Sacked (The Alpha Ballers#2) (17 page)

It was perfect.

The next few days passed without much incident. Lance and I didn’t talk again about what had happened - he had other things on his mind and I was mostly preoccupied with helping him get better.

The next game with the Cowboys came and went. As expected, the Cowboys were sorry as always and the Patriots had little difficulty getting the win even with Oliver Lee getting the start.

Before the game, Morris had called me into his office and told me that for the next week or so I’d be needed to help out with Oliver as well as continuing to take care of Lance. I thought the timing was a little weird, but so far Morris had shown no hint that he had any ulterior motives, so I went along with it.

 
As a result, I watched the game against the Cowboys from the sideline, cheering on the Patriots. Lance actually came too, propping himself up on crutches. The crowd gave him a big ovation when they spotted him on the field, and he waved to everyone, a huge smile on his face.

I watched him be back on the field, and I couldn’t help but feel a little worried despite how happy he looked. I knew it was tearing him apart during the game, watching his brothers compete in front of everyone and not being able to join them.

Still, it was wonderful to see him out of the facility, in the sun, even if only on the sidelines.
 

After the game was over, Lance briefly talked to Hud and Drake as they came off the field then went back to his room, nodding at me as he passed by. It was weird being around him now that we had had sex again, but I tried to brush away those worries as best I could.

I had work to do, and I was happy to do it, even if it was on Oliver Lee. I headed back to the quarterbacks’ training and recovery room after the game ended, cleaning up and making sure everything was stocked.

All of a sudden I heard a voice behind me. “Good game, huh?”

I turned around, scared for a second, and saw Oliver Lee standing there. “Oh hey, Oliver, there you are. Yeah, good game, congrats on getting your first win. It must feel great.”

He stepped forward, smiling that All-American smile of his. He’d taken off his jersey and football pads, and put on a team t-shirt instead. He was in very good shape, but somehow his muscles just didn’t do it for me. “Certainly beats losing by a country mile, that’s for sure.”

“Losing by a country mile, or losing, by a country mile?” I asked with a smile.

“Huh?” He looked confused, and confused was not a good look for Oliver Lee. He looked much better when he was just going with the flow.

“Never mind. What can I do for you?” I knew what the answer was going to be, but I was hoping I was wrong.

“Morris says we’ll be working together for the next week,” he started.
 

“Yeah, he told me before the game.”

Oliver flashed his teeth. “Might as well get started, I’m here for a post-game massage.”

I took a deep breath and looked down. I hadn’t been wrong after all. I sighed and looked back up. “OK, sounds good. Get up on the table.” I nodded toward the nearest table and Oliver jumped up on it, relaxing against the inclined back.

I started with his shoulders and arms, having him turn over so I could work his back after a few minutes. “Tell me about the game today, Oliver. What was different?” I wanted him to give Lance the credit for helping him out.

“Lots of preparation, and I think things finally started clicking this week. I got in tune with the receivers, the offensive line played really well, and the game plan was solid. A good team win.”

I laughed so hard I almost snorted, and Oliver shot me a questioning look. “I’m no stranger to Patriots-speak, Oliver, you can drop all that crap with me. Give me the real story.”

Oliver grinned. “I balled out of control.”

“Yeah?” I really wanted him to at least acknowledge that Lance had been instrumental in making this win possible. “That must have felt great. What do you think clicked?”

Oliver looked blankly back at me. “It all started to make sense, I just got the hang of things finally.”

I sighed again. “That’s great to hear. Hopefully the wins keep coming.”

“Yeah, they will.” There was that irrational confidence Lance mentioned, rearing its head again. “I don’t plan on going back to being a backup.”

“Oh?”

“No way, this is way better. No one wants to be a backup, we’re athletes, we want to fucking play. I got my shot like Lance got his last year, and I ain’t planning on giving the job back to him even if he’s 100%.”

“But Lance is the starter.”

“If I keep winning, that’ll change really quick.”

“Lance’s recovery seems to be back on track, he could be practicing in a couple weeks.”

