She pressed her thumb to her lip, poking the corner of her mouth, drawing my attention there. When I was trying really fucking hard not to stare at her lips.“You want to leave Rixon?”“Yeah, there’s nothing for me here.” My shoulders lifted in a half-hearted shrug. “Where do you want to go?”“Alabama.”“Wow, that’s… a long way away.”“It is. But it’s one of the best football programs in the country. And to be the best you have to play with the best.”“Is that why you came to Rixon High, instead of transferring to Millington or Fenn Hill?”“Something like that. Although I’m beginning to think it wasn’t my best idea ever.” Lily dropped her gaze. “I guess there’s a lot of history between our families.”“It was a long time ago.”“I know that, and you know that…” She lifted her eyes to mine again, and I found myself swimming in two pools of ice-blue water. “I’m sorry if my dad is being an ass about you being on the team.”“He’s under a lot of pressure,” I shook my head a little, trying to

She inhaled a sharp breath and smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Taming guys like your father, like Uncle Cam, it isn’t easy, and it definitely wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. I don’t want that for you, sweetheart. You deserve someone who can give you their all.”I frowned. I didn’t want to tame Kaiden, I just wanted to know him. To feel his lips on mine again. “What’s going on in here?” Dad appeared in the back door.“Nothing, the girls were just about to help me bring everything out.” Mom motioned to the stacks of plates and bowls.Ashleigh grabbed a load and made her way outside, Mom hot on her heels.“Everything okay, Lil?” he asked as I loaded a tray with condiments from the refrigerator. “Sure, Dad.”“If there’s something wrong—”Spinning around, I pinned him with a hard look. “Did you choose Jenson for the starting lineup for the game against Marshall because he’s the best?”His brows furrowed. “Where is this coming from? You know I always make decisions—” He stopped him

FRIDAY WAS BITTERSWEET TORTURE. On one hand, I was so fucking ready for a new season of football. But I didn’t want it to be like this; playing with a team who didn’t want me here anymore than I wanted to be here.“Hey, Thatcher, hold my shit for me, will you?” Monroe called over. “Since you won’t be playing, I figured you might as well make yourself useful.” He and his guys exploded with laughter. “Ignore him. You’ll get to play,” Gav said.“Yeah, whatever,” I grumbled.My mood had only gotten darker as the week went on. The atmosphere at home was unbearable. My old man wasn’t working due to a flare up with his back, but me and Mom knew the truth. He’d relapsed, and I was pretty sure it was all because of me.So I’d avoided the house as much as possible. Part of me hated leaving Mom alone, but I couldn’t be there. I couldn’t be there taking his constant taunts and jibes. It was like picking at a scab, picking until it festered and festered, poisoning your bloodstream, infecting your

“Relax,” Ashleigh said, lacing her arm through mine.“What if he’s—”“He asked you if you were coming, right?”“Yeah, but he might not want me here after tonight.”“You know that had nothing to do with you.” She gave me a reassuring smile. “The guys froze him out.”We’d all seen it. Kaiden had called a play and his team had messed it up. More than once.The Raiders still won, but the fourth quarter was a disaster.“What’s up with Peyton?” Ashleigh asked. “She seems… tense.”“Her mom’s getting out of rehab. She just found out today.”“Does that mean she’ll go home?”“I don’t know what it means yet.” I watched my best friend as she walked ahead of us, talking to a couple of other senior girls who had rode to the party with us.“Your dad will let her stay with you though, right?”“He will, but I’m not sure it’s that simple, Leigh. She’s still a minor.”“Speaking of… we need to decide what we want to do for our birthdays.” She waggled her brows.“You mean a family trip to Pizzaretti and t

“Thank fuck,” he breathed the words with such relief I felt them all the way down to my soul. Kaiden trailed his lips up the slope of my neck and along my jaw until he was at the corner of my mouth. “I’ve wanted to do this all week,” he said.“What about Lindsey?” I whispered, hating to bring up her name while he was kissing me.“What about her?” He was so close we were looking right into each other’s eyes. I could see the flecks of silver in his eyes, smell the bitter scent of liquor on his breath.“You two seemed pretty close earlier.” The words made my stomach twist.“She’s no one. I told her I wasn’t interested… because I’m not.”“I don’t believe that for a second. Lindsey is beautiful, she’s pop—”“Stop.” He kissed me. Well, half-kissed me since our mouths weren’t fully aligned. I turned my head slightly, so he had no choice but to slide his lips against mine. Kaiden ran one of his hands up my spine to gently grip the back of my neck. It was such a possessive move that my heart l