The Defender (Gods of the Game, #2)

by Ana Huang

But fuck, she just…comforted me. When I talked to her, I felt like everything would work out.

A moment where I allowed myself to imagine a world where Brooklyn was my girlfriend, not just my plus-one. In that world, I could kiss her whenever I wanted. We’d wake up in the same bed and fall asleep in each other’s arms. I’d take her to my favorite restaurants, and we’d walk along the river after, hand in hand. She’d wear my shirt number to matches, but that wouldn’t be all. In that world, I would’ve pulled the car off to the side of the road the other night and shown her exactly who she belonged to. Not fucking Mason, who had the balls to ask her out like he deserved her. Not any of the guys on the team who secretly had a crush on her. Me. Because I was the one who wanted her so much that I couldn’t breathe when she was near. One glimpse of her skin, one graze of her fingers, and I’d almost crashed the damn car. It’d taken all my willpower not to react when I’d been silently dying inside.

What matters is getting back up after you’ve been knocked down.

“Stop letting fear hold you back.