Love on the Highlight Reel (Connecticut Kings Book 2) (36 page)

I threw my head back and laughed. “Oh, girl,
please
. I hope you’re not offended when I say this, but you were so well put together that night, even with a baseball cap and sweat suit, that when I saw you I thought you were a groupie! Your makeup was as flawless as it is tonight, and that donk, girl!”

She laughed with me at that, and met me halfway for a high-five. Jade was
gorgeous
. Nothing to worry about from most of the women who threw themselves at athletes, and especially not
me.
I was too worried about his thick-headed friend to be interested in Trent that way.

I talked to Jade for a few more minutes, assuring her that we were good. I never had tripped about that night at Trent’s party, and wasn’t about to start now.

We were still standing there when Jordan’s voice came on the mic, cutting out the music.

“Alright now! Alright now! For my veterans of this Two Kings jam, you already know how we do with this portion of our show. Shoot ‘Em Up! is in the muthafuckin’ buuuuuuilding!”

Shaking my head, I grabbed Jade’s arm, knowing this was her first time at this particular rodeo, since there hadn’t been a “Two Kings” production in a while. “Don’t freak out,” I told her. “
Shoot ‘Em Up!
is a talented man, but will be going upstairs with one special lady tonight,” I laughed, as we followed the crowd into the huge living room.

We ended up separated, but I saw when Trent’s security, Tyheem pulled Jade to the middle of the room and sat her down on what was the “stage”.
Peaches and Cream
by 112 started up, and Trent came out, oiled and half naked in nothing but black jeans, Timbs, and a hat pulled low over his head to put on a show – mostly for his girl. He’d come from a long line of talented, successful male strippers, even though that wasn’t his profession.

I’d seen this enough before to know that he’d
definitely
gotten those skills too, but I wasn’t watching Trent. I was watching
Jordan
.

He was standing in a group of his friends – with one of those damn bands on his wrist – laughing, clowning and having a good time, which annoyed me. Sure, he’d tried to talk to me since that night at his place. Sure, I was still pissed, and still punishing him by letting him “focus”. But I wasn’t giving up on us – the chain with three charms around my neck was the physical evidence. I didn’t feel good, didn’t
really
feel like having fun when he and I weren’t on the same page.

It pissed me off a little that he obviously wasn’t feeling the same.

Everybody laughed when Trent was finished dancing, making it very,
very
clear that the only woman on his mind was Jade. JJ got back on the mic, declaring, “
Shoot ‘Em Up!
scores his biggest piece of ass tonight!” referring to Jade’s notable behind. The crowd went wild as Jordan teased the couple until they were out of sight, probably going to do what I’d been missing in the few weeks since our falling out.

With a heavy sigh, I turned away, looking for something, anything else to look at. I already didn’t
really
want to be here, and seeing Jordan laughing it up just made it worse. I managed to occupy myself for a little while longer, but my patience was wearing out.

“Nicole Richardson.”

An involuntary smile lit my face as Marcus Ingraham grabbed me by the hand. Last year’s NBA MVP, otherwise known for amazing leadership skills on the court, a gorgeous face, and an
ahem
impressive body, as evidenced by a nude picture leak earlier this year.

He was friends with Nate, but lived across the country with his team, so I rarely saw him – part of the reason I never gave him the impression that his interest was returned. I’d never been able to put my finger on the other reason, until now – I was still too wrapped in a
different
athlete.

“Hello Marcus,” I said warmly, returning his greeting. “I trust you’re having a good time?”

He nodded. “I am. But… it would be even better if I could’ve gotten to you first to get one of these bands on your wrist – unorthodox method I know, but I heard you were here and was hoping it would finally be my way to get you on a pseudo-date.”

I laughed. “Well, I admire the sentiment Marcus. But you know, I don’t date my brother’s friends.”

“I’ll drop Nate. He ain’t that cool anyway,” Marcus joked. “But, I see you’re already taken anyway.”

I drew my eyebrows together, confused. “I’m…
what
?!”

I looked down at my wrist, and my eyes went wide to see that one of the silver bangles I’d placed there when I was getting ready earlier was gone – replaced by a plastic neon band.

When the hell did that happen?!

“Do you have your blacklight thing?!” I asked Marcus, who looked puzzled as he handed it over. I flicked it on, shining it over the band, turning until the name engraved on it came into view.

“Jordan “Flash” Johnson”

“I’m going to kill him,” I muttered, then shoved the blacklight back in Marcus’ direction before I stormed off, looking for Jordan. I found him – of course – in a group of half-naked women. “What is this?” I asked, holding my arm up and putting my wrist right in his face.

Immediately, he snatched it down, and looped an arm around my waist, dragging me out of the room. His security was right behind us, making sure nobody followed as he pushed me into an empty dining room.

“Took you long enough to notice,” was the first thing he said to me, instead of answering my damned question.

“When the hell did you put this on me?”

“When I tried to talk to you, hours ago.”

“Why?!”

“Why?!” He sucked his teeth. “To make sure none of these motherfuckas think they can push up on you, like corny ass Marcus Ingraham.”

“Why can’t they, Jordan? According to you, I’m just corporate pussy, so why the fuck not?!”

