Page 23 of Stolen Bases

“Don’t say another word, or I’ll punch your fucking teeth out. If she didn’t need a vacation, I’d pack her shit for her and put her on the next flight home.”

So, she’s sticking around.

I don’t respond, keeping my face neutral, but I store that bit of information in my back pocket. “You have nothing to worry about. Your sister is safe from me.”

Nico turns to glare at me, chest heaving and nostrils flaring.

Gee, what the hell is this guy’s problem? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him anything but angry, like he is now.

“Again, I repeat: what the fuck do you want?”

“I want this”—I pass my finger between the two of us—“to end. We are on the same team, and as much as I know you hate me, Ineed to know that you want to win more. We are getting too old for all this drama and animosity. Our years in the league are quickly coming to a close.”

Nico goes to argue, but I stop him. He can keep lying to himself, but his knees won’t be able to take much more. It’s the name of the game.

We get older, but the players stay the same age.

He crosses his arms over his barrel chest. “I’m not gonna be your friend, Miller.”

“No one said we needed to be friends, but we do need to get along.” I extend my hand to him. “Truce, for the good of the team?”

He looks at my peace offering and sneers. “You can fuck off with your truce and this whole good guy routine.” He bumps my shoulder as he heads towards the locker room, but not before he yells out, “And stay the fuck away from my sister, you piece of shit!”

Asshole.

Maybe I will fuck his sister just to spite him.

seven

Talia

My skin is soft,my muscles feel like jello, and the soothing scent of lavender massage oil wafts around me as I click and read post after post on my laptop.

It’s been two days since I saw Cameron sitting in the hot tub, looking all wet and sexy. Two days of doing research and wondering what the hell I am going to do. I still haven’t heard back about my boards, but I should any day now.

Thank goodness for my brother. His packet of distractions is working. Ish? I don’t know.

When I woke up the morning after the kiss and my disagreement with Cameron in the hot tub, I found a manilla envelope with my name and a note inside on the kitchen counter. The note was from Nico, explaining that he was proud of me and sorry for the way he behaved at the restaurant. He said that even though he wouldn’t be around, he wanted me to have fun while I was visiting. Inside the envelope was a stack of papers with reservations for various activities, one for each day I’m here in Phoenix.

This is the side of Nico I was trying to get Cam to see. My brother would never do anything to hurt me. I truly believe Nico is blinded by whatever hate he’s held onto for so long.

So, for the last two days, I’ve distracted myself withvarious excursions.

First, I took a guided desert trip where I spent hours hiking, riding four-wheelers, and climbing rocks. Then, I did the city tour and ended the day watching the sky change colors as the sun set—one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed. Today, I spent the day at this incredibly expensive spa Nico had picked out. I was rubbed and scrubbed from head to toe.

I should be more relaxed, but I still can’t get a certain someone out of my head.

While, Nico has been successful in keeping me busy out of the house. He has not been able to keep Cam from infiltrating my every thought. My brother must think I’m an idiot. I know what he’s doing, but he has nothing to worry about. It would be stupid to get involved with one of his teammates, let alone one he vehemently hates.

I am Team Nico all the way. The reason he hates Cam doesn’t matter, right?

That’s the million-dollar question: what if it matters? Which is why, for the last hour, I have been doing my due diligence, scouring the internet for proof of the claims so confidently given to me the other night.

True to his word and my internet sleuthing, there is no evidence of Cameron ever saying anything negative about my brother aside from a few “oh, you know how playing on rival teams goes” or “it comes with the job; no hitter likes to be struck out” and even an occasional “he’s a great hitter; it was bound to happen”.

Nothing.Niente.

I cannot find one article or video of Cam bad-mouthing my brother while there are millions of Nico trash-talking littered across the internet. I don’t know how Cam keeps cool in the face of it all, but he does. In every interview I’ve watched, he sits there with a carefree smirk and a nonchalant attitude.

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