Sworn Enemies - Rebel Hart Page 0,24
unlocked the door.
“Miss Dallen, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Wright Johnson. You can call me Wright. I stopped by your apartment to speak with you, but your brother informed me you were here. Can I come in?”
I wasn’t sure what the shorthand for saying, “I didn’t know you before this moment, but now that I do, I’m starstruck,” was, but I was that. I stuttered out, “Y-yes!”
I stepped aside, and as Wright passed me by to enter, I slapped the breaker on the wall to turn the lights on. MontRec’s lights started to click on in succession, and Wright watched them all as they popped on.
“Welcome to MontRec,” I said.
“Well, that is certainly a welcome.” He chuckled and walked around the main room. “Humble but well-kept.”
“Thank you,” I replied. “It’s kind of my pride and joy.”
He looked over at me. “You own it?” His eyes drifted down to the beer in my hand.
“No, but the owner is pretty hands-off. He trusts me with it.” I held up the beer. “Should I hide this or get you one?”
“Neither,” Wright replied. “Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a beer, but I just came from having drinks with a colleague. If I have anymore, you’ll have to drive me home.”
I let out an awkward laugh. His presence was, at the same time, domineering and whimsical. Just what was this guy about? I slid my beer behind the reception desk regardless and pulled the rolling chairs behind it around.
“Want to sit?” I asked.
“Thank you.” He settled down into one of the rolling chairs, and I fell into the other.
“So, um. What can I do for you?”
He crossed his arms, allowing me to notice for the first time that they were massive. In fact, his entire stature was large. I wondered if he played football before settling into an office, but I decided not to ask. It didn’t make me happy that I had to be an office manager when I’d rather be on the field, so if the same was true for him, I didn’t want to insult.
“Well, I would think it’d be obvious. I’m here to get you on the road to semi-pro status.”
My heart tried to break through my chest. “You…what?”
“I saw your game tonight.”
My heart receded as far back into my chest as it could go. “Oh.”
He laughed. “Yes, it wasn’t your grandest display, was it?”
I stood up, walked around the reception desk, grabbed my beer, and returned to my seat. Wright laughed as I tipped it to my mouth and knocked a good portion of it back.
Finally, I looked back at him with a grimace. “No.”
He pointed out a finger. “I’ll tell you something, though, Quinn. Things might not have gone well with the Vipers, but you’ve got yourself a good team.”
I didn’t hesitate when I responded, “I do. They’ve worked harder than most pro players. I’m very proud of them.”
“You should be. They’re a team worth being proud of, and I realize that a loss can be difficult any way you shake it, but you just found yourselves a little unprepared. Trust me, with my help, you won’t take a defeat like that again.” He smiled. “So, should we talk specifics?”
I wanted to. So badly. I wanted to completely ignore what had happened with Zeke and the Vipers and let this random savior who had wandered into my world turn my team into the semi-pro team they deserved to be.
“I can’t,” I said at last. I made a deal, and I wanted to be good to my word. “I’m ashamed to admit that the game against the Vipers was a bit of a wager between Zeke Matheson and me. If we lost, we had to withdraw our application.” I pointed back over my shoulder. “I was just doing it when you walked in.”
“That is unfortunate.” Wright frowned and shook his head, but then he sighed, and his smile returned. “Fortunately, the decision isn’t yours to make anymore. It’s mine. I’m a fan of football, and after tonight, I’m a fan of yours, as well. It would be against my good nature to allow a team such as yours to bow out. I simply won’t have it.”
The words were both exciting and disheartening. I didn’t want to go back on the deal I had made. “But Zeke—”
Wright waved a hand through the air. “Don’t you worry about that washed-up, pro wannabe.” He clapped a hand over his mouth and then shrugged. “Eh, sorry, my mouth can get me