince her to let me fuck her.”

Asher’s smile was grim. “Take a page out of my soon-to-be brother-in-law’s book. Blackmail her. Threaten someone she loves. Seemed to work for Isaac and Tovah, too.”