Free Seduced by the Game by Catherine Gayle, Cassandra Carr, Toni Aleo, Jami Davenport, Cindy Carr, Nikki Worrell, Jaymee Jacobs, V. L. Locey, Bianca Sommerland, Lisa Hollett Page B

his
head. “I won’t tell her.”
    “Or Grady. This is between
us. Believe me; it’s for the best. I am helping both of you. You’ll see and be
thankful when you are a single rookie making the world yours.”
    Standing up, Karson looked
at the man he had idolized for the last two years and felt nothing but hatred
for him. Clearing his throat, he shook his head as he said, “I won’t have a
world because Lacey won’t be by my side.”
    Walking out of the office
in a daze, Karson headed back to the dorm, ignoring everyone as he headed to
his room. Once there, he fell into bed and closed his eyes tight. His tears ran
along the side of his eyes, and he needed them to get out of him now. When he
was face-to-face with Lacey, he couldn’t cry. He couldn’t let her see how he
was slowly dying inside, because it would give it all away. She could see right
through him and would know that he wasn’t being truthful, but he couldn’t see
another way out of this. He had to do it, even if he didn’t want to let her go.
There was no other option; he had to protect her and himself. He had worked so
hard for his career, and he loved her too much to jeopardize her life. Coach
was right; he couldn’t support her the way he could.
    As he lay crying in his
bed, he thought about what this was going to do to her, knowing this was going
to break her. He was going to be responsible for shattering her, and he had to
live with that for the rest of his life.
    But what other choice did
he have?
     
    * * * *
     
    Lacey was standing in
front of her mirror, looking over the sweater dress she had paired with a pair
of black boots, hoping that she looked good enough to meet Karson’s parents.
She was nervous, but nothing could wipe the grin off her face. She had spent
the night wrapped in her boyfriend’s arms. The same boyfriend she was going to
leave Chicago for and continue to love for the rest of her life. She was so
glad she took the chance two months ago. She had promised to live life to the
fullest, and she was doing just that.
    Nerves coursed through
her. Not only was she meeting his mom and dad, but he was also supposed to get
word that day if he was going into the draft. Everyone believed it was a done
deal but, at the same time, there was a chance that no one would want him. It
was a 2% chance, but still, it was there. She had the confidence that he was
going, and he would be first-round pick. Everyone would gush about him, he’d
get a great deal, and he’d rock the hell out of the league. That was the plan,
and while he did all that, she’d get her degree and then open the best lingerie
business in the country. Those were her dreams, and she knew that they were
within reach.
    As long as she had Karson
standing beside her.
    When the knock came at the
door, she smiled because Karson was early. Reaching for the door, she pulled it
open to find her delicious boyfriend on the other side. She was surprised that
he was wearing jeans since they were going out to dinner at some ritzy
restaurant, but ignored it as she reached for him, placing a kiss on his sweet
mouth.
    “Hey!” she gushed as she
shut the door behind him. “You’re early. Give me a minute; I gotta fix my
makeup. Did your dad find out if you are going in the draft? I’m so excited. I
feel good about it.”
    When Karson didn’t answer,
she looked back at him to find him watching her. “What?”
    “You look beautiful.”
    A grin pulled at her lips
as she said, “Well, thank you, but really, are you going in?”
    Slowly, he nodded. She
squealed before wrapping her arms tightly around him. “I’m so proud of you!
You’re going to rock the big leagues!”
    When he didn’t hug her
back, Lacey pulled back, surprised, and looked up into his face, immediately
seeing that something was very wrong. His eyes were bloodshot, his face red,
and she wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or from crying. But why would
Karson cry? He was her big, burly boyfriend. He made other