Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 74103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
I’ll come up with any excuse to stay.
“Coach Willard doesn’t fund your house, truck, or the credit card in your wallet, so he doesn’t get a fucking say. I’ve set up a meeting with the football coach at Blackthorn. You’re going, or you can kiss everything you have goodbye.”
A lump forms in my throat. I think I’m going to barf. I can’t accept this. I can’t leave. But what else am I going to do? I’ll have nothing. I won’t be able to take care of Blair if I don’t have a job, an education, or even a place to stay.
There’s nothing I can do. If I say no, then everything is gone. I have no way of surviving, but if I go, I leave everything behind, including Blair.
It feels like I’m being torn in two because this isn’t a choice. There is no option for me.
“You will go, Cage. You will play on the Blackthorn team, and you will be good at it. Do not make a mockery out of me. I will make you wish you were never born if you do.”
My jaw clenches so hard, I swear my teeth crack. I don’t want to play football or be anywhere that Blair isn’t, but I’m fucking terrified.
If I go, at least there is hope, I can finish college, and then I don’t need my dad or anyone else. Then, I can take care of Blair.
We can still make it, we could do the long-distance thing, see each other every weekend. It wouldn’t have to be this way forever. Anger surges through me, and I clench my free hand into a fist.
“Fine. It’s not like I have another option anyway.”
“That’s right, you don’t.” His flat voice makes me want to punch him the face, but violence isn’t any good in this situation. My father doesn’t care what happens to him as long as he gets what he wants. Looking over my shoulder, I peer down at Blair’s grief-stricken face. She looks how I feel, like someone ripped my still-beating heart out of my chest and tossed it on the ground.
“Can you please leave?” I growl, trying to keep my voice steady so I don’t start another argument. All I want is for him to leave and for me to try and figure out how I can get out of this situation without losing Blair.
“I suppose. From here on out, I want only your rent-paying roommate and you in the house. This isn’t a fucking frat party or catchall house.”
“Sure,” I grit out, my anger rising with each second he continues standing here.
Slowly, he walks toward the door, but I doubt he’ll leave North Woods. I’ve antagonized him, and now he’s out to make my life a living hell.
As soon as he’s out the door, I walk over to it and click the lock into place. Not that it matters, he has a key after all. When I turn around, Blair is looking at the floor.
“Look, we can make this work. We can do the long-distance thing. It’s only an hour, and I can drive up to see you every weekend,” I start, but as soon as she lifts her gaze from the floor, I know there is no point in continuing.
“I can’t do this with you.” I can see the walls building back up, see them closing in around her. She’s retreating, turning in on herself.
“Don’t say that. Please…” I don’t care how desperate I sound. All I care about is keeping Blair beside me because she is the last good thing I have in my life.
“I’m sorry, Cage, but I’m done. This is too much. You don’t even like football, and you agreed to leave!” She reaches into her pocket and pulls out her phone. Tears start to fall from her eyes and skate down her cheeks. “I guess you got one thing out of this though. You achieved your goal. You made me fall in love with you. The nobody nerd fell for the handsome jock who she knew she could never have. Too bad this won’t end with a happily ever after.”
Retreating toward the door, I know she is seconds away from leaving. Fierce determination forces me to move my legs and run toward her. I can’t let her go without a fight, even though I can feel her slipping through my fingers like grains of sand.
Grabbing her by the shoulder, I attempt to turn her around, but she shrugs my hold off and whirls around on me. Big fat tears are already trailing down her cheeks, and I feel her pain, feel it in my gut. That bet was stupid, so fucking stupid. Why did I even do it?
Because you wanted what you couldn’t have…
“Blair, please…”
“No! Leave me alone. I don’t want to see you anymore. I’m done. We’re done!” She hurls the words at me like they’re bricks, and they are.