A Man's Worth
Chapter 2
I
To say his was pissed was an understatement. Sunlight filtered in through the hotel's blinders, aggravating him further. Sighing softly, he crumpled the letter the woman from last night had left him. Tossing it into the trash receptacle, he took a deep breath and inhaled her scent, her tantalizing and stimulating scent doing nothing other than arousing him once again.
What was her name again?
Peyton something… Sawyer…
How dare she sleep with him, knowing full well that he was Nathan's older brother? Knowing that arrogant prick, Lucas knew he should be wary now. Either the controlling sociopath would be utterly pissed and angry that he slept with Peyton when he found out, or for whatever reason Nathan had set him up.
Which the manipulating bastard would stoop low to do. Nathan had yet to get a title under his belt, he had transferred to the Lakers this year after leaving the Toronto Raptors, months after the Lakers had won another title after beating the Orlando Magic in five games.
Nathan had yet to get the illustrious ring that would signify him as a champion. But would he stoop so low to have his girlfriend sleep with his brother to motivate him to make it to the NBA Finals. Something in Peyton's note seemed fishy…
If you're not too pissed at me and want to see me again, which I think you will be pretty pissed though, beat the Celtics and take the Bobcats to the Finals, the Lakers will be the West Conference Champions for sure…
…. It would be best if you didn't make it to the Finals, but part of me has to see you again Lucas Scott.
The note made it seem like that the only way they'd see each other was if he'd make it to the Finals and no other way. She had said she wanted to see him again, and yet she left no number, no address, nothing other than the incentive that she'd be at the game, where his brother would play.
The downright arrogance of it all.
That somehow for sure, Nathan and the Lakers would make it to the 2010 NBA Finals, as if predestined by fate or some controlling force.
Whatever… he didn't need drama like that in his life. Last night, that had been a one night stand, that's all.
He'd been riding on the emotion of having won the game in New York and she'd been there, and he had wanted her, and he had her. Now she was of no importance, she could stay in L.A. with his brother with her Lamborghini for all he gave a fuck.
Seeing that the time was ten thirty, an hour and a half before he was supposed to muster with his team to fly back to Charlotte, N.C. for some playoff training and such. Groaning, he rolled out of bed, out of her scent and headed into the shower, ready to dress and move on with his life.
Stepping out of the shower a few minutes later, he got dressed and made sure he had all his belongings (just in case Peyton had been a hooker and robbed him in while he'd been in post coitus mode) and headed out of her room, walking down to the elevator a few yards ahead and pressing the down button.
The metal doors slid open seconds later and he stepped in, pressing the button for the first floor and felt the familiar pull of the elevator as the G-forced sucked his breath in and tickled for a second.
The doors opened and Lucas stepped out of the elevator and began to walk down the main passageway to exit the hotel. As he exited he hailed a taxi, and a Muslim driver pulled up next to Lucas.
Not that Lucas was stereotyping, but he happened to see the dark skinned man pulled up with a turban around his head. "Where to my friend?" the Arabic driver asked as he rolled down his window.
"To the Ramada Inn off Lexington and Twenty Fifth." Lucas responded.
"You must be one of the Charlotte Bobcat players, yeah?" The driver asked.
"Yes, why?" Lucas asked, arching his eyebrow.
"You not heard? Big fight over there, my friend. Some New York fans didn't take the loss too well. Hop in, buddy." The cabbie ordered and Lucas climbed into the backseat.
"Big fight, goddamn, coach is going to be ticked." Lucas grumbled, fumbling for his phone.
He was about to dial in the coach's number when a missed text message popped up. 'Congratulations, Luke. See ya soon babe!' It was a text message from his pseudo girlfriend Haley James.
"Fuck…" Lucas whispered under his breath. The Captain and point guard of the Charlotte Bobcats pulled out the Contacts listing on his iPhone and found Joel Rodriguez's cell number. Pressing the number on the touch phone, it dialed through and rung a few times before the half Puerto Rican, half Dominican player picked up.
