For the Win (19 page)

“But—“

“No butts, dumb ass,” she says, her word slurring. “Plus, Finn told me the good news! You’re playing tomorrow! Starting!”

Finn Mendez
. Son of a bitch.

“Yeah, looks like it.”

“You didn’t tell me,” my mom says with a frown.

“Everything’s been pretty up in the air. Dom is having a hard time. I just wasn’t sure how to bring it up...and then Allie played today—making that amazing assist.” I sigh. “It’s been an overwhelming day.”

My mom rubs my back. “If you’re playing tomorrow—you should go eat and rest.”

“Yeah.” I squint at my teammate. “You too,
Finn
.”

He has the good sense to nod in agreement. “Yeah, I need to fuel up and hit the sack. I’ll come by in the morning, okay?”

“Okay, babe.”

I turn before I see or hear anymore, walking out of the clinic confused and emotionally on edge. I’m not a minute from the building when Veronica materializes. The dark smudges under eyes and less than perfect hair give away the fact that she’s tired.

“Hey,” I say. We haven’t spoken since Dominic’s meltdown. I’m not sure what to say. It’s clear from the way her chin juts in the air that she’s not here on a social call.

“Look, McDowell wants me to do pre-game interview with you tomorrow.”

“About what?”

“He wants to cover up the real reason Dom is out and play up the whole, comeback kid angle.” She doesn’t look any happier than I feel about this.

“I don’t know. Don’t they have enough material? What about interviewing Allie after that win today?”

“The women’s team was expected to win. It’s their fifth gold medal.
Losing
would have been a headline. You guys are the real story here and you know it. This is the first time in decades the men’s team has made it to the finals. You’ll be heroes if you bring home that gold, and you’ll be the biggest one of all.”

“Yeah, but what if we don’t win?”

“Then it’s my job to make that a compelling story and turn it into a different kind of win.”

A group of women walk toward the clinic. I spot Melina and Becky, along with other members of the team. One girl carries a bunch of flowers—the others a pastry box. They must be here to see Allie, which is not how they had planned spending their victory night. As Melina passes she looks between me and Veronica, an aloof mask covering her emotions.

“What do we say about Dominic then? How do we handle that?”

She blinks, and I think I spot tears in her eyes. “Dominic isn’t going to come out the hero in this, Julian.”

I crack my knuckles. I don’t like exploiting his issues any more than I like exploiting mine. “Are you asking me to do the interview or are you telling me?”

“What do you think?”

The pressure rises in my chest, a feeling of anxiety that I haven’t had in a long time. I need to eat, and I need to get somewhere quiet. “Whatever. You know how to find me.”

“I promise you’ll look good. Don’t worry about that.”

“It doesn’t help if I look good and other people are hurt in the process,” I say, thinking of Dominic and Allie and everyone else who’s been dragged into this PR machine.

I walk off, planning to return to my room, but then I turn and follow the group of women that just entered the clinic. Catching up to Melina, I grab her by the arm and pull her away from the others. Time is running out on our agreement; this may be my last chance to be with her. I can’t pass that up because my head’s a mess.

“What’s going on?” Melina asks, her lips turned in a frown.

“Can you—can you come outside?”

She nods and follows me. I lead her around the side of the building to a hidden spot.

Her eyebrows furrow. “What is it?”

I dip my head and catch her lips with mine, kissing her hard. She’s caught off guard initially and fumbles, but then matches me kiss for kiss, fingers clenching in my shirt.

My mind is going in a dozen directions. The game. Dominic. Allie and holy fuck, Mendez. The interview tomorrow. All I want is a little peace—some security. I need to get my head together and to focus or all of this will be for nothing.

Melina pushes my head away from hers, cradling my face with her palms. “What’s going on?”

“I just need you, okay?”

She stares at me, dark-eyed and curious, like she’s trying to look past my words. I think she’s going to tell me no—that what I want goes beyond our agreement, but she nods.

“I’m here for you,” she tells me, wrapping her hand in mine. She leads me down the brightly lit pathways of The Village, taking me to the one place we can be together and alone.

