37. Lucas

"It's really amazing that you guys had the dedication to found your new organization." Gabe holds up a glass of champagne. "There are a lot of kids and families here in the city who will benefit from it."

I look around the crowded cocktail lounge, unable to keep the smile from spreading across my face. We really did it, and I couldn't be prouder of us.

Vince Castro, Gabe's former NFL superstar boyfriend, pumps my hand. "Great to finally meet you both," he says to me before shaking Jase's hand. "An after-school sports program for underprivileged kids is a fantastic way to give back to the community. I have a feeling Play It Forward will be a huge success with you two behind it."

I can't lie. I'm a little starstruck, and having him here at our fundraising event has drawn a big crowd. Big crowds with big pockets, hopefully.

Vince's career ended due to a spinal injury when I was still in high school, but he's now a pretty famous sportscaster for ESPN. He also happens to be a financial genius who runs his own portfolio management company for athletes and celebrities. I'm betting he's got a bunch of clients right here in this room.

"This is a great turnout. And I'm happy to use whatever channels I can to spread the word." He pulls open his jacket and slides a check out of the inside pocket. "Here's a donation from my company."

"Thank you so much," Jase says with a smile. "We really appreciate it."

Gabe and Vince move on and Jase lets out a low whistle through his teeth. "I hope everyone's as generous, ya know?"

"We've got a lot of support here. People want to help." I rub my hand down the slope of Jase's back and lean in close to nuzzle his ear. "And the best part is we're doing this together because we both believe in its importance."

"Ironic, huh?" Jase says, taking a swig from his beer bottle. "This never would have happened if we didn't get into that fight the night at Bar 901. We'd have never experienced what life is like for some of these kids. We'd have never gotten a chance to help any of them."

"Everything happens for a reason. And for the record, I'd have also never found out that there's a decent person underneath your prick mask if we hadn't been thrown together after that media shit show."

Matt Harrison walks over to us, a big smile lighting up his face. "Shit, did you guys see Vince Castro? Goddamn, that man is hot as fuck."

Jase chuckles. "Christ, Matt, wipe the drool off your chin."

Matt stands back to ogle Vince over Jase's shoulder, and I clear my throat.

"You do know he's taken? As in, about to get married taken?" I say with a pointed look.

Matt shrugs. "I can look, right? I mean, he may be almost married, but I sure as fuck ain't dead."

I shake my head. "That doesn't make any sen?—"

Jase grins and holds out his beer bottle. "I hear ya, bud."

I roll my eyes. Figures they'd understand each other.

And Vince is white hot, so I can't argue that.

"So what do you guys know about the new owner?" Matt stops eye fucking Vince and leans in close. "You think he's gonna inject some of his cash to get us some better players so that next year we don't crap out after round two of the playoffs next season?"

Yeah, that was a rough loss. After our victory against Oakland, we were flying pretty high into round two until we got trounced by the Chicago Hawks. We even had Jase on the field since the hit to his arm didn't do any damage through that monster splint. But it didn't matter. We still got beaten like we stole something, and just like that, any hopes for a Super Bowl ring went up in smoke.

"Is he famous or anything? I haven't found anything online about him, and none of the guys know details." Matt takes a long gulp of the beer he just got from the bar.

"They're being pretty tight-lipped until it's formally announced. But I overheard his name when I accidentally interrupted a meeting between Greg and Marc and then looked him up. It's Zak Kacey. He actually played a little football in college. Supposedly he was pretty damn amazing until he was badly injured in a game during his freshman year. That ended his career from what I've read. He's got a big chip on his shoulder because of it. At least, that's what people say."

I recognize him from his pictures. He hasn't been officially announced as the team owner yet, although from what Marc has told us, the news will break by morning, no doubt because of his presence here.

Marc managed to get him to our event to show his face a little and informally meet some of the team, although he hasn't made his way over to me and Jase yet.

Matt follows my gaze and his jaw drops. "Holy fucking shit," he mutters.

"Jesus, Matt. It's like you've never seen another guy. Did you just turn gay or something?" I say with a smirk.

He sweeps a hand through his hair and looks left then right. "No, I, ah, I mean, he's a good-looking guy. Don't really understand why he'd want to own a football team if he's got a pole up his ass about a shattered career or whatever. Anyway, hopefully, he doesn't shake shit up."

He talks fast, like he can't stop his lips from moving. Then he backs away, clutching his beer bottle. "Guys, congrats again. I'll catch you later, okay?"

