I PUT THE SUBURBAN in reverse, checking my mirrors and the backup camera. My ma and Dom are sitting in the back, discussing dinner plans. They would have walked inside with me, but preferred to have a little alone time.

“Is 451 a good choice, Aiden?” Ma asks.

“The best.”

“Too bad you can’t join us.”

“Sorry. Team meeting. I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”

Since the NFL instituted a two-week break to let players have time to heal before the Super Bowl, most of our time has been spent with the media, family, lifting weights, and healing.

By now, if we don’t have our plays down, we’re fucked.

However, that doesn’t mean it’s time to be on vacation mode. I have to keep my head in the game, and that means walking through plays, alternating hot and cold on my shoulder, and getting steroid shots in anticipation of game day.

“My son. The super star.” She pats me on the shoulder.

“Can we get a cup of Dunk’s?” Dom asks.

“Yeah, I can bang a u-ey and take you there,” I reply.

“Aiden,” Layton shouts, knocking on my window and scaring the fuck out of me.

“Who is that?” my ma asks, interest and curiosity heavy in her tone.

“Kingston’s little sister.” I put the window down. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” Her pink cheeks are flushed from the ass-biting cold and her nipples are hard points in her thin sweater.

“Where your coat, LT? It’s cold as fuck.”

“It’s forty degrees, Aiden. Like a spring kiss,” Ma disagrees.

Layton wraps her arms around her middle, the iPad she’s carrying sticking out to the side. “You must be Aiden’s momma. It’s such a pleasure to meet you.” Her gaze falls on Dom.” You, as well, sir. I’m Layton Price.”

“Get in the car, LT,” I order before my ma can respond.

Layton frowns. “This will only take a minute of your time.”

“Spend that minute in the car.” I roll up the window and unlock the doors.

Layton sighs, then does this little jog around the front, her tits bouncing.

Ma makes a noise. “She’s a fancy one.”

“They all sound like that.” I put the Suburban in park. “It’s, uh, in the water or something.”

“Must be why you’re starting to sound just like them,” Dom says, elbowing my ma. They burst out laughing.

Layton opens the door and climbs inside, bringing a gust of frigid air with her.

“What were you thinking, running out here wearing that?”

“I forgot to get you to sign a contract and put down a deposit. Nolan’s a stickler for the rules.” She smiles gratefully as I grab my coat from the back and put it around her shoulders. “Thank you.”

“You could have texted me. I would have driven back over.”

“Nonsense. No need to make two trips when I could simply catch you in the parking lot.” She holds out the iPad, and I take it from her cold fingers.

“Jesus and Mary. Your hands are like ice.” I put the iPad down and grab her hands, blowing hot air on her fingers.

Her hazel eyes glaze over and my dick starts to swell, despite my best intentions.

“That’s real nice of you, Aiden, but I’ll be fine.” She doesn’t pull away, though. In fact, she leans toward me and her pretty eyes darken.

Tension builds between us, higher and higher while it gets hotter and hotter, like that time I built a concrete wall in the middle of summer for a wise guy to stash his money in between jobs.

He said bankers weren’t trustworthy.

Luckily for me, he thought I was, so I kept on breathing.

I can feel my ma and Dom’s eyes on us, swinging back and forth like they’re watching a tennis match, and it’s enough to throw cold water on me. The sooner I get Layton out of here, the better.

Reluctantly, I let go of her hands and grab the iPad. It’s password protected, so I hand it to her. “Do your thing, LT.”

She brings up the document I need to sign, and I get out my wallet so I can make a deposit.

“I’m so sorry to have intruded on family time,” she says to my ma and Dom once we’re done. “Your son is doing the most amazing thing for his little brother. I’m so excited to be part of it.”

“Thanks,” Ma replies.

Layton pins her pretty gaze on me again.

I want to be the one to lean in this time. Kiss her plump lips and see where things take us.

But I can’t.

And not only because we have an audience.

She nibbles on the tip of her pointer finger, like she always does when she’s thinking, or when she’s nervous. I bet it’s both. “Can you drive me up to the entrance?”

I stare at her a beat longer, wishing like hell I was that fucking fingertip. “Yeah, sure.”

After I drop her off, the questions start, hitting against me like bombs.

“Does she offer curbside service to every guy out here?”

“No.”

“So that was special. She seemed very impressed with you. Don’t you think she was impressed, Dom?”

Dom grins widely. “Abso-fucking-lutely.”

“A nice girl like that—you said everyone down here is like that, but when I had to get cigarettes, the lady at the counter was not welcoming. Not like your Layton.”

“She’s not my Layton.”

“Sure seemed like it to me. Did it seem like that to you, Dom?”

Enough. “She’s fucking married, okay... and the only thing she wants from me is a good time to help her get over the POS who left her.” I slam on the brakes in front of the drive though and put the window down. “Order your fucking coffee and leave me alone about it.”

My ma’s face goes white. “Aiden McHugh. Thank God Father Sheehan is visiting Bishop Smith and can’t hear you speak like that to me.”

My jaw clenches. I’m this close to popping off at the mouth, but it’s not her fault. She’s being a mother, that’s all.

“Your mother didn’t mean to upset you, but you shouldn’t talk to her like that.” Dom swallows. His eyes are wide with fear because I’m twice his size, but he leans forward. This dude has got brass ones. “She deserves respect.”

“Dom, no,” my ma says, her face getting all pinched. “He’s—”

“Yeah, Dom.” I lock my gaze with my ma’s in the rearview. “He’s right. I shouldn’t have been so harsh. You didn’t know. Even if you did, I should treat you with more respect.”

My ma’s eyes get all teary. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever done for me. Better than any money you spent on me.”

I start to protest, but realize Ma’s looking at Dom, not me.

And that’s all right in my book.

***

IT’S GAME DAY.

I’m sitting in the locker room, earbuds in and zoning out to Billy Joel.

No judgment, okay. But at this point, I need to chill. Everyone in here is zoning out, even perpetual good-time guys like Dallas and DJ Hernandez.

Later, when it’s closer to game time, I’ll switch over to Beastie Boys to get me in the mood.

From the time I’ve sat my ass down, there is nothing in my head but plays.

Winning.

Kissing that fucking Lombardi trophy, collecting my bonus, and going out on a high note.

So high that I’m not going to come down again.

Kingston says if we win, I can write my retirement ticket five times over with the endorsement deals that will be thrown my way. And I won’t be the only one. If we win, a lot of guys will reap the benefits. Guys with families they’re busting their ass to support, but who haven’t caught the attention of social media.

It’s a lot of pressure on my shoulders, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.

This last season with the Renegades has been perfect. Only one loss to the Skins. The press hasn’t ever seen anything like it before, and that’s what makes it so fucking perfect.

They didn’t see us coming.

But when we win, they’ll say that they knew we were winners all along.