"Hey, whas' up?" Joel answered, recognizing that it was Lucas' cell.
"What did you assholes do last night?" Lucas demanded roughly, his tone leaving no room for bullshit.
"Uh oh, you heard then right?" Joel asked tentatively.
"Yeah, from a fuckin' cab driver, you guys got into fight with fans?" Lucas barked into the phone.
"Uh huh. They were asking for it though. They jumped a few of the guys outside of the club after you left with that chick. I guess they were really pissed the Knicks didn't make it and clubbed a few of us. Coach wants to see you, nowish by the way, I guess the Commish David Stern is pretty upset at us. You might wanna ditch the blond and get your ass over here." Joel replied.
"On the way already, I'll be there in a few. You guys better hope Stern is lenient on us, else we're screwed." Lucas bit off, hanging the phone with a sudden click.
…
"Thirty five dollars, my friend." The driver asked as they pulled into the Ramada Inn's front entrance.
'Thirty five dollars? It was a fifteen minute drive!' Lucas thought outraged.
Rather than argue with the cabbie, Lucas pulled out sixty dollars and handed it to the cabbie. "Keep the change." Lucas replied, stepping out of the cab and walking over to the hotel where the rest of the team was at.
Stepping inside the Ramada, he saw the coach yelling at the whole team who was standing upright, an ashamed look on some of their faces. "Just what the fuck where you jackasses thinking last night? Jesus Almighty you assholes really fucked me, you really fucked your coach on this one!" John Robinson shouted, spittle flying from his lips as he vented his anger.
"Coach, Lucas is here." Sam Davidson, one of the bench small forwards called out, and Lucas cringed, as the Coach swerved around, his onyx colored eyes widening as he saw Lucas try to sneak in.
"And you, where the hell where you last night. You're the team captain and you didn't stop your own team from brawling with a bunch of civilians!" Coach Robinson demanded.
"I was busy and didn't know this had happened." Lucas offered lamely.
"Where the hell were you?" the Head Coach repeated harshly.
"If you must know, in the super wet and tight vagina of this blonde I met at the bar, if you want to be specific." Lucas snapped back, squinting at the coach.
The coach ran up to his face and looked ready to throttle Lucas. "Don't ever take that tone with me if you want to play in the playoffs…" Coach Robinson threatening, spit landing on Lucas shirt.
"You know what, screw it… go to the playoffs without me, see how far you get, Coach!" Lucas snapped back, turning away from the Coach.
"Don't you dare turn your back on me Scott, I am the Head Coach and won't tolerate that. Get back here." Robinson roared at him.
"Already told you, I'm not playing. Have fun, coach." Lucas replied, giving the Coach a mock salute.
Joel Rodriguez broke ranks and ran up to Lucas. "Luke, you can't leave us like that man, we only made here because of you, don't walk away now." Joel pleaded, trying to make him see reason.
"Look, I'm not going to take his bullshit. If David Stern's pissed because some of us got fucked up and beat up some civilians who jumped them outside a club, and reams his ass for it, I'm not taking that heat. I'm the captain, not a fucking babysitter. Fuck David Stern's fat ass, and fuck this bullshit man. We didn't come this far to have to put up with some fat asshole placing blame on these guys for defending themselves." Lucas ranted angrily and the coach's eyes widened.
"Fuck me huh?" a voice cut through Lucas' rant.
Lucas turned around and saw David Stern himself. "Fuck me huh?" David Stern repeated with a calm smile on his face.
"Yes sir, fuck you." Lucas shot back, a jeering grin on his lips.
"I should fire you, I really should. But you dear Lucas, have become so popular that it would do more damage to lose you than it would to keep you. So thank your newfound popularity for keeping your job. That job, includes watching over your drunk teammates who find it cool to beat up smaller, scrawnier civilians. Now it would behoove you to shut the hell up, fall in line with your teammates, and then get your ass to Hickville, North Carolina and get ready to play Boston in two weeks." David Stern ordered. "Am I understood?" he demanded.
