Maid For Beckett Catching The Baseball Legend’s Heart novel Chapter 12

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I dragged the mountain of muddy uniforms to the laundry room. It was tucked behind the kitchen, and even this laundry room was three times the size of our trailer house. It smelled of fresh lemons, warm, and the industrial washers looked like they belonged to a laundry business in the city. I doubted these washers ever got used to their full potential–until tonight.

I dropped the pile of muddy uniforms on the floor. It stared at me like a mountain daring me to climb it.

I took a deep breath, rolled up my sleeves, and eyed the obstacle my boss had placed in front of me for tonight.

“Remember, it’s as easy as one, two, three,” I muttered to myself, lifting the first uniform from the pile. My face scrunched, and I couldn’t help but cough at the pungent scent that hit me. Sweat and stinky mud clung to the white fabric, adding another layer of hurdles in my path.

“One uniform at a time, Andi,” I said, shoving the first load in.

The washer groaned as if it wanted to file a complaint.

By the time I stuffed the second load inside, sweat clung to my back, my arms ached, and I knew everyone’s jersey number and surnames. While waiting for the washer to be done, my stomach thundered like a raging storm. I peeked at my phone. It was barely nine, and I was running low on caffeine.

I had spent over twenty–four hours in this place, and Beckett had already pushed my body to the limit. I hated swallowing my pride, but a woman with bills to pay needed to bend a knee for someone with a nasty attitude like Beckett. As long as he wasn’t lifting a hand on me, I’d be fine, I convinced myself.

A knock on the doorframe made me jolt. My heart nearly leaped inside one of the washers from shock. I placed a hand over my chest, blowing a heavy breath when Jace stepped inside the laundry room.

“Gosh, you scared me,” I said with a trembling giggle.

“Uh, you were in deep thought,” he said, walking toward me with two slices of pizza on a plate and a canned soda in his hands. “I called you twice. I thought something had happened to you.”

“Oh,” I pushed the wayward strands of my hair behind my ears, suddenly aware that I was alone in the laundry room with Jace. It was different having him here alone. I couldn’t deny the fact that Jace was just as attractive as my boss, with his messy blond hair, striking green eyes, and a body carved by the gods themselves. I couldn’t imagine how much discipline it takes to maintain their athletic physiques.

Jace cleared his throat, a teasing smile on his lips, and stood beside me at the metal table.

“I was just thinking about laundry. Yeah, yeah, laundry,” I blabbered, stumbling on my thoughts.

Jace chuckled, pushing the plate of pizza toward me. “I brought you dinner.”

As if on cue, my stomach growled again. Heat crept over my skin. I think even my butt cheeks were beet red.

I accepted the offered food. There was no use in denying myself food. “Thanks.”

Jace hummed, opening the canned soda for me. Then he looked straight ahead, as though giving me the go signal to gobble up the dinner he brought. I placed the plate down on the table, took one slice of pizza, and moaned as the delicious food hit my palate.

This pizza was miles away from the one we served at the bar. I could taste every flavor in every bite–the mozzarella cheese, ham, pineapples, bacon–and even the dough was made with high–quality ingredients I can’t even afford for our trailer

truck kitchen..

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Chapter 12

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Jace chuckled as he stared down at me, then shook his head and leaned his enormous body against the metal table. “No one has ever lasted this long without shedding tears.”

“Hmmm?” I hummed, my mouth full of pizza.

“Beckett. The tennis balls, the shopping list. I’m surprised you’re not crying for help at the precinct,” he said, taking me by surprise.

I swallowed a huge chunk of pizza. It slid down my throat. “You mean this is his natural attitude?”

I get it now. He didn’t just bring me dinner; he also wanted to know if I was crying my heart out in front of these washing machines. That’s really thoughtful of him.

“No,” Jace’s green eyes sparkled with amusement. “He’s not usually this acrid toward their house help, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“Ahh,” I nodded and took the second slice of pizza. I could eat this food until the day I died, and I wouldn’t complain. “I can handle whatever he throws at me. Your uniforms are disgusting, by the way. Did you guys wrestle in a swamp?”

He laughed–deep, easy, the kind that made the room feel less suffocating. “Pretty much. Scrimmage got heated.”

“Tell your fearless leader that his laundry demands are nothing against Andi.” I flexed my left arm, showing him my muscles like a Mr. Universe would.

