Chapter 14

Tia and I watch our men accept the Key Player Award.

Tia"s eyes are fixed on the podium when she says, "Damn, I never seen a man that fine."

"I"m glad you"re here," I tell her, reaching for her hand. She has endured so much, and Ash"s thoughtfulness and kind gestures toward her only make me love him more. He sees beauty in the parts of Tia that she finds tarnished, making her feel worthy of being loved.

Tia glances at me and replies, "Me too."

"So, does this mean you guys are a couple?" I whisper, trying to hide the hopefulness in my tone.

Tia straightens in her chair, her eyes fixed on the fancy glassware filled in front of her. She lifts the glass to her lips and takes a sip of water, pausing for a moment before setting the glass back on the table. She then turns to me with a half-smile and utters, "Yeah, I guess."

But there's something about her expression that doesn't match her happy tone from earlier. She looks worried and sad.

"Hey," I say, "that's a good thing, right?"

She shrugs. "I don't know. I guess I'm just worried I'm going to screw it up, and it's going to go to shit and blow up in my face." She lets out a defeated sigh.

"Tia," I admonish, "It's not going to go to shit unless you let it. You need someone like him in your life." I reach out and adjust her necklace. "To remind you of the truth about yourself." I give her a reassuring smile, hoping to ease her worries.

"You really believe in us, huh?" she asks.

I nod. "Yes, I do. And he does, too. Now it's just up to you to believe it."

We lean into each other until our heads touch. "I love you, bish," Tia says.

I giggle. "I love you too."

After capturing several moments through my phone's camera lens, I place it on the table. My heart swells with pride as Donnie walks toward me, his confident strides echoing in the room. I beam at him with a warm smile, conveying my heartfelt emotions in the words, "I'm so proud of you."

His face lights up, and he leans in to give me a sweet kiss on my lips. "Thank you," he says.

Ash arrives soon after, and I wrap my arms around him, giving him a tight hug. I reach for my cell phone and hand it to Ty. I turn to Donnie, Ash, and Tia, gesturing toward them. "Can you take a picture of the four of us?" I asked Ty.

His lips curl into a devilish smile as he takes the phone from me. "Yeah, Mama. Anything for you," he says with a playful tone and a wink. Donnie growls at him, but Titan just laughs.

Donnie wraps his strong arms around my shoulder while Tia leans in close, our cheeks touching, and Ash stands beside her.

"Say sweaty balls!" Ty says with a chuckle and snaps the picture.

He hands the phone back to me and I smile at the sight. These guys remind me of my boys back home. "Okay, now I want to take a picture of you together."

Donnie, Ash, Ramsey, and Ty gather around the other side of the table, striking poses and goofing off. "Make sure you get my good side," Ty jokes, making everyone laugh.

"I think Ty should be in the center since he"s the biggest of us all," Ash chimes in, trying to squeeze himself out of the middle.

Donnie shakes his head. "Nah, I should be in the middle. I'm the most handsome, and no one wants to see your ugly mugs."

I can't hold back my laugh. "Alright, here we go!" I say, snapping the photo. "Thank you," I say, ready to tuck my phone away when Ty says, "And now one with all of us including you and Tia."

Without giving me time to answer, the guys swarm around me with Donnie, and Ash and Tia beside me, Ramsey standing behind Ash. Ty pulls my chair back and crouches in front of me, holding up his phone.

"Say cheese, motherfuckers." He grins and snaps several photos in quick succession.

Ty takes it upon himself to send the photos from my phone to his. A grin creeps up on his face like he's a sneaky ninja plotting his next move as he hands the phone to me. "Now you have my number," he says with a wink.

"You cocky mother—"

Ty springs up to his feet, interrupting Donnie midsentence. "On that note"—he leans in and plants a quick kiss on my cheek—"I"m going to grab a drink." Without waiting for a response, he beelines through the crowd, laughing with Ramsey following behind.

"Ramsey's not much of a talker, is he?" I ask Ash, watching him walk away from us.

Ash grabs his drink and takes a sip. "Not around people he doesn"t know, but he"s a pretty chill guy once you get to know him."

I nod slowly.

"At least he's hot to look at," Tia says with a shrug, earning her a glare from Ash.

"There"s a story there, for sure," Donnie says, gently running his fingertips up and down my bare arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps.

Coach Walen approaches our table with the assistant coach.

"Du Pont," Coach Walen says, scanning the room. "Where are Ramsey and Titan?"

Donnie, who is sitting beside me, nods toward the bar. "They"re over there," he replies.

