Bottom Of The Ninth: Bad Boys Redemption: Book Three Read online

  After Mia agreed to move with me, our life has been a whirlwind of busy. We flew out to California the day after Christmas and spent a week house hunting. After viewing several homes and apartments, we settled on a two-story condo in a suburb outside L.A. The place suits us for now. There’s plenty of space for company, and if Mom wants to visit for an extended time, she’ll have her own bedroom and bathroom.

  “Man, I can’t believe you head out tomorrow.” Zach’s eyeing the stacked boxes, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say he’s about to get choked up. He huffs and turns to look at me. “Don’t think I’m laying low when you face me on the field.”

  “Ha! You don’t need to lay low, I know every weak spot.” I’ve caught this man for years. He’s a great pitcher, but he won’t outsmart me. “Besides, I won’t have to worry about facing you anyway.”

  “Oh, yeah?”

  “Our lead will be so widespread, there won’t be a need for a closer.” I may be bullshitting him right now, but the truth remains—playing with new teammates is going to be fucking weird.

  “You wish. I’ll go get the last box.” Zach’s gaze flicks behind me. “You have a shit-ton of cookbooks.”

  The women gasp at the same time. “There is no such thing.”

  “Never.”

  “Fine, fine.” Zach throws his hands up in defeat. “I’ll be right back. Never mind my back, it’s not like I need it.”

  “Idiot.” Jax shakes his head and turns his bright whites to his fiancée. They start to discuss the plans for tomorrow while Mia tugs my arm.

  I lean down, and she murmurs in my ear, “Why don’t you go check on your sister.”

  Confusion crosses my face when I scan the apartment and don’t see Cara. Mia nudges her head toward my bedroom and then her gaze goes back to the kitchen. Drake stands awfully close to Nala. The look on Nala’s face is one I recognize. It’s one that means all he has to do is make a move, and she’ll be his for the taking. Stupid prick.

  The sigh comes out heavier than intended, and after a few strides, I’m standing next to my room. I peek my head in the door and see Cara sitting on the bed. “Sis, what are doing in here?”

  “Hiding.”

  The admission surprises me. “Why?”

  “Please tell me you’re not that blind.”

  “No, I’m guessing this has something to with Drake and Nala?”

  She dips her head, and I have to refrain from bouncing on the balls of my feet. The flight to flee has never been so strong. “But you’re not together anymore, right?”

  She pins me with a look that says I’m the biggest dumbass this side of the state. Perhaps I am. I’m not good with this shit.

  “So, if you and Mia broke up, you’d be fine two weeks later seeing her flirt with someone else?”

  Instant rage sweeps through me. “No. I wouldn’t.”

  She shakes her head and turns away.

  “Hey.” I close the distance between us and pull her off the bed and into my chest. “You’re way better off without him.”

  She wraps her arms around my waist. “I know, and it’s not like I’m pining for him, but it still hurts to be forgotten so easily.”

  “To be fair, he is a dick.”

  That draws a laugh. “What am I going to do with you gone? I don’t want to stay here.”

  I lean my head back and study her face. The wetness in her eyes I expect, but it’s that damned slackened expression that guts me. “Maybe you need a change. Why don’t you check out Cessna University?”

  Her eyes narrow. “What? Like transfer?”

  “It’s not unheard of, and I loved that school.”

  “You wouldn’t mind me tagging to California with you?”

  “Cara, you’d always be welcomed. But there’s so much to do at the university I’d hardly see you anyway.” That earns me a soft smile. “I’m sure it’d be nothing to transfer.”

  “Thanks, big brother. What do you think Mom will say?”

  “Let me handle Mom.”

  She breaks away and heads over to my desk. She eyes our suitcases lying on the floor and sighs while grabbing the laptop. “I’m going to look up to see what I need to do. The semester is about to start in a few weeks. I can’t waste time.”

  I chuckle. “Don’t forget, I’m alumni. I’m sure I have some pull.”

  “Yeah, the monetary kind.”

