18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Cattleya Cardona

T his week has been the best week of my life. Matías has spent every single night with me. Monday after he came back from work, we went back to the confitería where we had our blind date.

I would love to have a redo of our first date. That dress you wore was driving me insane, Mati had said the moment he came into my place. He was wearing black jeans and a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. This man plays a hard game with those strong, tattooed arms. So hot, I had to press extra hard on my thighs to stop myself from moaning at the sight.

"Do you think you'll ever tell me the meaning of all of your tattoos? How many do you have?" I ask, trying to focus on something else rather than the way he fires me up without even trying.

"I'll tell you anything you want," he says with a wink, and a little whimper escapes my lips.

"Is everything okay?" he asks, worried at my restlessness.

"Me? I'm perfectly fine. It's just you don't realize how sexy those tattoos of yours are. They drive me insane." A wicked grin appears on his face, and he starts undoing the buttons of his shirt, ever so slowly.

"Why don't we start with this one?" he says as he points to his right bicep. It's the name Yelena. "She was my maternal grandmother. I used to love going to her house, she would bake cookies before we arrived and then she would let me help decorate them. All the extra frosting was for me, since I was her little helper," Mati says with a beautiful smile on his lips.

"Oh, grandmas are the best. I love my abuelita , too." He gives me a peck on the lips and continues telling me the stories of all of his tattoos. A total of twenty-one.

"Wow, I only have this one," I say as I point to my ribcage, "but I definitely want more." Mati leans down and places a kiss on my tattoo, and I almost melt on the spot—this man is so effortlessly hot.

"I should have known it was you the moment I saw this tattoo on OfficialCherub. I mean, a soccer ball and angel wings? You were made for me." I smile at his compliment, I need to tell him the reason why I chose this design.

"So remember our second night in Playa Blanca?" Mati nods, completely focused on my words. "When we were cuddling, you kept calling me mi ángel . I'm not sure if it was intended for me to hear or not, but because I've had a crush on you since then and soccer is my life, I decided to combine my two favorite things in a tattoo." The moment I finish the sentence, I'm lifted from the ground, and Matías is taking me to my bedroom.

"Damn, Cattleya. How are you even real?" I chuckle at him because I honestly don't know how to answer.

"So you know I have this dark angel tattoo on the back of my neck, right? Well, I got it during Marco's bachelorette party thinking of you. You're my angel, but I thought I'd never be worthy of you. So I made the wings dark, as a reminder that if I touched you I could taint you." Tears run down my cheeks hearing how this incredible man became so broken that he didn't think he could have me in his life.

"You're the most amazing man I've ever met in my life, Mati. And being broken doesn't make you unlovable or not worthy. It simply means you have to work a little harder to get where you want to be."

"I love you," we both say in unison, and that's all it takes to get lost in each other again.

Tuesday morning, Mati drove me to the stadium to pick up my car and we had a long conversation about his work. At first, I didn't understand why it was so important for him to tell me about his job. I know he's an engineer, but when he mentioned there's a rule against fraternization with members of the Golden Warriors organization, my eyes grew big as saucers. Of course, nothing can be smooth sailing in life. Now we have to keep our relationship a secret so that Mati doesn't jeopardize his job. Part of me wants to buy the team so that stupid rule can be removed, but I also know that's not how life works. So until we're one hundred percent certain we are in this for the long haul, we're going to keep things private.

Not to mention, he finally told me what went down while he was in Chile with the boys. Sure enough, now he's had a falling-out with Franco. Ugh, I appreciate my brother-in-law looking after me, but it was not his place to "defend my honor," especially when I was a willing participant. Now I'm dating the very man who "took advantage of me."

The game this week will determine if we end up at the top of the scoreboard. If we win, we'll be the first seed for the playoffs and play home games the entire time. After training, I feel a small pain in my lower abdomen, a telltale sign that my period is coming. I decided to take ibuprofen and double down on practicing my long-distance shots. When I finally get home, I'm beyond exhausted, but the smell coming out of the kitchen is downright divine.

