Love In the Red Zone (Connecticut Kings Book 1) (42 page)

“Shut up,” she busted out laughing. “I’m the fiend, but you come home at one in the morning, waking me out of my sleep with this.”

She was right. It was late…or early, depending on how you viewed things. The past few days had been hectic with practice and the shakeup that happened because of Todd Browning’s arrest yesterday. Todd was the second string quarterback for the
Connecticut Kings
. He was a cool guy from Florida, a six-year vet, and fun to be around. I was still in shock from hearing he got caught with child porn on his devices. If I knew anything about those FEDdys it’s that they don’t come for you unless they can convict. It was a weird and disgusting charge. But just like I told the reporters who ran up on me outside of the
Kings
’ headquarters, I would be deferring all judgment to God, but would keep Browning and his family in my prayers. Eli wasn’t happy and the coaches had to reorganize right before a game. I was pushed up to second string because of it. The
Kings
were scheduled to play Atlanta the following afternoon. I was off for half a day then called back to the front office yesterday, at six in the morning for regrouping due to Todd’s absence. I stayed in Connecticut to practice today.

“I play in Connecticut tomorrow and have to make sure you’re straight before I bounce.” I thrust again.

“Mmmm…” she moaned, riling me up again. “But we were doing this same thing almost twenty-four hours ago before you got called back in.”

“Yup,” I licked from her shoulder up to her earlobe. “That’s how busy you keep me, Jelly.”

“Whatever—” she paused out of nowhere. I could feel her lift her head from the mattress. “Did you leave your truck lights on?”

“Nah.” My mouth moved to her back.
Damn
… I couldn’t get enough her soft skin and berry scent. I knew I had to get to moving soon. “That’s Tyheem waiting on me.”

“Why does Tyheem go every where with you? I’ve been meaning to ask before we lost Shank.”

“My muscle. He used to work for me before I got locked up and I hired him back.”

She laid her head back on the mattress. “You need a body guard, Trent?” she murmured. “Things are moving so fast.”

“Sure are. I got moved up to second string.”

“What does that mean?”

I laughed, forgetting Jade didn’t know anything about football.

“Each team has three quarterbacks, primarily. The first string is the main one they hope to stick with for the season—”

“That’s what you used to be?”

“Yeah. But that one could get injured or in my case, arrested, and need a backup. There are two contracted backups. I was the third backup and Todd Browning was the second. He got arrested yesterday on child pornography charges so they moved me up to second.”

“Wow.” Jade breathed ghostly. “So, you go next?”

I chuckled again nipping her ear, loving the feel of her soft curves beneath me. “Not really. Mayfair’s still the man. But anyway,” I decided to switch gears, “did you hire the grounds guy yet?”

“Yup. His name is Sambi and Kyree approves of him, too.” She smiled and faced the window.

“Good. I trust Kyree.”

“Ut!” she shrieked. “And what about me?”

“I trust you, too, at least I do your style. I really like those curtains you made for the living room.”

I was still amazed by her talent to sew together fifteen foot high floor-to-ceiling curtains using some insanely expensive material she bought from a high end thrift store a friend of hers from high school owned. Jade was so excited to show me two nights ago when I came home.  

“Thanks, Trent,” she whispered in a manufactured baby voice.

“That got me to thinking. Why don’t you decorate the house?”

“Me? I can’t afford…what type of decorating are you talking about?”

“Official.” I kissed her shoulders, still stretched out over her little frame. “I didn’t like the way it was decorated the last time. That’s why I sold everything in here before reporting for lock up.”

Jade tried to swing her head around to face me, but I wouldn’t look at her. I didn’t want pity. It was my past that I was learning to accept responsibility for every day.

“Trent—” she started when she realized I wouldn’t let her move from beneath me.

“Anyway, I know you know how cheap I am, but I’m going to give you a budget and salary to make sure you stay on the job.”

“You don’t have to pay me.” Her eyes widened.

“I do. I don’t want you hustling anymore. I know you like what you do, but I would like it if you thought about leaving the salons and just sticking with the private gigs to keep up with your passion. Kyree could use
you
here, not the after school program.”

Jade didn’t speak right away and that concerned me. It had taken me a while to decide on this. It was something I wanted to offer her months ago, but was still struggling with letting go with her.

