Page 55 of The Ruckup
The sound of sirens ends any thoughts of my sister and best friend, pulling my attention back to the man still lying on the grass. I wish I could say I have hope this will be the last time I see him, but I’m learning very quickly that all the protection orders in the world can’t keep women like Maddie safe.
Because men like Drake think they’re above the law. They believe the rules don’t apply to them.
At least now he knows one law does. The third fucking law of physics. Because for every action he takes against Maddie, he’s going to receive my reaction.
Right in his goddamned face.
“ARE YOU SURE you don’t mind?” Maddie looks ready to cry. “I can take her to my apartment if you want.” She blinks hard a few times. “I should probably go to my apartment anyway.” Both hands come to her face, fingers digging into her red rimmed eyes. “Maybe my parents were right. Maybe I should have waited until all of this was over before we started —”
“I’m gonna stop you right there.” I step close to her, gently gripping her wrists and pulling them down so she can see my face. “Not to be a dick, but your parents are fucking wrong about everything.”
I can’t say I didn’t see this coming. I knew Maddie was going to blame herself for what happened at Alexis's apartment a few hours ago. That’s what she’s been conditioned to do. Take blame. She’s spent years absorbing other people’s faults. I know it will take a while for her to figure out how to put them where they belong instead.
I don’t have that problem. I’m more than happy to drop the blame exactly where it should be.
“Your parents are the ones who pushed you to marry Drake in the first place. He had everyone fooled, and they ate up his bullshit. It’s not your fault they’ve got fucking indigestion now.”
My body’s beginning to ache from the beating I dished out, and I relish it. I love that I can feel the pain I inflicted every time I move.
Because I know Maddie’s piece of shit ex-husband is feeling it too. Except he gets to feel it while he sits behind bars alone on a shitty cot. I get to hold Maddie close in the comfort of our bed while my knuckles throb and my skin stings.
The overweight hairless cat Maddie brought home from the vet she and Alexis visited earlier today meows up at me. Like Gill thinks she has to plead her case too.
They don’t seem to know I would give Maddie anything. If she brought home a miniature cow, I’d figure out a place to put a corral. If she found a stray dolphin, I’d drain my pool and fill it with salt water. Maddie can bring whatever she wants into this house.
It’s her home. Even if she doesn’t yet know it.
“Come here.” Crouching, I quickly scoop up the cat before pulling Maddie close. I never would have anticipated the beginnings of my own little family looking like this, but I don’t hate it. Some fucked-up part of me revels in being the man Maddie and Gillette can rely on. They’ve both been rejected and unappreciated. Found themselves alone and afraid in a new world.
My world.
Maddie and our cat both seem to melt into me. It’s validating. It feeds my soul. It soothes the hard edges scraped into me when I saw Drake put his hands on my sister. It?—
“Are you shivering?” Maddie tips her head back so she can see my face. Her dark brows are pinched together as she looks me over. After a few seconds, her eyes drop to the hairless cat vibrating between us. “I think it’s her.”
I don’t know much about animals, but I do know most cats have fur. “Is she cold?”
“I don’t know.” Maddie steps away from me, going to collect the fluffy blanket I brought on my second visit to her apartment. “I was going to research hairless cats, but then…” Her lower lip trembles as she comes back and begins wrapping Gillette in the blanket. “I don’t want all this to come back on you.”
“Don’t worry about me.” At this point the cops haven’t seemed interested in charging me with anything, but I know that’s not all Maddie’s worried about. “I called my coach and let him know what happened. He didn’t seem concerned.”
To be fair, I didn’t really leave room for him to be concerned. Not about me anyway.
I’ve always liked our coach. But when he asked if there was anything he could do for Maddie instead of lecturing me for participating in an activity that could cause me to get injured, I decided to like him even more. I don’t know if he has something in his past that makes him understand what’s going on, but he sure seemed invested in the situation.
Lots of people have. Because shit like this happens way more often than I thought. Every guy on my team seems to have someone who’s been through something similar. Moms. Sisters. Girlfriends.
It’s a miracle women want to have anything to do with us considering how many of them have suffered at the hands of a man.
“It’s not just about your coach, though.” Maddie sighs. “It’s about your parents. Your fans.” Her brows lift. “The owner of the team.” Her dark eyes are shimmering when they meet mine. “I don’t want to ruin your life.”
I don’t know how to make her feel better. I don’t know how to explain to Maddie that the only way she could ruin my life is by not being in it.
Technically, she and I are still early in our relationship. It doesn’t feel that way because we’ve already faced so much, but I have to remind myself she’s likely not as ready to jump in with both feet as I am. I don’t want her to feel pressured. She’s already faced enough of that from the people in her life. She won’t be getting it from me too.
“Listen.” I reach down, tipping a finger under her chin. “Before you, I was eating the most basic bitch chicken and vegetables on a daily basis.” I smile at the memory of her horror when shesaw my normal style of cooking. “If that didn’t ruin my life, this definitely won’t.”
As I hoped, Maddie laughs. “That probably was pretty miserable.”