"Cattleya, mi ángel ." Mati greets me with a kiss and a glass of ice-cold mango juice, and I drool at the sight in front of me. Since we can't be seen out together, I decided to give him a key to my place, that way he doesn't have to wait for me to get home if he gets here before me. My man has an apron tied around his waist, his dark wash jeans molding that delicious ass of his. A simple white shirt hugs his muscles, leaving his sleeve of tattoos on full display.

"Hey, bae. What's all this?" I say as I take a sip, the sweetness of the mango sending signals of pleasure to my brain.

"Well, you said you were going to workout extra today, so I decided to get one of those foolproof meals at the store."

I put the glass down as I go to hug him. He's so damn thoughtful.

"Aw, are you taking care of me, bae? That's sweet. But what do you mean by a foolproof meal?"

He kisses my neck before going back to cooking. "Well, I can't cook to save my life so I found a store that has meals that are everything you need in one pack; already measured and ready to be cooked. Look, it even comes with the instructions and a packet of spices." He shows me the package with a triumphant smile. I wonder if that's how hunters in the Stone Age felt when they came back home with game to feed their family.

"That's amazing, I've never seen it at the store I go to."

He cuts a small piece of salmon from the frying pan, and after blowing on it to cool it down, he feeds it to me.

"Hmmm, so good. Maybe we need to look into a meal service like this." He nods his agreement; sharing life with Mati has come way too easy. I wonder if it was like this for my sister, as well. I make a mental note to text her.

He plates the salmon and veggies he removed from the oven and leads me to the dining table, where he refills my juice. I feel like I won the lotto with this man; he is so attentive. He even pulled out my chair.

"Thanks, bae. I'm feeling so well cared for right now." Even though I feel like crap, I keep it to myself.

He lowers himself as he sits down next to me, and gives me a sweet kiss. "You're welcome, mi ángel . It's my pleasure."

I take a bite of the veggies, and they're delicious, too.

"A warm meal is exactly what I needed tonight." Mati looks at me, a wrinkle marring his handsome face. "I'm having cramps and I feel like crap," I tell him honestly, and his face softens immediately .

"Oh, babe. I'm sorry. What do you say we snuggle on the couch with Tinta after dinner and watch a movie?" I squeeze his hand at his thoughtfulness.

"That sounds great," I say as I eat another bite of salmon.

Saturday night, I joined the team at our usual hotel for the night before home games. Stefa grilled me all night for details about my hot, mystery man.

"Why are you so secretive about this guy? Is he a bad guy?"

I almost choke on my saliva at the thought that flashed through my mind. Mati is a very bad guy–between the sheets.

"Nah, it's just new and I don't want to jinx it," I tell her instead, but she doesn't seem too convinced.

"Wait a minute, did you meet him on the app I downloaded on your phone?" I grin at her, and she screams into her pillow. "No way. What are the odds? I guess I better download that app, too." I move my shoulder up and down as I give her a smirk. Maybe she'll find a hot guy too. "How are you feeling about tomorrow? Are you ready?" She changes topics, and I'm thankful because I don't enjoy lying, and it doesn't come easy either.

Releasing a breath, I answer. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be. It's the biggest game of the season so far, and all I want to do is to be in sync with the team so we can pull a win. But it's going to be tough. We've become the team to beat, and the Lionesses are going to go out tomorrow to the pitch looking for blood." Stefa nods at my words, we all know we've become the team to beat, and sadly it isn't only for our performance on the pitch; it's also, in part, due to the articles Romina keeps writing about us .

"Are you going to ask Coach to let you join the press conference? I know he's been against it in the past."

Releasing a long breath, I think about how to answer this. I don't want to come across as a spoiled rich girl who's not getting her way, but I also really want to confront Romina and put an end to her lies once and for all.

"I honestly don't know. I'm going to ask him, because that's the least I can do. If he says no, I'll just be open to answer any questions from the media on our way out. Somebody would want to hear it from me, right?" Stefa doesn't meet my eyes at my question, and a sinking feeling takes place in my gut. Who the hell is Romina? Not even Melissa, the woman in charge of the team's PR, could help me out.

