Free Justice: A Billionaire Romance by Lauren Landish Page B

year."
    "I'll be a free agent," Alex said lightly. "My rookie contract is up, and I was thinking of trying one of the other teams in the region. Your brother is thinking of going to Harvard, right?"
    "Harvard or Yale," I said, thinking of Riley. "Why?"
    "I was thinking of signing with New England," Alex said. "They run a good team, and their D-line needs help. I sign on there, and not only will I be on a playoff contender, but get top dollar too."
    Suddenly, Alex pulled me against him, kissing me hotly. "Come with me," he said when he finally let me go. "Come with me wherever we go. Be my lady."
    I was stunned. I mean, I adored Alex, and he was handsome, but leaving the city? I'd only been allowed to patrol for the past three years, and even still Dad hadn't allowed me to go out on my own. I loved it, and I loved the feeling it gave me. I'd even started to get a nickname on the streets, Ice Princess.
    And Alex wanted me to leave this? "I . . . I'm sorry Alex, I can't," I said. "My family, my new work . . . ”
    Alex's face changed, from sunny and beaming to cloudy. "I can't believe it," he muttered lowly. He grabbed my arms, picking me up off the ground. “Who do you think you are bitch? Did you really just say no to me? Me ?!”
    I'd been trained to fight ever since I could walk, but Alex had caught me off guard, and he outweighed me by nearly a hundred-and-thirty pounds. He also was a highly trained athlete who was used to taking punishment. My arms were pinned to my sides, and I was in the right distance where I couldn't kick effectively, and was too far away to knee. He shook me side to side, my head snapping back and forth as he started to carry me back towards the tunnel. I tried to scream, my teeth clicking together painfully as he snapped me backwards. My head seemed to rattle back and forth, and I grew worried. We were in shadowy darkness, and Alex was a celebrity. In this town, celebrity and money talked.
    Suddenly, a voice cut through the dimness. "Drop her now, asshole.”
    Alex stopped shaking me at least, and I tumbled to the ground. Before I could do anything though, a dark shape vaulted over me, spearing Alex in the stomach. Considering that Alex was a football player I thought it a stupid maneuver, but it caught him off guard enough that the two tumbled to the ground.
    I rolled away and to my knees, my head clearing as I did. I could see clearly now as the two men rolled, Riley wrapping his arms and legs around Alex. At first glance, Riley should have been at a disadvantage. Years younger, and a good seventy pounds lighter, the one hundred-and-ninety pound high school senior should have been easy pickings for Alex.
    But Riley was no average high schooler. Trained by the same men who'd trained me, Riley was one of the best martial artists in the country, and perhaps the best in the world that hadn’t graduated High School yet. Sweeping Alex, Riley ended up on top, straddling his waist. "You wanted a Bylur on top of you, didn't you, you big fuck?" Riley taunted, a devilish grin on his face. "But I know the truth, Andi's too damn pure and smart for your stupid shit."
    He was right. While I'd dated Alex for most of the season, we'd never had sex. Well, if you don't count a quick blowjob. I was surprised Riley knew.
    "Fuck you, you little shit," Alex said, trying to shove Riley off of him. I knew Riley could have locked up Alex as tight as a straight jacket, but instead he went with the shove, dropping back while at the same time grabbing Alex's right leg, twisting as he went. I knew exactly what was happening, but did nothing as a gristly, ripping sound came from Alex's foot, and he suddenly went from yelling in anger to screaming in pain. "My leg!"
    "Try getting a spiffy new contract with that now, you abusive fuck," Riley said, getting to his feet. "And remember, before you ever think of putting your hands on a woman again, there are men like me out there willing to make you our bitch."
    Stadium security came