  I laugh. “There may be more truth to that than you know. But seriously, let me know what you need.”

  She barely looks over the top of the computer. “Sure. You’re the best, big brother.”

  “Hey, everyone!” Lacey’s voice echoes into the bedroom.

  “Pizza’s here,” the kids call out in unison. It makes me wonder if they practiced.

  “You want me to bring you some slices?”

  “I’ll be fine. I just need to know if they have my program.”

  I clench my jaw. My sister feeling like she has to hide in my bedroom doesn’t settle well. But I can’t remove the problem. “I’d ask Drake to leave, but he’s the only family Mia has.”

  Cara looks up from the computer and gives me a wry smile. “I’m okay, really. It’s just sickening to witness him using the same maneuvers as he did with me. It reiterates how stupid I was to fall for it. That’s what I’m most upset over.”

  I wince. No one wants to think about their baby sister being used.

  “Let me know what you come up with. Just wait, I’ll make a Wildcat out of you, yet.” I close my eyes and shake my head at the absurdity that flew from my mouth. “Uh, you know what I mean.”

  Cara laughs incredulously and throws a pillow at me. “Go to your guests. I’ll be okay.”

  I nod and turn to exit. I need to find Mia and explain we may have an early houseguest. I shouldn’t have extended the invitation without Mia’s consent.

  My search is short. Mia greets me as soon as I walk back out. “She okay?”

  “She will be.” I run a jerky hand through my hair. Shit! I basically invited Cara to live with us without consulting Mia. What if she doesn’t want her staying there? I suck at this couple’s thing. “I, uh...may have suggested she move out to California.”

  Mia tilts her head to the side. “Like, move in with us?”

  “Not exactly, but I’m sure she’ll have to stay some nights.”

  “I’m not following.”

  “I suggested she transfer to Cessna University.”

  Delightful surprise coats her eyes. “Oh, that’s a great idea. She’ll love it there.”

  “You’re not mad?”

  “Why would I be mad?”

  “Because us moving in together is new, and it may not be the ideal time for someone to stay.” I push out a frustrated sigh. “I really didn’t think this through.”

  “It’s fine. Perfect even. It’ll give me a roommate while you’re away.” She winks, and I think I just fell deeper in love.

  “I may be good at baseball, but relationships? Not so much. I may have a long learning curve.”

  “AJ, you’ve been a bachelor for how long? There’ll be times when your choices may seem selfish, but if you think about it, they really aren’t.”

  “But I didn’t think about your feelings.”

  “No, but you were concerned for your sister and composed a solution for her. That’s not being selfish. Placing others first is one of my favorite things I love about you.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “What else is your favorite?”

  Her face breaks into an impish grin. “I’m not going to lie. I’ve become attached to that impressive cock of yours.”

  Holy shit, I love this woman. “Is that so?”

  “Yep.”

  I lower my voice so only she can hear me. “He can’t wait to attach himself to you after everyone leaves.”

  “Did he tell you this?”

  “Yep. He twitched happily, trying to find you.”

  She lets out the sweetest laugh. “Oh
my God, AJ. You’re the only person I know who references their dick in third person.”

  I choke back another dirty reply I want to make. Mainly because I need to get my mind off sex. But hello, my woman thinks my cock is impressive. If that’s not an ego booster, I don’t know what is, but joining our friends with a chub wouldn’t be a good idea. I change the topic.

  “Why don’t you check out some classes, too. We should have visited the school while we were there.”

  “I plan to check it out once we get settled.” Mia wraps her arms around my waist, and the smile she gives me lights her entire face. “I’m so ready to start our life together, but, first, we need to entertain our guests. They’re divvying up the pizza.”

  “They’re fine.” I’m more than ready to begin our life together. My entire existence, I felt unworthy of relationships, let alone one with an incredible girl like Mia. Staring into her striking blue eyes, I feel like the luckiest man alive.