Matías

Buen día, mi ángel. You don't need luck, but I'll be at the game today sending all the good vibes.

I grin as I read Mati's good morning message. I don't think I'll ever tire of his thoughtfulness.

"Good morning, sunshine. Time to go win a game," Stefa says as she comes out of the bathroom ready to go.

I guess I overslept, but the cramps this month are a little stronger than usual. I wonder if it's because I'm sexually active now? I'm going to have to do a Google search later; I don't have time to think about anything other than the game right now. Our match today is at noon since the men's team is playing at five this afternoon. Who's responsible for scheduling the matches? Who knows. But they should do a better job keeping our games from overlapping. I'm really looking forward to playing in our own stadium, but Mati mentioned it'd take at least eighteen months, if not longer before that's possible.

When we arrive at the stadium, a burst of adrenaline runs through my body. It's a beautiful sunny day, and people are already in the stands. I guess playing earlier in the day isn't so bad after all. I've wanted to add Mati to my friends and family list, but since we're a secret, he said it was best not to. Plus, he didn't mind buying his own ticket to come see me. I hope everything goes smoothly today since my sister is coming with Franco, and I didn't tell her about Mati and me being together now. I wanted to enjoy this week just the two of us, without other people weighing in on our relationship.

After warm-up, Coach gathers us in a circle for our last pep talk before the game. "Listen, Warriors. Everything you've achieved this season, from creating a strong team that's hard to beat, to tight friendships that will last you a lifetime, this game can be the cherry on top for a beautiful campaign. Or it can be a demonstration that you're not as good as you say you are. Go on that pitch, and show the Lionesses and everyone else watching who you are and what you are made of. Pay no mind to small hits; don't fall into their tactics. Especially you, Cata. They are known for being avid readers of Bleacher's Pulse ." Coach looks me directly in the eyes, and I nod at him. I won't let them get a rise out of me. "They want you to make the first mistake, but you're smarter than that. You all have worked hard to be on top. You deserve this." Coach ends his speech, and Noelia motions for everyone to put their hands together .

"Mess with a Warrior," she shouts.

"Deal with her tribe!" we all roar in response, and the fans go bonkers.

This game is as physical as I expected it to be. The other team is straight out going for blood instead of trying to get the ball. I guess it's their way of trying to break us so they can control the game. Too bad for them, Coach had us watch tapes on the Lionesses until our eyes went dry; we know their MO well.

All we have to do is keep the ball under our feet and avoid falling for their tricks. It takes a lot of effort for me to let go whenever someone kicks my leg or my ankle, or steps on my foot, instead of playing the ball. These bitches are trying to get me mad so the ref can give me a yellow card, or even a red one, and take me out of the game altogether. But what they don't know is that there's a quiet and sweet man in the bleachers who follows my every move, and that gives me all the peace I need to keep playing.

We go to halftime without scoring, and I can tell everyone on the team is frustrated. We are restless, and we want to win this game in front of our fans, but desperation won't help us do that. "We need to be smarter than the Lionesses. So far, we've been doing a good job not falling into their game, but that doesn't mean we need to let them hit us with everything they've got. We need to open the field, try to find spaces where they aren't expecting us. Maybe everyone needs to shoot to try to score. Don't wait for me or Sasha to be open. We've practiced hard this week. We can do this," Noelia tells us in the locker room, and this gives me a new mindset. I won't try to filter the ball to her anymore. I'm going to try to score.

The second half starts, and we all try to open the field, passing the ball from one side to the other, but it's not working. These girls came to defend, not to win a game, and that pisses me off. No shame in that as a defensive strategy, but the reason we play is to win, at least that's true for us Warriors. Taking the ball from one of their midfielders, I dart off toward their arch. I lift my gaze as three Lionesses rush toward me. I turn in place, searching for teammates, but I find none of them close enough to pass. I spread my arms and form a shield with my body, making it harder for the others to take the ball from me.

