Tied Up: A Bad Boy Sports Romance: Triple Threat Series, #3

By LEXI CROSS

Tied Up is book 3 of the Triple Threat series. Parts 1-9 can be found everywhere now!

Book 1: Wrapped Up
Book 2: Knocked Up
Book 3: Tied Up
Book 4: Pinned Down
Book 5: Down for the Count
Book 6: Touch Me Down
Book 7: Locked In
Book 8: Locked On Him
Book 9: Lock It Up

In Brooke Scott's world, business comes before pleasure.

Brooke has been running her father's company for almost ten years. She's itching to take the reins for herself, but her father refuses to let her fully take charge until she's found herself a husband. She hates the idea, but he's as stubborn as they come, and she doesn't stand a chance of changing his mind. The problem is, there's no one who fits the bill… until she runs across her old flame, now a famous football star. Maybe, just maybe, he's the one.

All-American heartthrob Jake Hall is too busy enjoying the limelight to care about anything else.

But with a new owner determined to clean up the football team's bad boy image, Jake is under a lot of pressure to find a steady girl. He never wanted to be a role model, but it's the only way to stay in the owner's good graces. If he doesn't, he risks getting shipped right out of town. He's never been too picky when it comes to his girls – blond or brunette, curvy or slim – but when it comes to a life partner, he wants to make sure it's the perfect match.

But love doesn't follow the rules of the game.

A random encounter between Brooke and Jake sends them both hurtling down memory lane. They had a thing, once upon a time, but when it didn't work out, they went their separate ways. Now that the world has brought them back together, they might each be just what the other one is looking for.

What starts as a business arrangement quickly becomes a whole lot more, as Jake and Brooke rediscover the electricity dancing between them. But just when it seems like there is hope for a future together, tragedy strikes.

The question is, will they survive it?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sopris Page Press
• Release date: Jan 19, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386383949

Book preview

TIED UP: Triple Threat Sports Romance (Book #3)

By Lexi Cross

In Brooke Scott's world, business comes before pleasure.

Brooke has been running her father's company for almost ten years. She's itching to take the reins for herself, but her father refuses to let her fully take charge until she's found herself a husband. She hates the idea, but he's as stubborn as they come, and she doesn't stand a chance of changing his mind. The problem is, there's no one who fits the bill... until she runs across her old flame, now a famous football star. Maybe, just maybe, he's the one.

All-American heartthrob Jake Hall is too busy enjoying the limelight to care about anything else.

But with a new owner determined to clean up the football team's bad boy image, Jake is under a lot of pressure to find a steady girl. He never wanted to be a role model, but it's the only way to stay in the owner's good graces. If he doesn't, he risks getting shipped right out of town. He's never been too picky when it comes to his girls – blond or brunette, curvy or slim – but when it comes to a life partner, he wants to make sure it's the perfect match.

But love doesn't follow the rules of the game.

A random encounter between Brooke and Jake sends them both hurtling down memory lane. They had a thing, once upon a time, but when it didn't work out, they went their separate ways. Now that the world has brought them back together, they might each be just what the other one is looking for.

What starts as a business arrangement quickly becomes a whole lot more, as Jake and Brooke rediscover the electricity dancing between them. But just when it seems like there is hope for a future together, tragedy strikes.

The question is, will they survive it?

Chapter 1

Jake

H ere’s to the life , Lucky said, holding up his shot glass.

The life, Harley and I repeated. The three of us slammed our shots back and set the glasses back on the bar.

I didn’t know how much I’d had to drink at that point. All I knew was it felt good not to have to worry about going home at a specific time. It felt good to just be hanging out with the guys again, just to be part of the network once more.

Man, I can’t believe you were thinking about getting married just to make Mr. Clark happy. That’s too much, Lucky said, his voice starting to slur a little bit.

