Three and Out

  “Oh sorry…Piper?”

  Catching her balance, so she didn’t fall over like a pathetic mess, she looked him in the eyes and said, “Hi, Jax.”

  “Why the hell are you here?” He looked angry. She didn’t blame him, but as she tried to answer him, her heart hammered in her chest, and she couldn’t think of what to say.

  “Listen, I don’t know why you’re here, or walking toward my office, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” His office? Did she make a wrong turn? She hadn’t been in the stadium in a while; she might have made a wrong turn at some point.

  “I’m sorry. I must have gotten lost.”

  He gave her the “I’m sure you did” look, which only possessed her to open her mouth to apologize.

  “I’m sorry, Jax. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  “Yes, you did,” he replied, matter-of-factly.

  Piper felt her face twist as she took in what Jax said. “No, I didn’t,” she said back, feeling a little fire brewing in her. “I honestly loved you, Jax.”

  “Wow, well I feel bad for whoever you love in the future, because that is one shitty way to love. You don’t cheat on the people you love, Piper. You don’t sneak around behind their backs and fuck their players. You don’t tell me that you love me, and then go to sleep in another man’s arms. Just admit it…for what it’s worth, you’re a giant whore, and you have no purpose in life other than to fuck with people.”

  Well, she knew Jax was mad and had an issue with their break up, but she never knew he would be so hurtful…not that she didn’t deserve it, but still. He was being a little harsh.

  “I’m sorry…”

  “Save it and get the hell out of here.”

  Not even bothering to fight back, she grabbed her phone out of her pocket and tried dialing Mason again, as she tried to find her way back to the PT room. As she turned another corner of one of the all-too-similar-looking hallways, she peeked up to see Brooke walking toward her. Her entire body went stiff as they eyed each other.

  What the hell was Brooke doing in the Stallion’s stadium? There was no other purpose for her being here besides visiting Mason. He was the only connection she had to the Stallions. Then, everything hit her…the sinking feeling she’d had in the back of her mind started to come forward. Mason didn’t want to have Piper take him home, and now she knew why…because Brooke clearly was.

  Her heart was aching from the words Jax spat at her, but now, it was broken as Brooke eyed her with venom and walked right past her, not even giving her a second glance. Piper hated to admit it, but Brooke looked good, really good, and for some reason, Piper got it. This was it, this was what she had been waiting for…for someone to blow over her house made of cards.

  Not even needing to fight it, she cut her losses, and went back to her car. Mason was worth fighting for, but when it was clear that he was only putting up with Piper until he could screw her over like she screwed him over, there was no point in fighting. She would only embarrass herself. It was time to move on…again.

  **Brooke**

  Deciding to come back home to Denver was one of the easiest decisions she had ever made. After her little phone sex escapade with Jax, she knew she needed to see him; she missed him and she’d had enough visiting time with her parents. Plus, she was ready to get her relationship out in the open with Jax; she wanted everyone to know that the southern gentleman was all hers.

  When she went to the stadium to surprise Jax, she was not expecting to run into Piper…the last person she ever wanted to see again, especially coming from Jax’s office. Instinctively, Brooke wanted to rip Piper’s head off, and then beat it against the wall, but she knew that wouldn’t help the situation. Then, she thought of just leaving, because clearly, if Jax was going to be hanging out with Piper when she was gone, he didn’t need Brooke anymore. However, the inner bitch in her came to life, so she gathered herself and stomped her way down the hall and straight into Jax’s office.

  The door was open to his office and he was just sitting down as she charged in and placed her hand on her hip. She was in full bitch mode and ready to raise hell.

  He must have felt the whirlwind of her anger, because he looked up and a look of shock washed over his face. She wasn’t quite sure if it was shock or guilt, but whatever it was, he was surprised to see her.

  “Hey, darlin’,” he stood up and walked over to her. “Isn’t this a surprise…” he reached for her, but instead, she pushed him away. “Hey, what’s going on?”

