The Quarterback Sneak (4 page)

“You’d be lucky to marry my daughter.”
Middleton gave him a hard stare as if waiting for him to disagree.
“But I’m not expecting that. It’s a temporary engagement, just long
enough to satisfy the judge until Hayden’s probation is over.”

How would he explain it to his mother? To
God? “I can’t agree to that either, sir.”

“You can and you will.” Middleton pointed a
finger at his star quarterback. “You owe me. I gave you a shot when
no other team would even look at you again.”

Liam stood up. “I paid you back on the
field. I got us to the Championship.”

“Bullshit! That’s why you get a paycheck,
McQueen.”

No more
son,
Liam noticed.
Hesitating, he sat back in his chair. Was his boss right? He’d
torched bridges that couldn’t be rebuilt. He wasn’t even sure if
he’d been signed to the Cougars for his skill or because Middleton
liked seeing his team in the news. Last season, Liam’s battle with
Todd for the starting position had fueled a legendary war of
dueling headlines. Then the QB speculation had relit after the
Cougars chose Romer as their first-round draft pick this past
spring.

If Liam agreed to the fake engagement, the
paparazzi would be crawling up his ass again. And the
sportswriters? He’d be lucky to field a single football-related
question after the game on Sunday. All because he’d hustled Hayden
out of a bar.
Truly, no good deed goes unpunished.

“So what’s your answer, McQueen? Are you
going to live up to your obligation to me? My daughter needs your
help”

Liam felt like the sacrificial lamb in
Middleton’s family drama. But he was no lamb. He was a Cougar. He
opened his mouth—

Then Middleton stopped him cold. “Doesn’t
Hayden deserve a second chance too?”

It could be argued in a court of law that
Hayden Middleton had had more second chances than any human alive.
She’d made a fortune off of being bad. Her reality show, clothing
and makeup line, along with a perfume aptly named Sinfully Yours,
were all built on her party-girl image.

But really, what had she done that was so
awful? Yeah, she’d spit on an undercover cop, resisted arrest and
disturbed the peace. And, of course, that wasn’t her first brush
with the law. But she’d never been pulled over for a DWI. She’d
never gambled away all her money. She’d never presented herself as
a role model. Liam had done all of those and more.

The number of people he had let
down—starting with God—could fill a football stadium. His dead
father, his mother, his pastor, his teammates, his coach, his
agent, and the fans. He felt sick when he thought about how many
kids had wasted their allowance on a number seven Arizona jersey
with “McQueen” emblazoned on the back.

He had messed up for real. With Hayden, he
wondered how much of her antics were for the camera. Publicity was
good for business. And when it came to business, she was her father
through and through.

Or maybe she wanted her father’s
attention?

Liam tensed at the memory of his own father.
“And Hayden has agreed to this engagement?” he asked slowly.

“Not yet. I had to make sure I could count
on you.” Middleton lit a cigar. “I won’t trust my daughter to just
anyone.”

Did he forget that Liam was a recovering
alcoholic? Or that Hayden’s lifestyle could be a danger to that
sobriety?

Liam couldn’t ask, or his boss would lose
his faith in his ability to lead the Cougars. “An engagement would
be a huge distraction to the team. What about the
Championship?”

“My daughter is more important than any
Championship.”

Maybe you should tell Hayden that.
If
her father had, maybe she wouldn’t be in this mess.

Liam looked inside himself to hear God’s
word. Only silence answered him.

Was he really thinking of saying yes? Maybe
the alcohol had destroyed more brain cells than he thought.

Wait a minute. What was he worried about?
Hayden would say no. In spite of the
#hottie
in her tweet,
she would never agree to an engagement to him. What was a few
days—worse case, a few weeks—in jail to a tabloid darling like her?
She’d be released early due to overcrowding, and then she’d turn
the experience into a new reality show, maybe a book.

He could say yes and not piss off the old
man. “I’ll do it.”

“I knew you would do the right thing.”
Middleton leaned over and stuck out his hand. “Welcome to the
family.”

Liam reached out and shook it, while he
silently prayed that Hayden wouldn’t stray from her MO. Everything
hinged on her saying no. An engagement, even a fake one, to Hayden
would test his character, and he feared he’d fail it. The volatile
chemistry between them promised too many pleasures… not an option
for a guy who vowed to abstain from sex until he married. Never
mind jail, Liam would be headed straight for hell.

H
ayden hated being summoned
to her father’s office like a naughty child sent to the principal.
Always reprimands and never—
Good job, Hayden. Profits from the
candied nuts sector have tripled since you’ve taken over.
Never—
I’m proud of you for organizing the corporate charity
ball.

Why hadn’t she quit years ago? A
multimillionaire from her own company, she didn’t need her father’s
money, nor had she even touched the trust fund her
grand-mère
had bequeathed to her. Hayden liked to be
independent of her father’s whims.

But she also held on to the stubborn belief
that the legacy of Middleton Nuts should be passed down to her
instead of her damn, perfect half brother. Perfect in the eyes of
her father anyway.

It wasn’t that she didn’t love
Harry—everyone did. But it irked her that her father treated her
younger, illegitimate brother like the prince of the Middleton
empire. Hayden was far more business savvy, and while Harry had a
knack for seeming to stay out of trouble, Hayden knew better. She
often came to her brother’s rescue, whether it was taking the blame
for something minor or adding an arrest to her already long
record.

At least this morning she’d managed to
handle the detectives with no problem.

She hoped last night wouldn’t get Liam in
trouble with the Cougars. Doubtful, considering he’d already been
announced as the starting QB. Her father wouldn’t jeopardize the
season by firing or suspending a key player. Besides, Liam had
saved her at the club.

