Page 43 of Game On

His eyes narrow. Alec calls his name and then he passes the ball to Lake. I look down for the first time and see that my shirt is ruined. It’s completely torn at the seem all the way to my bra. It’s just hanging open.

I check the ball to Lake. It’s still four-four even though I should’ve had the winning point if Lake didn’t play so fucking dirty. Were the Ballers even watching that? Or do they lie to themselves like Lake?

Lake pulls up for a jumper first thing. I jump a split second later but end up getting my fingers on the ball. The shot won’t make it to the hoop, but Lake lands and immediately takes off for the rebound. I’m behind him. I can only hope that he misses the layup. I run after him and the ball, but it’s too late. He’s got hands on the ball, and he’s drifting up. The ball bounces off the backboard and right into the hoop.

When Lake walks past me, he hits me with his shoulder. I turn from the force and find Alec on his feet. His fists are clenched, and he’s staring at me. Shawn and Matt, too, are on their feet, but their faces are sinking.

“Good game,” Ryan says as we walk off.

“Bullshit,” I mutter.

The area gets so quiet you could hear someone dropping their popcorn from the top row. “You got something to say, Dale?” Ryan asks.

“Nothing that no one else here already knows.”

“Watch your mouth, Recruit.”

“She’s too busy sucking Alec’s dick with it,” Lake says.

Alec turns toward Lake. The stare they give one another is a little scary. Scarier when I think that their anger has never been directed at one another. Ryan moves in front of them, blocking our view. “Get your asses something to eat,” Ryan says, directing his instructions to us. “And fix your fucking shirt, Dale.”

I look down. Yep, still ripped. Not like I did it. I turn away and go for my bag. I pull it on my shoulder, using it to keep my shirt closed until I can get to my car for an extra that’s probably in my gym bag in the trunk.

Shawn and Matt try to talk to me, but I ignore them. I’m pissed about Lake, but I’m also pissed at myself. I know how he is, yet I still let him get to me. All the way to my car, I seethe. Then I pop the trunk and look through my bag, pulling out a shirt.

I slam the trunk, only to find Sloan leaning against the car, smiling in my direction. “So, I think you should know something, Daddy’s girl.”

I close my eyes.What now?

23

Somehow, I find myself in Sloan’s Jeep headed to a small sandwich shop in town. When he realized I never got anything to eat, he told me I was skipping. I told him I didn’t want to, which only made him laugh. “People like us don’t need school.”

I wasn’t sure if I should be grateful to be included in that sentiment or not.

Sloan looks over at me from the driver’s side. “Aren’t you going to change?”

“Aren’t you going to tell me what you meant by I should know something?”

He smiles. “Of course. After you have lunch with me.” He raises his eyebrows. “But you probably don’t want to walk into the sandwich place with a ripped top. In fact, I’d prefer it if you didn’t. You never know who’s lurking and suddenly, the headlines will be Sloan Ivy, son of Senator Ivy, Assaults Girl, Rips Shirt or something asinine like that. I look at him like he’s crazy, but he doesn’t find any of this humorous. “You think it sounds nuts, but it’s not. You should know. I’m sure your dad deals with that shit, too.”

He did, but since he’s been out of the NBA for a little while, it’s died down. And somehow, Mom and Dad have been able to keep their separation out of the public eye for now because they haven’t officially filed for it yet. As soon as they do, it’s probably going to be plastered everywhere.

I look over at him and then sigh, resigned. It’s not like these guys haven’t seen me in a sports bra before. I whip my shirt off right in the car and then arrange the one I found in my bag before I pull it over my head.

“Damn, Dale. No wonder Al—”

“Would you stop fucking saying that?” I snap.

I push my arms through the holes and then pull the bottom of my shirt down, hiding everything once again. It just so happens it’s a Broadwell Academy shirt though.

“I think I hit a nerve.”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because I’d like to think that people don’t just want me because of who I am or how I look.” Sloan goes silent beside me. I throw his words back in face. “You should know.”

“I think that’s more of a girl sentiment. I don’t care about using my name to get girls.” He shrugs unapologetically.

“Until you find the one and can’t trust if she even likes you for you.”

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