  “You mind telling me about your little visitor while I was gone?”

  Confused, he asked, “What are you talking about?”

  “Don’t act stupid, Jax. I saw her, okay? How convenient that the minute your girlfriend is out of town, visiting her family, you can call in the redhead and have some fun. I’m so stupid.” She pressed her hand against her forehead as she paced. “I should have known you weren’t over her, but no, I go and give you the benefit of the doubt and trust you.”

  “Which you should still do, Brooke,” he spoke sternly. “I had no clue she was coming over here, and I have no clue why she was here.”

  A maniacal laugh escaped her lips as she looked up at Jax. “Please, Jax. She can’t just come in here without a pass. You and I both know that.”

  “I didn’t give her one!” he said, raising his voice.

  “Then who the hell did?”

  “I don’t know…Mason?”

  Brooke laughed even harder. “You’re insane! They would never get back together. You didn’t see the looks on their faces when they broke everything off, when they said those awful things to each other. They’re both too stubborn to even try to make that work again. I know Mason; he would never take her back. Once he’s burned by someone, they’re out of his life forever.”

  “You seem like you’re talking from experience,” Jax said coldly.

  “Of course I am, you idiot. He was my boyfriend before you…he was my fiancé.”

  “And you want to be with him?”

  Brooke felt like her brain exploded at Jax’s comment.

  She threw her hands up in the air and said, “Are you fucking insane? No, I don’t want to be with him. Holy shit! We’ve talked about this…”

  “I know. I know,” Jax apologized, as he tried to walk closer, but Brooke kept her distance. “That was not the right thing to say. I’m just overwhelmed right now. I have no clue why Piper was here…”

  “Well, she was here for a reason, and I want to know the fuck why. Did you talk to her?”

  Jax’s face told her everything she needed to know.

  “Unbelievable.” She flung her purse and started walking away.

  “I told her to leave,” Jax said, as he chased after her. “I didn’t want her here, and she wasn’t in my office, she was in the hallway.”

  “Oh, okay. That makes it so much better. You know I hate her Jax, and there is no reason for her to be here other than visiting you.”

  “It could be Mason,” Jax shouted.

  “What about me?” Mason asked, as he crutched up the hallway. The minute he saw Brooke, he stopped and his face contorted. She’d thought about the moment she’d see Mason again, and she never thought that she would feel absolutely nothing for the man, but right now, right here, the only man that was distracting her was Jax…even though she hated to admit it at the moment.

  “This doesn’t concern you, Dashel,” Jax dismissed him.

  “I think it does when my ex-girlfriend is here. What are you doing here, Brooke?”

  Silence fell between all of them as Mason looked back and forth between them. Realization hit him as his mouth opened and Brooke silently confirmed what he was thinking.

  “Oh, my God, you guys are together?”

  “Like I said, this doesn’t concern you, Dashel.”

  “It sure as hell does when you’re yelling my name up and down the hall.”

  “Just leave, Mason.”

  “Not until you tell me why you were
saying my name.” He was a stubborn ass.

  Brooke exhaled as she said, “I saw Piper walking around here, and Jax is trying to tell me it has nothing to do with him.”

  Brooke watched as a million thoughts ran through Mason’s face in a matter of seconds, as he tried to calculate what Brooke was saying. Finally, he looked up and said, “Piper was here and she saw you?” His voice had a slight panic to it.

  “Yeah…”

  “Fuck!” he shouted, as he ran his hand through his hair and grabbed his phone out of his pocket. He turned it on and stared at the screen.

  “Soo…”

  Mason looked up at them and said, “Whatever is going on between you two, I really don’t give a shit about, but it has nothing to do with Piper. She was here for me.” Mason put his pone back in his pocket and started crutching away. He turned around quickly, and the Mason from college, the Mason Brooke fell in love with looked her in the eyes and said, “Brooke, even though I don’t like him, Jax is a good guy, and he wouldn’t fuck you over like I did. Don’t make a mistake now for something I did to you in the past. Be happy.” With that, he took off down the hallway at a rapid pace.

