Free The Playbook by Missy Johnson, Lily Jane Page A

the sidelines. Great. “I gotta go. We’ll talk later,” I promise him. I race out onto the field with the other guys, my mind on one thing.
    Scoring three goals and leaving Murray to eat my dust.
     
    What the hell just happened out there? In my whole career, I’ve never played a game where I’ve not gotten a single possession, let alone goal. Until now.
    I storm into the change rooms after the guys, and grab Murray by his forearm. He turns around and plants his fist on my jaw, knocking me to the floor. The other guys stand around so I stay on the floor. I’m pissed off, but I’m not stupid.
    “You got something to say, Tanner?” he snarls.
    “You set me up,” I retort, getting to my feet. “How the fuck could I win that bet when none of you would let me even look at the ball?” Dean and Mike at least have the decency to look sorry for me, while the rest of the guys just laugh.  
    “Little Jakey,” Murray says, grinning, “you’re so cocky but so, so stupid. What did you think was going to happen? I knew the second you agreed I was going to win. These guys just helped me make sure of it.”
    “That’s not fucking fair and you know it. There was no chance of me getting a touch, let alone three fucking goals. You can fuck your bet. Whatever else you have planned, you can just forget it.”   
    My jaw clenches, pain ripping through it. I can already feel it bruising, but I ignore it, because I’m too damn angry to focus on anything other than this.
    “A bet’s a bet, Jakey. Don’t tell me you’re going to wimp out on me? I’ve already thought up your punishment,” he says.
    “No fucking way, Murray. You’re a piece of shit. I’m not scared of you. I don’t know what your fucking problem is, but I don’t give a shit about you or your piece of crap little team here.” The pain in my jaw is nearly unbearable, and for a second I wonder if he’s broken it. Man, that guy can land a good punch. If I didn’t hate him so much, I’d be complimenting him on it.   
    I stalk over to my locker and yank my bag out, keen to get out of there as fast as I can. I’m on the verge of calling Serj and telling him to fuck his management, followed by a call to Karl so I can tell him to fuck his football team, when Dean approaches me.
    “Look, a bet is a bet,” he says quietly, leaning against the lockers. He glances back at Murray, who is too preoccupied with himself to notice we’re talking. “These guys will never let up on you unless you go through with this. You’ve got four years here, mate. The punishment isn’t that bad anyway. Trust me.”  
    I turn to look at him “Yeah? I follow through with this, and then what? They keep refusing to give me the ball? What’s the point in being here?”
    “To get paid. They’ll give up eventually. Trust me, mate. I was you last year.” He shrugs, and then walks off. I call out to him.
    “Dean?”  
    “Yeah, mate?” he turns to look at me, expectantly.  
    “I’m not your fucking mate.”

Chapter Nine
    Abbey   
    I'm sitting at the end of the bar watching all the hot guys walk in and look around the room, as if they’re weighing up their options. Nobody seems to notice me here, and I guess I kind of like it that way. I can sit here and observe, and try to guess what their story is. Like the guy who just walked in with the sexy brunette. He keeps glancing back at her friend, who walks a few feet behind them. She catches his eye every now and then. I’m convinced they’ve got something happening on the side, and the poor brunette has no idea.
    I take a sip of my cocktail and glance at my phone. Mel was supposed to be here half an hour ago, but I’m used to her standing me up. Besides, I’m having fun just enjoying my own company.
    My eyes widen when Adam walks in. He stops in the doorway and looks around. He spots me and waves. My heart begins to pound as he walks in my direction. I wet my lips and smile, hoping I look more in control than I