Free Rebound (Pro-U Book 3) by Ali Parker

"While we're on the subject of assholes, I'm about ninety-nine percent sure that Darren is our guy. He picked a fight last night after you went to bed and was ranting and raving about Jacob running the house into the ground. Some of the guys were agreeing with him, but I got in his face and he shut the fuck up."
    "Let's set his ass up."
    "I like that idea, but we have to be careful. The rest of the house is going to be extremely leery of anyone who sets up another brother. Just don't let them know it's us and we'll be fine."
    "You don't think the rest of the house would be happy to get the troublemaker out before they fucking close us down?"
    "Maybe, but you know how people feel about snitches. Snitches get stitches, man."
    I laughed. "That's fucking stupid, and I'm starting to think maybe you are too."
    "Harsh." He reached for his pizza. "My appetite is back. You gonna drink any more of your soda?"
    "Yeah. Get you a refill and stop mooching." I pulled out my phone and got out of the booth to walk toward the front door. "I'll be right back."
    "All right. Don't leave me with the bill."
    "You got this. I have faith in you." I walked out into the sunny Saturday afternoon and pressed my back to the brick wall behind me. Nerves tore up my insides and I felt like a fifteen-year-old kid again trying to talk to a girl. "Just text her, you idiot. Shit."

Chapter 10
    Natasha
     
     
    I'd wracked my brain all night long on how to handle the situation with my mother. Not getting involved wasn't an option, and yet she was going to push every button I had to make sure the outcome was in her favor. She didn't want me to see her when she was weak because I didn't like her when she was strong, but her being sick changed everything.
    Where I wasn't looking for a miraculous transformation between us, I certainly wasn't living with the reality that I'd let her suffer alone. That wasn't a burden I was willing to bear. Not for her or anyone else. I had enough demons to fight again. That one would surely cause me to move far away from everyone and redefine what it meant to be a hermit.
    I rolled my hands over my knees, massaging myself as I sat in the stands at the edge of the basketball court and tried to decide on my next course of action. Did my father know about Mom's illness? If so, why didn't he say anything to me? We didn't talk often, but that was because of his schedule, nothing else.
    The silence around me was almost deafening. It left me with nothing but my thoughts, nothing but my memories. The image of her screaming in my face left me paralyzed where I sat.
     
     
    "No! No. I refuse to accept this. What the fuck were you thinking? How could you?" Her beautiful face contorted in anger as her skin grew pink.
    "Mom. Calm down. It's not that big of a-"
    Her hand connecting with the side of my face left me in shock. Never in my life had I been struck in the face. Whooped? Yes, lots of times by her and my father when she let me go visit him, but never in the face.
    I stumbled backward and lifted my hand to cover my cheek as hot tears blurred my vision. I knew she wasn't proud of my decisions in high school, but to leave me standing alone in the moment I needed her most? No, not to leave me alone... to strike me.
    "It's a big damn deal. You ruined my life. And this... this is going to ruin yours." She pointed to my stomach and groaned loudly before turning her back on me. "Why would you do this? You know how much of a struggle it's been for us. Your piece of shit father promised that he loved me."
    She spun around to face me and took three steps, closing the distance between us and leaned down to get into my face. Her pretty blond hair cascaded over her shoulder and the scent of cherries filled my nose. The one person I wanted to love me and there she stood, condemning me. I'd ruined her life. She'd finally said it. I couldn't help but wonder how many times she'd thought it while watching me grow up from her fucking high horse.
    "Adam does