Baller (Heritage Bay Series Book 5) Read online

  Vanessa gasped. “Yes, but… oh God… not like that.”

  Her body squirmed under me as I took her other nipple into my mouth, repeating the motion before trailing kisses over her stomach, and down to the apex of her thighs.

  “What about here?”

  Vanessa lifted up on her elbows to look at me. Her face was flushed, her chest heaving. “No,” she breathed.

  I groaned as I dipped my head, keeping my eyes locked with hers as I flicked my tongue over her clit. Her mouth fell open with a moan and her hips jerked up. I moved my hands to her hips, pinning her in place as I devoured her perfect little pussy. Vanessa’s hands flew to my hair, tugging as she rocked against my face. I moved my tongue lower and plunged it into her entrance, savoring her taste. Her innocence. She tasted like pure fucking heaven.

  I moved back to her clit, sucking it into my mouth as I pushed two fingers inside her, moving them in and out in steady strokes. Her inner walls clenched, latching onto my fingers as her legs began to tremble. “Liam,” she moaned.

  “Let go, Vanessa.”

  A sharp pain shot through my skull as she tugged harder on my hair. Her thighs tightened against my head, and a loud scream ripped from her throat as she bucked her hips, riding out her orgasm.

  Once she relaxed and released me from her death grip, I sat up and wiped my face. “That was hot,” I said, and she blushed.

  Reaching into the nightstand for a condom, I rolled it on and settled between her legs. “Are you sure?”

  She reached up and gripped my biceps. “Yes.”

  Positioning myself at her entrance, I pushed into her slowly. Her eyes widened as she inhaled sharply through her nose. Her nails bit into my skin as I eased into her with short, quick thrusts. She was so tight. I wasn’t even halfway in and I knew I wasn’t going to last. “Am I hurting you?”

  “No.” Her voice was tense.

  “Relax.”

  I felt the tension leave her body, then pushed all the way in and let out a hiss as her inner muscles squeezed me like a fist. I started out with slow, steady strokes and after a beat she began to move her hips, meeting me thrust for thrust. The sound of our bodies slapping together mixed with our moans bounced off the walls of my bedroom. A familiar tingling formed at the base of my spine, shooting down my arms and legs. My toes curled and my eyes rolled back as the most intense orgasm ripped through me. I lowered my head, covering Vanessa’s mouth with mine, and groaned against her lips.

  There was no way I could let her go.

  VANESSA

  Gray light peeked through the blinds as morning approached. I never fell asleep; I wanted to hold on to every second of our perfect night. I slid from the bed and tiptoed into the bathroom to pee. My body was sore, and I could still feel Liam everywhere. His hands. His mouth. He had completely consumed me.

  After washing my hands, I found some mouthwash in the cabinet and rinsed out my mouth. I stepped out of the bathroom to find Liam awake. He was lying on his stomach, arms curled around the pillow, wearing a sleepy smile.

  “What?”

  He rolled to his back and said, “Come here.”

  I moved over to the bed, straddling his hips, and he placed his hands on my thighs, caressing my skin.

  “You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.”

  I let his words roll around in my head. No one had ever called me pretty. Brian had always said I was cute. My dad always said I was beautiful, but he didn’t count.

  I smiled. “Thank you.”

  “How do you feel?”

  I jerked a shoulder. “Sore, but I’m okay.”

  “Last night, you sort of distracted me from the things I wanted to say.” Liam lowered his gaze to my thighs. “Someone close to me once told me when we find our soul mates, we’ll feel it.” He paused and lifted his gaze to mine. “The first time I met you, I felt it. I was confused at first because I was young, and you were even younger. Neither of us was ready. I’m still not sure if I’m ready, but I can’t just let you go. I don’t know if I’m any good at relationships because I’ve never had a serious one, but I’d like to try with you.”

  I heaved out a sigh and placed my hands on top of his. “I want that so much.”

  “But….”

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  His brows pulled together. “Why?”