*

Melina shuts the suite door behind her and lays the keycard on the table. I ate most of my dinner in the elevator, preemptively fighting off any low blood sugar problems. That’s what my life is like—always thinking, always doing.

I toss the container in the kitchen bin as Mel closes the distance between us. I feel the light touch of her fingers down the hard muscle of my arm, then she’s pushing up on her toes, her mouth warm on mine.

She’s lighter after the win—all the stress of the games having vanished. I’m the opposite, all nerves, frayed and worn at the edges.

I disengage from the kiss, and she frowns. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just never got the chance to congratulate you on today’s win.”

A smile flickers across her lips. “It felt good being out there with Allie again.”

“Some things are like that,” I say. “Good together.”

We kiss again and heated want builds beneath the surface. She touches me below the waist and finds me hard, her eyebrow rises.

“Sorry,” I mumble, mouth pressed against her skin. “I’m a little wound up.”

“I noticed.”

She seems willing to placate me, or maybe she wants it just as much herself. I lift her off the ground and deposit her on the counter, pushing between her thighs. Her chest juts forward, and I plant kisses on her skin. I touch her and find she’s just as ready as I am. Or at least I think so until my eyes land on her face.

Her cheeks flush and she looks away. “Last night was…”

“Awesome? Weird? Fantastic? Unbelievable? Strange?”

“A little of all of those.” She laughs softly. “I’m glad it happened though. It feels like a missing piece of the puzzle.”

My phone chimes on the table next to her hip, and like the stupid fool I am, I check it. It’s Veronica, confirming our interview time. I send the phone clattering across the table and groan in frustration.

“What? Is it Allie?”

“No. Veronica.” Mel’s lips set in a line. I try to kiss it back into the shy smile from a moment before but it’s firm and unyielding. I curse and explain, “I have an interview before the game.”

“Again? Now? Isn’t it a bit late for that?” There’s suspicion in her tone and the rapid-fire beat of my heart shifts from want to distress.

“Tomorrow.”

She rolls her eyes.

“Melina.”

Her arms cross over her chest, the very chest I was just planning on defiling, and just like that spectres of our past loom between us.

“Hey,” I say, softer now. “There is nothing going on with us, if that’s what you think.”

Her mouth opens and closes before she finally speaks. “I’m not thinking anything—other than this chick seems super interested in you and has been for weeks.”

I inhale and check her expression. Okay, sex is definitely off the table. Resigned, I lean against the counter opposite of Mel.  “Trust me, it’s strictly professional. She’s doing her job and I’m doing mine.”

“And there’s enough ‘work’ to be done this late at night?”

“Yeah, there’s a bit of damage control McDowell wants to take care of.”

“Damage control?”

“Dom’s out. He’s not playing tomorrow.”

Her frown wavers into a semi-grin as she slides off the counter top. “He’s out? That means…”

“I’m starting.”

“Holy crap, Julian. This is huge.”

“It’s a big day for me and a shitty one for Dom.”

“The biggest,” she agrees, reaching out to me.
I flinch and twist away.
“What?”

“I didn’t do anything to deserve this, Mel. I’m only playing because Dom is struggling and I’ve been a good boy as far as the IOC is concerned.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Nothing.” She glares and I know there’s no quick escape. “Remember back at the beach when you told me to say no to the offer to play on the team? Well, I did say no. I said hell no, and it didn’t make a difference.”

“Julian…”

“I told McDowell I wouldn’t play—that I wasn’t a good bet. He gave me a choice; play or Allie gets cut.” Melina’s eyes widen. “If you want to know why I spend so much time with Veronica it’s because I don’t have a choice. I had to join the team, basically whore myself and my family out to the press and play up the redeemed bad boy angle for the viewers. The only reason I’m getting to play today is they want to complete that story. There’s no point redeeming a loser. I’ve got to take the field and win.”

“I don’t understand. You earned your spot on the team, Julian. You’re an amazing player.”

