Chapter 3

“You ready to face Vegas next week?” Cass Zielinski asked as he slowed down to walk beside Danny in the tunnel. Cass was the Rebels’ center and team captain, and one of Danny’s closest friends. Marian was Cass’s girlfriend, so she’d sort of forced Danny and Cass to play nice. Now it had become a habit. But the big, redheaded, bearded Texan was always up in his face about something. He knew why Cass was asking about Vegas. Because the guy who’d almost let his buddies rape Marian in college, and nearly ruined Danny’s career before it even began, Darren Peltz, played for the Vegas Rough Riders.

“I got it together,” Danny said casually, hiding the rage he still felt over Peltz’s actions in college. “Maybe we should worry about the Colts this weekend first.”

“No worries,” Cass said, wrapping his towel around his neck. “We’ve got the Colts covered. We’re in the playoffs, win or lose. First time in Rebels history.” He fist-bumped one of the guys walking past.

“Man, you always worry,” linebacker Jo Jo Jones said as he jogged past them. “Don’t even try to lie about it.”

“Well, that’s my job,” Cass said defensively. “I worry so you guys don’t have to.”

“Oh, I’m not worried,” Danny assured him. “The Colts are practice for Vegas. The Rough Riders are in for a rough game.”

Cass frowned at him. “Danny,” he warned quietly. “You promised Marian.”

“So did you,” Danny reminded him. “Are you ready for Vegas?”

“No,” Cass said with a sigh. “I already know I am totally going to lose my shit if Peltz says one fucking thing. If he even looks at her, I swear I will twist his head off his neck. Which is sort of worrisome. I’m going to get suspended right before the playoffs. Why did they have to make Vegas our last game of the season? On New Year’s Day?”

“Sort of worrisome,” Danny mimicked with a snort. “I don’t know what the hell we’re going to do, man.” He shook his head. “Is Beau going to keep it together?” Marian and Cass’s boyfriend, Beau Perez, was the Rebels tight end, and he was a scary-looking motherfucker. Six and a half feet, Beau was a recovering drug addict with tatts all around his neck and down his arms. He made most people nervous, at least until they got to know him. He had to be one of the nicest guys Danny had ever met, levelheaded and calm, the exact opposite of Cass.

“If anyone can keep it together, Beau can,” Cass said. “So if Beau can’t, we are in trouble.”

“I got this,” Danny said. “I’ve been playing against Peltz for years without killing him. I can do it one more time.” He could do it, because he had a plan. He’d promised Marian he wouldn’t do anything to Peltz. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t recruit some friends to do it for him. He looked at the group of guys walking and laughing around him. He’d never had friends before he’d come to Birmingham. Now he had a few that he trusted to watch his back. And get a little revenge for him and Marian.

Danny sat in the bleachers with nose tackle King Ulupoka, watching King’s boyfriend, Sam, and Carmina jogging around the track. They were the only people left out there after practice, although a few had still been in the locker room when Danny came out to find King, who was sitting there petting Carmina’s dog. Carmina didn’t have any trouble talking to Sam. He could see her hands waving around as she told him something that had Sam laughing. She was wearing loose, little, red running shorts with a long-sleeve, black Under Armour shirt. She had a tight little body that clearly showed she took care of it. She wasn’t a hardbody, not with that ass, but it was a fine package.

“Want to tell me why?” King asked Danny. The big Samoan didn’t look worried about it, just curious.

“Do you need to know why?” Danny asked, hoping the answer was no.

“No,” King said, shaking his head. “You ask me to bust up a guy on the field, I figure you’ve got a good reason. We’re good, brah.”

“I appreciate it, man,” Danny told him. “It’s a damn good reason, by the way.”

“It have anything to do with Marian?” King asked, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.

“Yeah,” Danny said. He didn’t elaborate.

“ ’Nuff said,” King told him. “How bad do you want him hurt?”

“I suppose nothing career ending,” Danny mused. “I don’t want you to get into trouble.”

“He’s an ass,” King said. “No one likes him. I don’t think anyone would care.”

“That’s not true,” Danny said. “They’d fuss about the money. It’s always about the money. Not to mention you’ve still got a great big target on your back over this thing with you and Sam and Jane.” He was starting to think maybe this wasn’t such a great idea.

“We can handle all that,” King told him. “We’re solid.”

“Can you make it look accidental?” Danny asked.

“Of course I can, man. But you’ve got to pay the fine. I got plans for my money.” King let out his big booming laugh and Carmina looked over at them. When she saw Danny she stumbled, and Sam had to catch her arm to keep her from falling. Danny grinned. He liked that he had that effect on her. She may be hands-off, but it was nice to have a sexy woman like that get all flustered over you.

“Tom know?” King asked.

“Know what?” Danny was surprised by the question.

“About what you’re asking me to do. About the why.” King was still watching Sam and Carmina.