  “Because the draft is in a few weeks and you’re leaving. It’s not college. Things are different. I’ve heard my dad and his friends talking about their ‘glory days,’ and I know what that means. We’d be setting ourselves up for heartbreak, and I don’t want that. We’ve known each other for a while now. I like you. I like how I feel when I’m with you. I don’t want you to break my heart.”

  “You could break mine.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Not possible.”

  He hooked an arm around my waist and rolled me to my back, settling between my legs. “You’re underestimating yourself and the power you hold here, Freckles.” He kissed my nose. “Give me a chance. Spend these next couple of weeks with me and let’s see where it goes. Can you do that?”

  I took a moment to think about it. I’d dreamed of the day Liam would see me as more than Coach Abbott’s daughter, a kid. But the dream was much safer than the reality. What would happen when the shine wore off? Would he still feel this way?

  I raked my fingers through his short black hair. “We can try, but on one condition.”

  “What is it?”

  “Promise me if it becomes too much, or you feel weighed down, or if you meet someone, you’ll talk to me first. I’d rather be hurt by your honesty than to have you hooking up with girls behind my back. I won’t put up with cheating.”

  “I might not be the best at relationships, but I’m not a cheater.”

  “Promise me, Liam.”

  “I promise.”

  He pressed a kiss to my cheek before resting his head on my chest.

  We lay there in comfortable silence until the moment was broken by a knock on the door.

  Liam lifted his head and frowned. “Yeah?”

  “Uh… Liam.” Cam’s voice echoed from the other side. “You should probably wrap up whatever you’re doing in there. Coach is outside looking for Vanessa.”

  JUNE. FIVE YEARS AGO

  LIAM

  “You got me a puppy?” Vanessa shrieked.

  The excited expression on her face had me grinning as I placed the little white ball of fluff in her arms. The puppy was my niece Jayla’s idea, and I pretty much did whatever she told me to.

  “I figured you could use some company when I’m on the road,” I said, feeling the heat of her father’s glare on the side of my face.

  “Or she could just come back home,” he mumbled.

  I shot him a smirk. Not happening. I hadn’t seen my beautiful savage in almost six months.

  “You did good, Baller,” she said through a giggle as the puppy licked her chin.

  “What should we name her?”

  “Princess Buttercup. Duh.” She rolled her eyes.

  Figures. I shook my head, amused. I’d lost count of how many times Vanessa made me sit through The Princess Bride, but she loved the movie, and I loved her, so….

  “I’m gonna take her outside to pee.” Vanessa started for the back door, and I followed her with Coach on my heels.

  Coach was livid with both Vanessa and me when he caught us together. Thank God my parents were home by that point, because there was a good chance he would’ve strung me up by the balls in the front yard.

  Vanessa and I had been together for two years now, so he’d gotten over it for the most part, but he still liked to give me shit.

  Cam and I were both drafted by the LA Heat, and I was relieved my best friend and I were riding this out together. We moved to Arizona right after the draft, finished out the season, and then returned to Heritage Bay for the off-season—which I spent with Vanessa.

  Less than a month into the second season, I was called up t
o the majors. I crashed with Marcus and Emerson until I could find my own place. Marcus offered up this house, which was right next door.

  This house once served as a pussy pad for a movie producer back in the early nineties. Marcus bought the house under market value, held on to it for a year, and then sold it to me for next to nothing. And by nothing, I mean all I had to pay were the taxes. Marcus said to consider it a gift because the idea of having me next door made my sister and my niece happy, and Marcus would do anything for them.

  Just as I was settling into my new house, Cam was called up and moved in immediately. With my best friend at my side and my family next door, adjusting to my new life in California wasn’t so bad. All I needed was my girl.

  Coach leaned with his forearms resting on the deck railing beside me, his attention trained on Vanessa as she played with the puppy in a small patch of grass between my house and my sister’s house next door.

  A grin pulled at my lips when a familiar head of dark hair barreled into my yard and made a beeline right for Vanessa and Princess Buttercup. I kept my eyes trained on Vanessa and my niece as Coach continued.

  “She’s in nursing school, Liam. She doesn’t have time to take care of a dog.” Vanessa was accepted into the nursing program at Heritage Bay University and was going into her junior year that fall.

