Page 61 of Comeback
A third person sat with the couple, his back turned to me, his gaze trained on the football game on the television. He wore baggy camouflage pants and a tight black t-shirt that clung to his protruding belly. He leaned back in his chair, balancing precariously on its two rear legs, with his legs kicked up and muddy tactical boots resting on the table.
It was him.
Nicole noticed me. Her eyes were filled with sheer fright and she let loose a sudden scream—and though the duct tape muffled her scream, I knew exactly what she’d said.
“RUN.”
I wanted to run, but my body wouldn’t move. I was frozen with fear. And now the intruder knew I was there. He let his chair fall to the ground and spun around to look at me, a baseball bat menacingly resting in his lap.
Trevor raised his silver flask to me, as if toasting to our reunion.
“Welcome home, baby.”
Chapter 25
Jack
I sped up my driveway and slammed on the brakes, tires chirping as I came to a stop just outside my front door. I stormed through the front door, fists balled, and stamped through my house, looking for Dane and Reavo.
I found my old teammates sitting at the center island in the kitchen, each with a bottle of beer.
“There you are,” I snarled. I stared them down from the opposite side of the island.
“We helped ourselves to some of your beer,” Reavo said. “Hope you don’t mind.”
He slid one across the island bar to me, but I pushed it aside.
“Wow, he actually came back,” Dane said with a scoff. “I thought you were gonna take off on us again, Captain Runaway. Oops—sorry, I meant to say CaptainHathaway. I mix those two up sometimes.”
Reavo jabbed Dane’s side with his elbow. “Cut itout, D. Don’t rile him up.”
“What the hell brought you two out here, anyway?” I asked.
“We need you, Hath,” Reavo said.
“Bullshit,” Dane said. “No, we don’t. We’re doing just fine without him.”
“Pst,” Reavo whispered to Dane, “what the hell’s wrong with you? You’re not helping.”
I rolled my eyes. “Reavo, if you really thought you could talk me into coming back, you should’ve left Dane back in Dallas.”
Reavo shook his head. “Actually, D askedmeto come out here to get you. He’s the one who hired the PI who found you.”
What?
“Really?” I asked.
Dane chuffed and turned his gaze away.
“I don’t get it,” I mumbled. “Why bother if you knew I wasn’t coming back?”
“Because we all miss you, bud,” Reavo said. “Did you know we finished in last place last year?”
“I heard about it, yeah,” I said.
“Yeah. ‘Cause right now, Big D over here is the only guy who can put the puck in the net. We miss you out there, Hath. But more importantly, we miss youoffthe ice, too. All of us. Dane included.”
Dane chuffed. “Yeah. Sure. Whatever.”