Lucas ignored him and fell into line.
"You're insane Lucas…" Joel whispered to him. Lucas glared at him stonily in response.
"Let me put it out there for you guys if you don't know… At no point in time are you to get into fight with fans, after the incident in Indiana we do not need that kind of publicity. So obviously this cannot go unpunished, the four players involved in the incident will be suspended for the first round of the playoffs." David Stern announced. "Now if any of you have anything to say, now is the time."
"This is horseshit." Lucas called out.
"What was that Mr. Scott?" David Stern asked dangerously.
"This is horseshit." Lucas repeated. "Four of our guys get attacked by some piece of shit New Yorkers with weapons, and after they defend themselves you suspend them from playing in the first round of the playoffs?" Lucas asked incredulously.
"They didn't defend themselves. They beat those civilians into a stay at a hospital, which was uncalled for." David Stern replied.
"Uncalled for? If someone pulled a gun one you right now, are we supposed to do nothing and walk away unscathed. Or perhaps you're just upset it was the Knicks that lost last night." Lucas insinuated.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"We all know you're from New York and tend to favor the Knicks." Lucas replied.
"I suggest you be quiet right now Scott, before I reconsider my firing of you." David Stern threatened.
"It's a shame that money just can't buy New York a championship, but when the Lakers are in the Finals every year, I guess that makes up for it." Lucas continued arrogantly.
"Lucas!" Coach Robinson barked at him.
Lucas rolled his eyes and kept quiet.
"Your brother, now that's a real basketball player, it's a shame you're nowhere near his level." David Stern baited.
"I guess we'll find out then, even with all the odds stacked against us and limited bench players to replace us in Boston." Lucas assured cockily.
"All of you, get out of my sight, you disgust me." David Stern bit off dangerously, his lip curled back like a rabid Doberman.
"Trust me, the feeling's mutual." Lucas shot back as the team headed out towards the bus for their departure to JFK Airport to return to Charlotte.
II
After landing in Charlotte around three in the afternoon, Lucas sighed wearily. He was tired, hung over, and tired of being bitched at by Coach Robinson. The Head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats had seen fit to ream Lucas thoroughly on the way to the JFK airport on how he could have gotten them both fired and lost their chance at the NBA Playoffs. Closing his eyes in exhaustion, he was glad to be in Charlotte, where almost all the guys had their cars in the airport garage and could climb in and head home for R&R for the next two days before resuming practice on Monday.
Lucas pulled his keys out of his jean pocket and pressed the unlock button as he walked towards his car, and the cars headlights flashed and the front door unlocked. Getting in, he slid the key into the ignition and started up his 2009 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS, the exhaust rumbling a loud throaty sound as the engine began to idle.
He had just bought the car a month ago and he still was in love with it. The sleek curves, the 450 horsepower just trembling underneath the hood, waiting in anticipation for his to throttle the car and send the car tumbling forward at high velocity. It had one of the newer semi-automatic transmissions that allowed him to switch between automatic driving and manual shifting seamlessly.
Leaving it in automatic, he lightly tapped the accelerator and the car lurched forward almost like a feline cat on its haunches, ready to tear into her next prey. Gripping the steering wheel with one hand, he turned right and began the slow, agonizing drive out of the airport parking garage, ready to get back onto I-47 and start his two hour trek back to his hometown Tree Hill.
A place of many memories, of love, happiness, anger, rage, and silent fury. He hated it and loved it, with more love than hate. His hate stemmed from his father Dan's treatment of him and his mother, of his uncle and surrogate father Keith, and from Nathan's sanctimonious self-righteousness, his believe that because he was rich everything should be handed down to him, that he could destroy whosever life he desired and suffer no consequences. Lord knows how he fucked over Lucas and his ex-girlfriend Haley on some many occasions, refusing to redeem himself.
