Page 103 of Bound By Lust

I look up and stop dead in my tracks when I see Tek and Duval standing at baggage claim as I grab a trolley for my luggage.Good fucking God!!! Why can’t I escape themmmmm?!Duval looks like he barely slept, and Tek, as per usual over the last week, has his arms crossed, and a mean mug on his face.

“Oh… hey…” I give them a dry ass greeting because I’on want to see them. I just want to get my shit and go fuck my man!Fuck all this extra shit.

“I see you came back early too?” Duval yawns.

“Yup.”

“Me too. I figured I’d get home before all the baddies find out how I was the press panel, and swarm the airport.” Duval winks and I snicker at that because he’s probably not lying. Duvalisquite famous.

“Oh cool…” I nod, not really in the mood for all this, so I’m grateful as fuck when I see my bag come. When I go to grab it, Duval helps and lifts it with ease from the carousel before he hands it to me.

“Damn… that’s a lot of shit,” Duval chuckles.

“It is… thanks.” I take my luggage cart and turn, throwing up the peace sign. “I’ight it’s been real. Y’all make it home safe.” I wave

“Wait, Jess!” Tek calls out, getting his bag and running after me. “Are you going to the locker room?” he asks and my instincts tell me to say no, so I follow that bitch.

“Nah, I’m going to head home,” I tell him, and he pauses.

“Oh…” he rubs the back of his neck and for some reason I step back from him, noticing Duval heading out. “Didn’t Coach say he wants us to makes sure to drop everything off since so many people have been losing gear?” he brings up.Shit, I forgot! Still…

“Come on, you know that was for people like Duval ass who just be careless. I’m good! Anyway, I’ll catch you on Monday practice.” I turn and talk casually even though my body wants to sprint.

I set up an Uber XL and get in it, heart racing. I think better of going to put my gear away… I mean, I can take it home, but I don’t want to lug it around, especially with all this shit Frank got me. Football gear is inconvenient enough, but all these bags?! I don’t have my apartment anymore, so I’d have to go to Frank’s house… noourhouse, which is far as hell.Shit…I purse my lips thinking…maybe I can duck in and duck out quick as hell, then go shopping and decorate the room…

Yeah, I saw Duval had his car and Tek had his too, so they’ll probably make it to the locker room quicker than me, especially if I ask for a pit stop…bet.

“Uhm excuse me,” I call to the driver.

“Yes?”

“I’m so sorry to bother, but do you mind stopping at Raising Cane’s please? I just had a long flight an?—”

“I’m a big fan of yours! You were just at this year’s college football media blitz, right?!” he looks in the mirror excitedly, and I’m taken aback as butterflies flutter in my stomach.

“I was!”

“Congratulation, Ms. Hurts. I know you’re going to go far. My little sister was so in awe of you that she asked me to buy her a football, even though she has no hand-eye coordination,” he chuckles. “It would be my pleasure to stop anywhere you like,” he tells me. I swallow the lump in my throat as Amara’s words hit different, and I just sit there, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

“Thank you so much!”

“No problem… but would you mind if I ask for your autograph after this?”Ahhhh!Oh my God, I know I’ve been asked about my autograph several times, but this feels special.

“Oh, of course!” I nod, sit back, and enjoy the ride as we talk football and I eat my food.

“Thank you so much, Kirk!” I wave goodbye after giving him that autograph as well as ageneroustip because he took me to almost all the stores I needed to go to.

I could have asked him to wait for me and I’m sure he would have, but I need to hit some shops close to the school, so it’s a bit pointless…its time like this I wish I would have brought my Jeep, but it’s no point when Frank assumes I’m going to call him for a driver or for him to drive me any time I need to go somewhere.

I sigh and check the parking lot, high fiving myself when I see no other cars.Yasss meeee!

Quickly, I go into the locker room, putting my things away, including some of the gifts Frank bought in my locker. Even though I’m not supposed to leave valuables here, I have no choice I’m already walking around with too much shit… the only thing I bring in the lingerie set and jewelry because I want to wear it for him immediately leaving since the first stop isn’t that far from the campus.

I pull out my phone to text my girls about making it back to Boston and the surprise I have planned for Frank, smiling at my phone like a dork, excited and ready. My heart feels light as I exit the locker room and walk down the long hall leading outside, eyes on the screen, scrolling through Frank’s messages, trying to decide which screenshot of his flirty texts I’ll print out as part of the surprise.

That’s when something shifts. I look back and see nothing, but my heart is racing and I pick up my steps. My hurried steps escalate into running when I hear something sprinting behind me.I don’t know what the fuck it is, but it doesn’t sound like footsteps…. I sound like hooves.I pick up my pace, but it feels like I’m not gaining any distance as the thing chasing me runs faster.

Right as I exit the locker room, a blinding pain explodes across the back of my skull and sends lights flashing behind my eyeballs.

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