“He knows the why, but not about this,” Danny said. “Don’t tell him, okay? He’d be pissed. So would Cass and Beau. And, shit, Marian would fucking kill me.”

“You all are tight,” King said. “They’re going to be pissed anyway. It isn’t going to take a genius to figure out you put me up to it.”

“That’s where the accidental part comes in,” Danny said drily. “Remember?”

“It won’t mean shit if Peltz doesn’t know why I’m slamming him,” King said with a shrug.

“Shit, man, I hadn’t thought of that,” Danny said. He rubbed his eyes. “Okay. I guess you’ve got to tell him it’s from me to him.”

“Then he will definitely say something to Cass and Beau,” King said. “You know he will. He’ll be talking shit all day anyway. Always does.”

“This is getting complicated,” Danny said with a sigh. “It has bad idea written all over it. But he’s gotten away with it for years, and it’s time he paid.”

“It?” King finally turned to look at him.

“Yeah, it,” Danny said. He didn’t explain.

“All right,” King said, putting his hands up in surrender. “I won’t ask again.

“If it’s just me, then that raises questions,” King said a couple of minutes later. “A nose tackle hasn’t got any business going after a wide receiver, even in man-to-man coverage.”

Danny had been sitting there staring at Carmina without really seeing her. He’d been thinking about that night at college, nearly ten years ago, when he’d run into the locker room after he heard Marian scream, and found Peltz and four of his buddies pinning her down, ripping her clothes off. She’d been half-unconscious—one of them had punched her in the face to shut her up. Danny had gone ballistic and broken two of the guys’ noses and another one’s rib before Peltz ran off and called security.

Afterward, Peltz had hidden behind Marian’s father, while the old man blamed the incident on her, and forced her and Danny to drop the charges and pretend it never happened—all to protect his star receiver. Marian had done it for Danny, so he wouldn’t lose his scholarship and his future career. Danny had let her. And he’d let Peltz get away with it for too long. It had turned Danny into a bitter guy with no friends, and serious anger issues. He was trying to start over here in Birmingham—like all the other guys—and putting Peltz and what happened back in college behind him was a big part of that. But he couldn’t let it rest the way it was now. He just couldn’t. He refocused on King.

“You’re right,” he said. “What do you suggest?” The dog moved over and put his head on Danny’s knee, staring up at him, so Danny petted him. His fur was soft, not wiry, even though he had the look of a German shepherd. Danny wondered what kind of dog the soft fur came from.

“I think the other guys would be willing to put the hurt on him, too,” King said with a grin. “And they won’t ask questions, either. Hell, several of them have played with him and hate him more than you do.”

“I doubt that,” Danny said with a bitter laugh that sounded way too much like the old Danny. “But okay. Just be careful. I don’t want any of this getting back to him or coming back to kick us in the ass.”

“Oh, it will come back to kick our asses,” King assured him. “Stuff like this always does. It’s usually worth it anyway, though. Got to pay to play. I accept that.” He laughed again and Danny watched Sam say something to Carmina and then jog over to them. Sam was quiet, but he’d come out of his shell a lot this season, once he and King came out of the closet and hooked up with Jane. There was a lightness to him that hadn’t been there before, and everyone knew it was King’s doing. King was so laid back and easygoing, always ready with a laugh. Sam had needed that. Danny still didn’t get Sam’s hair, though. Dude had a fade like a brother with horizontal lines cut into it on one side. Crazy. Not Sam at all.

“What’s up?” Sam asked curiously. He rested his arms on the bar in front of the bleachers where Danny and King were sitting. The look he gave King was so intimate that it made Danny uncomfortable. Not because he was bothered by their relationship. He figured a man could fuck whoever he wanted to fuck. Look at Tom. That didn’t bother Danny none. No, he was uncomfortable because he got the feeling they wished he wasn’t there. And Carmina, too, probably. Danny got the distinct impression that if they were alone, someone would be catching a dick.

“Nothing, babe,” King said. “Later.” He tipped his head toward Carmina, who was slowly walking over. Danny watched her hips swaying as she walked. Sexy as fuck. He stood up, uncomfortable at the direction his thoughts had taken.

“All right,” he said. “Thanks, man.” He knocked the top of King’s fist with his own and then did the same to Sam’s. “I better go. I don’t want too many people to see us talking and put it all together.”

“What?” Sam asked with a frown.

“We got it covered,” King said. “No worries.” He scooted forward in his seat and leaned over to whisper in Sam’s ear. A big grin split Sam’s face and Danny knew they’d already forgotten about him. He trotted down the steps to the track, waving at Carmina as he went. He’d have offered her a ride home, but he thought she’d decline. He was also worried about what might happen if she said yes. There was tension between them that was begging to be explored, but he wasn’t going there. So he turned his back and headed for the parking lot.