Slipping out his iPhone out of his pocket as he leapt onto I-47, he dialed in Haley's number on the touch screen keypad and almost smiled as her smiling face appeared on the iPhone's screen.
Her pretty dark brown eye's looking into the camera, her lips curled into a beaming mega-watt smile, flashing her perfectly white teeth. "Hey babe." She answered into phone immediately after the second ring. Her voice was milk and honey, its alluring tone already making Lucas' day infinitely better than it was.
"We landed in Charlotte a half hour ago, I'm already on the road heading home. How are you Hales?" Lucas asked honestly.
"I missed you Luke. Oh my god, I was so happy as I watched you win the game, even Jamie stayed up and he too was celebrating. I actually just got him your new jersey that just came out, he's running around the house in it." She replied ecstatically.
"That's awesome Hales. I should be home around five, maybe a little earlier if I haul ass. I should probably go, this car's too dangerous to be talking on the phone while driving. See you soon, and tell Jamie I miss him and love him. Love ya Hales." Lucas replied.
He was about to put the phone down he saw there was another text he hadn't read. Opening it up he almost regretted it immediately and was tempted to chuck the phone overboard. It was from his brother Nathan.
Congratulations are in order big brother. Too bad you'll still lose, even if you make it to the Finals. You wanna see whose better, let's find out.
Deciding not to chuck the phone, he instead plugged the auxiliary cable into the iPhone and drowned the car in the rhythms of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Forgetting about his momentary bout of rage, he suddenly realized he'd been doing 100mph the last twenty minutes. "Holy shit." Lucas cursed under his breath, his foot immediately pressing down on the brakes, the huge custom Brembo's locking up momentarily and the car slowed down to a more reasonable 80mph on the 70mph road..
Flying across the woodland road, the trees began to blur into one another and Lucas found himself thinking of Peyton Sawyer once again. The immaculately beautiful, sinfully tasty blonde temptress.
She had seduced him, and he'd been all to convinced she'd actually been into him, never once realizing she was doing this because his asshole brother told her too.
Sighing softly, he decided it was for the best that she left. She would have only brought misery and more deception into his life, and he sure as hell didn't need that.
He had Haley after all.
That was completely un-complicated.
He honestly didn't know how he started sleeping with his best friend. They'd been best friends since kindergarten, all through high school too. Sure he had some sot of feeling for her in his junior year, she was prettier, and blossoming into the young woman she was now.
That junior year, Lucas had joined the Tree Hill Ravens basketball team and everything else was history. He'd been too busy trying to make his mind up between Haley and a stupid cheerleader type named Tracey, and in his dilemma Nathan had strode in an convinced Haley to go out with whispering sweet lies into her ears as he cheated his way through the whole relationship only to admit he'd dated her to piss off Lucas.
The asshole as a parting gift had knocked her up and taking off to go play basketball at Duke before transferring to the University of North Florida, and going to the NBA as the first round pick of the Toronto Raptors.
It had angered Lucas more than anything to watch his brother succeed and send measly checks to Haley without actually caring about anything pertaining to his son.
Not that Lucas knew anything about being a father.
His own, Dan Scott had abandoned him and his mother in favor of Nathan's mother Deb. His uncle Keith had been all around the states, trying to find a purpose until somehow he ended back in his hometown of Tree Hill, NC and taken Dan's responsibilities for him, and began to father Lucas when he was six. But even there, he could only do so much for him.
So Lucas did as his uncle did.
He took responsibility from Nathan and took care of Haley and her unborn child. After graduating from high school and getting a scholarship for basketball, he immediately went to Wilmington for UNC basketball and got an Associates in English and Literature. All the while he worked on the side and pitched in to Haley as much as he could. Somewhere along those lines, the lines of friendship blurred into romance, and the two were never the same.