I furrow my brow and look at Jase. "What the hell was that all about?"

"No fucking clue," Jase says. "Maybe he's worried about his place on the team."

"Is his contract up for renewal?" I watch Matt quickly lose himself in a group of football players on the opposite side of the room as Zak.

But before I can answer, a woman with a press pass walks up to us, a smile on her perfectly made-up face. "Mr. Bentley, Mr. Maxwell, my name is Carina Falk. I'm a reporter with the Cincinnati View." She waves a hand around her. "It's such a pleasure to be here tonight. I'd love to get a few words from you about the work you've done on Play It Forward."

"Thanks for joining us, Carina. As you know, Jase and I have had personal experience with underprivileged youth here in the city, and we came up with this organization to give back to a community that stood behind us during a tough time."

"That's right," Jase interjects. "A lot of these kids feel kind of lost in their circumstances. We wanted to give them a place where they can meet other kids, be themselves, and do what they love, as well as getting support from others like them."

Carina smiles wide. "You really are incredible for doing this. And judging from the attendance here tonight at this fundraiser, I think you're going to be very successful in raising funds for this worthwhile cause." She pauses for a second, and my throat tightens as if I can sense a change in question direction.

"You recently went public about your relationship. Is this the first of more partnerships to come in the future?"

I suck in a breath.

Ooh. That's ballsy. And uncalled for. She totally backed us into a corner, making us believe we were being interviewed about Play It Forward, when in fact, she really wanted to?—

Jase reaches for my hand and turns his heated blue-eyed gaze on me. "If you're asking if I wanna marry this guy, then yeah. I do."

Carina's eyes light up like candles and she turns to me. "Can I print that?"

Jase looks at me. "What do you think? You good with that?"

For a second, my mouth refuses to form words because I'm so shocked at what Jase just said.

Marriage.

Forever.

With him.

Heat floods my insides, my heart jumping into my throat. I cup his face with my hands and stare deep into his eyes.

"There's nothing that would make me happier. I fucking love you, Jase. I want to marry you, too. I want forever with you."

Carina lets out a little shriek and claps her hands together. "I figured I'd take a chance and toe the line, but you guys just jumped right over it."

That's right. We both took a leap months ago outside that bar. It could have crippled us both, but instead, it gave us hope and confidence in a future where we can be true to ourselves and to each other.

We're in love and we just told the world we want to make it official.

So fuck the line.

It doesn't exist anymore.

The Red Zone series continues with Zak and Matt in HOT RECEIVER, a hot and steamy hate to love coming out football romance.

Read it on Amazon?—>

https://amzn.to/3w40P3M

Check out this steamy teaser below?—>

"Jesus Christ." Matt pulls away like I just touched a lit match to his ear. He does a full body twist to face me. "Zak."

There's apprehension in his voice, like he doesn't know what to expect next.

He has no fucking idea.

"Are you really that surprised to see me? That I wouldn't come over to say hi, just for old time's sake?" I force a smile but glare at him hard.

Matt's head jerks left and right, but he must realize there's no chance of escape for him. He clears his throat and adjusts his tie. "I didn't expect to see…um, I only just found out that you took over ownership of the team. I'm, uh, sorry about your dad."

"I'll bet you are." My eyes narrow, lips twisting at the memory I can't ever forget, no matter how much I will my mind to incinerate it. "If he hadn't gotten run over by that fucking idiot, he'd be the one here tonight. Not me."

I inch toward him. "He didn't know your secret. Life would be so much easier for you if he didn't die, wouldn't it?"

Matt's fists clench at his sides. Good. I want him to want to punch me. I want him to feel anger. God knows, I've lived with it long enough.

"Don't say that."

I shrug. "Why not? It's true. I bet you're thinking it right now."

He lets out a snort. "Well, it's damn obvious that you know me now about as well as you knew me back in college. Not fucking at all."

"I'm the only one who could see through you, Matt. Or did you bury that along with everything else that happened between us?"

His jaw tightens. "Look, it was a long time ago?—"

"Not to me," I seethe. "Not when I've had to watch you parade around like the fucking king you think you are for the past eight years. You ruined me and you didn't give a good goddamn when my life went up in smoke. You just poked at the ashes."

The color in Matt's face drains, leaving his skin a pasty white color. "You never even let me explain?—"

"Explain that you didn't want the world to slap the same stigma on you that they did on me? That you somehow had more to lose than I did? You were wrong. I was outed against my will. I suffered for my choices. I lost everything because of them. You think money can make that shit go away?"

