Page 16 of The Catcher

“I’m not stopping,” he warned me, and I could feel that big cock through his sweatpants, pressing on my lower back. “I am going to do what it takes to make you fucking bow to me.”

His hands were hard on my back, slipping under my shirt, and he suddenly ripped something off my body, making me shriek with surprise.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“My b-birth control patch,” I stuttered. “What are youdoing? Put it back on!”

But Tanner’s breathing was harsh and angry as he crumpled it in his fist. “I don’t think I will, Emrys Finnegan,” he said. “I don’t think I want anything between us.”

I screamed then, the terror snaking through my skin, when the door opened and this time it was Alex who came in.

“Tanner!” he said, though I could see in his eyes he was nervous. “Stop.”

I heard a low growl in Tanner’s chest, reverberating through my back.

He didn’t like being told what to do with me.

“Get the fuck out,” he said.

Alex didn’t leave, and I saw Steak curiously poking his nose in. “There’s a bunch of reporters coming down the hall,” he said warningly.

I elbowed Tanner as hard as I could in the throat, but he still only released me reluctantly and piece by piece, like it was a necessity for him to have his hands on me.

I felt trapped and ensnared.

What would happen when I didn’t have anyone around to save me?

7

Stay back after the game, Tanner warned me before reluctantly letting me go.I need your help with the post-game interviews.I had absolutely no intention of doing that, so when Matt asked if I wanted to come with the team to Ace’s Bar, I said yes.

The team often went to Ace’s, which was a less than reputable establishment a few streets away from the stadium. I knew Tanner had an apartment in one of the high rises nearby, and I was nervous he’d stop by later, so I determined to only stay for a little bit. I walked over with Trey, Steak, Miguel, and various Matts, including Matt B, who had asked me out. Matt was kind and gentlemanly. He clearly admired me, asking me eager questions about myself, and letting his arm brush by mine as he opened doors for me. But I couldn’t relax as long as I worried that Tanner would show up later.

Ace’s was a dark and dirty bar, but in a not at all picturesque way. It was crowded, but there was an area over by the wall that was clearly the unofficial VIP area for the players.

For a moment I scanned the room and didn’t see Tanner, and I heaved a huge sigh of relief.

Then, my stomach plummeting, I saw him.

He was leaning back on one of the couches with a beer in his hands, his arrogant face looking bored. There was a pretty woman beside him nuzzling his neck and another one between his knees. It looked like she wanted to give him a blowjob, but he wasn’t looking at her.

I saw him flick his eyes over to me and take a drink of his beer, the muscles in his throat working.

Why thefuck did he always have to be watching me? I might be able to have a good time for once if he wasn’t there. Why couldn’t he take the women all back to his luxury apartment like a normal celebrity? God.

I turned away to find somewhere, anywhere else to sit, but Matt took my hand eagerly, leading me to the only open spots, which were on a couch directly opposite the one Tanner was on.

Matt nodded and greeted Tanner in a friendly fashion, but Tanner ignored him completely.

I sat down, trying not to look at Tanner.Whydid he always have this effect on me?

I tried to ignore him, but I felt him looking at me, and his gaze was like a burn on my skin, those gray eyes somehow on fire despite their chill.

He said nothing, but the woman between his legs tried to reach for his pants and he batted her hand away impatiently. The other one was making breathy gasps and groans, trying to get closer to him, but he wasn’t looking at her either.

I felt my face flaming. Obviously what Tanner had said to me didn’t mean that he was only interested inme. He wasn’t really interested inmeat all. He just wanted to control me and taunting me that he’d fuck me was one way to do that.

My hands were trembling as I took a drink of the very indifferent wine at Ace’s, but my nervousness meant I took either huge gulps of the sour tasting wine, or barely got any atall. I wanted to ask Matt to get me something else, but I didn’t want to be left alone with Tanner so close.

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