Their relationship was far from stable, if it could be even called a relationship. It had consisted of him and Haley sleeping with each other, best friends with 'benefits' and no strings attached as he took care of James Scott, his nephew. They lived with each other, hung out all the time and shared the burden of being parents.
She loved him and he loved her.
But they weren't in love with each other and they knew that. Haley's emotions were too closed off after Nathan, and Lucas hadn't wanted the messiness that a relationship had an effect on people.
It had allowed him to blossom into a better basketball player, an avid reader and study, a better father than Nathan, and a better friend to Haley.
When he'd been picked in the second round of the draft, a year after Nathan and he had been picked to the Charlotte Bobcats on a three year deal, he was happy. He was able to chase his dreams of the NBA, and was two hours away from his hometown and his family. He was making money for playing the sport he loved more than anything in the world and assured his family was well off and had no worries.
He had given his parents Keith and Karen a large house and a couple hundred thousand to do as they pleased and Keith ended up re-opening his auto shop. Karen had closed her café, she'd gotten pregnant again and giving birth to Lily, who was now seven years old. Karen had reopened her café now that Lily was in elementary, bored from the life of being a housewife.
His parents were happy and he had a small part in that and for that he was happy.
An hour and a half later he pulled into the quiet, sleepy town of Tree Hill. He slowed down to an easy 35mph as he drove through the side streets, driving up a small uphill, going through the residential area which he used to call "Rich Kid Valley". He could have had a bigger house but he settled on a small mansion, white with oddly a red door. Jamie had a room there, and Haley slept in Lucas' large master bedroom.
Steering the sleek, black Camaro into the driveway, he shut off the engine, and popped the trunk and grabbing his overnight bag, then closed the trunk and locked the car and set the alarm. The car beeped twice, signifying the alarm was active and before he could make it to the door, a blond haired, blue eyed child leapt into his arms.
"Dad!" Jamie cried out, wrapping his arms around his legs.
Lucas smiled and ruffled the boy's hair gently. "Hey kiddo." Lucas greeted him, grabbing him and lifting him in the air.
"You won last night, that was so cool. You made two three pointers with no time on the clock, I texted all my friends and told them." Jamie exclaimed happily.
"Did you, since when do you have a cellphone?" Lucas asked, stepping inside his house and closing the door shut.
"Um, since… yesterday. Momma said it's best to have one, you never know if there's going to be an emergency." Jamie replied, shaking his head as if Lucas were an idiot.
"Smart woman." Lucas mumbled under his breath, not sure what to think of his nephew/son having a cell phone at seven years of age.
"What was that?" Haley called from the kitchen. She stepped into the living room,
dressed in nothing but a pair of grey sweatpants, and a black sleeveless shirt that managed to hide most of the curves Lucas was very well acquainted with.
"Nothin', I swear." Lucas said jokingly, before pressing his lips to hers.
"That's what I thought." She replied huskily. She then gave him a warm hug, burying her face into the crook of his neck. "I still can't believe it Lucas… You were great in that game."
Wrapping his arms around Haley, he smiled into her hair, which smelled like lavender. "I know… by the way, you smell really good. Did you cook anything yet, I'm kinda starving?" Lucas asked softly, and Haley had an amused smile on her lips.
"You're such a guy. I made fried chicken and mac and cheese for dinner…" she offered, shrugging her shoulders when Lucas looked at her incredulously. "What I was busy and stuff. I can't always cook." She pouted, and Lucas captured her lips.
Pulling away, he arched his eyebrows. "Babe, we've got the money, we can get a maid and personal cooks." Lucas chided.
"Nonsense. Why spend money on that stuff when you have a hot, southern girl in your house ready to do that all for you, waste of money is what it is. Plus I thought you liked my southern fried chicken and mac and cheese?" she asked, pouting again.
