Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 117363 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117363 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
“You would have rather died than be on this team,” Jean said to the TV.
Neither of them could hear him, of course. The woman looked like she’d choked on something. “The day—did you say Coach Wymack is your father?”
“Yes, I did. I found out when I was in high school, but I didn’t tell him because I thought I wanted to stay at Edgar Allan. Back then I thought the only way to be a champion was to be a Raven. I bought into their lies that they would make me the best player on the court. I shouldn’t have believed it; I’ve been wearing this number long enough to know that wasn’t what they wanted for me.
“Everyone knows the Ravens are all about being the best,” Kevin said. “Best pair, best line-up, best team. They drill it into you day after day, make you believe it, make you forget that in the end ‘best’ means ‘one’.”
Jean was hundreds of miles from Evermore, but listening to Kevin say these bold words without fear had him leaning hard into the headboard and checking the shadows for Ravens. When they found out Kevin was calling them out on live TV like he didn’t have a care in the world, they were going to—
Jean covered his ears like he could drown out his own thoughts. He thought about Nathaniel and Kevin and Ichirou. It’d been four days since Nathaniel stopped by to tell him he’d indentured them to Ichirou, and Zane was still the only Raven Jean had spoken to. He’d expected nasty messages or interrogations from the rest once they realized he had access to his student account, but it seemed Zane hadn’t told them.
Jean dropped his hands just in time to hear Kevin say, “—never been skiing? I’d like to try it one day, though.”
Jean’s courage broke. He turned the TV off and threw the remote across the room where he couldn’t reach it.
It was over an hour before Wymack and Abby got home, and they both came together to see him. Abby took one look at his face and said, “Oh, so you saw. Are you hungry?”
She’d left him fruit and a dinner that didn’t have to be heated up before she headed over to the stadium, so Jean only shook his head. Abby accepted that in silence and brought him his bottle of pills. Wymack followed her across the room and lifted his hands. In one he had an empty glass; in the other, a bottle of scotch.
“Not with his medicine,” Abby chastised him.
“Maybe this would help more right now,” Wymack said, unapologetic.
“Ravens aren’t allowed to drink,” Jean said.
“Irrelevant considering present company. But suit yourself. Just figured I’d offer before I drink the whole thing.” He waited for Jean to shake his head again, accepted that refusal with an easy nod, and poured himself a drink. The ease with which he drained it was revolting, but not nearly as alarming as watching him immediately refill the glass.
Jean studied his expression, looking past the hints of tension for any sign of shock. “He finally told you,” he guessed when he came back empty-handed. “You knew before tonight.”
“He confessed a couple weeks ago,” Wymack said. “Word is you’re the one who showed Neil where the letter was hidden. He brought it back with him in December.”
“He wanted to know why Kevin ran and I didn’t,” Jean said, swallowing his pills with some water. He should have left it there, but Jean turned his glass over and over between his fingers. “Riko’s father gave him up as soon as he was born, uninterested in a second-born son. Mine didn’t hesitate to sell me off if it meant his debts were squared away. Despite that, Kevin never once doubted you’d take him in. He wasn’t foolish enough to say as much where Riko could hear him, but he said it to me. I laughed at him. I’d never taken him for a dreamer.”
Abby sent Wymack a soft look, but Wymack pointed his gaze at the far wall and only asked, “Need anything else tonight?”
Jean motioned to where his timer was on the nightstand, and they left him to his thoughts.
-
Jean wasn’t entirely surprised when Kevin stopped by in the morning, but he never would have expected the woman who came with him. Jean hadn’t seen Theodora Muldani since his freshman year, as she’d been a fifth-year when he finally entered the Ravens’ line-up. He’d known her for a couple years before that, on account of moving into Evermore early, but he hadn’t thought he’d see her again until he entered a professional team after graduation and had to face her on the court.
“Thea,” he said, startled. “Why are you here?”
“She saw my post-game interview,” Kevin said, hanging back so Thea could approach Jean alone. He held up his left hand and said, “She came for answers.”