Page 104 of Puck Lust

“Sam Hartley, Brixton Scott, and Carter Van Kleef. You’ve got a whole celebrity section in the waiting room right now.”

I clench the bedsheet in my right hand. Truth be told, the only person I really want to see is Jeremy. I need to hear what happened leading up to my arrival at that apartment.

Annabel disappears, and a few minutes later, she returns with Jeremy. His face is swollen and bruised. Scrapes cover the side of his face. But the look in his eyes chills me to my core.

“Jer,” I say, struggling to sit up. The wooziness that floods me forces me right back against the pillows.

“Hang on,” Annabel says. “Let’s raise you up just a bit.” Then she quietly backs out of the room.

Jeremy takes a few shaky steps toward me. “Coach, I’m so s-sorry,” he says, his eyes pooling with tears. “He’d been yelling and screaming about how you celebrities think you canget away with anything and that he needed to teach you a lesson. He took my phone and found your number.” Tears spill out of his eyes. “I’m so sorry. I couldn’t help or call you because he stuck me in the corner where you found me. I was there for hours with that tape over my mouth. I couldn’t scream. And then when you showed up…” Sobs wrack his shoulders. “I felt like maybe things would be okay, that we could get away. I-I didn’t know about the gun.”

“Hey, none of this is your fault. I get it. I was in the same spot you were, bud. But you don’t ever have to worry about him again. You’re never gonna go back there, I promise.”

Jeremy nods. “Someone came here to the hospital. Childhood Protective Services. Someone saw us escape the apartment and the gunshots and reported him. They said my dad was arrested, but that I had to go to some other place tonight until they have a more permanent home for me. Because I don’t have any relatives nearby.” He walks closer to the bed, crying like his heart is breaking.

“Coach, I don’t have anyone else. My mom died a few years ago and we don’t have any family here. I don’t know where they’re going to send me or if the people will even like me. I’ll be all alone.” He cries silently, his reddened cheeks streaked with tears. He swipes at his eyes. “I guess that’s why I didn’t say anything sooner. I hate him but it’s my house and what I know. All I have. I figured things would get better, but they only got worse, especially after Mom died.”

I raise my right arm and reach for his hand, squeezing it tight. “Don’t you worry about anything, do you hear me? You’re not alone. I told you that a long time ago.”

“I know,” he whimpers. “And I’m sorry. I was just so scared.”

I nod, my throat knotted with tears of my own. “I know, bud. I know. We’re gonna figurethis out.”

“Figure what out?” Sam’s smiling face peeks into the room, his expression clouding over when he sees Jeremy. He walks into the room, Carter behind him with a sheepish look on his face.

I swing my gaze back toward Sam.

Carter doesn’t deserve even a shred of my attention.

Sam crosses the room, his brows knitting together. “What’s going on?”

“CPS came to the hospital,” I say, my voice tight. “They’re gonna take Jer and put him in some facility while they figure out a permanent place. Sammy, I can’t let them do that. I can’t let them take him.”

Sam nods. “I figured as much. But how are you going to plead that case when you’re laid up and looking like half a mummy?” Then his lips stretch into a smile. He looks at Jeremy and puts a hand on the kid’s shoulder. “I’ll take him in the meantime. He can stay with me and Brixton while you get back on your feet.”

I let out a deep sigh, a sense of calm washing over my aching body. “Thank you.” I look at Jeremy. The panic has been replaced with relief, and a smile spreads across my face. “You good with that, bud? They’ll take good care of you until I’m up and running again.”

“Yeah,” Jeremy says excitedly. “Thanks, Coach.” Then he turns to Sam. “Thanks, Sam.”

“You okay?” Sam says to me, looking around the room. “You’re hooked up to a lot of stuff right now.”

“Yeah, well, I’m a little anxious for some more drugs. That IV is the only thing I care about and it’s run dry.”

Sam grins. “I’ll make sure the nurse takes care of that.”

“My swollen brain is holding everything up,” I say.

“Swollen brain. Okay, that’s a different one. I’m used to swollen ego.” Sam winks at me and I chuckle.

“I’ll take care of this CPS stuff right now.” He casts a look at Carter over his shoulder and then guides Jeremy toward the door.

Carter steps forward, looking pretty damn uncertain about making the move. But he doesn’t let my hard stare stop him.

And dammit, it’s so painful to keep this shit up.

I want to feel his arms wrapped around me, I want him to hug me tight and ease the pain and the horrors that I experienced this afternoon. Out of everyone, he’d know best how terrifying it would have been for me.

“That was really great, you offering to take Jeremy. I’m sure he needs the kind of support only you can give him.”

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