“And what about what you need from me?” she asked quietly.

I had to tread with caution. Jade was still demanding things from me I didn’t understand. We were good. I was settled on her. Totally. I just hoped I could keep her busy while I was away fighting for my life on the field. My only concern was her lack of patience with me while I figured it all out.

“I need you to arch that spine for me one more time and let me get in you,” I growled in her ear, stroking the head of me against her slickened lips below.

Jade moaned. “Don’t you have somebody downstairs waiting on you?”

“Yup. I’m thirty minutes over time. Another thirty…won’t hurt,” I could barely get out before sinking into her.

There comes that time in your life when no matter how much you ask for it, no matter how hard you beg God for it, you never see it coming. That moment that you barely experience because although you petitioned Him for it for years, when it happens, you’re in a daze from His power. Have you ever experienced God? Have you ever had that time when He proved He wasn’t a mythical Being in the sky that looked down low over people, but hardly showed His hand or face?

Well, I experienced all of those and most of them in one week of my life. It was a moment I would never forget, but felt so surreal that I thought I was dreaming. Hell, I
was
dreaming! It was a moment mixed with a bitter and sweet concoction that had me experiencing God in a new way, something Ezra preached about earlier this summer. It was the first week in October, my first game as second string. Todd’s scandal had just broken the week before. We played the Falcons at home and the sweet was the win we were able to have at home, on our field. The bitter was the homie, Mayfair’s career altering injury. It was a player’s worse nightmare. Even the commentators felt the gravity of it all. 

“
… sure the mood is probably somber in the Kings’ Locker room right now. Not a pleasant way to end a game. That last play wasn’t pretty.

“Not at all. The way Mayfair’s knee twisted when he took that hit… I think it’s fair to assume we may not see him for the next few games. He seemed to be hurting pretty bad when they took him off the field.

“Hopefully it’s just a few games, instead of the season. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that in all the years I’ve been watching this game.

“And you can’t help but feel for the team as well, wondering what Mayfair’s absence will do to the team, especially after the controversy last month around Todd Browning.

“A stressful situation indeed. They’re going to have to pin their hopes on their third backup, who had some controversy of his own a while back. If Trent Bailey isn’t ready to play, he’s going to have to get that way soon.

“Trent Bailey has been waiting on a chance for a comeback. He was one of the best this league has ever seen, and if he can pull it together, his could be the jolt of electricity this team needs after the way they’ve been playing this season.

“But it hasn’t been all bad. I’m sure that somewhere, if he’s not pumped full of painkillers right now, Mayfair is grateful for a gem like Jordan Johnson, who was able to get across the field and save the throwaway pass Mayfair made right before he got knocked down.

“And he didn’t just catch it–Johnson ran the hell out of it. A thirty-six-yard touchdown to end the game with a win before anybody realized Mayfair was hurt.
”

We watched the rerun of the last play that got Mayfair caught up. It was a sobering moment for our W, so much that no one spoke in the locker room as we dressed, the glaring reports echoing from the screens playing in the background. Just as I was about to pack up my bag, Coach Lou called me into his office. Automatically, my regard went to JJ across the room. His eyes were already on me, communicating. I swung the strap of my duffle over my shoulder and followed him and Larry Kline, our assistant QB coach, into his office where they named me first string. 

It all came down to this moment. My sweat, tears, weathered shield from the doubters, vows against my haters, making good on the assurance I’d echo to myself on my flimsy cot as Inmate Number 34332-468. All of those forces and more were on my shoulders while out on the field against Tampa. The crowd was buzzing, but my pulse beat louder, drowning out all but my focus and determination. We were lined up near the thirty-yard line as I waited for Thompson to hike the ball. We were in shotgun formation with a back on each side of me. The second the ball was snapped, I was ready. It was a zone read. I faked to the running back and the defensive line bit. Then a hole opened up like the Red Sea and I took off. Up the sideline I flew, slowing just a bit to allow JJ to take out the safety. Then I pushed on my speed and somersaulted into the end zone. As I jumped to my feet, feeling supernatural and high on victory against the crowd’s glaring bursts of praise, I didn’t forget to thank God for the game-winning touchdown.