Rumor Has It I'm Dating the Football Captain

Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Two Contracts, Two Mistakes

The air conditioning in the private hotel suite was turned up entirely too high. It blew freezing air directly onto the back of Mason’s neck.

His entire body ached with a deep, throbbing exhaustion. He had run intense defensive drills in the brutal Miami humidity for four straight hours this morning. His muscles felt like lead.

He sat in a heavy leather chair. He ran a tired hand through his dyed black hair. He forced his dark eyes to stay completely focused on the thick stack of papers resting on the mahogany table.

Marcus sat right next to him. The sports agent wore a sharp gray suit. He tapped a silver pen rhythmically against the wood.

”The terms are exactly what we discussed,” Marcus said smoothly.

Mr. Sterling sat across from them. He was the head scout for the top London club in the WFA. He did not look like a typical football coach. He wore a quiet, expensive watch and a very polite, calculated smile.

”A direct pre-contract,” Mr. Sterling confirmed. He slid the paperwork forward across the table. ”We have been watching your stats all week, Mason. Your defensive tackles are absolutely flawless. We do not want to wait for the official academy transfer window to open. We want to secure your signature tonight.”

Mason stared at the printed words.

If he signed this document, Director Hayes lost all his power. Elena lost all her leverage. He would bypass the toxic academy completely and lock in a massive professional career on his own terms.

”Director Hayes will not be happy about a back channel deal,” Marcus noted casually.

”Director Hayes does not own me,” Mason stated flatly.

Mason picked up the silver pen. He did not hesitate for a single second. He signed his name on the bottom line. The ink bled darkly into the crisp white paper, sealing his future.

Mr. Sterling smiled. He stood up and reached his hand across the table.

”Welcome to London, Mr. Calloway,” Sterling said.

Mason shook his hand firmly. A massive, heavy weight instantly lifted off his chest. The suffocating pressure of the last few weeks vanished completely. He was finally free.

”Thank you, sir,” Mason replied.

Sterling left the room. Marcus started packing the signed contracts into a secure leather briefcase.

”You took a massive risk,” Marcus pointed out. He clicked the briefcase shut. ”If the London club backed out at the last minute, Hayes would have destroyed your career.”

”I do not play games with my life,” Mason said. He stood up from his chair. His tired muscles protested loudly, but he ignored the pain. ”I am going to pack my bags. I am leaving Florida tonight.”

”What about the sponsor dinner?” Marcus asked. ”Elena is expecting you to walk the red carpet with her in an hour.”

Mason pulled his brand new phone out of his pocket. He looked at the blank screen.

”I have to make one quick stop first,” Mason said coldly. ”I need to find Elena. I need to tell her we are officially breaking up, and she can explain it to her father however she wants.”

The digital clock on the nightstand glowed a harsh, bright red.

8:58 PM.

Zoya sat on the very edge of her mattress. The room was completely silent. The only sound was the quiet, steady ticking of the wall clock.

She smoothed her hands over her lap. She wore a simple, dark silk robe. Her dark hair was tied back perfectly. She had cleaned her bedroom twice today. The environment was entirely sterile and controlled.

A quiet knock sounded at the front door.

Zoya stood up immediately. Her heart gave a sudden, violent thump against her ribs. She took a slow, measured breath to calm her racing pulse. She walked out of her bedroom and pulled the front door open.

Jackson stood in the hallway.

He wore a plain black t-shirt and faded jeans. His messy brown hair fell slightly into his eyes. He did not smile. He looked completely serious and incredibly focused.

”You are very punctual,” Zoya noted.

”It is Tuesday at nine,” Jackson replied. His deep voice rumbled quietly in the empty hallway. ”I signed the contract, Zoya. I follow your rules.”

Zoya stepped aside. She let him into the apartment. The living room was entirely dark. Audrey was fast asleep in her room. Chloe was working late at the library.

Jackson followed Zoya into her bedroom. He heard the door click shut and lock behind him.

He looked around the room. The thick law textbooks were stacked neatly on the desk. The bedsheets were perfectly crisp and untouched. Everything looked exactly like a cold business transaction.

Jackson looked at Zoya. She stood by the edge of the bed. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest. She looked incredibly tense.

”You look like you are preparing for a medical exam,” Jackson said softly.

”I am just maintaining our boundaries,” Zoya stated. Her voice was slightly stiff.

Jackson walked closer. He stopped just a few inches away from her. The familiar scent of his expensive cologne filled the small space. Zoya felt her throat go totally dry.

”You scheduled this, encyclopedia,” Jackson reminded her quietly. ”But you are shaking.”

”I am not shaking,” Zoya lied smoothly. ”It is just cold in here.”

Jackson reached out. He gently wrapped his large, warm hands around her delicate wrists. He slowly pulled her arms uncrossed. He stepped completely into her personal space.

”You wrote a contract to protect yourself,” Jackson whispered. He looked down into her wide, nervous eyes. ”You want the physical comfort, but you want to stay completely detached in your head. You want to stay perfectly in control.”

”Yes,” Zoya breathed.

”It is not going to work,” Jackson promised.

He let go of her wrists. He slid his hands up to her waist. He pulled her flush against his solid chest.

Zoya gasped softly. The intense, burning heat of his skin instantly short circuited her logical brain.

Jackson did not rush. He leaned down and kissed her. It was slow and completely deliberate. He kissed her jawline. He kissed the sensitive skin just below her ear.

Zoya closed her eyes. Her breath hitched loudly in the quiet room. Her hands instinctively reached up. She grabbed the fabric of his black t-shirt. She pulled him closer. She needed to feel him. She needed the physical comfort she had been missing for weeks.

”Jackson,” Zoya whispered.

”I am right here,” Jackson replied.

He guided her backward until the back of her knees hit the edge of the mattress. He followed her down. The sterile, controlled atmosphere of the room shattered completely.

Zoya tried to hold onto her strict logic. She told herself this was just an agreement. It was just a schedule on a piece of paper. They were just fulfilling a physical requirement.

But as Jackson touched her, as he looked at her with such intense, raw focus, her icy walls began to crack. She felt entirely consumed by him. The physical connection was incredibly strong. The emotional distance she demanded was totally impossible to maintain.

He brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face. His touch was surprisingly gentle for someone so chaotic.

”You think too much,” Jackson murmured against her skin.

”I have to think,” Zoya argued weakly. ”I need order.”

”You just need to let go,” Jackson said.

He pulled her into a deep, heavy kiss. Zoya completely surrendered to the intense heat of the moment. She stopped thinking about her midterms. She stopped thinking about the rules she had written.

She knew she was in terrible trouble. The signed contract meant absolutely nothing. The logic was completely gone. She was already falling for him, and she had absolutely no idea how to stop it.