"Just quit already and go back to Colombia, bitch," one of them says. I keep pressing the ball down with my right foot, just focusing on the game, and not letting her words get to me.

"You need to quit while you still can, bitch," another one says, and that sinking feeling I had before grows.

Are they talking about the game or about Romina and her articles? The distraction is enough for one of them to push me forward. I fall on top of the ball, hitting my abdomen. I wince in pain, and finally, the ref blows the whistle, stopping the game. One of the players falls on top of me, and I see stars at the pain in my middle, tears pooling in my eyes.

"Stop it. Get up, Thirteen. Right now," I hear the ref say, and once the player gets up, I'm finally able to breathe again.

"But ref, she made me fall. Show her a yellow card," I hear the player say, and I see fucking red. What is she even talking about? With a lot of effort, I finally get on my feet as I see Noelia and Stefa coming to stand by my side.

"I'm going to let it pass because the game needs to continue. But next time I see you pulling one of these bullshit plays, Thirteen, I'm showing you a yellow card," the ref says in a stern tone. Thirteen murmurs, "Whatever," and goes to her side of the field.

"Are you okay?" Noelia asks, her expression hard as stone .

"Yeah, I'm fine," I reply as I rub my stomach and wipe my eyes with the back of my hand. "Let's show these bitches how the Warriors fight," I say as I position the ball to restart the game.

"Fuck, yes!" Noelia shouts as she gets in position, and Stefa winks at me.

We got this.

When the ref blows the whistle, I pass the ball to Stefa. We start passing it back and forth, getting rid of Lionesses as we get closer to their box. Stefa runs in front of me, creating a distraction, and that's all I need to take a shot. I kick the ball with my left foot, the ball gains speed and height as it flies through the sky and creates a beautiful curve that ends at the corner of their arch. Their goalie tried to reach for the ball, but it was an impossible angle.

" ?GOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLL! " I shout as I run toward our coach and the rest of the team. The stadium erupts in chants, and collective hysteria spreads throughout.

"Beautiful play, Cata. Well done."

"Thanks, Coach," I reply as I go to my teammates who are all waiting for me to celebrate.

"Good job," Noelia says to me, and I nod at her.

"Now let's keep it up. Let's see what other bullshit they try to throw at us."

As the ref blows the whistle, calling for all players, I turn around looking for Mati. When I spot him, he's making a heart with his hands, and I try to make angel wings with mine. He laughs at my attempt but then blows me a kiss. There's no way we're losing this game when I have the man of my dreams cheering me on.

As the game continues, I place a hand on my abdomen from time to time, battling constant pain and discomfort. The minutes go by, and their goalie catches all the balls we throw at the arch; it's like she became an octopus—she reaches every corner of their goal. We have a few scares but luckily, either our goalie makes a save, or the ball goes way above the crossboard. The ref finally blows the whistle, indicating the game is over. I raise my hands in the air, and my knees hit the ground, the pain and the adrenaline from the match sending mixed signals to my brain. The entire team piles on top of me, and I forget about the pain for a minute and bask in the collective joy we're feeling.

My first season as a Golden Warrior, and we're the top seed in the playoffs. Noelia helps me stand up, and as we're walking toward the locker room, I spot Romina making her way to us. Noelia squeezes my shoulder briefly, showing me her support.

" Bueno, chicas. Que juego, felicitaciones. (Well, girls. What a match, congratulations.)," Romina says to a little voice recorder and then places it in front of Noelia.

"Yeah, thanks. It was a very tough game but we're thankful we're able to pull out a victory. It was truly a team effort."

Romina's smile falters for a fraction of a second, but she quickly recovers. "Cata, we saw you wincing in pain. Is everything okay?" I'm shocked at her question. I didn't think she cared.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just a little discomfort but nothing to worry about," I say with a tight smile. Coach comes behind us and ushers us toward the locker room, effectively ending the makeshift interview. Romina isn't too happy about it, but whatever she has to say, she keeps it to herself. I'm done paying attention to her and whatever lies she'll spin from my brief interview; tonight I have to celebrate with my team, and then with my man.