I’m almost to the door when I halt my steps. Despite how she feels about my weight, she’s still my mother and I do care about her.

I don’t want her to think bringing my father his dinner means I’m choosing him over her.

“Love you.”

There’s a long pause…and then, “I should get started on these dishes.”

Disappointment sinks like a brick in my chest.

I don’t know why I held out hope she’d say it back.

She never does.

Chapter 2

Cole

There’s nothing like the high after a win. The addictive energy has a way of seeping through your pores and coursing through your body like a live wire.

I’m so pumped, Cortland’s annoying ass isn’t even bothering me.

Dwight, who scored the last touchdown of the game, grins. “Man, that hook and ladder play was lit. Good call, Covington. How’d you know it would work so well?”

I shrug as I lead my team to the locker room. We have less than fifteen minutes to shower before we have to head back out to the field so they can announce homecoming king and queen.

As if everyone doesn’t already know who won.

“Easy. Number sixty-two is still healing from a bum knee so he can’t run fast, and number forty-four is afraid of getting injured so he half-asses everything.” Not wanting to take all the glory, I throw him a bone since—according to my coach—I need to work on my sportsmanship. “But even if he didn’t, I knew you’d be too fast for them.”

“Shit, I felt nothing but air behind me. It’s like they weren’t even trying.”

Cortland snorts. “Bunch of pussies.”

“Yeah, buddy. Bastards should consider this payback for last year.” Lennox, from the defense, slaps my shoulder. “Can’t keep a QB like Covington down for long.”

My smile matches his. “Damn straight.”

Last year Tommy DaSilva—the most worthless piece of manipulating shit on the planet—intentionally injured me on the field during the second most important game of the season.

Thanks to the concussion the motherfucker gave me, I wasn’t allowed to play in the championship game.

The Saints ended up winning instead.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t hate him and the rest of those asshole Vikings with the fire of a thousand burning suns.

Fortunately, Tommy graduated last year so I don’t have to see or hear about him anymore.

Too bad I can’t say the same about Todd Harris, the Viking’s starting quarterback.

The dude is good, I’ll give him that. But it’s only because his dad, uncle, and grandfather were all in the NFL.

Fucker’s been training since he was a little shit in diapers.

He didn’t have to work for it like I did.

And yeah, I guess maybe I’m bitter because he had everything handed to him, but something about the guy rubs me the wrong way.

Although it’s most likely because he wants the same thing I do.

Word on the street is that Duke’s Heart—who has the best college football team on the West Coast—is taking one quarterback next year.

Todd Harris is gunning for the spot.

So am I.

As if reading my mind, Dwight asks, “You think Harris is out for the season?”

One can only hope.

Right before halftime, he got sacked by Lennox and a few others. He was limping when he got up, so they pulled him off the field and stuck their backup QB in to finish the game.

As much as I hate to admit it, his injury probably played a part in our easy victory tonight.

I push open the locker room door. “Nah, I don’t think—”

The rest of that sentence falls by the wayside when the sound of people screwing fills my ears.

“Well, damn,” Dwight mutters with a laugh.

“Sounds like someone decided to celebrate early,” Cortland remarks.

Yeah, question is who?

“More,” some girl whines in a breathy voice. “Harder.”

The tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

I know that breathy whine.

A moment later, my girlfriend comes into view.

Her cheerleading skirt is pushed up past her thighs and her spray-tanned legs are wrapped around some Viking’s waist as he fucks her senseless against the lockers.

Ice fills my veins when I notice the number on the back of his jersey.

Todd Harris.

Chapter 3

Cole

“Oh, my God,” Casey cries out.

Everyone’s too stunned to speak—including Cortland and he never shuts up—as they disengage from one another.

“Want me to guard the doors?” Dwight offers.

“Just say the word, brother,” Lennox grunts behind me. “We can take turns fucking him up real good.”

“Where’s the popcorn when you need it?” This from Cortland.

“Cole,” Casey whispers, her voice trembling.

Paying the traitorous bitch no mind, I focus on the other piece of shit in front of me.

You can cut the tension with a knife when he turns around.

Everyone’s eyes ping pong between us, no doubt waiting for a brawl.

The shit-eating smirk on his face makes it clear he not only wants—he’s expecting—a reaction from me.

Too bad for Todd, I’d rather saw off my nuts with a butter knife than give him one.

Because I know once I lay my hands on him, I won’t stop until I permanently rearrange his face.

And that’s exactly what he wants.

It doesn’t take a genius to realize he’ll have me arrested and I can kiss my shot at Duke’s goodbye.

Fucker must be awfully threatened to feel the need to stoop so low as to fuck my girlfriend.

Correction—ex-girlfriend.

“Cole,” Casey whispers again.

Ignoring her, I look at Todd and stick out my hand. “Good game, man.”

Confusion mars his face and his eyes dart around the room briefly before he apprehensively shakes it.

When I release my hold, he tenses up, no doubt waiting for my fist to come next.

But it doesn’t.

I walk the fuck out instead.

There’s not a person on earth worth giving up my dreams for.

“Hey,” Jace calls out when I’m halfway down the hall.

I was so distracted I walked right past him.

Get your shit together.

I spin around. “Yo.”

Expression full of concern, he walks toward me. “You okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

Shoving his hands into the oversized pocket of his hoodie, he blows out a breath. “I don’t know. You seem off.”

My brother and I have a weird relationship. He’s only a year older, but he’s the one who stepped up and took care of things after our family fell apart.

He’s also the only person who’s ever given a shit about me.

Jace wouldn’t just take a bullet for me and Bianca…he’d take an entire magazine for us.

It’s why he’s the only person in my life who gets what little respect I have to give.