Page 121 of Just Say Yes

“You don’t get to talk about her like that,” I said, my voice low and dangerous.

“Why not? I knew her first—better than you ever will,” he spat, his eyes narrowing. “You think she’s some kind of saint? She’s a clingy, needy little girl who doesn’t know how to let go.”

I grabbed him by the front of his shirt, slamming him against the wall. “She’s not the girl you used to know. She’s a woman who stood up to your sorry ass and sent you packing.”

He shoved at my chest, but I didn’t let go. “What’s your deal, Logan? You playing the hero? Or is this just another trophy for your collection?”

The words hit harder than they should’ve, but not for the reason he thought. He wasn’t wrong about the trophies—that was all my life had been for years. Chasing the next win, the next title, the next shiny thing to make me feel like I was enough.

But MJ? She wasn’t a trophy. She was everything.

“You’re pathetic,” I said, my voice steady as I pushed him back, letting go of his ripped shirt. “You don’t even see it, do you? She doesn’t need you. She never did. She doesn’t even need me. But she chose me. Because I’m not like you. I don’t tear her down to feel big. I build her up. That’s the difference between us.”

I turned, ready to walk out and leave him to his misery. But the next thing I knew, pain exploded across my jaw. The force of his sucker punch made my head snap to the side, a metallic tang flooding my mouth.

For a moment I stayed still, rolling my jaw as Trent stood there, his chest heaving, that cocky smirk already creeping back onto his face. “What’s the matter, golden boy? Can’t take a hit?”

I ran my tongue along my teeth, making sure none were loose, before turning back to face him, my voice low and steady. “You really should’ve thought that through.”

He didn’t have time to respond before my fist connected with his gut, doubling him over with a groan. As he stumbled back, I landed a clean punch to his cheekbone, sending him crashing to the floor in a heap.

I spat blood on the floor next to his face.

“Stay away from her,” I said, my voice like steel. “If I hear you went near her again, I won’t stop next time.”

He glared up at me, his lip split and his breathing ragged. “She’ll never stay,” he sneered, his voice dripping with venom. “What do you even have to offer? You’ve got nothing but rugby, and even that won’t last forever.”

I turned my back on him, his words rolling off me like water. “She’s not yours to talk about. Remember that.”

My hand gripped the doorknob, and I hesitated, looking over my shoulder one last time. “And don’t think for a second this is about us. Whatever we had—friendship, camaraderie—it’s done. I see who you are, Trent. And there’s no coming back from that.”

The drive back to the hotel was quiet, the adrenaline slowly fading as the reality of what I’d done sank in. My knuckles throbbed, and my chest ached, but I didn’t regret it.

Ending things with Trent—whatever scraps of friendship we had left—felt like cutting out a piece of my past I didn’t need anymore.

All that mattered now was her.

MJ’s voice played in my head, soft and teasing, the way she’d sounded on the phone. She was happy tonight, and I’d do anything to keep her that way.

Even if it meant leaving behind everything I thought I wanted.

Because for the first time in my life, I knew what really mattered.

And it wasn’t a trophy.

It was her.

THIRTY-THREE

MJ

The stadium buzzed with energy,the kind that seeped into my bones and made my chest hum. I followed Tony the security guard down to the family seating area, followed by Lark, Wyatt, and Penny. We wove through a crowd decked out in team colors, faces painted and voices raised in unison.

It was electric, almost too much, but it was Logan’s world.

And this afternoon, we all wanted to be a part of it.

“Hell of a view.” Wyatt’s deep voice cut through the noise as we found our seats. His calm, commanding presence was steadying, and I appreciated how he kept an eye on Penny while taking in the field with a coach’s intensity.

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