CHAPTER 25

EMMA

I washed off my make-up and dressed in the clothes I’d worn here before I went to wait for Jackson. I saw the way that he played tonight, and it killed me to know I had everything to do with that. If he wasn’t with me, Greg would not have caught us. Everything would be fine right now, but it wasn’t. The damage was done.

Jackson was the last to leave, and I stepped up to him, searching his face for any clue as to what was going on inside his head. His eyes were dark with worry.

“I’m still on the team but he’s pissed. I need to turn this around, but first we have to find out where Greg is.”

I nodded and we headed to the parking lot. I climbed into Jackson’s passenger seat before he closed the door for me. I slumped against the seat and played everything back all over again as he got in and started the engine.

“He’s going to be there, isn’t he?” I said.

“He will. He’s going to fight this every step of the way, Em. What do you want to do?”

“I’m going to tell him to let me grow up. It’s long overdue, and this needs to be settled. I wasn’t lying when I said that I’ve loved you for years.” I saw Jackson look over at me. “Did you think that I was going to end this over what happened today?”

“It seems to me like the easiest choice to make,” he said.

I shook my head.

“It’s the worst one,” I leaned closer and kissed him softly, feeling his body relax with the contact. We headed back to his apartment, expecting the worst.

Greg was pacing back and forth in front of the building. Jackson parked and we got out, slowly walking up to him. He glared daggers at Jackson.

“I want you to pack everything and then we’re going to Bella’s to get the rest of your stuff. You’re coming home with me, Emma. I won’t let him treat you this way.”

“Treat me what way? Good? Like an adult?” I demanded. Jackson reached for my arm as I started to walk to Greg. “This isn’t one of your one-night stands from high school or college, Greg. This is real.” My voice was firm as he looked at me in disbelief.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he sneered.

“I am not a kid. Fuck you for making me feel that way. I want to see what the world has to offer.” I saw anger flash through his eyes. I never cursed in front of my family, but it was necessary now.

“Jackson made you this way, didn’t he? What the fuck was I thinking having you stay here? I thought he would honor our friendship, not fuck my sister.”

I blanched at his words as they hit me in a gut, knowing they weren’t even true.

Jackson unlocked the apartment door and shoved us inside since the argument was starting to attract attention.

“Greg, I fought my feelings for Em, but we gave in. We gave in. I didn’t coerce her or make her be with me… she wanted it, too. It’s so much more than I’ve ever had with anyone else.”

Rage crossed Greg’s face.

“Son of a bitch. You slept with her? What fucking diseases have you given her?”

“We’re not like that. We have a real relationship and we talk about everything. We’re both being careful, and I haven’t been with anyone else for a long time. This is everything I’ve ever wanted,” I screamed. Jackson pulled me back. “He’s going to take care of me. He’s protective to a fault sometimes and while it drives me insane, I know that he cares about me. I know that he loves me.” Greg winced as I kept going. “We’ve all been so close for so long. Are you going to end a lifelong friendship over this or give us your blessing? We would both miss you in our lives.”

Those words seemed to hit him hard and Greg turned away to drop to the couch. “You would do that?”

“No, you would. You are. You want to rush me out of here like nothing ever happened and pretend that you never knew this. I won’t let that happen. Let me go,” I demanded. “I love him, Greg.”

Jackson watched us closely as silence filled the room.

“Do you love her?” Greg asked as he stared accusingly at him for a moment. There was no warmth in his gaze and I shivered.

Jackson nodded.

“I do. I am going to keep her safe, just like you would. She’s my everything,” Jackson assured him as Greg looked at me.

I let out the breath that I’d been holding for a while. There was a part of me that was glad he knew now, particularly when he let out a sigh.

“Take care of her.”

I knew how hard the words were for Greg to say and I gazed at him in wonder.

“Really?” I whispered, but he nodded.

“How long has this been going on?” Greg asked.

“Just a few weeks. We fought it as long as we could and even after that, we fought it. This is scary for all of us, Greg. I just don’t want to lose you over it.”

Greg stared at me incredulously.

“That sounds so grown up coming from you, Emma. Maybe you aren’t a little girl anymore.”

“I’m an adult, but we can’t have a relationship based on respect and love unless you understand that I am a grown up and in charge of my life.”

“I’m going to get some sleep. I need to head home tomorrow,” Greg told us, standing up to run a hand through his hair. “How did the game go?”

“Shitty. We won, but it wasn’t due to my awful play. I need to improve or else,” Jackson said. “My mind wasn’t in the game. I can fix that… now.”

Greg hugged me closely, telling me to be careful before he clapped Jackson on the back. He walked slowly to the extra bedroom, closing the door behind him before I fell against Jackson. “He’s okay with us.”

“I almost think that he’s going to come out and tell me to fuck off.”

