Garrett hurled his glove into the lockers, the action not near enough to satisfy the anger that had been on a slow boil the last month. He needed to kick the shit out of something. He needed to bleed. He wasn’t sure it would be enough to mask the pain in his chest, but at this point, he’d be willing to try.
He collapsed onto the bench, his arms resting on his thighs as he contemplated the floor.
How the fuck had he gotten here, to this pathetic version of himself?
Spring training was over and he was headed to New York. The house he’d rented was ready to go, his things moved up last week. His family was safe and secure, as was the farm. He’d handed his mother the deed himself, when she’d come to visit last week. He should’ve been ecstatic. One less thing for him to worry about. But none of it mattered. He still felt empty.
Jessa.
God, he missed her something fierce.
Sheer will and determination had gotten him through the last four weeks. He’d lost count of the number of times he’d dialed her number. The need to hear her voice almost overriding his fury at her misplaced jealousy and exit from his life.
They weren’t done. Garrett had seen the look in her eyes that night. Even through her tears, lust glimmered. The same driving need that tore through him whenever he’d touched her. She was responsive, always responsive, her nipples hard against his chest when he’d provoked her.
She’d been hurt, angry. But, she’d also been aroused. And he’d be the one to give her what she desired.
They weren’t done at all. They were just getting started.
It was the only thing that kept him grounded.
Friend, lover, boyfriend … husband. Garrett didn’t give a shit about labels. It was inside him. Deep. Powerful. A part of him he hadn’t known existed until Jessa.
He loved her with a force so primal, it rocked him.
In two short weeks, she’d become the first person he wanted to talk to in the morning and the last person he wanted to see at night.
And the nights were the worst. When he closed his eyes, her face haunted him. Her hungry cries rang in his ears. Their time together stuck on instant replay in his mind. He’d wake up hard and burning, his hand a poor substitute for the velvety warmth he craved. It was enough to drive a man crazy.
Garrett sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. And she left me.
No. She’d kicked him in the proverbial nuts, blamed him for something he had no control over, and then left him.
He could’ve gone after her. Probably should have. He had every intention of setting her straight, making her see she was wrong about him. Again. If that didn’t work, a good, long spanking of that fine ass of hers might do the trick.
Focus, control. These were things he was familiar with. He wasn’t used to his emotions being all over the playing field. One minute, he’d wanted to forget her completely. The next, he’d wanted to blow off his job and go after her. Neither were options, leaving him aggravated and feeling helpless. More fuel for his anger.
It was a vicious cycle.
Sonofabitch! He raked his fingers through his hair and ground out a frustrated snarl.
“I see the mood is contagious. There’s a lot of that going around.” TJ’s voice drifted from behind him.
Garrett stiffened, his muscles tightening, flexing as if preparing for a fight.
Just fucking perfect.
“Sir?” Garrett eased to his feet, turning to eyeball Jessa’s dad, keeping his expression blank.
Not quite as tall as Garrett, TJ was dressed in a dark blue polo shirt, jeans, and boots. He could’ve been anybody. No fancy watch, no ten-thousand dollar suit. Nothing to indicate TJ Montgomery was worth billions. Or that he held Garrett’s future in the palm of his hands.
“Come with me.” TJ didn’t wait for an answer as he turned and walked away, leaving Garrett to catch up.