Trevor

Trevor

It’s official. Sage Aberton has broken every single rule of mine, and I don’t even care anymore. I’m in love with her, and I know she’s in love with me too. She wouldn’t have tried to leave last night if she didn’t love me. Fuck. I can’t believe I almost lost her. I can only imagine what she was thinking when she was an outsider looking in. If only she would have been there to hear our conversation.

“You’re not just dating. You’re in love,” Erica smiles at me.

I practically blanch at her words. I really care about Sage, and I fucking hate being away from her these days. But I don’t know if I’d call it love. I’ve only loved one person, and that didn’t turn out great the last time.

“I don’t think I ever want to fall in love again. It gets a little too complicated,” I say as I give her a look as I gesture between the two of us.

Erica shrugs her shoulders.

“Whether you want to or not is irrelevant, you’re in love with her, and she’s in love with you.”

“Really? She said that? What did she tell you?” I say as I turn to face her, holding my breath with anticipation.

“No, she didn’t tell me anything. I can just see it on her face, on both of your faces. Really think about it, though, Trev. If you didn’t love her, would you have gotten as excited as you just did at the idea of her loving you?”

I turn to stare off into the still water of the pool as I mull over her words. Love. Is this what love is when it’s not the person you’ve always known? Is this what falling in love is like? One minute you hate them, the next you want to protect them from every bad thing in the world? You crave their touch like you can’t take your next breath without them?

“I’m in love,” I say, more to myself than Erica.

“Wow, I think I just literally heard your little rule break inside your head,” Erica says with a know-it-all smile.

Turning my head to face her, I can’t help but smile as she leans on my shoulder and hugs my arm.

“I’m so happy for you, Trev. You deserve to have it all.”

I couldn’t even speak before Sebastian was opening the back door, asking what I had done to Sage. He watched her take off down the street to god knows where, and I was up, on my feet and running after her in the next moment.

Sage and I just pulled up to the practice facility. We only have a team meeting today since tomorrow is a home game. She said she could use some film of just the facility so she decided to come with.

I get out of my side before jogging around to grab her door. She smiles in thanks and goes to step around me when I grab her hand, lacing our fingers together.

Sage frowns at me as she raises an eyebrow.

“What are you doing?”

“Walking with my girl,” I say simply as I lock the car.

“Okay, but don’t you think someone is going to see? You need to let go of my hand,” she says as she tries to wiggle out of my grip, but I only tighten my hold.

“Babygirl, you’re not nearly as smart as I thought you were if you think there is a chance in hell, after last night, that I’m not shouting how in love with you I am from the motherfucking rooftops.”

“Please don’t, that sounds like something Santos would do,” she says with a curled lip.

I bark out a laugh as I let go of her hand before wrapping my arm around her shoulder and pulling her into me. Bending down, I press a kiss to the side of her head as we step into the hallway.

“What? You embarrassed to be seen with me? Any woman would kill to be in your position.”

She cuts me a narrowed glance as she speaks.

“And if any woman finds herself in my position, I’ll kill them.”

I can’t help but grin as I hold her to me tighter this time.

“It’s fucking hot when you get all jealous.”

Sage rolls her eyes but doesn’t pull away from me. We almost make it to where we will split off when Coach appears practically out of thin air, steam rolling out of his ears as he barrels down the hallway.

“What the fuck is this?!” he shouts.

I give him a laid-back look before glancing to Sage and back to him.

“What’s what, Coach?”

“Don’t be a fucking smart-ass with me, Michaels. Do I have to spell it out for you? My daughter is off fucking limits. If you want to see a second of time on the field for the rest of the year, I suggest you back away and lose her information.”

I can’t help but scoff.

“No can do, Coach. If you have to bench me because your adult daughter and I are in a relationship, I guess do what you gotta do. Going into the postseason and losing your starting quarterback doesn’t sound like a great way to maintain your position if I can be so bold.”

His chest heaves, his nostrils flaring as he storms up to us. I’m ready for it, but at the last moment, he switches directions and comes face to face with Sage.

“You’re such a fucking attention whore! Always trying to get a reaction. Well, here is your fucking reaction! Now get the fuck away from my player.”

“Or what? I’m not gonna break him, Dad,” Sage says, her tone hard, but I notice a slight tremble to her vibrato.

“You little fucking shit!” Coach shouts before raising his hand.

Sage flinches slightly in preparation, and it’s all the warning I need to move. I push Sage behind me quickly and catch Aberton’s hand midair, not releasing him as I lower my voice to a deathly sound.

“If you touch her, I’ll fucking bury you.”

Aberton’s anger is wild and strong, but he must see the promise in my eyes because I watch that fire in his quickly dampen. I toss his hand away from me, back at his fat piece of shit side as I continue.

“Lay a finger on her. I fucking dare you.”

The death glare he is giving me is one where I know he is wishing I just burst into flames right here and now. Unfortunately for him, I’m still standing, and I’ll be damned if he gets anywhere near my girl.

“This isn’t going to end well,” he says, his eyes attempting to go over my shoulder to Sage. “Just like the last one. You always pick the worst kind, and this time you’ll be far worse off than a couple bumps and bruises.”

With that, he turns and storms back to the film room where our meeting is being held. I don’t turn my back until he is gone, but as soon as I hear that door shut, I spin on my heel. Sage is breathing heavily, staring at the floor like she’s in another place, another time. The look on her face honestly scares the living shit out of me.

“Baby? Baby?” I ask, causing her to startle as she looks up at me.

Her bright eyes snap to my own, a thin, watery layer covering them as she quickly swipes at her face.

“Thanks.”

I frown at that. “Thanks for what? I would never let anyone even think about hurting you. Has he ever hurt you before?”

She shakes her head. “No, never. I-I’ve never seen him like that. The most I’ve ever gotten from him was indifference.”

“And what about that thing he said about a couple of bumps and bruises? He talking about your ex?”

She doesn’t speak, and the look she gives me begs me not to pry. I want to say to hell with that, strap her to a chair and force her to give me names and addresses of every man who has ever hurt her. That won’t work, though. I need her to come to me when she’s ready, to trust me. So I’ll give her that, but if she doesn’t give me details soon, I’ll take matters into my own hands. If my girl is in danger, I need to know about it so I can protect her with everything I have.

“C’mon, let’s go home,” I say.

“You need to go have your meeting,” she argues.

“Fuck him. What’s he gonna do? Bench me? Let him.”

I reach down and wrap my hand around hers as she looks up at me with a look that is drenched in vulnerability. It pains my heart and causes me to abandon her hand and wrap her whole damn body around my own. I can never be close enough to her, ever. Especially when she’s hurting. The only thing I know how to do in situations like this is hold her close and make sure nothing else can hurt her, not when I’m around.