  Looking back at Jax, she saw the pain in his eyes. She didn’t know what to think, what to say, how to broach the awkwardness between them. If Jax didn’t look so hurt, Brooke would be contemplating the insane reality that Mason was talking to Piper and concerned about her. The man must be bat-shit crazy in order to put up that red-headed waffler.

  “I…I don’t know what to say,” Brooke stuttered, as she shifted in place.

  “Me either,” Jax replied, as he pushed his back up against the wall, turning away so he was looking down the hallway and not at her.

  “I’m sorry. I thought you were here with Piper. It’s just that…I feel like I can’t trust anyone in this fucked up love triangle.” Brooke shook her head as she waved her arms about. “I mean, look at us, I’m running into an ex-fiancé, you’re running into your ex-girlfriend, we’re all confused as to who is with whom. I feel like someone is above us fucking around with our lives; I can’t get one ounce of peace. One second, Mason wants me, and then he doesn’t, then he does, and then it’s over. Piper is in love with you, but then she’s not, and then you’re engaged….like, what the fuck?!” Brooke could feel herself losing her mind, but she didn’t care anymore, she just let loose.

  “I finally get my life back on track, I get away from the black hole that was sucking us all in, and then I run into you.” Her voice softens as she continues. “I meet you and you turn my world upside down. You give me something to look forward to, to wake up to. You make me believe in love again, but it can never be that easy, can it? No, we have fucking Mason and Piper running around ruining everything, plus my inability to trust one God damn living thing. Ahh!” she screamed, as she sunk to the floor next to Jax.

  She felt him sink down to the ground with her. His hand grabbed hers, and when she looked at him, he was smiling brightly.

  “Why are you smiling?”

  Then he did something that she never expected, he started laughing, hard. She was confused. Was Jax losing his mind as well? Was he going crazy? Did she need to check him into an institution? Because the way he was laughing so hard, with tears were springing from his eyes, she was pretty sure she might have to check him in somewhere.

  “Jax, what is going on?”

  He wiped his eyes and said, “Seriously? Think about it; think about what you just said. We are living some serious TV drama right now…you can’t help but laugh. Next thing we know, Kiera, my wife, will appear and tell me she never did die, but was hiding from the government for years because she was part of some kind of body selling business.”

  A small giggle escaped Brooke’s lips as she thought about it. “You’re so right. Our life is a soap opera.”

  “It really is.” They both laughed as they held hands in the hallway of the stadium. It felt good to just laugh, to look at their lives and laugh, because what else could they really do? They couldn’t control anything that happened, especially in the situation they were living with Mason and Piper being so close to them.

  Jax kissed Brooke’s hand and said, “I despise Mason, but the man is right, please don’t let what he did to you affect our relationship, Brooke. Remember, we’re starting new? Just you and me darlin’. Fuck the redhead, fuck the douche, and fuck everyone else. It’s just you and me.”

  Brooke rested her head against his shoulder and agreed. “I guess you’re right, it is just me and you. I’m sorry Jax.”

  “I’m sorry you had to see our two favorite people in the whole world.” At that, they both laughed again as Jax wrapped his arm around Brooke and pulled her in closer. “You in this for the long haul?” Jax asked out of the blue.

  Looking up at Jax, she smiled and nodded her head. “Yeah, I kind of am.”

  “Good, because so am I.”

  He kissed the top of her head and they just sat there in silence, in the Stallions stadium, relishing the feel of their bodies connected in knowing that in the twisted world they lived in, they would always have each other. They would always be there for each other.

  “Thanks for coming home early.”

  She buried her head in the crook of his neck and said, “You’re the only home I have; of course I wanted to come home early. You’re everything, Jax.

  “You’re everything too, Brooke.”

