Love In the Red Zone (Connecticut Kings Book 1) (49 page)

Out of nowhere, Bobby Samuels walked up. It happened so fast, but I was able to peep JJ’s smug smile. He’d deserved to wear it.

“Good game, bruh,” he yelled over the noise of the crowd, extending his hand to Samuels, who looked at it with narrowed eyes, turned his head, and spit on the ground.

“Fuck outta here with that “good game” shit,” he shouted with a screwed face. “I know I roasted your ass out there today,” Samuels continue to spit shit as the cameras moved all around us.

That pissed me off. We didn’t need nothing newsworthy reported from this field other than our well-earned and skillful
W
. I wasn’t there for the schoolyard shit.

Jordan scowled at dude, but maintained that pretty-boy-I’ll-still-fuck-your-momma smile. “Score is what it is, man. You ain’t gotta shake my hand, but you can keep that other bullshit.”

“Nah, you got it, Ms. Bailey. I see you got your panties out your ass now that your man is back on the field, bitch.”

Ms. Bailey? No this nigga didn’t
—

I leaped into action, trying to do the Christ-like thing of talking my man from the rightful pounding I knew he was capable of putting on dude.

“Yo, JJ, street rules don’t apply on the green. See that dude where there’s nobody recording. You know how we do. Victory over everything,” I repeated the motto we’d shared for years.

For extra measure, I nudged JJ to move, but carefully. When niggas got heated like I knew my man was, you couldn’t be physically aggressive with them or else things could get out of hand. Thankfully, he took a step in the opposite direction.

“Whatever, Bobby. You have a good night.” JJ decided to bid him a cocky good day.

“Oh I plan to. We’ve got your fine ass baby sister waiting at the back as a consolation prize. I’m gon’ love seeing those dimples on either side of my dick while she’s gag—”

And there it was.

A wrap
.

JJ hauled off and clocked Samuels in the chin so hard, his neck audibly snapped back. After that JJ was on top of dude, throwing straight jabs to his face, not able to serve them to his body because of the armor from his uniform.

“Hold!” I screamed at the small crowd of players, refs, coaches, and staffers coming in to break it up.

I knew I didn’t have long before they’d all pile in to separate the two, but I was a CMD nigga. And our law was nobody touched our man while he was scrapping without say so from the head man. I understood I wasn’t exactly that on NFL’s turf, but I did what I had to, to save time. I jumped at the two on the ground first, strategically taking my time before pulling JJ off of Samuels. He deserved to get a few in from that straight disrespect Samuels spewed. JJ didn’t have a lot of time on him, but he officially bodied dude on Samuels’ field.

The two men were separated within seconds. I made sure I was on JJ to ensure no sneak jabs from the
Saints
because of their man’s
L
. As we broke the medley, we’d soon learn the drama was far from over. JJ was arrested that evening, spending the night in jail. And there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.

“The order for dinner has been placed,” she informed lazily as she stepped out on the back deck of the yacht.

The sun beamed on her petite frame as she strutted over to the railing to rest her elbows and gaze out on the water. She had my tongue hanging from my mouth again with that “
barely there
” white bikini. The top had no straps for her swollen boobs and the bottom neglected to cover her plump stretch-marked booty.

“What you order for me?” I wanted to mess with her.

“Fish and steamed vegetables,” she called over her shoulder.

Jade looked like a model. She was my wet dream come true. I couldn’t believe she was mine and had agreed to marrying me last week. I set it up to have her out on Divine’s yacht for four days. Two days after we played the
Saints
, Jade and I cruised the western Caribbean, stopping only to refuel. They were the best days of my life. We made love every day, several times a day, and in many ways. And we talked—of course, Jade wanted to talk to see how I was doing and what I was feeling with everything happening so fast in our lives. I knew it was important to talk things through, but I had my own agenda of taking her outside of our norms in hopes of demonstrating my love for her transcended my mansion where she stayed behind while I traveled.

“Damn, Jade!”

“What?” she turned around looking, for what I didn’t know.

“Your boobs,” I breathed out. “They look…bigger.” I exhaled. “Makes me wanna put my dick in them.”

She shook her head, looking back out into the ocean. “You did that already—twice. You don’t remember last night?”

I scratched my head, not exactly recalling specific details. I’d gotten so wasted, feeling safe with Jade that my brain was still fuzzy. I only remembered going balls deep into her on the steps, on our way to the master cabin.

“C’mere, baby. Let me do it again.” I laughed.

“Oh, no! You’re a fiend, Trent!” I reached up and pulled her down on the lounger with me.

After flipping and turning her to straddle me, I asked, “What’s up with you this afternoon? Everything was all good this morning.”

“Nothing. I woke up from my nap thinking. Is JJ okay?”

“I spoke to him the day before we pulled out. He’s good. Cole’s making sure of it.”

The ladies loved JJ and I see mine was no different. He was a ladies’ man, whether in pursuit or not, I guessed.

“Good. I just hate that y’all got into that fight like that. You could’ve been hurt with all that equipment on.”

“First, we play with that equipment to protect us from worse brutality to the body.” I tapped her nose. “Second, it wasn’t my fight to get hurt.”