Oliver sneered at me. “Lance is old news. The guy had a few good wins last year, but I’m gonna be the face of the franchise going forward.” He learned forward and got right in my face. “It’s nothing personal - just football. That’s how the game is played.”

“You seem pretty sure of yourself, Oliver.”

“You don’t get this far in the game without getting high on your own supply, Charlotte.”

“Right.”

Oliver looked me up and down. “Might be a good time for you to change teams.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, maybe you should be working with me full time instead of keeping that old guy upright a couple games longer.”

I laughed again. “Lance is 26, Oliver, he’s hardly old.”

“Yeah, but injuries like his have a way of coming back and haunting you for years. You should get on the winning side.” He puffed himself up. “You know, in the interest of your career and all.”

“My career is doing alright as it is, Oliver.”

“Alright, alright. There would be other perks too, you know.”

“Such as?” I stopped massaging him and folded my arms under my chest, waiting for his answer.

“Extra curricular activities of various kinds.”

“I- I think we’re done for this session, Oliver. You’re all set.”

Oliver jumped off the table and flexed, bending his legs at the knees and stretching his arms up, milling them from side to side. “Thanks for the help, Charlotte. I’ll be seeing you around here.”

“Yeah,” I said, as Oliver walked out of the room.

CHAPTER 13 - LANCE

I watched the Patriots beat the Cowboys from the sidelines. It felt amazing to be back out on the field and hear the crowd cheering their team on in person. It also twisted at my soul not to be playing, out there with my teammates.

All I could think about as I watched them crush the hated Cowboys was that it should have been me out there under center, taking the snaps, throwing Drake those touchdowns; it should have been me my brothers hoisted after the game and carried into the locker room, not Oliver Lee.

As soon as the game was over I went back to my room, still getting used to walking around on crutches, and got back on my bed. My knee was doing a lot better; I was able to flex it and walk around little bit as long as I didn’t place too much weight on it.

For a moment I thought back to a few days ago when Charlotte and I had done some improvisation in our attempt to have sex without aggravating my knee any further. We had been surprisingly successful and in the days since I had fantasized about those moments over and over again, reliving them as best I could.

It felt a little bit weird that Charlotte didn’t seem to want to talk about what had happened. I was conflicted myself, not sure what to say to her. The entire thing happened so fast, I don’t know what had come over me, why I needed her so badly right then.

I was just frustrated because I couldn’t play, because my fucking backup quarterback was starting to steal the spotlight that was rightfully mine. I stared down at my knee, anger suddenly welling back up, and I knew that I had to do whatever it took to get back on the field before Oliver took my job away from me forever.

I had just settled back down on the bed when the door opened. “Hey, Charlotte,” I called out, thinking it was her. She and I had actually started greeting each other again since we’d last had sex. It was a nice touch, I thought.

“Nah, man, no Charlotte this time. Starting QB in the house right here,” Oliver Lee’s familiar high pitched voice rang out. For a guy that looked like the prototypical professional quarterback, he sure sounded shrill and unappealing, like, all the time.

“Hey, Oliver, nice game just now. Congrats on your first win. I know it’s a big deal.”

“No sir, no big deal here, first win of many, Thank you for your congratulations, but they are not necessary.”

“Oh yeah? How’s that?”

“People don’t need to be congratulated for what they’re naturally good at, Lance! That’s what I do, win games!”

“And all those games you lost till today?”

Oliver waved them away. “Bumps on the road, my man, growing pains. All in the past - we’re in the present now! Come on, get happy again!” Oliver was smiling ear to ear, and had never looked more punchable than he did in that moment.

“It’s good to enjoy a victory now and then, Oliver, but around here we don’t celebrate quite on that level.”

“Then things around here are gonna change a little bit, my man. I know all that Patriot Way nonsense that everyone spews around here, but it’s time we had a little fun! It’s time we celebrated a little more. It’s time we celebrated me.”

“Oh yeah? One victory and you’re sure this’ll be a streak for the ages?”