  **Mason**

  “Drive fucking faster!” Mason yelled, as he looked out the car window and clenched his fists together, trying not to throw his fist through the windshield out of anger.

  “Dude, I can’t drive over the semi-truck in front of us. Chill the fuck out.”

  “How can I chill the fuck out when Piper is not answering her phone, and I know that, right now, she is going to run. She is going to fucking run, and I’m going to lose her again, all because of a damn misunderstanding.”

  Ryker was silent as they drove, because he knew Mason was right. Piper was a runner, always had been, and even though she said she was done running, she had more than enough ammunition to run now. Why would she think Brooke was at the stadium for any other reason than seeing Mason? And it didn’t help that Mason told her that he could get his own ride home. What a clusterfuck.

  “Fuck!” Mason shouted, as he pounded his fist into the dashboard.

  “Jesus, dickhead, don’t beat the shit out of my car, alright? We’re almost there; just calm the fuck down for one second.”

  “What if she’s not there, Ryker? What the fuck am I going to do then?”

  “We’ll find her.”

  “Yeah, okay, because it was that easy last time. Lexi didn’t even know where Piper was.”

  They pulled up to Mason’s condo, and he flung the door open to get out.

  “Crutches, asswipe. Use your crutches; I would like to see you playing next season.”

  Even though he wanted to sprint up his stairs, Mason knew Ryker was right. He couldn’t hurt his knee anymore. Physical therapy was already hard as it was; he didn’t need to reinjure himself.

  It took him longer than he wanted, but when he got to his front door, he quickly opened it and started searching around his condo. He went straight to the bedroom, where he looked for Piper’s clothing. It was all gone.

  “Fuck!” his voice caught in his throat as he looked around the bedroom while running his hand through his hair.

  What the hell was he supposed to do? Where was he supposed to go from here? If only Ryker had driven faster.

  Mason went back into the main living area, and when he spotted Piper sitting in the corner of the room with her bags next to her, his breath caught in his chest. She wasn’t gone.

  Fuck crutches; he hobbled over to Piper and dropped to the ground in front of her. Her head was in her hands as he tried to peek up at her. When he took her hands away from her face, he saw her tear-stained cheeks and red-rimmed eyes. She was hurting, and he didn’t blame her.

  “Piper…”
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  A sob escaped her throat, as she put her head in her hands again.

  He got up and pushed her to the side of the chair, so they could share it. Once he was on the chair, he lifted her up and placed her on his lap. Instantly, her head went to his shoulder, as she continued to cry.

  “Shhh,” he cooed, as he rubbed her arm. His throat was tight as he thought about how she hadn’t left yet, she was still here. “You didn’t run,” he said in a whisper.

  She shook her head and said, “I was going to, but then I remembered that I promised you I wouldn’t, so I figured I at least owed it to you to say goodbye and explain why I was leaving.”

  “You don’t need to explain, because you’re not going anywhere.”

  “Mason, don’t do this to me, okay? I get it. Payback is a bitch. I deserve it, I did the same thing to you, so it’s only fitting that I get a taste of my own medicine.”

  “What are you talking about? Piper, I love you.”

  “Mason, don’t say those words if you don’t mean them. I saw Brooke, okay? I saw her at the stadium…”

  “Visiting Jax,” Mason interrupted her.

  Piper’s head flung up in surprise. There was a light sheen under her nose that Mason thought was adorable. God, he must be hell over heels in love to think Piper’s snot was adorable. Mason wiped his sleeve under her nose, and smiled when she crinkled her nose.

  “Why was she visiting Jax?” Piper asked, as she wiped her eyes frantically.

  “Apparently, the two of them are an item.”

  Piper didn’t say anything as she tried to soak in the information Mason had just told her. He didn’t have much time to digest the information when he first found out because he was so concerned about Piper, but now that he thought about it, the whole idea of them together seemed like some sick and twisted love story. Not only was Mason now dating and in love with his coach’s ex-girlfriend, but his coach was now dating his ex-fiancé. Like, what?