Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 129323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
“You did,” I grit through my teeth. “And if she doesn’t report you, I will.”
“For what? Talking? Fuck you, Slate.”
“Harassment, asshole. You and I both know you’ve been beyond inappropriate with her. She has every reason to contact Coach or even higher up.”
“Are you seriously threatening me? I’m your fucking teammate. You’re taking some broad’s side?”
I shove him, and a couple of the guys move closer, likely to back me up if fists start flying.
“I’m warning you right now, if you don’t apologize to her and make things right, I’ll help her go to the proper channels. You’re second string. A nobody. This team doesn’t need you.”
“Fuck you,” he seethes.
“You’re expendable.”
He bares his teeth, and I laugh. “Aw, does that piss you off? Do you want me to lie to you and tell you that you’re special?” I huff a condescending laugh. “I can’t help that you’re a subpar hockey player. Get your shit together and apologize to her, or I’ll make sure you’re off this team by tomorrow.”
“You wouldn’t dare.” His words come out pathetic. Feeble.
“I have Coach on speed dial. Want to test me? I have plenty of time to watch you fall.”
His face is the color of a tomato as he looks from guy to guy, trying and failing to find an alliance.
“You know what… drop to your knees and put your stick over your head.”
“No way. I won’t do that.”
“You will,” Hudson says, coming to my side. “Or I’ll go with Cassidy to report you.”
“Like you’re one to talk, Wilde. You’re the biggest player on the team.” He shakes his head, crossing his arms over his chest. “Plus, I didn’t do anything.”
“That’s not what I’m hearing. Now do as you’ve been told by your superior and drop and raise your stick.”
The asshole finally complies, and the rest of us get back to drills. An hour later, Billy is still on his knees, arms shaking. I skate over to him.
“Done being an idiot? Ready to apologize?”
He nods.
“Words, Billy.”
“Yes.”
“Everyone’s dismissed,” Coach barks out, stalking off the ice.
Hudson slides up next to me. “Do I even want to know what all that was about?”
“You’re just now asking me? Hours later?”
“I would’ve gone with whatever you said, and I wasn’t gonna question you in front of him.” He pulls off his helmet. “Color me curious.”
“I don’t like his attitude. And I don’t like how he talks to Cassidy.”
Hudson lifts a brow. “What did he do?”
“He’s made some very sexual comments. Things that made her extremely uncomfortable. He’s lucky I didn’t kick his ass.”
Hudson whistles. “I would’ve just kicked his ass and got it over with.”
“Humiliation sounded more fun.”
He chuckles. “You really like this girl?”
There are only a few guys on the team that I hate to lie to, and Hudson is one of them, but there are just some things he can’t know. My relationship with Cassidy being one of them.
“Yeah. I do.” It’s all I offer, and he doesn’t press.
“Do you think he’s going to apologize?”
“I don’t care what the fuck he does, as long as he stays the hell away from her and doesn’t make another comment to her. I don’t want him to even look at her.”
“I think something’s up with him,” he says offhandedly, and I turn to him, curious.
“What do you mean? Color me curious,” I say, smirking as I repeat his words.
He grins. “I don’t know. He’s just been abnormally shifty as of late. He’s up to something, and I wanna know what it is.”
“Yeah, I got the same impression.”
He’s definitely up to no good, and I have a feeling it’s centered around jealousy. The douche wants nothing more than to be the center of the media. The team’s top dog.
He’s far from it.
His entire career has been mediocre at best.
“I’m gonna keep an eye on him,” Hudson says.
“Same. Good practice,” I say, changing the subject.
We bump each other’s fists, going our separate ways. He’ll be long gone before I’m even through my second ritual.
At some point, I really need to seek professional help to work through this. Having Cassidy is a godsend, but I can’t live like this. It’s too much.
I slip down onto the bench, shoulders hunched, exhaustion falling over me. All I want to do is go home and ask Cassidy to give me a massage, but I can’t. It’s becoming too easy to rely on her. I might be paying for the service, but the more time I spend with her, the harder it gets.
You like her.
I do. And that’s the fucking scary part.
24
CASSIDY
I gather my things, preparing to leave the arena. Not wanting to stay home all day while he’s at practice, I hopped a ride with him, and plan to do some shopping and then get an Uber home when I’m done.
He’ll be busy all day. His coach has been on the whole team to make sure they win.