His mannerisms were hilarious at that point. I was definitely drunker than I had been in a long time, but I didn’t have to be at practice in the morning like the guys had to. I didn’t have to do shit if I didn’t want to. I could have stayed home and slept all day if I wanted to because Coach Hawkins didn’t want to see me while I was injured. He’d put up with me being in the office just because he knew he couldn’t keep me away from the headquarters completely.

Well, the guys were going to make sure I didn’t show up the next day. I was going to really feel all the drinks I had in the morning when I woke up hungover as hell. I realized I hadn’t said anything back to Lucky yet, but I decided it was time to get out of my head and start talking again.

Man, the only reason I was agreeing to it was because I wanted to get a piece of that ass again. You don’t even know. Back in school, she was the best I had, man, I said, my words slurring so badly even I could hear it. I knew I was just talking shit, but part of it was true. Brooke had been one of my fondest memories of high school and dating.

Whatever, you know you were falling in love, punk. Harley smacked me on my back.

Yeah, that’s why you’re out drinking tonight, man. You’re not celebrating. You’re trying to drink her off your mind, and it doesn’t seem to be working, Lucky added.

Nope, she’s all in your eyes, Jake.

Cut me some slack, guys. I’ve been domesticated since before the season started. It’s going to take some time to get back into the swing of things, I argued, barely able to hold my head up. I was in pretty bad shape.

I wanted to get into worse shape. I wanted to drink it all away, though I wasn’t really sure they had enough alcohol in the whole bar for me to do that.

You sure do make a lot of excuses when you’re drinking, Lucky said.

Alright, fine, I said, taking a deep breath and forcing myself to sit up straight. It was time to put my weak ass emotions behind me. It was time for me to show the guys I was still the same Jake Hall I was when this season started.

Oh shit, I heard Harley said.

I slapped my hand on the bar. Bartender. Two rounds of whiskey, I shouted out. A moment later, we had six shots in front of us, two shots each.

"Two rounds," Lucky said, grabbing both of his shots at the same time.

I blinked away my double vision. I didn’t have time to be weak. I needed to be strong, for myself, for my team, for the network of guys depending on us to keep all of our numbers and money in order.

I don’t want to hear it. You sorry asses have been giving me shit all night. No more. You want to talk trash to me, you have got to back it up. I took my shots, one in each hand, and downed them back to back. They went down like water, telling me I had definitely reached my limit. I had an unspoken rule when it came to drinking. Once I couldn’t taste it, it was time to stop.

Besides, I wanted to find someone to take home with me, and I had to stop drinking so I could make it worth some lucky girl’s time to come home with the Jake Hall. I turned around to order a beer, to help settle my stomach. Those last two shots were starting to fight with me. Truthfully, I needed something to eat, something heavy to add weight to my stomach, but I figured a dark beer would have been just as good.

The bartender handed me the bottle, and I shook my head.

What, is that not what you wanted? he asked.

It’s not that, man. I can’t believe she called off the wedding.

Oh, that sucks. Hey, those last shots and that beer are on me. That’s rough. If you want, I can make you a drink that will take your memory of her away, he offered.

I believe you, I laughed, but I don’t think it’s that serious tonight, man. I still have to make it home and function at some point tomorrow.

He nodded. Fair enough, but let me know if you change your mind.

I sat with my beer in my hand, staring at my tired face in the mirror behind the bar. I was in pain. My injury was hurting, and it was hurting me through the alcohol. I told myself it was all just in my head and that I was imagining it because I didn’t want to admit how upset I really was over Brooke.

I laughed and shook my head, taking a long drink from my bottle. Brooke and I had broken up once before back in high school, right before we both left for college. We should have left it that way. We shouldn’t have tampered with fate by trying to get back together for any reason at all.

So stupid, I said to myself. Hey, wait a minute.

I turned around to see where Lucky and Harley had gone off to, remembering that I hadn’t actually come to the bar alone. I had met them there to drink away my sorrows and find a nice, sweet piece of ass to take home with me. My sorrows were starting to fade, but I didn’t think I was going to be much for a piece of ass by the time the night was