  She worries about people thinking we’re moving too fast, but I don’t give a fuck what people think. I have no reservations. Besides, I’ve always been one to jump in with both feet. Without doing anything but being herself, Mia opened my eyes to things I never knew I wanted. I still don’t think I deserve someone this great, but that has more to do with no one being good enough for her more than my own insecurities. I do know this: there isn’t another man alive that will love her more than me.

  I tip my head lower and plant a kiss on her cheek. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  MIA

  Five Months Later

  “Yo, you’re holding out on me.” Cara’s voice carries from the staircase into the kitchen.

  The news must’ve broken. St. Claire Children’s Cancer Research Hospital has updated their research facility, and their dedication ceremony is two days from now. They asked me to be the honored guest. I’m touched, but an advanced warning would’ve been nice. It’s as if the director woke up one morning and thought “Hey, let us take our latest donor and tie her into the celebration.”

  Cara barges into the kitchen, holding her phone in the air as if to confirm her accusation. I force a smile. If her squeal is anything to go by, she’s expecting me to be equally as excited, but I can’t summons the feeling. The timing is all wrong.

  “So, I take it social media lit up?” I ask while pouring her a cup of coffee.

  “Like the pegs on a Lite Brite board.” Her grin may be smug, but there’s proudness in her gaze. “It’s in two days. When were you going to tell me?”

  “Tonight, after your brother returns.”

  Besides spring training, where I did spend two out of the six weeks with him, this stretch between home games has been the longest he’s been gone. After thirteen days, I’m more than ready for AJ to be home. I miss him like crazy, and in a short five days, he’ll head back out. We’ll only have tonight to be together.

  “Why last minute?”

  “Because they just got a hold of me yesterday. I debated whether to go or not.” My voice deflates.

  “You have to go. The dedication is for you.”

  “No, it’s for the lab.” I hand her the coffee mug.

  “You know what I mean. You’re the woman of the hour. Why are you downplaying this?” Her Philly dialect thickens when she’s annoyed and makes her so darned cute. AJ’s accent had already toned downed by the time I met him, but it comes out occasionally.

  “I haven’t told your brother yet, because, after last night’s loss, I didn’t want to dampen his mood further.” The two-for-twelve road trip is bad enough. Toss in my leaving, and it’s downright depressing.

  “He would’ve been proud of you, too,”

  “I know. He’s pretty good at keeping the frustration at the ballpark, but I don’t know.” I shrug, and we work our way to the kitchen table. “Telling him makes it real.”

  “Aw, you miss him.”

  The slight tease in Cara’s voice warms my heart. “I do, but having you around helps.”

  “That’s because I’m awesome.”

  I stifle a laugh. Having Cara with me this summer has been a blast. She moved in at semester’s end—much to her mother’s dismay—and will be staying until fall semester resumes. She’s an awesome roomie and having her around while AJ’s gone is just what I needed.

  I’m not going to lie. I had reservations about moving out here. We went from zero to sixty, but through this whirlwind of packing up and moving in together, one thing stayed constant—my feelings toward him. Not once have I ever questioned my love for him. Well, that’s not true. I questioned it a lot in the beginning, but after I finally admitted my feelings, it’s been full throttle. Nala once said you can’t help who you fall for, and she’s one hundred percent right. My heart not only stumbled but it plunged so deep not moving with him was never an option.

  And staying by myself when he leaves hasn’t been as dreadful as I first thought. Before Cara moved from her dorm, I found the alone time not any different than when I was living on my own. I’m not sure what I was afraid of. No, scratch that. This arrangement is better than living on my own because an extremely generous, caring man comes home to me. And the sex? Oh my God, the sex has been great. We get goodbye sex and I-missed-you sex. All. The. Freaking. Time.

  “Hey, where’d you go there?” Cara asks, pulling me from my reverie.

  The warmth on my cheeks gives away my thoughts, so I play it off as casually as I can. “Nowhere. Just ready for your brother to come back.”