Jackson wrapped an arm around me and stroked my shoulder. “I can’t believe you said all that to him, Em.”

“I knew that it would make him listen. I know how to get a point across but the only time I want to use that word again is when we’re in bed.” I whispered the last words, and he chuckled.

“That won’t be happening tonight. I want the place quiet until he’s gone but I do want you to spend the night with me. I’ve missed you,” he said, and I smiled as he kissed my hair. “I want things to go back to normal.”

I texted Bella things were fine and that I’d be staying here. I followed Jackson through the dark living room to his bedroom, watching as he undressed to boxers.

“Don’t. I’m not doing shit with him across the hall,” I heard the warning in his voice and smiled ruefully as I changed out of my shirt to one of his, slipping off my pants before I crawled under the covers.

“I do want you back here, sleeping with me every night. I want to give this a real go, Em.”

I kissed him as he looked at me, melting against him. “I’d love to.”

We all woke up early and went to breakfast together, which was when Jackson saw the side of his car.

“Motherfucker,” he muttered as Greg and I moved to see the driver’s side, clearly keyed overnight.

“Same guy as the headlight?” Greg asked.

Jackson nodded, his mouth set in a firm line.

“Let’s go handle it,” Greg said. “What’s his problem?”

“I can’t. I prefer to stay on the team. Let’s just go get some food.”

We talked over breakfast — the upcoming holidays and the plans that my parents were making. Greg told us that he’d let us handle telling them ourselves, laughing when he said that Mom would probably approve. She always loved Jackson.

Greg gathered his stuff when we got back to the apartment and headed home. Jackson decided to deal with his car later.

I longed for this to stop with Joe, but I knew how headstrong Jackson could be.

The following day at the stadium, Joe approached me once Jackson was out of sight.

“I heard how much your brother went off the other night, Em. I suppose it’s over between you and your lover boy?” I shot him a look, and he chuckled. “Everyone knew. Everyone also knows that he was just using you for a fuck. Jackson doesn’t take women seriously, you know. He fucks them and leaves, no matter how much it takes to get it from them. Maybe he should use that aggression on the field.”

“What are you suggesting?” I asked him, horrified at what I thought he was hinting at.

“He’s talked a few into it or forced them. Whatever you want to call it. Jackson has the girls scared to tell on him, so he’ll keep his job here. Politics,” Joe waved his hand in the air.

“I seem to recall you hitting on me in such a way, Joe. Don’t you? Jackson had to stop you. From what I’ve heard and experienced, you’re the aggressive one.” I knew that I had something on him and he sneered.

Steering him to talk about himself was almost too easy.

“The girls want it. They want a football player fuckboy and I give it to them. I know what they want more than they do.”

“I didn’t want you.”

“Yes, you did. Your eyes made it clear that you wanted my cock, even though you were fighting it. I would have worn you down eventually.”

“I didn’t want you. I have never wanted you.”

“That’s what the girls always say afterwards.”

“How many girls?”

“Who cares? They get a ride on my cock and afterwards they change their stories. It’s their word against mine. I’m untouchable.”

“I think the women would disagree.”

“Gossip. Those girls make too much shit up,” Joe said.

“I’ve heard it from a lot of girls.”

“So what? No one can prove anything and it’s just a case of he said, she said.”

“Actually, it’s more like he said, she said, and she said, and she said.”

“Whatever, no one has any proof. As I said, I know what they want more than they do. I know you wanted me that night and your lover boy’s poorly timed entrance only makes me want you even more as I was denied what I wanted.”

“Not if you were the last man on Earth…”

“Seriously, once Jackson is bored of you, I’ll make you mine… for the night.”

“You get up to a lot at night, don’t you?”

“There are no security cameras at Jackson’s place, I checked, and no one saw me. Nothing a body shop couldn’t fix.”

“Are you sure?”

“You aren’t that bright, are you? Of course the keying can be fixed.”

“Actually, I am bright. I didn’t just admit to damaging someone’s property. You just admitted to it. Neither Jackson nor I told anyone. Not even Bella or Nick. How could you know about that? You could have only known if you did it.”

Joe blanched a little.

I noticed Coach walking down the hall.

“Sir? May I have a word with you?” I called out.

I strode forward as Coach gave us a curious look, asking to speak to him in his office. I told him about Joe’s confession about the keying, as well as what happened to myself and to several other women. I said that some would be also willing to come forward. I showed him my phone. I’d recorded it all and suspected that the team would back me up.

I left his office with him and found Joe standing outside looking angry.

“Emma?”

Jackson appeared around the corner to see me with Joe and Coach standing near us.

Coach asked me if he could borrow the phone and I handed it to him, setting it up to play what I had, and he shot a dark look at Joe before walking away.

“I want to see you in fifteen minutes, Joe,” said Coach.

Joe glared at me and then at Jackson before pacing down the hall and out of sight.