Coach Walen utters a frustrated curse and turns to the man beside him. "Go get those idiots and bring them to our table at the back," he orders. Then he turns to Donnie and Ash. "You two, come with me," he says, motioning for them to follow him. "There are some important people I need you to meet."

Donnie frowns. I gently place a hand on his thigh and give him a reassuring squeeze. "I"ll be back soon," I whisper softly, hoping my words calm him.

Donnie"s frown deepens, and he asks with concern, "Where are you going?"

I reply, "The bathroom," but his Coach interrupts us before I can take another step.

"Donovan," he says firmly, leaving no room for argument.

As I look into Donnie"s piercing blue eyes, I sense the frustration building up inside him, and I don't want to add any more fuel to the fire. Without a second thought, I reach out and hold his face in my hands. I plant a soft kiss on his lips, hoping it will ease his tension and not paying attention to our audience. "It"s okay. I"ll be fine. Don"t be difficult," I say with a hint of firmness but a smile.

Donnie"s grip on my hand is tight and unyielding, as though he never wants to let go. I can see the pain that's been etched on his face ever since the attack and now my pregnancy. He"s been struggling with the thought of leaving me alone, and his overprotectiveness is a constant reminder of the trauma we faced. However, we need to move on and embrace the present to heal completely. It is time to let go of the past and look forward to a brighter future together.

"Donnie, don"t worry. She"s just going to the bathroom." Tia's voice is calm and reassuring.

"Yeah, and look how that turned out the last time she went to the bathroom." Donnie growls.

Feeling the weight of his fear, I tried to keep my voice steady as I insisted. "Nothing is going to happen to me."

Donnie swallows hard and nods. "Come right back to the table, okay?" he says in a pleading but firm tone.

"I will," I promise in a soothing voice.

Before I step away, I ask Tia if she needs to use the bathroom, but she says no. The banquet hall is a blur of activity as I battle my way through the throngs of people to reach the damn bathroom. It feels like I am pushing against a current as I weave my way through the crowds. After what feels like an eternity, I reach the women"s bathroom. The door is so large that it could easily accommodate Bigfoot himself. When I push it open, I am greeted by the sight of two older women walking past me with friendly smiles.

The bathroom is fancy as hell, with a sleek and modern design that incorporates traditional spa elements.

After peeing for what feels like hours, I clean up and wash my hands in the fancy glass bowls that serve as sinks. Just I am about to walk out, the door suddenly swings open, missing my face. It is Donnie"s childhood friend, who looks absolutely mortified at almost smacking me in the face.

"Oh, my God! I am so sorry," she says, covering her mouth.

It didn't even cross my mind that she would be here. But then, she is part of the cheerleading squad, so it would make sense for her to be here.

"Oh, hi," she says, her tone changing, appearing annoyed that I am here.

Eva looks me up and down, and her expression immediately changes to one of amazement.

"Wow. You look absolutely stunning!" she exclaims.

However, her smile falters, and her eyes quickly dart toward my belly, as if something has caught her off guard. "Yo-you"re pregnant?" she stutters as if she's in disbelief.

She's just noticing now?

I nod, flashing her a "that's right," smile as I gently rub my belly. However, her reaction to my pregnancy is exactly what I was expecting. Her eyes narrow, and her smile disappears as she looks up at me with a questioning expression. "Is it Donnie"s?" she asks in a tone that sounds more like an accusation than a question.

A sudden wave of fury washes over me. "Excuse me?" I reply sharply, my tone laced with anger.

Likely realizing the severity of her words, Eva"s expression changes to one of regret. "Oh, I am so sorry. I didn"t mean—" She pauses, closes her eyes for a moment, and takes a deep breath before continuing. "I just feel really protective over him, you know? Especially with everything that he"s been going through lately," Eva says, her voice tinged with concern.

I raise an eyebrow, wondering if I should trust her. "Well, I appreciate your concern, but Donnie"s a grown man. He can take care of himself."

Eva nods, but her expression remains resolute. "I know, but I just can"t help it. I feel like I know him in a way that others don"t."

"And how exactly is that?" A surge of irritation rises within me.

Eva hesitates, then forges ahead. "I see how much school and practice have taken a toll on him. And now with..." She extends her hand toward my stomach and continues. "I just want to make sure he"s okay."

I feel a sudden pang of jealousy and defensiveness. "You don"t know him as well as I do, Eva. And it"s not your job to protect him," I assert confidently, reminding her of her place.

But Eva doesn"t back down. "Yeah, well, I"m sorry, but I"ve known him since middle school, and we were really close. You've only known him for what, a few months?" she retorts.

I'm not one to back down, either. "Try since I was five years old," I snap back.

