The Harder You Fall Read online

  Also by L. A. Cotton

  Black Hearts Still Beat

  Rush: The Beginning

  Rise: The Interlude

  Rule: The Finale (Coming Soon)

  Chastity Falls

  Loyalty and Lies

  Salvation and Secrets

  Tribulation and Truths

  Affliction

  Redemption and Regrets

  Penance and Promises

  Absolution

  Fate's Love

  Fate's Love

  Love's Spark

  Love Collides

  Liar Liar

  Liar Liar

  Truth or Dare

  Rixon Raiders

  The Trouble With You

  The Game You Play

  The Harder You Fall

  The Endgame Is You (Coming Soon)

  The Maverick Defense Series

  Deliverance

  Verona Legacy

  Prince of Hearts: Nicco & Ari Duet #1 (Coming Soon)

  Wicked Bay

  Wicked Beginnings

  Wicked Rules

  Wicked Lies

  Wicked Games

  Wicked Needs

  Wicked Surprise

  Wicked Hearts

  Wicked Promises

  Wicked Truths

  Wicked Forever (Coming Soon)

  Standalone

  Lucky Penny

  Chastity Falls: Box Set

  Rixon Raiders (The Collection) (Coming Soon)

  Watch for more at L. A. Cotton’s site.

  The Harder You Fall

  Rixon Raiders

  l a cotton

  Contents

  Rixon Raiders

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Epilogue

  Playlist

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also By

  Published by Delesty Books

  * * *

  THE HARDER YOU FALL

  * * *

  First eBook edition

  Copyright © L A Cotton 2019

  All rights reserved.

  * * *

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.

  * * *

  No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes only.

  * * *

  Edited by Andrea M Long

  Cover Designed by Lianne Cotton

  Formatting by The Graphics Shed

  Images licensed from Adobe Stock and Shutterstock

  Rixon Raiders

  The Trouble With You

  The Game You Play

  The Harder You Fall

  To My Readers

  Thank you for loving the Raiders as much as I do!

  Mya

  I woke startled, grasping the barely familiar sheets in my fingers as I tried to regulate my breathing.

  It was just a dream, I silently whispered.

  Just a messed up, distorted version of things. It wasn’t real.

  “It’s not real,” my shaky words pierced the silence.

  When I’d first moved to Rixon from Philadelphia, the nightmares had been every other night. My aunt wanted me to see a therapist, but I wasn’t about to sit in front of some shrink and let them dissect my dreams. I knew what haunted me in my sleep. I didn’t need to give it a name or reason or excuse.

  Sometimes people experienced bad things and it left marks. Scars invisible from the outside but so real on the inside that you never forgot. You just learned how to deal. How to get up each day, paste on a smile, and survive.

  Surviving in a place like Rixon might not have been a matter of life or death, but it still had its moments.

  I finally pushed back the cover and climbed out of bed, trying to tame the dark, unruly spiral curls out of my face. My bedroom in my aunt’s house was small but cozy. She’d never had children, but she had tried her best to make it homely for an eighteen-year-old girl who was more of a stranger than family. Lilac wasn’t my color, but I appreciated the effort.

  My favorite thing about my new space was the small adjoining bathroom. Aunt Ciara’s room adjoined the master suite which meant we didn’t have to share. A luxury I hadn’t been afforded back in Philly.

  After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I pulled on some clean clothes and made a second attempt at fixing my hair, eventually settling on dragging it into a ponytail. The girl in the mirror looked like me but she hadn’t felt like me in a really long time. I guess that’s what happened when you were forced from your home, your life, and shipped off to live in the ass crack of nowhere. If I hadn’t been paired with Felicity Giles on my first day at my new school, Rixon High, I didn’t doubt my existence here would be almost intolerable.

  As it was though, I had become fast friends with Felicity and her best friend Hailee Raine. Those girls were something else; refusing to conform to the Rixon way of football and more football. I decided to overlook the minor detail that they were both dating football players now. And not just any football players; Rixon Raider royalty to be exact. The irony wasn’t lost on me, or them for that matter. But you couldn’t help who you fell for. I knew that better than anyone.

  My cell phone vibrated and I grabbed it off the desk, reading Felicity’s text.

  * * *

  Flick: Running late... I stopped over at the Ford’s.

  * * *

  Rolling my eyes, I typed a quick reply.

