THE COACH (PLAYED Book 4) Read online

  I stared at him blankly, not understanding what he was getting at, my mind on Lucy.

  He huffed. “The boxing lessons.”

  “Oh, sorry, I was gonna get back to you about a time, but forgot. I’ve got a really bad memory, too many knocks to my stupid head,” I said, tapping it.

  My answer wiped the annoyed look off his face. “Don’t put yourself down, you’ve been through a lot. How about we have a lesson tonight? I’ve got some free time between seven and eight.”

  “Um, yeah, sure, why not,” I said, not having anything planned, other than possibly hanging out with Lucy. Plus, I could catch up with her before it.

  Coach Cassidy smiled. “I’ll text you the address of the gym.”

  “Sure, see you then.” I took off in the direction that Lucy had gone, noticing Daniel standing by his locker, his eyes on me. I stopped in my tracks, my hands already clenching, everything in me gearing up to attack the bastard. But for some reason I didn’t spring forward, and not because of any repercussions. He looked upset, not angry. His gaze shifted from me to something in the distance. I glanced over my shoulder, seeing Coach Cassidy staring back at him. Daniel turned and walked off in the opposite direction, whatever that was about having nothing to do with me. Or maybe it did, Daniel not liking me talking to his coach. Though, he didn’t know what we’d been talking about. For all he knew, his coach could’ve been telling me off. Either way, it was none of my business, because I owed him nothing—other than a kick in the head.

  I continued on, my attention back to finding Lucy.

  ***

  I didn’t find her for the rest of lunch, didn’t see her for the final classes either since we had different lessons, only Math and English shared. I texted her to meet me by the entrance so we could walk home together. She texted back, saying she was already at home, that she wasn’t feeling well.

  What’s wrong? I replied, heading for the exit, almost banging into another student, my eyes on my phone.

  I think it’s the flu.

  Or more like what Brooke said, I typed, Lucy not sick. You should ignore her, she’s just jealous.

  It’s not that easy, plus it’s not just about her. I hear what everyone is saying.

  What are they saying? I jumped down the steps, slipping between a group of students, my friends all at hockey practice. I’d wanted to watch them practice, but the coach told me to go home, to get on top of my assignments before he threw me back into full-on practice and games. As if I was going to do assignments, Lucy doing them for me.

  That I’m not good enough for you, she replied.

  It’s more like the other way around, you’re nicer than me.

  It’s not about being nice, Riley, and you know it.

  I frowned. Is that why you were eating rabbit food at lunch? You’re worried about your weight?

  She didn’t reply.

  You shouldn’t starve yourself because of what Devin said, I texted. I like your body as it is.

  You’re just saying that, came back. And it’s not just Devin, I heard some girls talking.

  They’re jealous because I want you, not them.

  Do you really want me?

  100% Otherwise I wouldn’t be going out with you. BTW, do you want to come over to my house after dinner?

  As soon as I pressed send, my boxing session with Coach Cassidy came to mind. “Shit,” I muttered, typing out a change of time, about to ask if she could come before dinner instead. I deleted it a second later, realizing I needed to spend more time with her, an hour not enough. I opened up Coach Cassidy’s number, sending a quick text to tell him that I couldn’t make training, saying something had come up.

  I pocketed my phone and headed down the road, making my way home. It was cold, but not bad, the walk quickly warming me up. If anything, I was a bit hot by the time I pushed through my gate, a headache coming on. I unlocked my door and stepped inside, wondering why the mail was scattered all over the floor, a few also stuck in the mail slot. I swiped them up, groaning at how many looked like bills, what I’d paid a drop in the ocean. I threw them onto the table, then made my way up the staircase, walking into... I stopped in my tracks at the sight of Brooke lying on my bed in her cheerleader outfit.

  “Hello, Riley,” she said, looking pleased with herself, “fancy seeing you here.”

  “It’s my home, you crazy bitch!” I yelled. “Get out before I call the cops!”

  She sat up, leaning her back against my headboard. “Go on then, call Sheriff Greene.”

