Cheater: A Summer Games Short Read (Going for Gold) (3 page)

N
ick had traveled
to Rio with the rest of the team so I had to work out with his assistant Jim for the next three days. Jim didn’t push me as hard, so I had to push myself. In between those morning and evening sessions, I spent all of my time with Mom.

With that second wind pulsing through her system, she tired me out. We visited her favorite restaurants and walked through the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo—well, I walked, and she rode. I had to insist that we take her chair, because if the hills at the zoo wore me out, they’d put her under.

We got slobbery hands from feeding the giraffes and laughed when a wallaby took up residence in her lap. It was a full, interactive day that I caught with video and pictures on my phone.

“Have you talked to Bryn?” Mom asked as I rolled her through the concession line. “How is Rio?”

We licked the melting soft-serve cones. This wasn’t part of my normal routine. Sugar was a curse for me. It tired me out faster than a double workout, but this was a special moment.

“She’s texted twice.” We hadn’t talked since she left. Bryn hit the ground running. If I knew my girl, she was checking out everything Rio had to offer.

“Don’t forget why you’re there. You two can resume wild animal sex when you get home. Focus on competing while you’re there.”

I nearly choked on my cone. “Mom,” I groaned. I was a mature adult, sure, but I didn’t need my mom describing my sexual practices.

“Condoms, young man. Bring lots of condoms.” Several people looked our direction. Not easily embarrassed, I was surprised to feel the heat rush to my face.

“Mom…stop.” I pushed her chair forward to get away from the curious looks of people nearby. In a few days they might be watching me on television, and I didn’t want the world talking about wild animal sex, condoms, and Alec Maes in the same sentence.

She looked at her watch. “We have to go. I changed your flight.” She rocked her chair. “You leave tonight, not tomorrow.”

“What? But we were supposed to have tonight.” The early-morning flight had been my choice. It would have had me pushing the boundaries for jet lag and competition, but the risk was worth it if I got to spend another evening with my mom.

“I’m hitting the hay early tonight, so I won’t be much company anyway. Dad and I thought you might like to surprise your team.” She pulled an envelope from her purse. When I opened it, I discovered that my first-class ticket was booked and would leave in five hours.

I realized this had been her plan all along. She’d keep me occupied until it was too late to make changes. But I also realized my fears about leaving her had faded a bit with her recent rebound.

“We’d better get moving if you plan to boot me out when we get home.”

Mom smiled and I felt the anxiety of leaving her slip away. Her joy at me attending the Games was infectious.

My first task upon pulling into our home in the Broadmoor was to get Mom comfortable in bed. Then I rushed off to finish packing. I thought about texting Bryn to let her know I’d be on my way, but Mom said to surprise my team, and so I would. Plus, I didn’t exactly have a lot of spare time on my hands at the moment.

An hour later, the doorbell rang, signaling my driver had arrived. A ninety-minute drive to Denver, followed by a thirteen-hour flight, would have me in Rio around breakfast time. If I were lucky, I’d be able to sneak into bed with Bryn before she started her day.

Dad held Mom close and pulled me in for a group hug. It was a long goodbye in a short period of time. “I’ll see you in just over two weeks.”

Mom smiled at me. “I’ll take you for another ice cream when I get home.”

Dad’s brow lifted. “Ice cream?”

“Yep, a small cone at the zoo.”

“Zoo?” He seemed baffled.

Mom patted him on the chest and turned to me. “Alec. I’d have done anything to travel to Rio with you to see you compete.” She pulled her red bandana from her head and tied it around my wrist. “Just remember, no matter what, I’m always with you.” I fell into her arms and held back the tears I wanted to release. She wouldn’t see me leave heartbroken and scared. She’d see me return a victor. I’d walk back into this house wrapped in gold and the presence of her love.

* * *

T
he flight was long
, but I slept through most of it. It was a pleasant 72 degrees when I landed in Rio. A suited man held up a sign that said MAES in front of him. We gathered my bags and headed off to the athletes village.

I’d been to the Games in the past but never as a competitor. This was different. This was the real thing. My driver, Tomas, thought it best if he gave me the gold ticket tour. Pride for his country showed when he circled the event sites, speaking in broken English with authority about the buildings and the events they housed. When he asked about my specialty, he turned the car around and drove by the arena where the gymnastic events would take place. My heart leaped to my throat at the sight of the building.
This is where nearly twenty years of practice will show
, I thought, feeling particularly lucky. Not only was this going to be the pinnacle of my athletic career, it was going to be a moment shared with the girl I loved. Inside, I knew Rio would change my life.

I
didn’t speak Portuguese
, and Tomas’s English wasn’t perfect, but we managed to communicate. He unloaded my bags and offered to carry them to my room. However, security would be tight, and getting him in would take a lifetime. I had other things in mind. I pulled a hefty tip from my pocket and said, “
Obrigado
.” “Thank you” was all I’d taken the time to learn.

Suitcase in hand and a large duffel thrown over my shoulder, I entered my building. The first thing I noticed was the shocked eyes of Gabby Fortney, squarely on me.