“You know it, you know it. I can feel it in my bones, it’s gonna be all wins from here on out. With Olly at the helm, the Patriots can’t lose.”

“You know, Oliver, quarterbacks aren’t always the best. It’s a team game out there - everyone has to work together in order to secure the victory.”

Oliver nodded his head vigorously. “But guys like playing for a winner. Winning brings a special kind of motivation.” He looked at me with an evil smirk. “And to the victor, goes the spoils.”

“What kind of spoils did you have in mind?”

“Oh, I’ve got my eye on some around here. And I don’t just mean your starting job, but throw that in there too.”

“I don’t follow.”

“Yeah, I figured you didn’t. I heard a lot about you, Lance Parker, that you’re some kind of football robot or something, ain’t got eyes for nothing else besides the game.” He hooked around, like he was about to tell me a secret. “And that,” he started, softer this time, “is why I think you don’t play as well as you could. Too much focus, man! Not enough living, not enough enjoying yourself!”

“Thanks for the advice, Oliver.”

“Free of charge, my man, free of charge. You’re gonna have a lot of time to think about that while you watch me start from here on out.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. I plan on playing again this year.”

“Yeah, maybe in garbage time when Coach Armstrong wants to make sure the face of the franchise don’t get hurt. ‘Cause that’s me.” Again that smile.
 

“I think this conversation is over, Oliver.”

He looked up at the clock on the wall and nodded. “You right, you right. I gotta go meet up with some reporters anyway, promised them an exclusive or two. Might even get a little time with that Calloway tonight.”

I stopped cold. “Calloway?”

“Yeah I’ve been working on her a little bit, and I think she’s finally coming around. I got Morris to assign her to me for this past game and I’m thinking about making that assignment permanent.”

“She works with me.”

Oliver folded his arms under his chest. “She works with the starting quarterback, Lance. Up till now everyone around here has been still thinking of you as the starter, but I promise you this - after today that’s gonna start to change. Calloway might find herself assigned to me on a more regular basis from here on out.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Get the fuck out of here, Oliver.”

“Walk over here and make me, Parker.”

He had me over a proverbial barrel. I couldn’t just walk over to him, not without my crutches, and not without giving him way too much time to respond. Fights among players happened all the time, but I never got into them, despite how much I wanted to right now. “Fuck you.”

“So he does have emotions after all? All because I brought up the tasty Miss Calloway, I see. Interesting, very interesting.”

“This isn’t over, Oliver. I’m going to start again this year.”

“We’ll see about that. Alright, you enjoy your evening…lying in bed alone, I guess.” Oliver turned and headed toward the door, stopping and looking back at me before he opened it. “Oh yeah, and Lance?”

“What?”

“Thanks for all the advice. Big help, man. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
 

Then he was gone. I lay back in my bed, not surprised that Oliver was twisting the knife in my back, but definitely surprised at how fast it had happened and how deep he was twisting it.

I needed to get out of here. I didn’t know what to do.

There was a knock at the door and I whipped my head around, gathering my energy in case Oliver came back. Injured or not, I was gonna wipe the smug smile off that bastard’s fucking face.

It was Charlotte, looking gorgeous as ever. I nodded and she came in, and as soon as I saw her I could feel myself relax. She had such an amazing effect on me, as soon as she came into the room things looked up, like there was hope again.

“Hey, Lance,” she said, “I was just coming to the station outside and I saw Oliver coming out.” She looked at me and I could see her demeanor change, like she was scared. “Everything, uh, OK?”

I looked down and realized my hands were clenched into fists so tight my knuckles were turning white. “Oh, yeah, sorry about that. Oliver was here, and that guy…well, that guy and I don’t get along at all.”

“I know the feeling,” she said, coming into the room and stopping at my bed. “I’ve been working with him these last few days and it hasn’t been great.”

“This first victory of his has already gone to his head. He was in here talking all this shit about how he’s never giving me back my starting job.”

Charlotte nodded, reaching out and touching me on the shoulder. I closed my eyes, enjoying her touch. “He told me the same thing.”