  I scowled at her, Brooke damn well knowing I wouldn’t call him. “Just get lost.”

  “That’s not a very nice way to talk to a lady.”

  “You’re no lady, you’re a viper.”

  She laughed, not looking perturbed at all, which made me nervous.

  “What are you up to?” I asked.

  Her smile faltered. “Why were you talking to Daniel’s coach?”

  “That’s none of your business.”

  “It is if you want me to leave.”

  “I ran into him, almost got a detention for it,” I lied, not wanting his boxing offer to get back to Daniel, because it would knowing Brooke.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be? It’s not like he’s my coach, which by the way is your dad. He won’t be happy knowing that his daughter broke into my house to get into my bed.”

  “I didn’t break in, you forget I have a key.”

  “Which you’ll give back.”

  “Maybe,” she said, her smile back in full force. She pulled her skirt up enough to show me her panties.

  I grimaced. “Get off my bed and leave.”

  She licked her lips and slipped her hand into her panties. “What if I don’t want to? Will you make me?”

  “This is harassment.”

  She narrowed her eyes at me. “Like Lucy harassed you into doing a striptease for her. What makes this so different?”

  “I don’t want anything from you.”

  She removed her hand from her panties and shimmied up her outfit, revealing most of her body, Brooke not wearing a bra. “You sure?” she asked, tweaking a nipple.

  “Yes, so get out,” I said, the view nice, the face above it not.

  She harrumphed and shimmied the outfit back down. “Why do you have to make things so hard, Riley?”

  “’Cause I don’t like you, I like Lucy.”

  She sneered. “Not that much. I bet if Melissa came back, you’d dump Lucy in a heartbeat.”

  I frowned, wondering whether Zuko had told her about Melissa’s texts.

  Brooke cocked a brow at me. “So, you would dump Lucy for Melissa.”

  “No, Melissa cheated on me. I wouldn’t take her back.”

  “Are you sure about that, Riley?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good to hear.” She pushed off the bed, stopping in front of me. “You know, you’ll regret dumping me.”

  “The only thing I regret is not doing it sooner.”

  “You’ll regret saying that, too,” she said, her face hardening. “Even you can’t cross me and get away with it.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You’ll find out soon enough, and when you do, you’ll be running back to me.” She wriggled her fingers at me and walked out of my room, disappearing down the staircase.

  I shook my head, the girl bat-shit crazy. Then it hit me, my curtains were open! I rushed over to my window, hoping like hell Lucy hadn’t seen Brooke in my room. Her curtains were open too, which was unusual, Lucy always keeping them shut. Even though there was no sign of her, I pulled out my phone and called through, not taking any chances. When she didn’t pick up, I texted, I found Brooke in my bed. She broke into my house. I told her to leave.

  No reply came back, making me wonder whether Lucy didn’t believe me. I flew out of my room, down the staircase and out the front door, Brooke thankfully nowhere in sight. I ran to Lucy’s door, giving it a loud knock, wanting to make
sure everything was okay between us, that Brooke hadn’t fucked things up again. The door opened a few seconds later, but it wasn’t Lucy standing before me, it was...

  Her mother.

  Mrs. Quinn’s dark eyes went big at the sight of me, a deer caught in headlights right before the crash.

  “Ah...” I said, not having thought this through. “Is Lucy home?”

  She cleared her throat. “Why do you want to talk to my daughter?”

  “I need some help with a math assignment,” I lied, not wanting her to know about us dating, if ever, even though I knew it would have to come out eventually.

  “Come in,” Mrs. Quinn said, stepping aside.

  I did, Lucy’s mother closing the door behind me. The embarrassment I’d felt from our last run-in rose up, what she did now at the forefront of my mind. My cock twitched involuntarily at the memory of her touching it, disturbing me even more, making me want to get the hell away from her. But I stayed rooted to the spot, speaking to Lucy more important.

  Mrs. Quinn flicked her long red hair over a shoulder. “I’m really sorry about what I did at your place,” she said, appearing just as nervous as I was, this whole situation awkward as fuck.