“What are you doing here?” She planted her tiny body in my path.

“I got an earlier flight.” I maneuvered around her to the elevator. I was ten floors from dropping off my shit, and thirty floors from a long-overdue helping of Bryn’s pussy.

“She’s still sleeping. Let’s go out to breakfast. The cafeteria is amazing. They have everything you could want.”

Behind her on a table between the two elevator doors was a giant glass vessel full of condoms. “Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll take a pass on breakfast. I want to do my part in breaking the record for the most condoms used at the Games.” I’d been told that over one hundred and fifty thousand condoms were used at the London Games. I dipped into the glass bowl, pulled out a handful of colorful packets, and shoved them into my front pocket. The world games of fucking would start in about five minutes. Just enough time to drop my bags and find Bryn.

“Really, Alec. The team went on a bender last night. We all drank too much.”

It didn’t surprise me that Gabrielle had drunk too much. She always lived on the edge, but to hear that Bryn had also lost control was a shock. She was a serious athlete, and alcohol wasn’t part of her pregame routine.

The elevator dinged, and I jumped in with Gabrielle following behind. “Don’t you have something to do?”

She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. “No, I’m going with you.” Even her tightly pulled back hair couldn’t stop her scowl. “You’ll probably scare her. She’s not expecting you until tonight.”

“Then I’ll be a big surprise.”

Gabby didn’t say anything. She pulled her upper lip between her teeth and stared forward. I knew that look. She adopted it each time she knew she was up against a challenge.

At the tenth floor, the doors opened, and to my surprise my room was next to the elevator. I hoped their soundproofing was top-notch. Rooms next to elevators were rarely quiet.

I slipped my keycard into the door and listened to the lock disengage. The room was dark, but in the shadows I could see the ghosts of empty beer bottles littering the table. Not a surprise: I’d roomed with Wade at nationals, and he was a pig.

With a flip of a switch, I brought literal light to the situation, though not to the question of why Gabby was still trailing me. In the center was a large living room with comfortable-looking furnishings. Off to the right was a dining room and kitchen. White Styrofoam boxes blanketed the counter. One lift of a lid and I could see that beer hadn’t been their only indulgence. The remnants of fried chicken and French fries filled the box.

“Let’s go, Alec.”

“What’s wrong with you?” I dragged my bag down the hallway and stopped at the end. I could go left or right. In my head I tossed a coin and chose right.

When my fingers gripped the door handle, Gabby bolted into action. “Alec, don’t!”

I swung the door open wide, expecting to see an empty bed. Instead I saw my Bryn, on her hands and knees, with Wade’s dick buried balls deep in her pussy.

Both of their heads snapped toward me. She screamed, and he groaned, but their sounds had nothing to do with ecstasy. Pain was all I heard. It came mostly from my mouth. The anguished cry of having one dream ripped not only from my life but also from my beating heart. Bryn whimpered on the bed, covering her face with the blanket. I knew I’d never forget that scene. It was burned into my eyeballs.

Wade was frantically trying to pull on his pants. My bags dropped to the floor and I rushed him. “It’s not what you think,” he insisted, pushing against my chest.

My heart pounded in my ears.

Boom whoosh

Boom whoosh

Boom whoosh

Red-hot rage rushed through my veins. With a tight fist, I let him have the full force of my most recent workout. “Not what I think? What I think is you’re the worst fucking friend, team captain, and teammate ever.” I wound up again, but Gabby stepped in between us. I looked over her head into the eyes of a man I used to admire but now hated. “I don’t have to think. I
saw
. I saw you fucking my girlfriend like she was your whore.”

Bryn’s cry rose from deep in her chest. “Please, Alec. We were just…”

“Shut up, Bryn. My mom was right. You aren’t the girl for me. How could you be when you’re the girl for everyone?” I pulled the handful of condoms I shoved into my pocket and threw them at her before I turned and walked out of the room.

“Alec.” Gabby trotted behind me. “Alec, I tried to warn you.”

I threw my bags into the corner of the living room and walked out the door. I needed a new room assignment. When she stepped in front of me, I railed at her. “You tried to warn me? Get the hell out of my way.”

Part of me knew that wasn’t fair. In her defense, Gabby had tried to stall me. What did I expect? Was she supposed to say, “Don’t go up there, your girlfriend is fucking your roommate. They’ll be done in ten?”

Still, it didn’t make things easier. I rubbed the knuckles that had connected with Wade’s jaw. “Leave me alone, Gabby.” I pushed past her and ran to the stairs at the end of the hall. I didn’t want to be standing in the hallway when Bryn did her walk of shame.

* * *

R
oom assignments would be
difficult to change at this time, the attendant said. I had arrived too late, and everyone was settled in. She asked for details concerning the reasons for my request, but I wouldn’t shame Team USA by broadcasting our dirty laundry. Everyone was looking for a story to sell. I was furious at Bryn, but I didn’t want her name in the headlines as the sexy sidepiece of the Rio games, and I didn’t want to be the sad part of that sidepiece either.

As for Wade, I’d show him the loyalty he hadn’t shown me by not making his betrayal public, but I would never forgive him.

