Page 72 of Boots & Scars

The guys stood in front of me, tall and broad-shouldered with confident grins plastered on their faces. One had sandy blond hair that fell into his eyes, while the other had a buzz cut that emphasized his chiseled jawline. Their varsity jackets hinted at their connection to some sport—probably baseball or football.

It took a moment before recognition flickered in my mind. They were from Zach’s frat house. I had seen them at the party.

“Well, if it isn’t Everly,” said the one with the buzz cut, his grin widening as he spoke.

I straightened up, feeling a mixture of curiosity and apprehension swirl inside me. “Hey,” I replied cautiously, glancing briefly at Cooper. His eyes immediately locked onto me, which relaxed me more than I expected.

The blond guy chuckled. “You’re a hard girl to track down.”

“What do you want?” My voice came out steadier than I felt.

"An apology, for starters," Buzz Cut said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"An apology?" I asked flatly, looking from one to the other.

"For what you did to Zach," Blond Guy responded. "He's in the hospital because of you."

"Because of me?" I furrowed my brow, trying to piece together what he was saying.

"He gave you the time of your life and you repay him by running to Daddy," Buzz Cut sneered.

"I'm sorry to hear what happened to Zach," I said, standing up and facing them. "Truly, I am. But my father is dead."

"It's an expression," Buzz Cut replied in disbelief. "We all saw Cooper Sinclaire beating the shit out of him. And we're here to tell you that you better watch your step?—"

"Don't tell me you boys are actually threatening her," Cooper's voice came from behind me, a dangerous edge to it. "Not after what I did to your little boyfriend."

"Ugly motherfucker, sleeping with the stupid because it's the only way you'll get laid," Blond Guy spat.

"Cooper isn't ugly," I said, genuinely confused by their insults. "And it's really rude to call him names."

"Look at the whore, defending him," Buzz Cut sneered.

Cooper's hand shot out, grabbing Buzz Cut by the shirt and pulling him close. "That's twice you've disrespected her in front of me," he said through clenched teeth. "There will not be a third."

I clenched my teeth, my stomach knotting with anxiety. Confrontation wasn't something I liked or was used to handling. But I refused to show that weakness in front of them. My eyes darted between Cooper and the two guys, hoping it wouldn't come to blows but bracing myself if it did.

“Tell me,Coop.” Buzz Cut sneered, his voice dripping with malice. “Does she taste as sweet as she looks? I heard Zach had her while she was still ripe and now, all you have is sloppy seconds.”

My heart pounded in my chest, my face burning with humiliation. The words felt like knives, each one sharper than the last.

“Fucking slut,” Blond Guy added, his tone laced with contempt.

Cooper moved so fast I barely saw it coming. His fist connected with Buzz Cut’s face first, then swung around to Blond Guy. The sound of the hits echoed through the rink, sharp and brutal.

Buzz Cut staggered back, clutching his face. “You can’t do that!” he shouted, pain and anger mingling in his voice.

“I just did,” Cooper growled, his eyes blazing with fury. “Now get the fuck out before I put you in the hospital so you can visit Zach on a more permanent basis.”

The guys shot each other a look before turning on their heels and leaving, their anger palpable in every step they took.

As soon as they were out of sight, I reached for Cooper’s hand. “You shouldn’t have done that,” I said softly, my voice trembling despite my efforts to keep it steady.

He yanked his hand away from mine, his jaw clenched tight. “You can’t let them talk like that about you,” he muttered before turning and heading out onto the ice without another glance in my direction.

I stood there, watching him skate away, feeling a mix of confusion and hurt swirl inside me. My teeth clenched as I fought back the tears threatening to spill over. I didn’t understand why he was mad at me—why he always seemed to push me away just when I thought we were getting closer.

But I wasn’t going to push it. Not now. Not when everything felt so raw and uncertain. So instead, I took a deep breath and forced myself to focus on something else—anything else—to keep from breaking down right there in the rink.

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