  I jerked a shoulder carelessly. “She can leave the dog here, and I’ll bring her with me when I come home in the fall. My sister lives next door, and my niece can help out.” I gestured to Jayla as she hunched down, letting the puppy tug on her ponytail.

  What Coach didn’t know was Vanessa and I had been talking about her moving out here to live with me. I’d even offered to pay for her schooling. She didn’t say yes, but she didn’t say no either. Of course, if he knew she was even considering it, he’d put his foot down.

  “Listen,” he continued, sighing before turning to face me. “I know you’re both struggling. Vanessa refuses to admit it, but I can see it. Long-distance relationships are hard work, and I’m impressed you’ve stuck it out for this long, but maybe you should consider taking a break. At least until she finishes school.”

  I blinked at him. I hadn’t put two years into this relationship just to give up now. I just bought a dog, for fuck’s sake.

  “Vanessa has wanted to be a nurse since she was eight years old, after she lost her mother. This is important to her—”

  “I know, Coach.”

  He stared at me for a moment. “If you push her to choose between you and her dreams, she’ll choose you. I have no doubt about that. But she’ll be the one who ends up hurt, and she’ll resent you for it. Trust me, this isn’t only coming from an overprotective father. I care about you, too. So consider my advice.” He paused to take in a deep breath. “Enjoy your summer together. Then take a step back and focus on the bigger picture. If you love her as much as I believe you do, let her go. Let her chase her dreams while you live yours.”

  AUGUST. TWO MONTHS LATER

  VANESSA

  “Happy birthday, Freckles,” Liam cheered, clinking his glass against mine.

  We were in Vegas for my twenty-first birthday with Cam and his girlfriend, Jules. Liam borrowed his brother-in-law’s private plane so he could surprise me.

  “What would you like to do first?” Liam asked, pressing a kiss to my temple.

  We were staying at the Bellagio and were only here for the night. The guys had tomorrow off, but I was supposed to fly home tomorrow night.

  Except I wouldn’t be getting on the plane. I was staying in California with Liam, and later, I’d tell him.

  “I don’t know.” I shrugged. “Dinner? A club maybe?”

  “Oh, dancing sounds fun,” Jules said in her thick Russian accent. “Let’s go shopping and find something sexy to wear tonight.”

  I hated shopping, but I didn’t bring anything for a night out in Vegas. If we were going to a club, I wanted to look sexy for my fine-ass boyfriend. I looked over at Liam. “Is that okay?”

  “We can do whatever you want. It’s your birthday.”

  I held out my drink to Jules, and she tapped it with her glass. “Let’s go shopping.”

  We finished our drinks and headed down to the mall. We hit every store from Chanel to Louis Vuitton. Though the clothes were beautiful, none of them were fit for a club. After an hour of searching, we ventured out to the strip and found a boutique that specialized in club wear.

  Jules found a two-piece halter top and skirt outfit with sequined tassels, and I found the perfect dress. It was a white bodycon dress with silver sequins. The sleeves were long, the length was short, and the back was open. It was the sexiest dress I’d ever seen.

  We wrapped up our shopping trip and went back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. After getting dressed, I stepped out of the bedroom and into the living area where Liam and Cam were waiting and did a little twirl.

  Liam let out a low whistle through his teeth. “Damn, babe.”

  I’d paired the dress with silver strappy heels. I kept my hair down in loose waves, and my makeup was heavy. It was Vegas, after all.

  We had early dinner reservations at Prime Steakhouse, and after a two-hour meal, we walked over to the Fountains of Bellagio to watch the show. Then we caught a ride over to the Aria Resort and hit Jewel nightclub.

  The club was so packed I could hardly breathe on the dance floor. Liam and Cam had gotten a booth so Jules and I could drink between dances. I was feeling pretty fucking good. It was my birthday, and I was in Vegas with my man.

  “I’m Freckles Mackenzie!” I shouted into the lobby of the Bellagio.

