Mom let out a pained gasp behind me, and then fled from the kitchen.
“Nice, Dad. Real nice.”
“Your mother knows how I feel about her.”
I wasn’t sure being a possessive jealous asshole translated into love, but what the hell did I know?
“Mya isn’t going anywhere,” I said resolutely. “So you need to get to used to that. I’ve kept my end of the bargain. I’m still going to Pittsburgh; I’m still going to focus on my degree and leave football behind.”
“Son.” My father rubbed his brow. “Mya is... not suited for our world. I’m sure she’s a lovely girl, but—”
“Save your condescending racist bullshit for someone who cares. There are still five months until graduation. Five months where I get to say how I live my life.”
He bristled, irritation flashing in his eyes. “Watch your tone, Asher. You might still have five months, but if you think for a second I’ll just stand by and watch you screw up your life for a girl who probably only sees you as her meal ticket, you’ve got another think coming.”
He was deluded.
Completely and utterly deluded.
Mya didn’t love me because of my family’s wealth. She loved me in spite of that.
But he saw all relationships as business transactions. What one person could do for another. In fact, I was pretty sure there was a dollar sign right where his heart was supposed to be.
“I’m done,” I said, moving toward the door.
“You’re making a terrible mistake, Son. Mark my words, one way or another, that girl will ruin you.”
With a final shake of my head, I walked away from him. From the one man I should have been able to look up to and go to for advice. But Andrew Bennet was no more of a father to me than Cam’s dad or Jason’s dad had been. It wasn’t any wonder, I craved the affection he’d never afforded me. And now I’d had a taste of it, I wasn’t sure I could ever give it up.
My father’s warnings be damned.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Mya asked me for the third time since I’d picked her up. As if my mood wasn’t bad enough after my conversation with Dad, her aunt had scowled at me from the window, her disapproval burning into me.
“I’m good,” I said tightly, stuffing another fry in my mouth. I’d brought her to Bell’s for some food and then the guys were going to join us with Hailee and Felicity.
“Ash... if something happened when you got home—”
“I said I’m good,” I snapped, then let out a heavy sigh, dragging a hand down my face. “Sorry, that was uncalled for. My dad ambushed me; it wasn’t pretty.”
“Let me guess,” her expression fell, “he’s not happy about us?”
“I don’t give a flying fuck if he’s happy or not. I’m happy, you make me happy.” I reached across the booth for her and Mya laid her hand in mine. “Five months,” I said gruffly, her touch already soothing the tension coiled tightly in my chest. “We just have to survive another five months and then we can escape to college and not have everyone breathing down our necks.”
“Asher, I still haven’t decided which college I’m—”
“Asher, my man.” Grady and Merrick approached us when all I really wanted was to tell them to fuck off so I could beg Mya to say she’d choose Cleveland.
I needed her to choose a school close to me.
“Didn’t expect to see you here.” His eyes flicked to Mya in question.
“We’re meeting the guys,” I said. “They’ll be here soon.”
“Jerry will need to hang a sign soon.” Grady snorted.
“Come again?”
“First Cam, then Jase, and now you. Shit, man, these girls must have golden fucking pussies or—”
I was up and out of the booth in a second, my hands fisted in Grady’s sweater. “What the fuck is your problem?”
“Whoa, Bennet, relax,” Merrick came to our teammate’s defense. “He’s just goofing around.”
“Yeah, well I’m fucking sick of it.”
Grady shoved me off him and the two of us squared up to one another, eyes narrowed, jaws set.
“Asher...” Mya had gotten up too. I felt her move to my side. “He’s not worth it.”
“You think just because Bennet’s showing you some attention, you’re special?” Laughter rumbled in Grady’s chest as he tried to save face. We had an audience now, everyone including Jerry watching.
Mya inched forward, her lips pressed into a thin line as she went toe to toe with the Raiders defensive end. “Jealous, Grady?”
“Jealous?” he stuttered over the words. “Why the hell would I be jealous?”
Mya arched her brow, a smug smile tugging at her lips. “Because you’ll never come close to getting a piece of ass as hot as this.” She blew him a kiss before sauntering off toward the restrooms like nothing had happened.
The three of us watched, mouths hanging open.
“Holy shit, Bennet. That was...”
“Hot as fuck.” Merrick finished for him.
“Don’t get any ideas,” I said, feeling my chest tighten again. “She’s mine.”
“Yeah, but how yours are we talking?”
“Grady.”
“Yeah, man?”
It wasn’t a question, but I answered him anyway. “Shut the hell up.”
The friction between us had dissipated, replaced with a different tension. I saw the hunger in his eyes, but I wasn’t sure it was Mya he wanted, not really. My girl had struck a chord with him. He was jealous and instead of being happy for us, he lashed out.
Since I knew all about that, I decided to cut the guy some slack.
“Jesus, Bennet, she’s a firecracker, that one,” Merrick added.
“Yeah, but is she a firecracker in the sa—”
I levelled Grady with a hard look and he swallowed the words. “No more talking shit around Mya, got it?”
“Yeah, I got it,” he grumbled, rubbing his jaw.
Mya returned a couple of minutes later, slipping her arm around me. “Miss me?”
“Always.”
She smirked over at Grady and Merrick who had taken up residence at the booth over from ours. “Think he got the message?”
“Oh, he got the message all right. But now he wants his very own Mya-doll.”
“He does?”
I nodded, fighting a smile. “I think you have a new fan club.”
“Grady?” Mya shuddered, her expression one of disbelief. “But he’s so... Grady.”
I chuckled at that. “Sorry for acting like a caveman earlier. Lately my default setting is to attack.”
“I know exactly how you feel,” she whispered. “When do your parents leave?”
“Tomorrow, thank fuck.”
“And they’ll be gone for how long?” Her fingers toyed with my collar and I struggled to think straight, my thoughts shooting off in a hundred different directions, all which ended with her. Naked. Underneath me.
“I’m not sure. Could be four days, could be a week. Why?”
Mya’s eyes darkened, her teeth biting into her bottom lip. “No reason.”