Page 95 of Off The Rush
“Attention, everyone,” Dean Thompson’s authoritative voice cuts through the noise, commanding attention. She steps onto the stage, her face a mixture of disappointment and determination. “I am appalled that someone would attempt to disrupt this talented young woman’s performance with such a malicious act.”
She pauses, glancing over the crowd. “Our college has a zero-tolerance policy for this type of behavior, and whoever is responsible will be dealt with accordingly. We will not tolerate any attempts to shame or ridicule a consensual relationship.”
I know she’s primarily trying to save the university’s reputation, but I’m grateful that she’s standing up for us.
As the dean finishes her announcement, I can’t help but feel a mix of trepidation and relief. Our secret is out, and there’s no going back.
This is not how I would have done it. All the scouts Emma was so excited about saw this.
As the applause dies down, I make my way to the theater door, spotting Luka and JD waiting for me. Their faces are twisted with anger, and I can practically feel the heat radiating off them.
“Can you believe someone would do this?!” JD exclaims, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.
“Emma didn’t deserve any of this,” Luka adds, his voice low and dangerous. “Whoever did this better hope we don’t find them.”
I nod, equally furious. “We need to go find her, and make sure she’s okay.”
The three of us start to push through the crowded lobby, our eyes scanning the room for Emma. As we search, a figure near the front doors catches my attention. It’s Coach Reynolds, our hockey coach, trying to slip out unnoticed. My heart sinks as I realize he must have seen everything.
“Guys,” I say quietly, gesturing toward him. “Coach is leaving. He saw it all.”
Fuck! Coach is going to kill me.
Luka and JD follow my gaze, their expressions turning grim. We know that having our relationship out in the open could cause problems for us on the team, but there’s nothing we can do about it now.
“Let’s deal with that later,” Luka suggests, his gray eyes filled with determination. “Right now, Emma needs us.”
“Agreed,” JD says, his voice firm. “We’ll handle whatever comes next.”
Right now, our focus is on Emma – making sure she knows how proud we are of her, and that we’ll stand by her no matter what.
Chapter 42
“Shit, shit, shit!” I growl under my breath, my hands clenching into fists as I storm backstage along with Alec and JD. The fury boiling inside me is like a wildfire, searing through every nerve ending. I can’t believe someone would do this to Emma - projecting those images during her performance. It’s sickening.
“Whoever did this is going to pay,” Alec hisses, his blue eyes blazing with anger. JD nods vigorously, his broad frame tensed up like a coiled spring.
“Rachel,” I mutter darkly. “It has to be her.” But even as I say it, I know that we can’t be sure without proof.
We shove past stagehands and musicians, ignoring the surprised expressions on their faces. Our sole focus right now is finding our girl, and making sure she’s okay. And as luck would have it, we spot her just around the corner, her back pressed against the wall. Tessa, ever the loyal friend, stands beside her, an equally furious expression on her face.
“Emma!” I rush over with JD and Alec close behind.
Her green eyes are filled with hurt and anger, but the sight of us seems to offer her some comfort. We gather around her, our arms wrapping her in a tight embrace.
“I’ll give you guys some time,” Tessa says before slinking off.
“Hey, it’s alright,” I murmur into her hair, trying to contain the rage simmering beneath the surface. “We’re here for you.”
“Did you see what they did?” Emma chokes out, her voice trembling with barely restrained fury. “I can’t believe someone would go that far just to humiliate me.”
“Emma, don’t worry,” I tell her, rubbing her back soothingly. “We’ll figure this out, I promise.”
“Damn right we will,” JD adds, his brown eyes fierce and determined.
“Nobody messes with our girl and gets away with it,” Alec growls, his protective instincts kicking in full force.
“Rachel,” Emma hisses, her green eyes blazing with anger. “I know it was her. She was threatening me to make me drop out of the concert. This was her revenge since I said no.”