  “What’s done is done,” I replied, “as long as it doesn’t happen again.”

  She nodded. “It won’t, it can be our little secret.”

  “I’m fine with that,” I replied, not thinking it was so little, but willing to play along.

  She exhaled, her red lips parting, the woman looking relieved. Though, I didn’t feel relieved, quite the opposite, my dick twitching again. I forced myself to look away from her mouth, the woman a MILF. No, she wasn’t someone I wanted to fuck... well, to a point, because my dick was definitely interested, only my brain saying No!

  “So, can I please speak to Lucy?” I asked, glancing at the staircase.

  “She’s not home yet.”

  My gaze snapped back to her, annoyed that Lucy had lied to me. “Do you know where she is or when she’ll be back?”

  “Anytime soon. She went to the library to study.”

  “Can you please tell her I came over.”

  Mrs. Quinn nodded, giving me a smile, her lips sexy as fuck. I swallowed, still unable to shake the memory of those lips close to my dick.

  “Thanks,” I croaked out.

  “Ah...” Mrs. Quinn said, smoothing a hand down her lemon-colored dress. “If you like, you can wait in the lounge for Lucy.”

  I shook my head, embarrassed she’d noticed me staring at her lips, and she definitely had, the way she was looking at me inviting me to do a whole lot more than sit on her couch.

  “No, it’s all right, it’s not urgent,” I said.

  “Are you sure?” she asked, the conversation no longer about Lucy... or maybe it was. Maybe I was the problem, not Mrs. Quinn, my imagination running wild, my nervousness causing me to read into things that weren’t there.

  “Yes, just tell her I came over,” I replied, already turning to leave.

  I was back home in no time, speaking to Mrs. Quinn spooking me. Though, I didn’t think about it for long because my phone beeped in my pocket, drawing my attention to it. I pulled it out, finding a text from Coach Cassidy.

  Is it possible to reschedule whatever you have on? he asked. I’ve planned a really good boxing intro for you.

  Since Lucy clearly didn’t want to talk to me, I went to reply with a yes, but before I could, another text came through—just not from Coach Cassidy.

  I need to talk to you, Melissa said. It’s important.

  I grunted, sick of her bothering me.

  Another text followed, Melissa not taking no for an answer. Like you said, Riley, I won’t stop until you reply. You might as well answer or I’ll keep on going.

  I’ll block you, I texted back.

  We both know that’s a lie, otherwise you would’ve blocked me already.

  What do you want, Melissa? I shot back, sick of this to-and-fro between us.

  You.

  That won’t happen.

  Then block me.

  I sighed. How about you just stop texting me?

  YOU didn’t stop when you wanted to talk to me, so why should I?

  You cheated on me.

  Give me a second chance and it will never happen again.

  No, I’m with Lucy.

  Do you love her?

  That’s none of your business.

  Which means you don’t. Do you still love me?

  I frowned at the question, not sure. My thoughts went to the sheriff, the man having cheated on my mom. But he’d clearly loved her, regretting what he’d done... like Melissa regretted what she’d done to me.

  Your silence is telling, she texted.

  I can’t just cut off my feelings, I replied. But clearly you can if you let Daniel fuck you.

  I was thinking about you the whole time.

  That doesn’t help!

  I’m sorry, if I could go back in time I’d change things in an instant. Can we at least talk in person? It’s hard saying all of this through texts.

  What difference would it make? You’re in a different city now.

  Not for long. I’ve convinced my parents to let me come back.

  I tensed up, what she was saying... No! You can’t, I’ve moved on, I hastily wrote.

  With someone not good enough for you.

  Lucy is better than me!

  She’s still not right for you. Do you remember when we talked about getting married? You wanted it just as much as I did.

  Not anymore!

  I won’t believe that until you say it to my face.

  Just leave me alone, Melissa, and DON’T come back.