"I do." He assured her. Looking back over at Jamie who was watching his parents interact with a knowing smile, Lucas decided. "How about this, we eat your food, I get a little nap going and we go celebrate with my parents at a nice restaurant on the pier?" Lucas offered.
"Sounds good to me." Haley admitted, "I'll call Karen." She added, before heading off to call Lucas' mother.
"Dad, can we all go dressed in your jersey?" Jamie asked, and looking into baby blue eyes that looked just like his, Lucas couldn't deny him.
"Of course kid." Lucas responded.
After eating a quick meal together, Jamie decided that he too wanted a nap. Lucas led the boy upstairs and tucked him into bed, but only after promising to wake him up for the dinner later on. His mother had talked to Haley and was down for dinner at 9pm at this seafood restaurant on the Tree Hill pier.
Taking a nice hot shower, Lucas let the hot water roll over his back and soothe his aching muscles. As he spread the AXE body gel on his body, he felt soft hands press against his back. "Got room for two?" Haley asked, pressing her naked breasts against his back.
Lucas turned around, his manhood hardening immediately. "Always Hales."
…
It was nine o'clock, and a half crescent moon lit up the pier. Lucas, Haley, and Jamie awaited Karen and Keith to show up. They hadn't been waiting long, they had just arrived five minutes earlier just to walk through pier and watch the waves roll on the beach.
"My baby's going to the NBA playoffs." A voice called out, and a pair of arms wrapped around his neck and lips pressed against his cheek.
"C'mon ma, I'm not your baby anymore." Lucas said groaning sullenly, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"You'll always be my baby Luke, don't you know that?" Karen replied brightly. She let him go, and Lucas stood up and saw his uncle Keith and immediately wrapped his arms around the man and gave him a hug.
"Hey Keith, how are you man?" Lucas asked.
"I feel prouder than I've ever felt in my whole life. Congratulations Lucas." Keith said, grinning wide.
"How do you feel about going to the playoffs for the first time?" Karen asked, her eyes lighting up.
"I'm nervous to be honest. I don't think we can win it, but we have an actual chance." Lucas admitted.
"You'll be alright. As long as you do your best, it's all that matters. I'll still be proud." Karen replied.
"Ma…" Lucas groaned again as she played with is hair. "Where's Lily?" He asked.
"Well we figured you were going to celebrate and not bring Jamie, not that we mind though, so we got her a baby sitter so we could go to Tric after this." Keith confessed.
"She's over at Sara's, maybe we can drop Jamie off and go to Tric." Lucas suggested.
"I'm fine with it, what about you Jamie, wanna hang out with Lily for a while?" Haley asked her son.
"Yeah, I'll let the grownups do their thing for a while." He replied candidly, and they all laughed, before having the first real family dinner in a while.
Two hour later the four adults were stumbling through Tric, champagne being poured into glasses that never seemed to run out as the club/bar Karen owned hosted a party for Lucas. Lucas who was still clad in his white and orange Bobcats jersey with a black undershirt and a pair of light blue skinny jeans was still allowed entrance.
"Lucas Scott!" Fans yelled throughout the club. Lucas nodded and grinned and for once he felt happy, he was celebrating with his family, he had made his father Keith proud, he had something good going with Haley, and he was going to give Jamie the best life he could ask for.
Nothing could mess this up, not even Peyton Sawyer.
Author's Note: Sorry for the delay, I tried to update Simplicity, and got 3,000 words of it done, but this fic was begging for me to update. Not one of my longer chapters, and if you're pissed off about the Laley thing, too bad. I originally decided on a friendship, but after having Nathan run out on Haley, and knowing how Keith and Luke were, I couldn't help but throw it in there. Plus I'm convinced that in a AU world where Leyton didn't exist in OTH, it would have been Luke and Haley getting it in. In the first season, there was a moment there, but with Peyton around, it'd never develop. If you're that upset about it sorry, I really am, but as I wrote the chapter, this is exactly how I envisioned it.