Penalty: A Bad Boy Sports Romance (Alpha Second Chances Book 3) Read Online Free Page A

girlfriend. He’s so casual about it!
    I stop walking, bringing my fingers to my forehead and making him halt his steps to turn to me.
    “So let me get this straight—you’re saying now that you’ve found new prey—I mean a new challenge… crap, why can’t I get this right? Anyway, now that you’re pretending to be into me, you’re going to dump your girlfriend, who’s been with you for however long, just like that? You think this makes you more attractive the way you’re happy to jump from one to the next? I’m supposed to fall all over you and let you pick me up and run me back to your cave?”
    I think I actually see hurt on his face this time, and I feel a definite pang of regret, deepening with each passing second.
    I can’t handle the guilt—I can’t handle anything he handed me in the past minute or so, so I turn away from him to leave.
    Before I can get far and settle into a quickened gait, I feel a large warm hand on my arm.
    “Maddy,” Abe says in a way that immediately freezes my struggle against him.
    He uttered my name with such warmth, such familiarity, it utterly confuses me for a moment.
    Well, it confused my brain—my body is again in traitor mode, leaning toward him, melting for him, aching for more than just his large warm hand on my skinny arm.
    “You don’t get to call me Maddy!” I manage to say, outraged, finally returning to struggling against his spell while I pull my arm away from his delicious grip. “You don’t know me like that. Only friends and family get to call me Maddy.”
    It angers and frustrates me that he has this much power over me and I don’t know what to do about it!
    I feel so defenseless against him, and that kind of vulnerability is most definitely unwelcome.
    This is the kind of boy my mom warned me about—a guy like this could easily push me off track. I could end up delaying my goals and dreams because my eyes, my arms, my body can’t get enough of him.
    I’d be a slave to my emotions—my addiction to him—until he says it’s over, and then I’d be left to pick up the pieces and try to move on and make up for lost time while he journeys on, unimpeded.
    Men don’t let anyone stop them , my mom’s voice whispers in my head, reminding me.
    Girls usually change their plans for guys, hedging their bets, while men rarely take the same risk. In the end, the guys are still on the same path they meant to be on, with or without you.
    Abe’s about to say something to me while I fight getting trapped in his sea-green eyes again when his gaze suddenly breaks from mine.
    His eyes fixate on something behind me, off to the side.
    I can tell he’s working on masking his true reaction, and he does a damned good job because I certainly don’t expect to see a stunning blonde heading for us as I turn, her dark blue eyes almost murderous.
    I have no doubt this is Bethany, and I take a moment to appreciate her physical perfection.
    She has a symmetrical face, wide blue eyes, and a bow mouth painted red.
    Her makeup is flawless—enhancing her features without overwhelming her face, her long lashes framing her ocean-colored eyes beautifully.
    Her blond hair looks professionally styled—like she has a beauty team with her from the moment she wakes up.
    I wonder how long it actually takes her to get dressed?
    Takes me about twelve minutes to shower, moisturize, and get ready—if I don’t count doing my hair. I don’t have to bother with my hair the majority days anyway—I just brush the sides and top, maybe tighten the bun or twist a little. I try to deal with the entire length of my hair once a week or less.
    But this girl—she probably rivals my longest time, even without having as much hair.
    Her nails are in a clean French manicure, not a wrinkle to be seen on her clothes.
    For some stupid reason, my eyes scan her fingers for a ring.
    She’s wearing one, but on a finger that doesn’t matter.
    Her gaze locks on me for what feels like an uncomfortably long