As she clamps her mouth shut, her eyes look like they are going to pop out of her head. "Oh, my God. Are you Shorty?" she asks. "The Shorty?"

I pause for a moment, surprised by her sudden change in tone. "Yes, I am," I answer slowly.

"He talked a lot about you when we were kids," Eva reveals. "He used to say he was going to find you when he got older, but he was really depressed for a long time." A look of sadness crosses her face. "I thought you were dead," she whispers.

I sigh, not wanting to reveal too much about my past. "Long story," I say simply, hoping to put an end to the conversation. After all, it"s none of her fucking business.

Eva"s eyes quickly flash with a mix of frustration and determination. "I just can"t stand by and do nothing, especially when I care so much about him."

I purse my lips, struggling to contain my emotions and not tear this bitch in half. "Look, Eva, I understand that you care about Donnie, but he has plenty of people looking out for him. Including me, his girlfriend and the motherof his child."

Eva straightens, her shoulders tense, and glares at me. "I hear what you"re saying, but I can"t help feeling this way. I just hope he knows he"s not alone."

Did she not hear what I just said? She acts like he belongs to her, like he is an object and not a person—a person who is, in fact, in a serious relationship with me. As my eyes scan her from head to toe, it makes me wonder if Donnie would have dated someone like her if he had never come back to me. She bears a striking resemblance to Lucy Hale. But then I remind myself that Donnie and I were never content with the mundane of safety or normal. And Eva is safe and normal.

Our eyes lock in a moment of tension, and we both seem caught up in our emotions and struggle to maintain control. The air feels heavy, as if our unspoken thoughts weigh us down.

After a while, she breaks the silence. "I"m sorry, I didn"t mean to overstep." She looks at me as if waiting for my response. When I don't reply, she lets out a heavy sigh and leaves the restroom, leaving me to ponder what the hell just happened.

After taking a few minutes to calm the rage boiling my blood, I walk out of the bathroom and down the hallway. I watch Eva raise her hand in a friendly wave while casually strolling past Donnie. He gives her a smile in return. He wouldn"t be wearing that smile if he knew about the conversation she and I had just a few moments ago.

In the corner of my eye, I notice that bitch Payton standing behind a pillar like she's trying to be hidden as she watches Donnie.

How had I not seen her earlier?

Donnie, Ash, and Tia are standing outside the dining room chatting. As if Donnie senses me, he turns his gaze to me and his smile widens. He starts to walk toward me but stops mid step when he takes in my expression. He most likely sees how tense it is since I am pissed as fuck. When I walk past Payton, I give her one glance, letting her know not to fuck what's mine. She straightens, as if she's trying to seem taller, and pulls her shoulders back. Her glossy lips curl up in the corner and she smirks as if saying, "game on."

When I turn my gaze back to Donnie, his forehead wrinkles in worry but when he shifts his gaze to Payton, his face contorts with anger. He takes a step forward, but Ash grabs his arm, holding him back. "Don't make a scene, brother," he warns

Tia notices how tense I am when she walks up to me and puts my face in her hands. "What's wrong?" Her eyes bounce to each of mine.

"Blondie." It's the only word I am able to muster.

Tia looks over my shoulder and glares at Payton, then turns back to me. "I'll follow your lead. If you want to kidnap her and torture her, I'm game. Just tell me what you need from me."

That gets a chuckle out of me.

She smirks.

"Did I just hear you say the words kidnap and torture in one sentence?" Ash says as he stands behind Tia, resting his hand on her hip.

"Damn straight you did," Tia says, still looking at me.

"I'm fine," I tell her, wrapping my hands around her wrists and gently pulling her hands away from my face.

Suddenly, Donnie wraps his arm around my waist and spins me around until my hands fall flat on his chest. When I gaze up into his ocean eyes, I feel the rage oozing from them. His arm tightens around me. "Did she say something to you?" he says in a serious tone.

The way his body is tense and the way he's gripping my side tells me that he's about to blow like a rocket.

I cup his cheek, feeling his jaw tick back and forth. "No," I reassure him with a smile.

But he doesn't buy it. He looks over my shoulder and says, "Don't protect her. I won't let her hurt you," he says, grinding his teeth.

"I'm not protecting her," I tell him, pulling his face back me. "Keep your eyes on me and not her," I say, then give him a small smile. "She doesn't scare me. I can hold my own, but I will always protect what's mine. And you are mine."

His face softens at my claim on him. He wraps his arms around me and pulls me closer to his chest. "Oh, yeah? I have ideas on how you can prove that to me." The flash of lust in his eyes makes me clench my thighs together.

"Okay, eww," Tia says. I turn to her to see her face crinkle in disgust.