Hell Bent by Becky McGraw Read Free Book Online Page B

on a trajectory he knew would put it right into the center of the net. 
    Swoosh—all net, baby . 
    Hawk cursed, and Cade grinned in victory. 
    “That’s ten, Jordan —don’t ever take your eye off of the ball,” he said breathing hard, as he bent over to put his palms on his knees and catch his breath.  Hawk didn’t even respond to the trash talk, he just stood there slack-jawed, staring at the front entrance.  Cade stood, and swiped his forearm over his eyes before turning to see what held both Hawk and Jaxson’s rapt attention. 
    He wished he hadn’t looked.  God, why the hell did he have to look?
    Cade frowned as his eyes landed on the badass red Harley he’d seen outside the range yesterday, a sleek and lethal ride he had no problem pairing up with the tatted pretty-boy SEAL he’d met inside.  And just like he’d suspected she would yesterday, Cecelia rode bitch on the back of the raised seat with her arms wrapped tightly around the bastard’s waist, her face resting on his shoulder.  At least she had a fucking helmet on in case she fell off her dangerous perch.
    “I’m out,” Cade grumbled, turning toward the barracks.  “I’m taking a shower and hitting the road to go to Amarillo to visit my sister.”  The last place on earth Cade wanted to be besides here with Cecelia and her SEAL boyfriend. 
    When he and Trace Rooks struck the deal for him to stay in Dallas to cover Ronnie when she came to town for meetings, he thought it was the best move to both stay employed and avoid his father.  What he saw it was now was a waste of his time since Ronnie hadn’t been to town once in the two months he’d been here, and nothing at all had happened in Amarillo either.
    Being in Texas had been a waste of his time altogether. 
    At the barracks door, the loud motor stopped suddenly and Cade tensed when words rang loudly across the courtyard. 
    “That was a freaking amazing shot, dude!” 
    Cade didn’t want to, but released the doorknob and turned to see the SEAL put his helmet on the seat of the bike.  He slid out of his black leather vest, hung it on the handlebars then put his hands on his hips to eyeball Cade. 
    “Let’s see how you do against the former state champion point guard for the Warrington High School Panthers, though.”  He gave Cade a cocky grin and a chin nod.  “I want next game.” 
    Cade sighed.  Turn around—go to the shower like you need to do.  Get in your truck and get the hell out of here.  Do not take the bait to put this guy on his ass . You have nothing to prove to him or to Cecelia. 
    He watched the guy strip off his tight white muscle shirt and his colorful tats appeared in all their full glory.  Standing there in his motorcycle boots and jeans, he held Cade’s eyes as he unbuckled his thick steel-spiked belt and slid it from the loops.  Cecelia’s eyes hovered near his waistband before ticking up every fucking ridge of his tight ab muscles until she met the man’s eyes and his smile matched hers.
    Cade pasted on a grin that hurt his face.  Agreeing to a freaking game just for the pleasure of giving Cecelia a front-row seat to watch him stomp her boyfriend’s ass was about the most immature thing he’d ever done.  He’d passed that stage a long time back. 
    But goddamn, he wanted to do it so bad he could taste it.
    “You’re on,” flew out of Cade’s mouth before he could stop it. “Man on man to ten, you can bring it in.”  Too bad they were one man short for the game, he thought, as he walked back to the court and took the ball from Jaxson.
    If Cade Winters is an example of a real man, I don’t need one.  Now, the SEAL I dated before I came here—he’s a real man. 
    The words he’d overheard Cecelia say to Taylor Kincaid during the op he’d gotten dragged into shortly after he got back to Texas replayed in his mind and Cade gritted his teeth.  When that SEAL reached the edge of the court, Cade threw him the ball—hard—but he