  Having had enough, I blocked her number, then opened up Coach Cassidy’s message. I’ve rearranged things, I texted him, wanting to let my anger out through boxing. I’ll be there by 7.

  His reply came back quick, one word, Good.

  8

  COACH CASSIDY

  I smiled at the text, looking up as my wife entered the dining room. She was a cute little thing, a right spitfire in bed, with an insatiable taste for dick. Just preferably not mine, Carol knowing my preferences in bed partners. I’d tried to live the life my parents had set out for me, but after their deaths I couldn’t carry on with it a second longer. I’d come out to Carol when Trudy was three, asking for a divorce. She’d initially walked out, but had returned a few months later, begging me to take her back, not wanting to raise a child on her own. I’d agreed, but on one condition... that she didn’t interfere in my relationships, and she’d agreed, as long as we kept them a secret.

  Carol slipped into the chair across from me, the table large enough to seat twelve people. “Why so happy?” she asked, my wife the nosiest person I knew.

  “I’m going to the boxing gym,” I replied, pocketing my phone.

  She quirked a penciled brow at me, her natural blonde ones too pale to see. “For exercise or pleasure?” she asked, knowing me so well... just not on this occasion, Riley purely business.

  “Exercise,” I replied, not wanting her to know about him just yet, like I didn’t want her to know about Daniel. Though, what I had with Daniel wasn’t platonic—far from it. I usually told Carol about my conquests, but they were men, not a boy who I shouldn’t have touched. I’d lied to Brooke, my relationship with Daniel having changed from coach to lover when he was fifteen.

  Carol scrunched up her cute little nose, clearly disappointed with my answer. “By the way, how long will Daniel be staying in the pool house? Trudy keeps going out there. I think she’s infatuated with the boy.”

  I frowned. “Did she go inside or was she just hanging around outside?”

  “At a guess, both. I’m not happy about that. You need to talk to Daniel, making sure he’s not taking advantage of our Trudy.”

  “From what I hear, it’s more like the other way around.”

  Carol sat up ramrod straight, her blonde curls bouncing from the sudden movement. �
��What exactly did you hear?”

  “I was speaking to Brooke Cameron. That loud-mouthed horror let slip about Trudy pressuring Daniel into sex.”

  Carol shot to her feet, almost knocking over her chair. “No! My little girl wouldn’t do that! Brooke’s a lying hussy who blackmails boys into bed. She did it to Riley Jamison, forcing him to be her boyfriend. It’s all over the school.”

  “I did hear that,” I replied, our daughter not so little, Carol having a bad habit of babying her, “but in this instance Brooke’s telling the truth, and although I’m not happy about it, Daniel assured me it won’t happen again.”

  “He’s a boy, boys don’t have that kind of control.”

  “Trust me, he’s not interested in Trudy.”

  “Why? Because he’s already had her! Go out there right now and tell him to leave!” she yelled, pointing at the window. “I won’t allow him to use my daughter, and you shouldn’t either.”

  “Calm down, Carol, he didn’t do anything wrong. I told you Trudy took advantage of him.”

  “You should be defending your daughter, not some brat who causes more trouble than he’s worth.”

  “Don’t insult him!” I snapped back, no one allowed to insult my beautiful boy.

  “But it’s true! He hurt Riley Jamison, and now he’s using Trudy, and you’re letting him get away with it. I want him gone by the morning.”

  “No,” I growled. “He’s staying.”

  She narrowed her eyes at me. “I’ve put up with a lot for you, so you will damn well do this one thing for me. And just so you know, you will not put anyone before your own daughter ever again!”

  “Daniel’s gay!” I snapped, finally losing it. The woman was like a dog with a bone, never letting anything go until she got what she wanted.

  She jerked her head back. “Pardon me?”

  “Daniel’s gay,” I gritted out, outing him the only way to shut her up.

  She blinked at me, her expression shocked. “Is that why he’s here? He’s your new bit on the side.”

  “I never said that.”

  “But that’s precisely what he is, isn’t he?”

  “Just because he’s gay doesn’t mean I’m having sex with him.”