  I held up my left hand to show off the cheap silver band on my ring finger. Liam said he’d buy me a better one when we got home, but this one was perfect. I’d just gotten married to the love of my life by Elvis. I mean… how cool was that?

  Heads turned with curious stares. Some people laughed and others ignored the drunken girl in her sexy dress.

  “And you’re drunk,” Liam said with a chuckle.

  “Just a little,” I agreed, nodding. “But I’m a happily married drunk.”

  “Come on, wife. Let’s get you to bed.” Liam curled an arm around my waist and guided me toward the elevators.

  “Oh, yes. It’s time for the honeymoon,” I purred, then looked around. “Hey, where are the other newlyweds?”

  “Right here,” Jules called out from behind me, and I smiled over my shoulder.

  “Congratulations,” I gushed, and she laughed.

  The four of us stepped on the elevator with six other people. Liam hugged me to his side, and I rested my head on his shoulder as we rode up to our suite.

  “You and me,” he said so matter-of-factly.

  I nodded. “Always.”

  A heavy arm curled around my waist. “Good morning, Freckles Mackenzie,” Liam said in a deep, sleepy voice, but I detected a little humor in his tone.

  “Hmm. I like the sound of that.”

  “Me, too.” He paused. “Speaking of sounds. Last night—”

  I covered my face and groaned. “Oh God.”

  “You said that too—although I prefer Liam.” I snorted. “I’m kidding, babe,” he added, then barked out a laugh. “You passed the fuck out in the elevator.”

  I rolled to my back and pushed out my bottom lip, pretending to pout. “You mean we didn’t have our honeymoon?”

  “We can have our honeymoon at home. Come on, get up. We need to be at the airport in two hours, and I need food before then.”

  SEPTEMBER. ONE MONTH LATER

  VANESSA

  There was a woman on the back deck carrying some kind of wooden statue. She was tall, thin, and really tan with full lips. Her long black hair was pulled through the back of an LA Heat baseball cap, and large aviator glasses covered half her face. Setting the knife down on the counter, I reached over and turned off the stove, then moved over to the glass door, sliding it open.

  “Hi.” I said cautiously. Princess Buttercup dart
ed past my legs and made a beeline toward the woman.

  “Oh, hi.” She bent at the waist to set down the statue. “Aren’t you adorable,” she cooed as she squatted down to greet my excited puppy. “I’m Milana, by the way.” She smiled up at me and jerked her head to the side. “I live just over there.”

  “Oh, you’re the actress.”

  “That’s me.” She stood and extended her hand.

  Milana Bedhi was an Indian actress who was making a name for herself in Hollywood. Her movie debut was some romantic comedy set to release around Christmastime. “I’m Vanessa.” I shook her hand. “Liam’s girlfriend—well, technically I’m his wife, but—”

  Her smile slid completely off her face, and my heart dipped to my stomach.

  “Oh?” Her back straightened. She swallowed thickly and pasted a fake smile on her face. She needed to work on that. “Congratulations,” she added, taking a step back. “Well, I gotta take off. It was nice meeting you, Vanessa.” She turned to leave.

  “Wait!” I reached out and grabbed her wrist. “Why are you here?”

  She turned to face me, the corners of her perfect mouth dipped into a frown.

  My eyes instantly welled with tears. He broke his promise.

  “Please don’t hate me. He never said—” She looked toward the beach and blew out a shaky breath. “We’re just friends.”

  “Why would I hate you?” My voice wavered as a hundred-pound weight settled in my chest. I already knew I wouldn’t like what she was going to say next.

  “Liam and I met back in April at his birthday party.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “We became friendly neighbors. We had dinner a few times, and we hung out. I’ve been in Hawaii for the last few months, but before I left, uh….” I sucked in a breath and she shook her head. “Oh no, not that.” She waved her hands frantically. “I kissed him. Honestly, it was nothing. I swear.” She kept her hands up defensively. “He told me he had a girlfriend, and I apologized. I misread his friendship for something more. I’m really sorry.” She gestured to the tiki statue. “I brought this back from Hawaii as an apology and a plea to start over. As friends, of course.”