  Me: Say no more. I’ll see you in a few.

  * * *

  That was what I loved about Felicity. Despite being in a relationship with one of the broodiest, meanest, and downright arrogant guys I’d ever met, she hadn’t wavered in her friend-ability. Every morning, even if she was a little late sometimes, Felicity picked me up for school. And every morning, we talked about all the things girlfriends should talk about.

  My cell vibrated again and I smiled, eager to see whatever zany reply Flick had cooked up. But when I ran my eyes over the screen, I froze.

  * * *

  J: I need you, Mya. Please...

  * * *

  I quickly deleted the message and shoved my cell in my jean pocket. Trying to ignore the way it burned a hole. If I texted him back, we’d go around and around in circles like we always did.

  Jermaine might have needed me.

  But it wasn’t enough.

  I wasn’t enough.

  I never would be.

  So I did what I’d done every day since arriving h
ere. I grabbed my school bag, headed downstairs and waited for my ride.

  Because sometimes pretending was better than facing the truth.

  “Mya, come in,” Miss Hampstead, the school guidance counselor, smiled up at me from behind her desk. “How are you?”

  “Okay, I guess.”

  “You guess?”

  “It’s Monday morning,” I said. “Can things ever really be okay on a Monday morning?” My lips curved into a tight smile.

  “Oh, I don’t know.” She laughed softly. “I quite like Mondays. The start of a new week, the endless possibilities, the chance to be better.”

  “Spoken like a true guidance counselor.”

  We both laughed at that.

  “So I just wanted to check in and see how you’re doing? Your teachers are all very pleased with your progress and your grades are looking great. Have you given college anymore thought?”

  “Actually, I have.” I unzipped my bag and dug around inside, pulling out the stack of papers. Handing them to her, I sat back and waited. Miss Hampstead took her time, running her eyes over my notes.

  “Excellent. We can set aside some time before the holidays to get these submitted if you’d like?”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  “I noticed you’ve picked two out of state schools and Temple University.”

  I nodded, feeling my throat close. “I want to keep my options open.”

  “Having options is good. Not that I suspect you’ll have any problems, with your transcripts looking as strong as they do.”

  I tapped my knee rhythmically, forcing a smile. “Great, can I...?” I thumbed to the door.

  “Actually, before you go, I just wanted to ask how things are... socially.”

  “Socially?” My brows pinched.

  “Yes. I’m aware you’ve made quite good friends with Hailee Raine and Felicity Giles.”

  “That’s correct.”

  “And they are currently dating Cameron Chase and Jason Ford.”

  “Miss Hampstead, if you have something to say, just say it.”

  She let out a small sigh, her expression softening. “I’m sure you’re more than aware of the recent issues between Jason, and Lewis Thatcher over at Rixon East High.”

  “It’s hard not to be aware.” Football was to Rixon what oxygen was to the human race.

  “I just want you to be careful, okay? You’re new here and you’re...” She swallowed hard.

  “You can say it, I am fully aware that I’m the odd one out.”

  “Rixon is a good town with a lot of good people, Mya. But small towns like this can also be difficult places for... outsiders.”

  “You mean people of color?” My brow rose sardonically.

  She sighed. “Rixon High likes to pride itself on being inclusive, Mya, but the reality is over ninety-six percent of our students are White American.”

  “I’m in the four percent club, got it.”

  “Mya, I know this isn’t an easy conversation to have, but I just wanted you to know that I’m here, if you need anything to make your time with us easier, or if a problem arises.”

  “Sure thing, Miss Hampstead. I appreciate it.” But what I really wanted was to get the hell out of her office.

  “Okay, well, I think that’s it for now. My door is always open.”

  With a small nod I left her, only to bump into another face of concern.

  “Hey, everything okay?” Felicity was waiting for me.

  “Yeah, just the usual. Newsflash, did you know ninety-six percent of the student body at Rixon High are white?”

  “She said that?”

  “Yep.”

  “Wow, that’s… I don’t really have any words.”

  “Welcome to my world,” I grumbled as we made our way toward class.

  “So, me and Hailee were talking at the weekend and we think we should do something epic for New Year.” Felicity looped her arm through mine.

  “How epic are we talking?” I gave her a sideways glance. “Because the last time you wanted to do something epic you got a very real, very permanent tattoo.”

