Page 97 of Out of the Shadows
“Before you try to disappear again” — she fixed him with her gaze — “I’d like to hear all the details. Please?”
He turned on his heel to face us again, squinting one eye and looking up at the ceiling.
“Well—” He sighed. “If you must. Let’s see … After tapping into your father’s network, whose security measures, by the way, are shockingly easy to breach, I found several conversations between him and Nico dating back to the summer. Just like me, your old man must’ve gotten wind that Nico screwed over his dad this summer by fucking his new stepmom—”
“He didwhat?” Hailey squeaked, and my eyebrows shot up. I already thought Nico was a sleazy motherfucker, but I didn’t think he was capable of something like that.
Hunter shrugged one shoulder and nodded. “Yep. Daddy dearest didn’t think it was cute either and cut him off. He’s been trying to claw his way back ever since. That’s where your dad comes in. I think he initially set you two up because Nico’s family was loaded, but once he found out Nico was broke and desperate, he saw a new opportunity. Your father offered him money in exchange for information on you two.”
“Wow …” I shook my head in disgust. And to think that I’d been on a team with this guy for years.What a fucking little rat.“So Nico took the deal to screw me over and get back in his father’s good graces?”
Hunter gave a grim smile. “Pretty much. Desperation makes people do stupid shit.”
“Oh!” Hailey suddenly exclaimed. “That’s what youthreatened him with back at the diner?”
“Good observation,” Hunter said dryly.
Hailey rolled her eyes and glanced at me as she toyed with the fabric of the sheet. “So, what exactly does this mean for us?”
I huffed, running my fingers through my hair and clasping my hands behind my neck. “Well, as far as your father is concerned … we’ll break the good news to him and then deal with the consequences —together. As for Nico … phew, no idea, to be honest. Is there anything we can do?” Now I looked at Hunter again, who returned my gaze.
“Actually, that’s up to you. I’ve secured enough material that if it were brought to Coach, it would definitely get him kicked off the team.” He shrugged. “But that’s your decision. If you really want to stick it to him, we can even take it to the administration of the BRU and get him kicked out of the school as well.”
I tilted my head to Hailey, who stared into my eyes.
“It’s your team, so I’ll leave the final decision regarding this part to you, but if you ask me, throw him under the bus. He’s a fucking snake in the grass, and he deserves to be held accountable for his actions.” I could hear the suppressed fury in her tone and see the fire in her eyes.
“He definitely deserves it,” I said bitterly.
“Is that your decision? No offense, but I’m kind of done standing around here. Or are there eleventy more questions you need to ask me?” Hunter said in a gruff voice. Guess he’d had enough social interaction, which was hardly surprising.
I hesitated. Did I really want to end someone else’s career and future? Considering he’d tried to do the same to Hailey as well as me, so my hesitation vanished into thin air. “Go forit,” I said with a determined nod.
“Just so we’re all on the same page: I’m going to send this information anonymously to both the coach and the administration. There’s no need to drag any of us into this unnecessarily. So act surprised and don’t give anything away, okay?” With that, he walked out of the room without another word.
The door had barely closed behind him when I jumped up.
“Where are you going?” Hailey asked, perplexed.
I glanced back over my shoulder at her, the sight of her covered only by a sheet so enticing that I almost turned around and crawled back into bed with her.
“There’s one more thing I need to talk to Hunter about. Alone. It has nothing to do with you or your father, and you know how he is … He won’t talk if you’re there. Not even sure he’ll tell me.”
“Oookay,” she said, her shapely eyebrows drawn together. “Hurry back.”
I snorted. “Please, like I’m going to take my time knowing you’re here waiting for me.”
“I love you.”
“Love you too, Princess.”
With quick steps, I strode down the hall and entered Hunter’s room. He hadn’t bothered to knock either. His head whipped around to look at me while his fingers tapped lightning fast on the keyboard, causing several windows on the screen to close.Suspicious.
“Was there anything else?” He drawled, one eyebrow raised, the conversation definitely over as far as he was concerned.
“First off, thanks for your help, from me and Hailey, we really appreciate it, but …”
He gave me nothing, not a single muscle moved, his expression blank. We were more or less having a staring contest, like when we were kids, and I already knew I would lose, he was just too good at it.
