Fake Skating(98)

“Zeus,” Vinny said, grabbing my arm and jerking me away from Ben. “Chill the fuck out.”

“Call nine-one-one, Austin,” Benji said, holding his sleeve up to his bloody nose. “Tell them I was just assaulted by Alec Barczewski.”

“Oh, bullshit, Worthington,” Vinny said, even though he had no idea what he was talking about because he’d just walked in.

“Just try calling and see what happens,” Kyle said with a scowl. “The rest of the team’ll be here any second, and you’re so fucking outnumbered, dipshit.”

“And he looks fucking hammered,” Vinny said, pointing at the goalie. “The cops are gonna love this shit.”

“Ben,” Cody said, “let’s just get the hell outta here.”

“No way,” Worthington said. “Barczewski can’t pull this crap.”

“So call in the morning,” Adam said, turning toward the door. “I’m getting out before shit hits the fan.”

I jerked my arm away from Vinny, which made Dani step in front of me again.

“Y’know what, that’s fine,” Ben said with a shrug, holding up the side of his hand to his busted nose. “I’ll just call in the morning. I’ll still have the evidence on my face and witnesses, so what’s another twelve hours?”

“Get gone, asswipe,” Kyle said, shaking his head.

I watched Cody kick the shed door open, and as they walked out, Benji said, “I can’t wait to see what the Southview townspeople think of their god after tomorrow.”

“Bye, Benji,” I yelled after him.

“See you in the morning, Zeus,” he yelled back.





CHAPTER FORTY-ONE Dani




“I still say you need to go to the hospital.”

“No, I don’t,” Alec said, staring out through the windshield in my driveway.

It was dark, but the streetlight made it possible to see his face.

“But your hand is soswollen, and the gash on your cheek looks terrible,” I said, clueless how to make him listen to me. He’d been angry and quiet since the fight, and I didn’t know how to get through it.

“Only because that jackass was wearing a ring,” he said dismissively.

“That still doesn’t make it any less injured,” I countered. “But fine. Sit still.”

I raised the peroxide-soaked paper towel and pressed it to his cheek, making him hiss out a breath through his teeth.

“I know,” I said, my stomach dipping because that had to sting so much. Benji’s ring had kind of ripped open Alec’s face, and it wasn’t pretty, even in the dark. I’d run into Walgreens on the way home after he’d made it clear he was never going to listen to me and go to urgent care.

But his hand was what had me really worried. It was so swollen.

“I’m sorry,” I said, dabbing at the wound.

“For what?” he asked, and finally—finally—his eyes met mine.

Since the whole thing went down, it felt like he wouldn’t even look at me. Like he was mad at me.

“That I’m hurting you, that this happened, that your amazing night was ruined by Benji,” I said in the quiet of his dark car.

His jaw clenched at the mention of Benji’s name, and I regretted saying it. Everything Benji had implied was a lie, and I was pretty sure Alec knew that, but it still made things between us feel tense.

Why isn’t he talking to me?

“Hey,” I said. “It’s okay. Remember, you’re going to the X.”

His jaw flexed again, like he was holding it so tight.

And he still didn’t say anything.

“Alec.” I didn’t know if he wanted me to, but I ran my fingers over that rigid jawline, wishing it would relax. “Everything’s going to be okay,” I said.

“Is it?” he asked, his voice low and kind of raspy.

“Yeah, this will blow over,” I said.

“I don’t know, Dani,” he said, sounding exhausted. “I’ve done this shit with Ben before and he goes for the jugular. I might’ve just fucked everything up.”

My chest hurt for him when his voice cracked over the might’ve. It sounded like he was holding back so much emotion, and God, it wasn’t fair that he had more to worry about after they got the win.

“You didn’t,” I said, putting my left hand on the other side of his face. “Listen to me. Everyone makes mistakes, and it’s going to be fine. This is just a guy acting like a jerk—happens all the time.”

He put his head back on the headrest and let out his breath. “God, I hope you’re right. Because I’m fucking scared.”

That hurt my heart, the admission and how anguished he sounded.

“I mean, I could’ve just fucked up my chance at playing in the tournament. I could’ve fucked it all up if Ben wants to come after me.”

“He won’t,” I said.

“But he will,” Alec said, making me feel a little better by leaning into my touch.

And by opening up and not being so quiet.

“He’s greasy as hell and you were right,” he said, shaking his head in regret. “I did exactly what he wanted me to. I lost my shit on him and now he’s got the upper hand.”