Page 1 of The Break Down

PROLOGUE-KOA

Consequence, North Carolina.

I swear this town has a personal vendetta against me. Like I stepped off the plane and the universe went,“Him. Let’s ruin that one.”

Day one? Nearly drowned in a rainstorm so biblical I half-expected Noah—the dude from the bible and not our team’s best hooker (not that kind)—to float by in a bloody ark.

They saidcoastal charm.

I got waterlogged socks and hypothermia.

Then came the real horror.

Walking into the coach’s temporary batch and getting an eyeful of his naked, and did I mentionhairy, arse.

Coach Dane quickly got involved with one of our new team’s assistants.

And on a shag rug, of all things—oh, the horror!

It was like walking in on your da doing the nasty. With gusto.

I still can’t make eye contact with the guy without flashbacks. I may need therapy.

Or a lobotomy.

But the cherry on this cursed sundae?

Michael bloody Knight.

The American billionaire who bought us like a crate of bourbon and dumped us in this swampy hellhole to sell rugby to small-town America.

I’m actually 85% sure the people here think rugby is just violent soccer with fewer rules.

Anyway, I haven’t seen the man in months.

He’s gone ghost, and we’ve been left in a glorified campground, playing in muck, taping up our injuries with duct tape and hope, until—miracle of miracles—they finally finished building us proper paddocks.

One indoor. One outdoor.

We clapped. We cried. One of the lads tried to hump the turf.

Honestly, morale isnot great.

Now, our first friendly match is coming up, and I need laser focus.

Zero distractions. Nada.

Except, guess who Dane’s fiancée brought to town?

Her best mate.

A so-calledbranding expertwith a voice like honey and a temper like napalm.

She’s the most infuriating woman I’ve ever met.

With curves so fine, they make my mind go blank. And a tongue so sharp it might be classified as a deadly weapon.

Seriously, Finley Adamo is so damn fit she could drive a monk to sin.

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