Page 120 of My Best Bet

With that, he stalked past me with his long, steady stride, his head held high. He was completely unaffected, while I struggled to stay standing.

My legs felt like jello as I fought my head to stay in the present while walking back to Colt.

38.Colt - Our Rink, Our City

“Kappy, didn’t you pull your groin last time you played that dumbass game?” Coach hollered at him from the locker room doorway.

Kappy turned to look at Coach and Rossi, who was an ace at suey, chose that second to launch the soccer ball at him. The ball hit Kappy in the crotch, making him fold in half.

“Out!” Rossi called, a wicked grin on his face.

“Shut up, rookie,” Kappy murmured, giving him the side-eye.

JP cracked up laughing at his expense.

“Ten minutes!” Coach called out the warning and motioned to the ice. “Fuckin’ hate suey,” he murmured while turning his back to us.

“God,” Carroway groaned, slinging an arm around my neck, “how’d you get such a beauty with that ugly mug of yours, eh?”

I spun around, looking for signs of Mer.

Carroway pointed to the front entrance of our practice rink where she was walking at a brisk pace toward us.

I was about to crack a joke at him, but when I caught the look on Mer’s face, all humor died. Shoving Carroway off me, I moved toward Mer, ignoring the guys calling after me, because something was majorly off. Panic was written all over her face, making my protective instincts kick in.

I jogged around the boards to her and she walked straight into my chest.

“What’s wrong?” I held her tight against me and scanned the rink for clues of why she was trembling in my arms.

She tried to talk, but her breath was coming in ragged spurts, like she was on edge of a panic attack. My heart practically jumped to my throat.

Pulling her to a bench, I forced her to sit. “Breathe, baby.” Her muscles were tense and her guard was way up, all too much like the first time I saw her again. I gently pulled her hands in mine to stop her from scratching her neck. “You’re safe, you’re okay,” I whispered to her over and over again, determined to say it until she believed it.

After her body finally started to settle, she tried to start again. “I don't want to-” She struggled to take in air.

My eyebrows tugged together, trying to understand what was happening. “Hey, you’re okay. I’ve got you,” I said as forcefully as I could, rubbing a hand down her back to relax her. “We’re together. Nothing else matters.”

Her eyes fluttered closed. After a couple seconds, she nodded.

“Just breathe with me. We’ve got all the time in the world, alright? We can sit here for as long as you need,” I told her, and that was the truth. I’d gladly miss a whole day of practice if she needed me. Things were different this time around– I wasn’t a rookie hoping to make the roster. I was team captain, and if they wanted to fine me, scratch me, cut me, I didn't give a shit. My family came first.

After a couple minutes of breathing, she finally said, “When I tell you… Promise you’ll stay with me?”

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting her to say, but not that. “Okay.” My eyebrows tugged together. “I promise.”

With a sharp intake of air, she said, “Andy.”

My jaw locked. “Where?”

“No, Colt,” she said in a frail voice.

My body hummed with anger so palpable I could taste it. “Where is that prick?”

“No, stay here.” She grabbed my hand and held on tightly. “You promised. Please, Colt.”

“Did he do something?” I demanded. It went against every fiber in my being to stay with her instead of tracking him down and making him pay for what she went through, for what she was going through right now.

“No. He’s justhere.”

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