  “Uh-huh.” She must take pity on me because she takes a sip of her coffee and changes the subject. “Did I tell you I joined the newspaper staff?”

  “No, you didn’t.”

  “Yep, you’re looking at Cessna University’s latest gossip gal.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah, although when my advisor thought it’d be beneficial for me to join the newspaper staff, I doubt he had this in mind.”

  “Why did they think you’d be a fit for that?”

  She shoots me a pointed look. “Once they found out who my brother is, they decided to place me in the sports section. And just my luck, they’ve discussed ways to spice up the most boring section.”

  I cock an eyebrow. “Well, that should be interesting. You going to go easy on the baseball players?”

  “That would be a big hell no.”

  Cara’s a little bitter. I don’t think she’s upset over losing my brother, just the way he handled everything. I can’t blame her.

  “Just remember, some of them are nice.” I wink which draws a laugh.

  “I have to get to work.” She stands and smiles warmly at me. “The timing sucks and all, but I’m so proud of you.”

  “Thanks. And speaking of work, I have some editing to do.”

  The calendars have raised over one hundred and fifteen thousand dollars to date, so I am proud. But the publicity has created opportunities I didn’t expect. Thanks to Nala, my online business has grown, and I’m making more money now than when I was back in Philly. But that nagging sensation remains. I still feel like I’m not accomplished.

  When we first moved here, AJ pleaded with me to enroll at CU, but I didn’t want to rush things. Besides, I still didn’t have the money, and I refuse AJ’s help. He’s paying his sister’s way, and although I’m sure he can afford mine too, I didn’t want a handout.

  Since my online business picked up, I felt secure enough to sign a student loan and enroll in the upcoming fall semester. I’m going for a business degree this time. My dream of owning an art studio will become a reality, and I want to have a good business sense when it happens.

  The front door clicks open, and I spy Cara’s purse still lying on the counter. Snatching it up, I step toward the living room.

  “Did you forget—” My words halt when a broad-shouldered guy, dressed in khaki tweed pants and a short-sleeved button-down shirt, steps over the threshold.

  “Hey, gorgeous.�
� He greets me with an appreciative smile, so genuine and true that I can’t help the giddy feelings bubbling inside me.

  “What are you doing home already?” I abandon her purse on the side table and rush toward those welcoming arms.

  He drops his bags on the floor and pulls me into a hug. Instead of answering, he crashes his lips on mine, and I no longer care about the reasoning. I’m just glad he’s here. His warm, firm lips are so delectably smooth, and when he slips his tongue inside my mouth, all the worrying that plagued me dissipates along with my sense. I run my fingertips through his dark hair and angle my mouth to deepen the kiss. He moans deep and low causing the vibrations to disperse everywhere inside me. Jesus, I’ve missed this man.

  He breaks away, his voice breathy as he asks, “Cara here?”

  “Work. She’s at work.”

  “Thank fuck.” His hands slide down my sides, onto my ass, and he lifts me up off the floor. I wrap my legs around his waist and hang on to his shoulder as he takes off to our bedroom. “I need to be inside you now.”

  I laugh. One thing I’ve learned living with AJ is he’s pure testosterone. If he isn’t playing ball, working out, or studying his opponents, he’s all about sex. Sure, we have our sweet times together—he’s way more attentive than I ever imagined a boyfriend would be—but he runs on pure adrenaline. And I love it. Besides, I can be myself around him. He’s the perfect partner for me. He has no qualms about me openly expressing my desire to explore different positions. But if I’m going to enjoy this, I need to unleash what’s burdening me. Although, it’s a little hard to concentrate with him leaving open-mouthed kisses on my chin, neck, and shoulder.

  “I hate to be a buzzkill, but before we get too far, I need to tell you something.”

  “Now?” We land on the bed, and his mouth moves to my chest. His lower body presses against my thigh, and if the bulge in his pants is any indication, he isn’t lying about needing me. His hands feel like they’re everywhere running along my side, slipping my shirt up, while palming my breast. It’s hard to concentrate.