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Isaac

You’ve heard of the donite an entire chain reaction The kind that blows up and everyone gets burned who is in the ring of fire One da you have no control over for the panic to spread For shit to hit the fan

It was happening arounddown in flames I didn’t kno to stop it

It was one of those defining moments When the men came forward and the boys fell to the back of the line

I could see it on their faces Some were ready to stake their claiet the hell out

I had to decide what Isaac Price wanted What I would take from this Hoould walk away a winner

Because that’s who I was

I stared at ain, I wiped the sweat froet in the damn shower Practice had been hot as hell I peeled the wet shirt over e was still there I wanted to make sure this wasn’t some kind of sick joke

“Fuck,” I murmured “The old man died? No” I shook my head

“What did you say?” Dylan punched ht you by at least fifty out there today? Better watch out or one of those rookies is going to give you his seat on the bench”

He had just walked out of the ice bath His toas tucked around his waist There was a puddle collecting on the floor under his feet

Dylan and the rest of the teaut Yet

“I thought you slept off last night,” he joked “It was the brunette, wasn’t it? She did you in I knehen I saw those hips she was going to be one hell of a ride”

I shook my head “It’s not her”

Crawling out of bed this irl sleeping while I dressed for work I was never late to practice It was an old military habit I couldn’t break

It was ingrained in ive a shit about yourself It didn’t irl was I left under my sheets—she didn’t mean more than my character and reputation

I was here on time like I was every day

“Then what is it?” Dylan looked confused He had taken a blonde home from the bar He drank until he didn’t remember her name And like always, he was the last one at practice

I turned toward my best friend I held my phone toward his face “Read it” He leaned forward

His eyes darted back and forth, scanning the team alert text

“Fuck,” he whispered “Is this for real?”

I nodded “I guess so It’s from HR They wouldn’t pull a prank like this No way”