Page 61 of Payback
The next thing I know, Vi is pulling Allie away from me to make room for her brothers to approach.
From left to right is Tanner, Booker, Gareth, and Camden. They all turn their eyes to slits and give me an intimidating head nod.
My gaze swerves to the left and my eyes land on Hayden, who lifts his hand cheerily. “Hiya!” he says and Tanner turns to whack him in the stomach. Hayden winces and then recovers, doing his best to give me the same menacing glower the rest of the guys are shooting me.
Gareth steps forward so we’re toe to toe. “DeWalt.” He says my name flatly, like it tastes bad on his tongue.
My eyes flicker side to side for a second before I smile back at him. “Hey there, Gareth. How’s the wife and kids?” I ask flippantly.
He tilts his head. “I heard what you did to my cousin.”
“What I did to her?” I retort, choking on a laugh.If he only really knew what I’ve done to her.
“He didn’tdoanything to me!” Allie says, shaking loose from Vi and coming to stand between us. “We’re just dating! That’s it. No crimes were committed. I didn’t even want you guys to know about us, but he basically sex-threatened me into telling you.”
Gareth, Tanner, Camden, and Booker all have murderous looks on their faces…and they are directed at me. Hayden still looks mostly ambivalent.
“That is not how it sounds,” I state, lifting my hands innocently.
“No! Like…I mean he wouldn’t give me sex until we told you guys!” Allie stammers, trying to right her wrong, but it’s not exactly helping.
I wince and gently place my hands on her shoulders. “Thanks for the help, Lis, but maybe just go back over by Vi.”
She nods, pulling her lip into her mouth and chewing on it nervously like she immediately regrets everything she just said. She retreats to Vi’s arms, and Vi rubs her hair soothingly.
Gareth cuts warning eyes at me. “I don’t know what sex threatening is, DeWalt, but it involves my cousin, so that means I don’t like it.”
I roll my eyes. “I would hope you don’t like it. She’s your cousin.”
“Is this a joke to you?” Gareth snaps, his eyes glacial.
I huff out an exasperated noise. “Will you please stop acting like we’re in the middle of some goddamned mobster scene right now? We’re athletes, not criminals. I’m dating your cousin. So what?”
“So what?” Camden cuts in, taking a step forward to stand by Gareth. “You have to prove yourself if you want to date her.”
“How?” I retort with a mocking tone.
“The only way we know how,” Camden replies. “On the grass.”
I eye their clothes. “I didn’t bring my gear.”
“We have gear for you,” Tanner states, stroking his beard like he’s a villain.
I shake my head, annoyed by how quickly things have changed between me and my fellow striker. I shrug my shoulders. “Fine. Let’s get on with it then.”
The ladies cheer victoriously, but Allie’s voice raises above them. “Uncle Vaughn, are you seriously going to let them do this? What if someone gets injured?”
Vaughn adjusts the baby in his arms that I realise is Gareth and Sloan’s little one whom I met at the boutique last week. “I’m just here in the Grandpa capacity I’m afraid. No coaching involved. Thankfully we have a couple of doctors in the family.”
Belle and Indie clink their lemonade glasses as they continue to watch the scene and pop snacks into their mouths.
I turn my attention back to the brothers. “So, what are the stakes?”
“This is just a friendly,” Gareth answers, his voice deep and ominous. “A little three on three.”
“All right,” I reply knowingly. “Who’s on my team?”
Hayden takes a step forward and winces as he raises his hand. “Sorry, mate. I don’t really play football at all, so I’m afraid they’ve set you up to lose.”