I trudged back upstairs to our room, the ache in my heart debilitating me. I held my breath as I opened the door I’d been so pleased to unlock just minutes ago, but thankfully, the suite was empty. I quickly unpacked my shit and changed into sweats, hoping to seek refuge in the gym, but the buzz of the phone pulled me from my misery.

“Hey, Mom.” I tried to sound happy, but the vision of Wade slapping against Bryn’s creamy white flesh was too much to mask.

“What’s wrong, Alec.”

“Oh, nothing. I’m just tired.” The lie came easily. There was no way I’d put undue stress on Mom now that she was feeling better.

“Did you see any of your teammates yet?” She’d been around most of these people for years. They were like her children too.

“Yep, but like you said, I’ve got to keep my eye on the prize. I’m on my way to the gym.” I wasn’t prepared to tell her the truth. What good would it serve? She’d worry, and I’d dwell on a moment I couldn’t change. Nope. That conversation would be tabled for later.

“Alec, keep a good balance. All work and no play and all play and no work are both bad. Find a balance. I love you.”

It was odd that those words came with such consistency from my parents, yet I rarely paid attention to the depth of the emotion they inspired in me...until now. I’d said those words to Bryn countless times, and not once had she repeated them. Maybe the problem with Bryn was she couldn’t love anyone but herself.

“Say it again.” I pushed my phone to my ear so I could hear every letter in that not-so-simple phrase.

“I love you, Alec.” I could tell she was smiling. I could hear it in her voice.

“I love you too, Mom.” I rubbed the red bandana she had tied to my wrist and hung up the phone.

* * *

T
he gym smelled
of sweat and determination. It wasn’t the venue we’d compete at, but it held everything I needed. Right now I wanted to beat the living hell out of anyone who came near me. Thank goodness gymnastics was actually a solitary sport. The only thing that made it a team event was the combination of scores.

I dropped to the floor and started doing pushups. When that didn’t pull the urge for violence from my bones, I added a clap in between. What I needed was to exhaust myself—to feel the burn and pain of a hard workout instead of the searing pain of betrayal.

In the corner by the weights was another teammate, Cole Kelly, who was doing curls. This wasn’t his first time at the Games. He was on his second time and had the confidence and air of a seasoned professional. His specialty was the rings, but my routine rivaled his in difficulty and execution.

“When did you get in?” He shelved the weight with a thud and came over to stand by me while I mindlessly pressed and clapped.

“About an hour ago.”

“You just got here and you’re not sunk six inches deep in Bryn?”

Apparently not everyone knew she was fucking the team captain.
Under my breath, I mumbled, “Someone beat me to it.”

“What?”

“Nothing, man. Bryn and I aren’t together.” I rolled to my back and sucked in a deep breath.

“Since when?”

I glanced at the world clocks on the wall. “Since about thirty minutes ago.” It wouldn’t take long for the rumor to spread through the team. They may be family, but they were worse than gossiping girls.

“Shit. You okay, man? Was it your decision or hers?” He helped me up and gave me a bro hug.

“Oh, the decision was definitely hers.”

“Don’t let her fuck with your head.” Cole wasn’t a stranger to heartache. He’d dated a swimmer in the London Games, only to have her leave him and move to Canada when they returned.

“Nope, it’s not my brain she’s good at fucking.” It was mean and cruel, but I said it. Until I could erase the vision of her ass in the air with Wade’s dick balls-deep inside of her, I didn’t think I could muster a kind thought or word when it came to Bryn.

I left Cole in the weight room and ventured into the apparatus room, which would have been empty if not for two women working out. One girl was working the beam; the other was stretching in the center of the floor mats. I took advantage of the free vault.

Chalk served two purposes. It dried up moisture and doubt. As long as the ritual of applying chalk to your equipment and hands was followed in the exact manner, everything would be fine. I approached the chalk bowl and dipped in my hands. I rubbed, spit, and rubbed again before I inspected the horse.

Once it was chalked to my liking, I started the procedure with my hands all over.

“Hi.”

On the other side of the bowl stood a girl who had skin as white as the chalk she dipped her hands into, hair as black as night, and lips as red as cherries.

“Hi.” I finished my chalking ritual and stepped to the mat. The girl remained by the bowl and watched me.

I bolted from the line, down the mat, and into a handspring with two and a half twists. It felt good in the air, but I pulled out too early, and my dismount was a disaster. Two giant steps forward could be the difference between the podium and the bleachers.

“Shit!” Screaming expletives was not normal behavior for me, but I felt anything but normal right now. What was supposed to be a golden moment in my life was turning out to be a nightmare.

“You opened too soon.” The girl from the chalk bowl stood next to the mat with her hands on her hips.

“Yep, I need to figure out a way to hold back. Everything is going great, and then my feet hit.” I stomped on the area of the mat where I wanted to stick my next landing and headed back to the line.

“Say the name ‘Collette’ just before you want to pull out,” she called from the side of the horse.

“Who’s Collette?” I thought she’d say it was some famous psychiatrist versed in patience.

“I’m Collette, and I’ll make you want to stay.”