Hector smirked, feeling even more relieved now. He couldn’t argue there. They had been on the bitchy side, especially Drew—further confirmation that she’d been flirting with him. Walter, on the other hand, seemed completely at a loss.
He looked at the girls blankly. “They hardly said anything.”
Of course, Walter hadn’t seen it. He was so into little Ms. Blue Eyes she could do no wrong. Hector knew from the moment Walter had informed him that she was also on the U.S. team she had to be good, but he was even more curious now. “On a scale from one to ten, how good would you say Charlee’s game is?”
A big smile spread across Walter’s face. “Oh, she’s good. She’s our resident tactician. I’d say at least a nine maybe even ten.”
Maybe even ten? And a tactician? Of course, if long, thought-out play was her specialty, she was no doubt a chess snob herself. No wonder she hadn’t seemed even remotely impressed by his win like everyone else. And here Hector had actually considered for a moment that maybe she too was being a bit catty with Leticia for the same reason as Drew. It was just the chess snob in her.
Leticia squeezed Hector’s hand, and he squeezed back then patted Walter on the shoulder. “See you Monday, big guy. Thanks for walking me through this today. I owe you one.”
Hector and both girls made their way through the crowd, being stopped several times by people wanting to congratulate him. As smug as he felt and as great as this had worked out, one thought still came to mind. Would everyone else on the team be thinking the same thing—that a knockout speed tournament was not the greatest way to go about acquiring the best player for the team?
As if tonight’s win hadn’t been enough, he’d still have to prove himself? The good thing about knowing Charlee was not impressed by him was he wouldn’t have to worry about the thought that crossed his mind more than once tonight when he got such a close look at those blue eyes—that maybe just maybe he could be attracted to a cute little redhead with the most amazing blue eyes he’d ever seen.
She was Walter’s to pine over—not his—not that he thought Walter stood a chance with Charlee. Still, he’d done enough to bring Walter down over the years. He wasn’t about to add more to his already insufferable, guilty conscience.
As Hector reached his truck, Leticia, who’d already been rubbing up against him even as they walked through the parking lot, wasted no time. She leaned her body into his, pushing him up against the truck. Smiling, he looked down at her, and she kissed him long and deep, her very skillful tongue already awakening parts of him that had sat still for too long that day. She pulled away, licking her lips with a coy smile. “That’s to congratulate you for your awesome accomplishment today.”
Before he could thank her right back in the same way for her graciousness, Miriam tugged at his other hand. He turned to Miriam as she tilted her head and bit her bottom lip. “I wanna congratulate you too.”
Hector smiled even bigger. He thought he’d picked up on where this night be heading earlier. Walking through the parking lot holding both their hands had been an even bigger indicator that this might happen, but now Miriam was confirming it.
Without saying a word, he licked his lips, pulling Miriam to him. Leticia scooted over a bit to make room for her against Hector’s body. His lips were on Miriam’s as soon as she was close enough. Bringing her hand behind his head and running her fingers through his hair, Miriam’s equally skilled tongue and the fact that he’d have them both naked soon enough, made him practically growl against her lips. Thank God his mom was away for the weekend. It was times like this Hector knew he needed to get his own place soon.
Miriam finally pulled away from his lips and stared at him for a moment before looking around the darkened parking lot, saying exactly what he was thinking. “Maybe we should all go celebrate somewhere a little more private.”
“Definitely,” he agreed quickly, motioning them to get in his truck.
Yep, he was better off sticking to what he knew. Being with two girls like Leticia and Miriam at once was something he was more familiar with than being with just one like Charlee.
He was treated to another crotch-tightening kiss by both girls as he helped them each in one by one into the passenger-side door of his truck. As he walked around the truck, he turned on his phone. He’d turned it off when he registered and was instructed his phone was to remain completely turned off and out of sight for the duration of the tournament or he’d be disqualified.
Still not knowing why Sam never showed up, he felt a twinge of nervousness as the phone powered on and he heard it ping several times. He’d been completely out of reach to anyone for over four hours now.
The second he climbed into the truck and sat down, Leticia kissed him a bit more frantically than she had earlier. Pulling away as he heard his phone ping several more times, he held his phone up, “Let me check my phone real quick, sweetheart,” he said against her lips.
She pulled away from him but only a few inches, and she ran her hand up his thigh, stopping just before his crotch. With the anticipation building, he checked his texts first. He had several, but he could deal with the ones from girls later. He clicked on the two from his brother Abel. The first one he’d sent hours ago, around the time the tournament started.
Text: Dude where are you? Sam’s been trying to get a hold of you. He was in a wreck, but he says he’s okay and wanted me to tell you he’ll be late but he’ll be there. Where’s there? He wouldn’t tell me.
Leticia’s hand had worked his way a little higher, and he glanced at her when she rubbed him over his pants. She smiled, leaning in to kiss him again, but he held his phone up again. The fact that Sam hadn’t made it worried him now, even though Abel’s text said he was okay, so he read the next text quickly, ignoring Leticia. The second one was sent hours later.
Text: Sam’s got a concussion. But don’t worry. He sounds fine to me. He’s giving them hell over at the Veterans’ hospital. He wants to leave, but they’re not letting him. Where the hell are you and how come you’re not answering your phone? That old crank still won’t tell me where you are!
Hector frowned. Being a boxer, he knew all too well that a concussion could be nothing but it could also feel like nothing and turn into something bad. He’d been telling Sam for years now that old VW van of his was a deathtrap. He’d seen them look like accordions after a wreck. No telling how bad the wreck had really been. Sam was too old to be dealing with that shit.
He listened to his voicemail next: the first from Sam telling him he’d be late and arguing with someone else in the background then two from Abel saying basically the same thing he’d said in the texts. The last one was from Abel again just a few minutes earlier. In it, he wasn’t as calm as in the first two.
“Sam’s pissing me off. Nobody’s heard from you in hours, and he’s the only one that knows where you are, but he ain’t talking. Call me now, Hector, or I swear to God, concussion or not, I’ll go down to that hospital and beat it out of that old man.”
“Damn it.” He hung up and hit speed dial.
“Something wrong?” Leticia asked, pulling away just slightly.
“Yeah, there is. Do you two have a car here?”
They both shook their heads. “No, we were dropped off and were gonna call and get a ride until . . .”
Abel answered just then. “Where the hell are you!”
Hector motioned to Leticia to give him a second. He explained quickly about the tournament and having to turn off his phone then asked about Sam.
“How’s he doing?”
“Good enough. You know him. He’s probably driving everyone crazy at that hospital. I guess he’s got some hemorrhaging in his brain, but he ain’t saying much more.” Abel chuckled. “He says they’re full of shit. He feels just fine.”
Hector was still focused on the words that scared the hell out of him. He’s got some hemorrhaging in his brain.
As soon as he was off the phone with Abel, he asked the girls where they wanted to be dropped off and apologized for having to postpone their night together. He skidded out of the parking lot, his heart racing in fear. He should’ve known something was wrong when Sam never showed up. The only thing that would’ve kept Sam from being here today was death itself or being held against his will. Hector was only grateful it was the latter.