Heat spread through her body at the memory
of his firm hand on her butt as he hauled her to his car, and then
later the feel of his breath mingling with hers, and the way his
light brown eyes darkened with lust when he looked at her mouth. A
saint in his actions, but a sinner lay behind that handsome face.
What would it take to make him snap? To shed the façade? To make
him fuck her silly?

Now, where had that thought come from? She
didn’t even like him.
Well, maybe a little.

Shaking off thoughts of him, she turned on
her tablet to attend to her own empire. She reviewed the campaign
ad for the new perfume she was launching in a few weeks. The type
font didn’t look quite right, so she shot off an e-mail to her
assistant. Engrossed in her own work, she ignored the annoying buzz
that sounded at the secretary’s desk.

“Ms. Middleton, your father will see you
now.”

“Thank you.” She smiled at his new
secretary. Was her father banging the bombshell after hours? Hayden
kept tapping away. Her father had left her waiting outside his
office for almost an hour. Two could play at this game.

Moments later her father bellowed, “Hayden,
get in here now.”

She hit the send button again before
sweeping into the office. “Sorry, Daddy.” She waved the tablet in
the air. “Business before family. Just like you always say.”

“I never said that,” he said through
clenched teeth.

“Actions speak louder than words.” How she
preened with pride over that comeback. Her father might preach
about the importance of family, but business came first.

“It appears Judge Mayer agrees.”

As intended, the retort wiped the smile
right off her face. Panic fluttered in her stomach.

“Sit.” Her father jabbed a finger at a
chair. “The judge isn’t pleased about your little escapade at
Martini Madness last night.”

As her brain scrambled for a return volley,
she eased into the leather chair in front of his desk. “I’m sure a
campaign contribution from you will put him in a better mood.” The
recovery would have been clever, except for the slight tremor in
her voice.

Her father didn’t miss a beat. “It’s nice to
have friends in high places. But not this time. The judge spoke of
revoking your probation.”

The flutter of panic morphed into a brick.
“But I didn’t do anything.”

“That thug you call a friend fired a gun.”
He pounded a fist on the desk. “A gun, Hayden! You could’ve been
killed.”

“Daddy, let’s not be dramatic.” She didn’t
mention that Franco was actually Harry’s friend.

“Me? This coming from the queen of
drama?”

“That drama has made me rich. You know my
sales spike when I’m in the news.”

“I’m tired of this argument, Hayden. So is
Judge Mayer.”

“So I’m going to jail? That’s it? There’s
nothing I can do? PSA? Community service?” Her voice rose with each
word. “I’ll do anything.”

Her father folded his hands, expression
smug. “That’s what I was hoping to hear.” He paused. “So how much
do you like Liam McQueen?”

“As this year’s starting quarterback, you
mean?” She played dumb, as if she didn’t know the abrupt change in
subject was about last night.

“No, as your new fiancé.”

Hayden thought she had braced herself for
whatever her father threw at her. But this? He’d done the
impossible. He’d rendered her speechless.

He lit a cigar and took a big puff. “When
the judge heard you and Liam were announcing your engagement today,
he’d agreed not to revoke your probation. I explained that you two
were out celebrating last night.”

“You lied to the judge?”

“I wasn’t lying.”

“Have you gone completely senile? Should I
call a nursing home?”

Her father leveled a hard gaze at her across
the desk. “You should be thanking me. I saved your ass. Judge Mayer
is a big fan of McQueen’s. He even offered to preside over your
wedding ceremony.”

Hayden’s eyes widened until she thought
they’d pop right out of her skull and roll onto the carpet. “I am
not marrying Liam McQueen.”

“You spent the night at his place.”

Hayden laughed. “Is that what this is all
about? It’s not 1950, Daddy.”

“Judge Mayer is old-fashioned.”

“Well, so is Liam.” She cut the air with her
hands. “Nothing happened.”

“Which is why I trust McQueen to be your
pretend fiancé.”

“Pretend?”

“I set the wedding date for after the
Championship.” He leaned forward and with a meaningful look, he
whispered. “And after your probation ends.”

Hayden paused.
Hmmm. No. No
. What was
she thinking? “Liam will never agree to it.”

“He already has.”

Anger and confusion warred inside her. For
now, confusion won out. Why would Liam lie for her? Money? No, he
had money. Not as much as her family did, but still Liam wasn’t the
type to take a bribe. Had her father threatened Liam with some
scandal? Threatened to take away the starting QB position? The
Middletons could be ruthless, underhanded bastards. “What did you
do?”

“Nothing.”

“Dad…
dy
?” She drew out his name in
accusation.

“He didn’t want to see you go to jail.”

“And…?” She knew there was more. Liam may be
a nice guy, but no one was
that
nice.

“He owes me.”

“You guilted him into it?” Hayden squeezed
her eyes shut as she felt heat flame in her cheeks. How could she
ever face Liam? First he’d rejected her last night and now this.
She stiffened her back and took a deep breath. “Fine, I’ll go to
jail. Hell, if Martha Stewart can do time, so can I.” The claim
came out with more bravado than she felt.

“You will do no such thing. No daughter of
mine is going to jail. The Middleton name will not be
tarnished.”

She folded her arms. “Way too late for
that.”

“Hayden, if you don’t do this, I’m writing
you out of my will.”

“I don’t need your precious money. I have
plenty of money of my own.”

“Not if I sue for conservatorship. I’ll run
your business and control every cent of your funds. You’ll need me
to approve your every move.

“I’ll fight you.” Though at the moment she
had no fight in her. The contents of her stomach threatened to spew
over his desk.

“And you’ll lose.”

She worried he might be right. She resorted
to begging. “Daddy, please—”