“My being here tipped Dominic over the edge. Tipped him right-the-fuck-over. He smelled this a mile away, and it got into his head and he just cracked. McDowell probably knew that would happen from the start.”

“No.” Melina comes closer, looking me in the eye. “Dominic’s problems started way before you got involved. Everyone knows that.”

“I didn’t earn my way onto this team, Melina. They wanted me because I make a good story. Me and my condition. Me and Allie.” I tense my jaw. “Me and you. What do you think Veronica would do to find out we’ve been hooking up like this?”

“Why would she care what we’re doing?”

“Are you kidding? She’d probably sell her fucking soul. McDowell would weep into his ratings chart. I know, maybe if I win the gold today you can walk out to the podium and you can give me a big, fat, winner’s kiss. Right there for the whole world to see.” Melina stares at me, caught between confusion and horror. “I can see the tag line now, ‘
Julian Anderson wins the gold and the girl of his dreams. An Olympic Miracle
.’”

“What?” H
er cheeks flush.

“Everything about all of this is complicated, Melina. Everything is for up for sale. Dominic’s mental health. Allie’s spot on the team. My relationship with you…”

There’s a subtle, but instant, shift on her face as the pieces click into place. “Is that what this is about? Last night? Was that fodder for your stupid documentary?”

“What? No. Are you kidding me? You’re the one that approached me with the whole ‘no strings attached’ arrangement.”

“You jumped at the chance!”

I laugh, loud and genuine. “If you think I was going to pass up a chance to be with you in any way, shape or form you don’t know me as well as I thought you did.”

Her jaw tightens and her fists clench, and I think for a second that she may just haul out and punch me. I brace myself for the hit but instead she says, “There’s nothing going on between us. Nothing. You can tell her that if the nosy bitch asks.”

Her words slam into me harder than a punch. “Right,” I force out. “I’ll be sure to let her know how you feel.”

The air thickens between us as she realizes what she said, but it doesn’t matter. I’ve wondered where I stood with her, where I would stand when all of this was over and it’s good to know I’ve been nothing but a physical distraction. I can live with it. Maybe I even deserve it; who knows.

“I’ve got to go.” I cross the room, grabbing the backpack I left by the door.

“Julian, I didn’t mean it that way.”

I leave her in the suite without another glance back. Nothing going on between us? I can’t bear for Melina to walk away from me a second time, so this time I make sure to do it first.

Reporter
: When we met for the first time you didn’t think you’d get much playing time, correct?

Julian:
No, I really didn’t.

Reporter
: But here we are at the final match and you’re starting.

Julian
: Yes, that’s the plan.

Reporter
: Do you have anything to say about the sudden decision?

Julian
: I’m just glad Dominic was in the earlier matches. I’ve learned a lot watching him play. He’s magnificent.

Reporter
: There are reports that he’s not well…

Julian
: I don’t know anything about that. I just go where I’m told.

Reporter
: Your sister won a gold medal yesterday, that had to mean a lot to you and your mom.

Julian
: She did. And an assist on the winning goal. Neither of us are surprised. We knew this day would come.

Reporter
: I saw the match. It was outstanding. She, too, didn’t expect to get much playing time due to a past injury. The coaches and trainers felt it was too soon for her to get back on the field and unfortunately she was injured in that pivotal play. How is she now?

Julian
: She tore her Achilles tendon for the second time. She’ll have surgery when we get back to the states.

Reporter
: That’s terrible. How will this affect her future for playing on the women’s national team?

Julian
: I’m hoping for the best.

Reporter
: One final question before we wrap up our interviews with the famous Julian Anderson. Melina Diaz has had a fantastic showing at the games. She won a gold medal yesterday with your sister and you’ve been seen with her out and about in Rio. Your fans are dying to know, is there any change in your status?

Julian
: Melina is a fantastic woman and player. She will go on to do many amazing things with her life. I wish her the best.

Reporter
: And what about you, what do you plan on doing with your life when the games are over?

Julian
: Right now my future feels like everything is hanging in the balance. Like everything will be determined if I win or lose.

Reporter
: The game?

Julian
: *
blinks
* Sure, the game.