  Her cheeks flushed. “Not that epic. But Rixon on New Year’s Eve is hardly anything to shout home about. Usually, Asher has a big party and everyone gets so wasted they can’t even remember what year it is the next morning.”

  “I thought you never went to his parties before this year?”

  “We didn’t. But people talk.” She shrugged. “Anyway, I told you about the time we went to New York with the guys?”

  “You mean the time you gave it up to Jason?”

  “Ssh!” She hugged me closer. “That is not the point right now. Asher’s cousins are super rich and know all the best clubs. And this time, you can come with us.”

  “Hmm, I’m not sure. That sounds kind of—”

  “You have to come. Even if we don’t go clubbing, we can stay in the swanky penthouse again and have our own private party. It’s our last New Year’s before college. We’ve got to make it one to remember.”

  “It sounds kind of expensive.”

  “Oh hush, we’ll probably just throw in some cash for gas. Asher’s dad will handle the penthouse and the guys will buy all our drinks. The only thing you’ll really need is a killer outfit.”

  “It’d just be the six of us?”

  She shrugged again. “I guess, unless Vaughn and Riley join us again. But I’m not sure how I feel about her coming around Jason.”

  I grabbed her hand, inspecting her nails. “Is that your claws I see coming out?”

  “Uh, Mya, you didn’t see her. She was like a freakin’ model.”

  “Hmm, have you looked in a mirror lately? You’re gorgeous, girl. Besides Jason loves you.” Even I couldn’t deny Rixon’s star quarterback loved my friend something fierce. He’d softened a lot since they’d finally got their act together.

  A bolt of pain shot through my heart but I ignored it.

  “Yeah, you’re right. You’re totally right.” She gave me a warm smile. “Oh look, class calls. See you at lunch?”

  “Yep, if I survive two hours of biology.”

  “Good luck with that.” She chuckled.

  We parted ways and I headed into class. Felicity knew bits and pieces about my past, about Jermaine. But she didn’t know all the gritty, painful details.

  No one did.

  And I never wanted them to.

  Before I joined Felicity and Hailee in the cafeteria for lunch, I headed to my locker to trade some books. Once I was done, I finally caved and checked my cell phone, instantly regretting it. Four messages. Three from Jermaine, and one from my girlfriend, Shona.

  * * *

  J: Call me, I need you.

  * * *

  J: Why you gotta be this way, Mya? I miss you. I love you. I need you... I’m nothing without you, baby girl.

  * * *

  J: For real, it’s going to be like that? Your mama won’t even tell me where you’re at.

  * * *

  Shona: It’s bad, girl. Call me xo

  * * *

  My stomach sank, my insides torn apart as my head and heart warred over what to do. Part of me, the part who would always be a young naïve girl in love, wanted to call Shona and see what was going down. But the other part, the part who knew making that call only led down a road to more hurt and heartache, quickly deleted all four text messages.

  When I’d first left Fallowfield Heights, our small neighborhood in the heart of Badlands, Mom had wanted me to get a new number, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t cut myself off completely. Maybe one day, I would.

  But today was not that day.

  Pushing down the worry, I made my way to the cafeteria, aware of the odd stare as I wound my way through the tables to get to Felicity and Hailee. I let them roll off my back though. You soon got used to being one of the four percent—one of the only Latina girls in a predominantly white school. Even if the licks of curiosity, of wariness and disapproval were like a thousand tiny bla
des over my skin.

  Rixon High didn’t only love a minority story though. It loved any kind of gossip it could get its hands on, and despite being the girlfriends of two of the most popular guys in school, my friends weren’t immune to their peers’ scrutiny. Sure, they didn’t have to deal with insults or rumors based on the color of their skin or where they came from, but they had to deal with their fair share of bullshit. And like me, they handled it with grace and the attention it deserved.

  “Hey,” Felicity caught my eye. “We were just talking about you.”

  “All good I hope?”

  A couple of girls watched me, eyeing me discreetly while they pretended to talk, as I sat down and pulled out my lunch.

  “Mya, what’s... Oh.” Hailee’s expression hardened. “Ignore them, I do.”

  “I’m pretty sure they don’t whisper about you for the same reasons as they whisper about me.” Irritation rippled through me as I stared right back, daring them to say something. When they didn’t, I casually flipped them the bird.