Jace hollered. His laugh was too infectious–I laughed as well. “You’re different,” he said. “I like you, Andi girl.” He ruffled my hair, and I glared at him. He seemed to have grown fond of messing up my hair.

“I’m glad you think I’m likable. The overgrown toddler doesn’t.” My eyes widened when I realized what I’d just called my boss. I was lucky Jace took the pun in my statement.

“He isn’t always like that, you know. He’s just in a rough place right now, and I really hope you can stay with the family for good.” He spoke as if Beckett weren’t only his teammate, but a brother. If Beckett had friends like Jace, maybe he wasn’t that

bad.

“I’m only here for the job,” I said, cutting off whatever hopes Jace’s kind words were planting on my chest. This work was only temporary. I might have the will to stay in this job, but if Beckett continued to wear me out, I feared my body would give out first.

“Well, the longer you work here, the better for the family,” he said, pushing off from the table. It was like he was just waiting for me to finish my food. “We’re leaving now. See you soon, Andi.”

“Thanks.” I grinned at Jace.

He gave me a gentle tap on the head–more like tapping a toddler–before turning toward the exit “Goodnight. Andi girl Don’t let Baby Beckett drive you crazy.”

I snorted. “Too late.”

By the time I left the laundry room, the house was quieter. The music had died down, the boys‘ voices gone, leaving only the faint echo of the pool filtering through the night air.

I hugged my arms to my chest as I walked through the mansion to reach the backyard. The hallways were dim, shadows crawling across the high ceilings. Despite knowing Basil and the dogs were somewhere on the property, the silence felt écrie.

I passed by the kitchen and was halfway towards the Casita when I heard it.

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014

Chapter 12

CRASH

A violent, shattering sound ripped through the second floor.

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1 froze. Every horror movie I’d ever seen flashed in my mind. Serial killer? Burglar? Demon who hates luxury property?

My heart hammered as I stared at the second floor of the mansion. It was too dim to see what was happening inside. I debated calling Basil and going upstairs to see if Beckett was unharmed. His room was on the second floor, right across from the pool.

What if someone was already trying to kill him? Ugh!

I sneaked inside the mansion through the back door. Another rustle rumbled from upstairs, louder this time, followed by a low grunt.

Oh god. Someone is definitely up there.

Curiosity or stupidity–sometimes they felt the same–pulled me up the grand staircase. When I reached the second floor, I followed the trail of noise until I stopped at a half–open door.

Beckett’s room.

The crash wasn’t a burglar.

It was him–my boss.

“Sir?” I murmured, choking on the lump lodged in my throat as I nudged the door wider.

The room was dark except for the warm glow of a lamp knocked sideways on the floor. On the hardwood, glittering like fallen stars, were pieces of broken glass–whiskey pooling between them.

And in the middle of the mess, Beckett crouched, shirtless, breathing hard. His left hand was shaking violently as he tried to pick up the shards one by one.

Blood dripped from his palm, soiling the whiskey.

“Sir?” I gasped, stepping inside. “What happened?”

He jerked his head up, eyes wild like I’d caught him drowning. “Get out.”

I ignored that and knelt beside him. “You’re bleeding. Stop picking them up! Why are you picking them up?!”

Blood didn’t scare me entirely, but seeing someone bleeding messes with my head. The thick crimson liquid was blinding me, as if I were looking at the world through red plastic.

“Andi- His voice was trembling and hoarse, not from fear but from fury. “I said get out!”

I reached for his hand anyway, gently prying his fingers away from the piece of glass. The blood on his palms was thick; I couldn’t see how many cuts he’d done to himself.

“Jesus, Beckett.” My voice was tense with concern. “Let me help! Let go of the glass!”

He yanked back, but his fingers twitched–uncontrollably. A spasm, then panic sets in as his jaw locks,

Anyone with eyes could see this was more than just a broken whiskey bottle.

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2:16 pm

PW

Chapter 12

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Something was wrong with him.

He curled his injured hand into a fist, the muscles in his shoulder tightening painfully–as if he were trying to force it to calm down, yet it wouldn’t follow.

His breathing grew heavier, as if a truckload of bricks were piling onto his chest rapidly. The tension inside the room was thick: I could almost touch it with my bare hands. His eyes blazed with fury and something I couldn’t put a finger on.

Fear. Panic. Worry.

Something was happening to him, and he didn’t want me to see it.

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