He rakes a hand through his dark blond hair. I grit my teeth and my fingers tingle. His hair was so soft, so thick. I remember fisting it when I came deep inside of him that night, how his body writhed against me as his cock exploded.

My heart clenches. I thought there was something real between us. I took a risk when I kissed him that first time back in college. We were freshmen, stars of the football team, and living the dream. I fell for him almost immediately, drawn to his looks, personality, and talent like a moth to a flame.

But for as popular as he was with the girls on campus, I'd always suspected there was something deeper than what he wanted the world to see. And when he kissed me back, I knew I wanted him to be my first. Nobody knew about us and people weren't open to the idea of gay players on the football field. To say Ohio State is conservative is a gross understatement.

So we kept things quiet. Secret. Until the torches came out.

Then he left me to burn.

Fuck. No! I'm not tripping down Memory fucking Lane tonight.

"Poor little rich boy," he sneers. "You always had a pole up your ass, Kacey. Always thinking you were better than everyone else because your dad could buy any football team you wanted to play for."

My spine stiffens. "Except he couldn't because you made sure I'd never play again."

"Don't you dare pin that on me."

I jab at his chest with my finger. "You could have stopped it and you didn't. You fucking chicken shit asshole."

"Fuck you." Matt's eyes darken with rage. "My life was nothing without football. It was…and still is…survival for me. But not for you. You had Daddy's money. I had fucking nothing. Nobody to rely on but myself, okay? So don't pretend to know a single thing about my life. You only know what you know, and lemme tell you something." He leans in close. "What you think you know amounts to shit."

"Be very careful, Harrison. Because I know plenty. And you're not the only one capable of ruining lives anymore."

His eyes narrow to slits. "Is that a threat?"

I allow the corners of my lips to lift. "I'm a businessman. And everything comes down to dollars and cents. I need to make decisions that will make the franchise money. And you suck up a whole lot of it. I'm struggling to figure out why."

Fear replaces the fury in Matt's gaze.

Truthfully, I'd love to cut him and watch him scramble to get another offer. He's a solid player, but he's more famous for who he hits it with than how good he is at kicking the ball. There are rookie kickers I could pay a shit ton less for who could do the job just as well. But his notoriety is like a safety net for him. He gets press, I'll give him that.

And he's not thinking of it as a bargaining chip right now. No, he's panicking. Hard.

So I turn the knife, deepening the gash.

"Maybe if you spent more time on your game instead of convincing the world that you're straight when you and I both know you're fucking not, you'd be considered an asset." I stroke the bottom of my chin, like I've really considered letting him go. "And since your contract is up for renewal, any good businessman would have to find the value in keeping your bloated salary on the payroll before signing another one."

Dots of red creep into his face. "You'd release me just because of a fucking stupid vendetta that you've held on to for almost a decade?" His lips stretch into a tight line. "You're more pathetic than I thought. Get a fucking life, Kacey. And don't mess with mine."

He's so close, I can dip my head and grab onto his lower lip with my teeth.

I hate that I'm even thinking that right now.

I hate that he's right, that I've held onto this anger, that it's been a constant demon I can't seem to outrun.

But what I hate more is that, even after all this time, I'm still hooked on the guy.

His coiffed hair, deep-set eyes, and chiseled jaw scream Liam Hemsworth. And that magnetic aura around him always managed to pull me in close. Me and every other living, breathing person in his airspace. He oozes confidence and charm, and his sexy smile still fucking makes my dick tingle.

"What are you defensive about, Matt? Are you worried that you're not as good as you want everyone to think you are?"

"I know how good I am." His nostrils flare. "And you can't make those decisions by yourself. There's no way?—"

"If I'm the only one pumping the investment into this franchise, then you'd better believe I get the final say in those decisions. And if I can't find a use for you, then guess what happens next?"

Matt grabs the lapels of my jacket and forces me back against a wall, my breath hitching because I've wanted this for so long, just under very difference circumstances.

"You can't take this away from me." His voice is strangled.

"Wrong." I smile, a devious, malicious smile that makes his eyes widen. "I'm in charge now. I can do anything I want."

I slide my hand down the front of his starched blue shirt.

"And Matt, I'm going to make you do things you never dreamed of."

He's nervous. This god among men is actually afraid of what I might do next.

It's about fucking time. I never wanted anything to do with this team, but fate handed me an opportunity.

I finally get the chance to punish the guilty.