a boy of my own now,” he said. “Four months old.”
“Yeah.” I turned to face Jack Carson. “I heard about that.”
“Think everyone did.”
It didn’t surprise me that Play-Maker Jack Carson sowed enough oats to make a baby, but it seemed incredible that he actually married the woman who had it. Who’d have thought a bad boy with a worse reputation could change his image by banging his PR rep, having a kid, and getting married.
Jack liked the bunny. “I didn’t know The Beast had a baby.”
“I don’t.”
“Oh. Okay. I didn’t know he kept toys in his locker.”
“Consider it stress relief, so I don’t go popping off quarterbacks’ heads when I’m not on the field.”
Jack laughed—a perfect prince charming. Blonde. Blue-Eyed. Might have been the league heart-throb if he hadn’t been the thorn in the association’s foot.
But he extended his hand in a formal introduction.
“Jack Carson,” he said. “Glad you’re finally part of the Rivets.”
I didn’t bother shaking his hand. Jack took it in stride, like he expected it.
“You might not recognize me,” he said. “Usually I’m scrambling out of your reach. Hard to talk when I’m too busy throwing touchdowns.”
There was the Jack Carson I remembered. “What? Are you the welcoming committee?”
“Got the muffins baking in the oven as we speak.”
“And here I thought you were more the whiskey and strip club type.”
“I used to be.”
“What changed?”
Jack held up his hand, spinning the gold ring on his finger. “Found something better.”
Right. “I find that hard to believe.”
“A lot of people do. A reputation is a tough thing to fix. But I know it can be done. I’m living proof.”
“There’s a difference between an image and the man,” I said.
Jack nodded, serious. First time I ever saw him not grinning like a cocky idiot. “I’m glad you agree. Looks like we’ve got work to do.”
“That so?”
“I’ve got a dynasty to build. You’re gonna be part of it.”
I tossed the rest of my shit into the locker. That damn Rumpleass Bunny stared at me.
The beginning of the end. At least the kid was too young to remember me.
I slammed the door. Jack didn’t flinch as I stared him down. He was a big guy, not one of the delicate and fragile quarterbacks I used to hunt. He didn’t blink as I scowled.
“Maybe you ought to get out of my way,” I said. “Let me get to work.”
“And maybe you should sit the fuck down and listen to what I have to say.”
“Look pretty boy, I know you’re hot shit with the championship under your belt and the sponsorships and everyone thinking you’re reformed, but I know why I’m here.”
“Do you?”
“Pretty obvious.”
Jack shook his head. “That’s where you’re wrong. I’m on your side. Together, we’re gonna do this right.”
“Do what?” I asked.
“Win,” he said, simply. “And we’ll do it our way. The right way.”
“I don’t need you to tell me how to do my job.” I pushed past him. “I’ve got that part figured out.”
He frowned. “I don’t want The Beast on my team.”
“What a coincidence,” I said. “I don’t want to be here.”
He took the insult well. Just meant I hadn’t hit him hard enough.
But Jack held my stare. “I don’t want The Beast, but I do want Cole Hawthorne on my team. I know the reason Coach Thompson traded for you. What he thinks you’ll do, who you’ll hurt.”
“Figured it out, huh? Smarter than you look.”
“It’s not going to happen, Cole.”
“That so?”
“The Rivets had a proud history, and, for three years, I single-handedly destroyed it,” Jack said. “I blew every chance I was given on partying and women and fun. It wasn’t just my reputation that suffered, it was the team’s. I changed, but I’m still pulling us out of the mud.”
“What’s your point?”
“The Rivets went from the league’s proudest organization to the villains. We have more players with criminal records on our roster than any other team. These are men with bad reputations who nearly ruined their chances and deserve every negative article and opinion about them. And you’re no different.”
“You don’t know a thing about me.”
“No. I don’t. No one here knows you. Hell, no one in the league knows you. The rumor is you’re a loner asshole with an attitude problem who was having the greatest season of his career until he hospitalized Jude Owens.”
“Sounds about right.”
“So what changed in you?”
“What?”
“What made this your best season?”
I didn’t answer. Jack glanced at the locker, where I kept the bunny safe and hidden.
“You had a reason to play harder, to