“You
know
I didn’t mean that shit!” he growled, grabbing my waist as he stepped closer to me, scowling. “I fucked up.”

“And you’re obviously not that torn up about it, from all the fun you’re having here.” I tried to shove him away, but he didn’t budge.

“I don’t give a damn about this party, Nicki. Yeah, I’m here, celebrating, trying to have a good time with my team, but my head is jacked up right now, cause me and you aren’t good. Is that what you want to hear?!”

“Not really!”

“Then what?!”

“I don’t know!”

The truth was, I hadn’t even intended to be cold with him this long. Maybe a week. But then he played so well in the tie-breaker game, and even better after that, all the way to a chance to win the Super Bowl, just like he wanted. And hell… I started wondering if maybe… I
was
a distraction.

“Baby listen…” he said, trying to pull me closer. “I’m
sorry
. I know I crossed a line, and it was stupid. I’m sorry. Tell me what to do.”

I shook my head, pulling out of his grasp. “It’s not that simple, Jordan. It can’t always be that you say something to hit me
right
where it hurts, and then you apologize and it’s all fine. Cause guess what? I’m
still
hurt. Implying that I’m with you to keep you on the team? After I’ve worried and cried about
other
people reducing me to that? That was just ugly, and uncalled for.”

“I know that. I
know
.”

I nodded. “I believe you. But… that doesn’t make me feel any better.”

And neither did being apart.

But for whatever reason, in that moment, I’d rather us both be uncomfortable, than just me. I’d been doing my best to prove I was all in, and he knew that. For him to flip like that on me… I didn’t really feel like he deserved my best.

“I’m going home,” I said, pulling the bracelet off my wrist, and closing it into his hand. “If Eli asks, I was here all night, and you guys didn’t get in too much trouble.”

Jordan sighed, but said nothing as I walked away. I stopped at the door and turned to him, pulling out the necklace from under my dress so he could see.

“And just so you know… you didn’t need that bracelet to claim me.”

Fuck.

I couldn’t sleep.

After that conversation with Cole, I was even less into the party than I was before, and was relieved when the shit was finally over. There were still people in the house, scattered through the bedrooms on the 3
rd
floor, but I wasn’t expected to entertain anybody, which was good.

I didn’t have the stomach for it anyway.

Once she left, I was going through the motions – making sure everybody else had a good time. It was almost five in the morning when I stopped fighting for sleep, and texted Trent.

Meet me on the back balcony in ten.

I looked at that for a few moments, then sent another.

Fuck that. Meet me in five minutes. I’m tired as hell.

I know your ass is up because you never turn off your phone in case Shank called. I know that’s still the same because your ass is a creature of habit bruh. Come the hell on.

I felt a little bad for using the habits he’d created around Shank, his late uncle, against him, but I needed to hear that at least somebody’d had an
honestly
good night. Mine had been spent tossing and turning, wired and exhausted, with Nicki on my mind. It bugged the shit out of me not knowing how to make things between us right. But Trent… he had this woman shit figured out.

I sat there for a few minutes, knowing I needed time to get across this big ass house, but my mind was turning. Finally, I picked up my phone, and sent Nicki a text, not knowing when, or if, she would respond.

“Just know I’m all about you, aiight? Don’t forget that.”

After I hit send on that, I got my ass up.

I took my time getting there, cause I half expected him not to show, but he was already there by the time I made it to our meeting spot. I yawned, rubbing my face as I approached. “I didn’t think you’d come.”

Trent turned, scowling. “Nigga, you wake me outta my sleep in the four o’clock hour, just for you to be late ‘cause you didn’t think I was coming?”

We dapped each other, and I moved to sit with one hip on the ledge, overlooking the water. We kicked it for a few minutes about different stuff that happened at the party, kicking it about the people we hadn’t seen since the last one. We were laughing it up, but then my thoughts turned to something else.

“I didn’t think we’d ever be here, bruh,” I said, looking out over the water. “At least not for me with the Kings. You know how ready I was to bounce, bruh? Ready to say
fuck you
to the whole Blue and Gold. Eli knows.”

I wondered how much Nicki had said to him, and how far it went. Just our conversations when she was ADPS, or the private conversations, when she was just my confidant? Either way, Eli had made it clear, through the push for the playoffs, that they would do what it took to keep me on the team. Even after those horrible last few games, my bitching and complaining, he wanted me on the team.

He
valued
me.

It wasn’t just about the damn rings. I just wished that realization had come sooner.

“Again, JJ, I’m sorry man. I know I dropped the ball. I know I fucked up our plan, but this game…” – I turned to look at him, moved by the emotion in his words- “I’m going to bust my ass to bring you that ring. It’s the least I can do. I want this so bad for you.”

I sucked my teeth. “For me? Nigga, I ain’t the only one playing my heart out on that field. You been wanting it before I was drafted.”

“Yeah, but…” he turned to look out over the water himself. “I got more than I deserve after that shit I pulled. Way more,” he said, just above a whisper.

“Your little lady,” I said, after a moment. I knew that look on his face… was pretty sure I’d looked like that plenty about Nicki. “I can’t believe you’re engaged, man.”

“Married.”