Page 61 of Foul Line

I nod. I’m watching him the entire time to try to gauge his reaction, but like usual, I can’t tell. “My ex,” I tell him, thinking about Andrew and how quickly he forgot about me. The only part that hurts about any of that is the fact that Tiff didn’t waste any time after I’d left to shack up with him. It’s like I never belonged at Broadwell to begin with. Maybe I was always meant to be at RHS. “Not extensive knowledge, and it wasn’t even that good,” I admit. My cheeks bloom red. I remember Andrew fumbling and after too short of a time dropping on top of me. He’d asked me if I’d enjoyed it, and I’d lied. That was the first time, but it didn’t get much better from there. So much so that by the end, I’d been avoiding him and definitely any advances of that kind. I just felt like there should be something more. With Alec, Sloan, and now Hayes, I know I was right. If I let my guard down with Ryan, I know it would be the same way.

I don’t need to ask Hayes if he has experience because clearly, he does. In fact, I don’t think I want to know how much experience all the guys have. They have reputations and have told me themselves that they shared girls. That they played a game about only going as far as the other guys with the girls because they could toy with them how they wanted.

I shake that thought away because I think it’s different with me, and not because they’ve told me so. I’m actually starting to believe them.

Which only brings another round of problems. Not only do I like four separate guys, but they all like me. How much longer will they be willing to share me? Sloan gave Hayes knuckles after they walked in on us kissing. Is that a show?

“Don’t worry,” Hayes says, misconstruing what must be plainly written all over my face. “We’ll go easy on you.”

“We’ll?” I ask.

“You belong to us.”

My body should automatically resist that remark, but instead, it gives in and lets the full force of his words flow through me. I swim with feelings, letting goosebumps prick my skin and revel in how much that one sentence makes me feel wanted. It makes me feel everything I’ve ever wanted to feel when it came to the Ballers.

I glance down. He’s still straining in his boxers. I lick my lips. “I think you need to practice your quiet voice.” I push him down on the bed, wrap my fingers around his boxers, and peel them down. I think he’s in shock because he doesn’t move.

“Tessa…” It’s like a warning mixed with excitement. He can’t lie. I know he wants this. Me.

I lean over, and he turns on the bed. His silky head is erect. He shivers when I get closer, and I’m just about to wrap my lips around him when footsteps on the small porch outside stop me. Oh fuck.

Hayes quickly pulls his boxers up, picks me up, and trades places with me on the bed until I’m pressed against the wall. My heart thuds in my chest. I squeeze my eyes shut, praying it’s not my dad. It’s Sunday morning. I don’t know why it would be, but stranger things have happened.

Hayes stretches out, completely blocking me from view while arranging the covers over me. He leans over and I hear him open the book I saw on his bed and prop it in front of him. A knock comes on the door. I have to clamp my jaw shut. This isn’t good. If it was Ryan out on the porch, he probably would’ve just walked right in.

“Come in,” Hayes says tersely.

On the other side of the room, I hear someone stirring. When the door opens, a mattress creaks and Sloan says, “The fuck…” It’s laced in sleep, but the next time he talks, he says, “What the fuck are you doing here?” It’s more cautious, strained. He’s probably wondering where I am and if I’ve been caught by whoever walked in.

“Calm down, Ivy,” Jacquin says.

My eyes widen underneath the sheet. Jesus. He is a coach, and I’m sure if he found me in here, he’d turn me in despite the fact that he’s basically our age.

Another body stirs, and this time, I hear Alec groan.

“What the fuck’s wrong with your face?” Jacquin asks. I’m not sure whether he’s asking Alec or Sloan. It could be directed toward either one…or both.

No one answers.

“Whatever,” Jacquin says. “That’s not what I’m here for.”

Hayes shifts, propping his body up more. Footsteps creak the floorboards. Hayes is doing his best to angle his body in front of me. Thankfully, I’m so small compared to Hayes that I really don’t think I’ll be found out as long as I can stay quiet.

“What are you here for?” Sloan asks, every bit the part of his senator father coming out now. He’s direct and upfront. His voice is almost laced with this cold, bored indifference that sends shivers up my spine. I was once on the receiving end of that voice, and I hated every minute of it.

The floorboards stop creaking. “I want to make it clear that I know O’Brien’s dirty secret. It’s obvious if anyone is paying attention, so I’m going to make one thing clear to you guys. I’ll gladly spill. There’s only one thing stopping me.”

“And what the fuck is that?” Sloan sneers.

Hayes hand moves back and wraps around my thigh, holding me tightly.

“My good will, but that’ll end soon if he doesn’t leave Dale alone.”

What the fuck? Me? Hayes’s fingertips curl into my flesh.

“I don’t care that you guys are content to sit back and let all this play out. I’m not, so here’s the deal. If Tessa wins Shooting Guard MVP, O’Brien leaves her alone until you guys graduate. He doesn’t mess with her chance to play for the team. He doesn’t terrorize her. Basically, he doesn’t say shit to her.”

I’m so confused. This is the bet idea he came up with. Why does he want to make it for me?

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