“But you admitted to making sure JJ got his. One of the guys from the other team could’ve seen that and wanted the same advantage for the Samuels guy
or
wanted revenge for your manipulation!”

I laughed at her concerns. Athletes fought all the time. I pulled her into my arms even tighter, ignoring her cute pout. “I was good. Don’t nobody wanna see my guns. Samuels didn’t think he would see JJ’s. I only interfered because I was mad at what he said. Dude was disrespectful. But JJ ain’t need no help. We rock out when it’s time. They know.”

“Trent!” She sighed, rolling her eyes then lay out on my chest.

“Did you call those people back about the nail salon chain?” I decided to change the subject.

She shook her head.

“What’s the hold up, Jade? Isn’t this what you wanna do…open your own nail salon?”

Jade sat up again. “I guess. I don’t know.” Her eyes went back into the water ahead.

“Everything all good?” I tightened my hands around her tiny waist, concerned all over again.

She bit her lip and nodded.

“Well, why’re you so unsure? I told you to be sure and you told me you were sure,” I teased about the lyrics in the Stevie Wonder track I used to propose to her.

“Because now that we’re engaged and I’m in the middle of furnishing and decorating your place—”

“Our place. Don’t start that again. It, for real, seems more like your place than mine, almost since you moved in.”

“Okay. Our place. Anyway. Kyree’s starting second grade and I’m trying to get him acclimated to that. And then with that fight and JJ’s arrest…” She slowly shook her head, gaze caught in the passing water. “It’s just been a lot.”

“I don’t want you to regret not going for your own dreams while mine are happening. I want to see you shine, too. Just go down to Atlanta and see what they’re talking about. I can have my lawyer, Chesney, send someone with you to make sure it’s legit.”

“That costs money, Trent.”

“So? I gotchu. Don’t worry: when you start opening up those salons and doing Oprah’s nails, I’m gonna need a sugar momma to lean on when I retire. You know the span of a football player’s career is mad short.”

“Don’t say that, please.” Jade didn’t laugh at all.

Something was bugging her and I wanted to know what, but couldn’t shake it out of her.

“Would you at least go?” I changed to a more soothing tone, purposely.

“Okay,” she huffed. “I’ll go. They called all last week.”

I couldn’t help the smile that broke out on my face.

“Good. Now the
Kings
’ Royal Ball next week—”

“The tailor said your suit will be delivered on Tuesday. When can you come home to try it on, or do you want me to bring it up to Connecticut after dropping Ky off at school?”

“If you wouldn’t’ve cut me off, I was going to ask how soon could you have a gown.”

“A gown?” She sucked in air. “For what? To go?”

I smiled harder. “Yeah. With me.”

Jade gasped again and busted out in a giggle. “Of course with you, silly!” She slapped my chest. “Is that your way of inviting me?”

“Yeah. You’re my fiancée now. This is an annual fundraiser that Richardson’s passionate about. It’s somewhat mandatory. Why would I go without you?”

Jade’s shoulders shrunk again. “No one knows I’m your fiancée.”

“Not yet, but they will. I want it to sink in with you first and then we can share it with the world. This thing’ll happen at the pace we set.”

“Like people aren’t going to know if they see this seven carat diamond ring, Trent.” Her tone was doubtful, one brow hiked.

“I’m hoping by that time you’ll be good with it. I know I am.”

That’s when Jade’s gorgeous smile finally appeared. She couldn’t contain the damn thing. “I’m scared, but I’m oh-so happy, Trenton Bailey,” she moaned, leaning down onto my chest.

“Ooooh!” I growled. “Say that again, but take my first name out and put your first name in front of it.”

Jade’s tongue darted and seductively swiped the seam of my lips. “Jade”—
swipe
—“Bailey”—
swipe
—“aka”—
swipe
—“JB, baby.
Mmmmmm
…” she moaned again when I caught her tongue and sucked on it. 

My hand went into her bikini bottom, pushing her into my swollen wood. I stayed with one when she was around.

“I’m happy.” I whispered in her open mouth. “Like…really happy. I feel so much peace with…you…being here.”

Jade beamed with hooded eyes. It took nothing to arouse her.

“I’m happy when you’re happy, big ogre. It’s scary when I think what I’d do to keep you in this state and a smile on your face and in your heart,” she murmured, kissing my chin and cheeks.

I inhaled her berry scent until my lungs were filled to capacity.

“It’s weird. I think the last time I felt so sure about something was…” I thought for a second. “On Macen Beach, last month, while caught in that storm. You feel right to me, Jade. I know this was meant by God. More than I’m afraid of never regaining my career, I’m sick to death over the possibility of losing you. I need you to hold on to me no matter what. Alright?”

Jade’s lips parted, forehead creased. Tears quickly fell down her cheeks.

“I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life, not even having KyKy. I was scared then and knew I had no business being a mother so young. We may be working it out okay, but I was never
sure
when I carried him. You’re the only thing that sits well in my heart and gut, Trent. I’m scared out of my mind every day you’re away of losing you. I want you. I need you. It’s sick, but the truth. You’re mine.”