Page 84 of Renegade Ruin

Carson shrugs. “So, you’ve got slightly less fucks to give. The fact that you invited me here tonight is evidence enough that you aren’t completely a lost cause.”

“Like I said, this is me trying.” I take a pull of my water, wishing it was whiskey. “The thing is, they look to you as much as they look to me, so do me a solid and make this happen.”

Carson leans in and bats his eyelashes. “Are you asking me to be your co-captain?”

I roll my eyes. “We don’t have captains.”

“Not officially, but you and I both know every team has them.”

“Fine. But only after you tell me why you came to the Renegades.”

His comment about volunteering for the draft has rubbed me the wrong way since that first week of spring training. Carson is a huge part of our team, but I need to know why he’s here if I’m going to fully trust him to stand beside me.

He stills and it’s the first time I’ve seen Carson visibly give off anything other than happy and go lucky. Whatever his reason is, it’s something he keeps closely guarded.

“I’m not going to go into the details, but I volunteered for the Renegades so that when we win the World Series, my father won’t be able to avoid seeing my face on every fucking bus and billboard across New York City.”

My eyes widen, and I chuckle. “A revenge plot. I like it.”

Carson shrugs. “You could put it that way.”

“We’ll make sure it happens.”

“Together?” he asks, and I know exactly what he’s waiting for.

I huff a dramatic sigh. “Fine. Carson, will you be my unofficial co-captain?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

Maybe it’s the sly twinkle in his eye or maybe it’s the fact that Carson is more observant than I’ve ever given him credit for, but for the first time this season I feel like I’ve finally got the tiniest bit of solid footing with this team. And as much as I hate to admit it, it feels good.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

Tuesday

BISHOP: Lou says hello and thank you.

WILLOW: I take it you took my advice and took the guys to The Guardian

BISHOP: Just Carson.

WILLOW: And?

BISHOP: I’m not going to say you were right.

WILLOW: You basically just did.

BISHOP: Did you know Carson volunteered to be part of the draft?

WILLOW: I might have been privy to that information.

BISHOP: I asked him to be my co-captain.

WILLOW: Should I be worried you’ll be asking him to suck your dick as a distraction instead of me.

BISHOP: Never going to happen, Kitten.

WILLOW: I’ve got to go. Good luck at your game today.

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