The Assistant Coach (BOOK 1: OMEN KING SERIES)

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Leia Welsh

"I swear, I have no idea who these people are. Why am I stuck in this dump? It's always the poor souls like me, who were actually cooperating," I grumble, gripping the icy metal bars that are trapping me in this godforsaken place.

Ari plops down next to Owen, giving me a pout. "Leia, you're not just going to abandon me with these thugs, are you?" She asks, causing me to roll my eyes so hard I think they might get stuck in the back of my head.

"I'm sorry Miss, but all of your friends here said you were involved," The officer, with his smug grin and chocolate donut, is the epitome of unhelpfulness.

I shoot him a glare, wishing I could snatch that donut out of his hand and stuff it in his face.

"Involved? Involved in what, exactly?" I snap.

I can feel the chill of the cell seeping into my bones, making me shiver involuntarily.

The fluorescent lights above flicker ominously, casting a sickly glow over everyone. I notice the grime coating every crack,

making me wonder if cleanliness is just a foreign concept in this hellhole.

Ari leans in closer to Owen, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't believe we got ourselves into this mess," she mutters, her eyes wide with a combination of fear and excitement.

I can't decide if she's genuinely scared or just enjoying the drama of it all.

Athena lets out a bitter laugh, the sound echoing off the grimy walls. "Well, what did you expect, Ari?"

I shift uncomfortably on the hard metal bench, the cold seeping into my bones.

Owen, Ari, and Ant are squished together on one side, looking dejected and tired. Adam, the idiot who got us into this mess, is standing in the corner looking unfazed.

Athena and Warren are huddled together on the other side, whispering to each other.

"This is all his fault," Owen's eyes narrow as he looks at Adam, clearly blaming him for our predicament.

Adam just rolls his eyes, clearly not taking any of this seriously.

"Agreed," Warren, with his bruised fist, looks like he's about to explode with anger.

I can't believe I'm stuck in here because of these idiots. How long are we supposed to stay in this cramped, smelly cell?

And why am I getting dragged into this mess when all I did was stand there and watch?

And of course, Ant is calmly asleep!

I saunter over to Adam, taking note of his slightly bruised face as I reach out to touch it. The bruise looks pretty gnarly, but before I can even offer some sympathy, Adam jerks my hand away, avoiding my gaze.

Well, fine then, no need for my compassion.

In a surprising move, Adam leans in and rests his head on my shoulder before enveloping me in a hug.

My eyes widen in shock - what's gotten into this guy all of a sudden?

"I won't bail on the deal, especially now that I can't stand that guy," Adam whispers softly, his words meant for my ears only.

The annoyance radiating from the rest of the group behind me is palpable, their glares practically burning holes in my back. But all I can do is stay silent. Adam's basically terrible, just as I thought, his motives are purely selfish.

As we stand there in our awkward embrace, I can't help but feel a twinge of something unfamiliar stirring within me.

Could it be... gratitude? Nah, probably just heartburn.