UNDER PRESSURE (Diamond Girls #5)

Chapter 2-1

2

Cheers erupted all around her. Everyone sprang to their feet. Marshall straightened his suit, and for a second, he looked like he was going to cry. Then, he turned and scooped Stacia up in his arms. She clung to his suit for balance, and then he kissed her full on the mouth.

This was the moment. This was his defining greatness. The road he had been on his entire life had culminated into the here and now.

She was excited for him. Happy that he had been drafted. He deserved it even if LV State had suffered some tough losses with him as quarterback. But the strongest emotion was relief. Now, it was over.

Marshall finally released her, hugged his mom and dad, shook Jude’s hand, and then walked away from them. Stacia watched him make that momentous walk through the back room to the door that led to the stage. Then, all eyes were fixed on the screen that showed Marshall taking a hat and jersey and smiling for the cameras.

It was over practically before it’d started.

The clock started over.

Seven minutes.

Then, another lucky player would be drafted, and attention would shift once more.

Marshall was giving an interview to an ESPN reporter. The woman was pretty with dark hair and long eyelashes. Stacia recognized her as a sideline reporter during the football season. God, Stacia couldn’t imagine how amazing it would be to interview players, to watch and discuss football, to get paid to do what she loved. That girl had a dream job.

Marshall was still talking to the reporter when Stacia and his family were ushered away from their seats and escorted to a waiting room for when Marshall was finished.

The whole thing happened unbelievably fast. When Marshall returned to her side, he returned as an NFL quarterback. He let her know that he would have a few meetings to attend, and then the team was going to take him and his family out for dinner.

“So, just head back to the hotel, and get all dressed up for me,” Marshall said when they finally had a minute alone. “Go to the spa. Relax. Get your hair and makeup done. I want everyone to see that I have the hottest girlfriend here.”

Stacia opened her mouth to say something, anything, but Marshall just kissed her.

“Make sure you wear some of your sexy lingerie underneath,” he said suggestively against her mouth. “I want to celebrate.”

“Marshall…” she breathed.

Fuck. The last thing she was thinking about was celebrating.

“I’ll see you tonight,” he said.

And then he disappeared, leaving her alone with his parents, who frankly didn’t like her. They never said anything to her face, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t see the accusation pointed her way. She gave them a tight-lipped smile before agreeing to take a cab back to the hotel with them.

By the time she got back up to her and Marshall’s room, she was exhausted and irritated. She hadn’t wanted to be rude to his parents, so even though her phone had been vibrating more often than the fastest setting of her own toy back home, she hadn’t touched it to see who was messaging her.

Now, she finally could.

And she immediately wished she hadn’t.

She had a bunch of messages from Bryna, Trihn, and their friend Maya, a few from her brother, a handful from her father, and one from Pace. She ignored all the others and opened his first.

You looked hot as f**k on TV.

God, has he been drinking?

She didn’t know what other explanation there was for him to be messaging her. Unless he was just toying with her and being a d**k, which were both his specialty.

Because she was in a particularly shitty place at the moment, she texted him back.

Thanks.

It’s too bad.

Stacia bit her lip. He was baiting her. She shouldn’t ask. That was what he wanted. But she couldn’t stop herself.

What is?

That you chose wrong, and you won’t be on TV for the #1 pick next year.

Dick.

Stacia fumed. Chose wrong? As if he’d let her choose. Then, out of anger, she jotted out another text.

You couldn’t even make the starting position this year. You have to prove yourself on the field before you can make such outlandish claims.

But he must have already been typing because, halfway through her message, another one came in. She sent hers and then opened the next text.

I remember you liked mine better.

Fuck off! I have no interest in your d**k or otherwise after you slept with Madison!

And you were sleeping with Marshall.

Not true. She hadn’t started sleeping with Marshall until they began dating in the middle of last semester. But, even though she had been sleeping with Pace last semester, she hadn’t double-dipped. It just so happened…that she hadn’t told Pace that. Or told Marshall that she’d f****d Pace. Some things were best left unsaid.

I can’t deal with you right now.

That’s just us, Pink.

Stacia flopped back onto the bed and closed her eyes.

Pink.

Fuck, she hadn’t heard that in such a long time. Pace had given her that goddamn nickname all those years ago. The first time they’d officially met freshman year, she had been dressed in a hot-pink tube dress, despite the frigid temperature. He’d said it was adorable and brushed the tip of her nose like she was just the cutest thing he had ever seen. He’d called her Pink all night before she’d finally given him her name. And then she’d realized that he was Bryna’s stepbrother and totally, one hundred percent off-limits.

Don’t call me that.

Don’t tell me that I still affect you. I’m sure you’ll forget all about my little nickname for you when you’re giving some good head tonight. I’ll think about you while I get some, too.

Stacia ground her teeth together and tossed her phone aside. Prick.

Why?

Why had she answered his text messages? Now, she was pissed and wanted to throttle him. And she was horny. She hated that he was the best lay she had ever had. Hated it. Why couldn’t it have been someone who was less of a total asshole? Why couldn’t it have been Marshall? Maybe she could have put aside the other things if Marshall were phenomenal in bed. And he wasn’t bad, but once you’d had the best, it was hard not to compare.

Stacia hopped off the bed in frustration—s****l and otherwise—and headed to the shower. She needed to masturbate to clear her head and then get her thoughts in order, so she could figure out what in the actual f**k she was going to say to Marshall later.