Page 208 of So This Is War
“Do you think this is going to hurt you guys?”
“I really hope not,” I say. “He told me he loved me before I took off.” But then worry races up my spine. “Do you think he’s going to break up with me?”
“I don’t know,” Sandie says. “What kind of trouble is he in?”
“I have no idea. He just said he’d meet me back at home, but God, what if he’s kicked off the team and resents me? After everything he’s done for me, I couldn’t forgive myself.”
“How about this,” Sandie says, placing her hand on my hand. “Let’s not put unrealistic thoughts and ideas in our heads. Let’s just go back to your place and wait for him to return. No use making yourself sick over thewhat ifs.”
My lip wobbles as I nod. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“It will be okay,” Sandie says reassuringly. “Everything will be okay.”
Chapter Twenty
LEVI
“He violated the code of conduct,” Coach Wood yells, still not letting up.
“Unfortunately, Will, we don’t have a code of conduct regarding sharing relations with family members of staff or players,” Andie says, clearly wanting to be anywhere but in the middle of this.
“Then what the fuck am I supposed to do?” Coach Wood asks. “There has to be something. He was fucking my daughter in the team locker room.”
“Yes, and we’ll issue a warning for using team property in such a manner, but unfortunately, that’s all we can do.”
Coach Wood picks a mug off his table and slams it into the wall before sitting in his office chair. He stares at me in a menacing way. “I hate you,” he says. “I fucking hate you. I never should have trusted you in the first place. I should have knownyou were going to be a horny motherfucker and take advantage of my daughter.”
“Hold on a second,” I say. “I did not take advantage of her. Everything between us has been strictly consensual.”
“Really? Consensual? My daughter said that she loves you. There’s no way she came to that conclusion on her own. You’ve manipulated her.”
“I didn’t,” I say. “We just . . . we fell for each other. Is that too hard to believe?”
“Yes,” Coach Wood shouts as he stands again. “It is. You arenotworthy of her. You’re a dumbass jock with a right hook. You’ve only been kept on this team because you’ve held your ground on the ice, taking the punches so other players, especially Hornsby, ourleadingdefenseman, don’t have to. You’re overrated, and trust me when I say, I’ll do everything in my goddamn power to make sure you’re off this team.” With that, he charges out of his office and slams the door behind him.
Fuck.
I smooth my hand over my forehead and glance at Andie, who leans against the wall with her arms crossed.
After a few seconds of silence, she says, “Did you really have to go after his daughter?”
“There was an attraction there before I even knew she was the coach’s daughter. It was inevitable, Andie.”
She nods and pushes off the wall. “The team will fine you for having sex in the locker room.”
“I understand,” I say.
When she starts to walk away, I say, “Am I going to be kicked off the team?”
She looks over at me and shakes her head. “No, Levi, despite what Coach said in anger, you’re a valuable asset to this team. But I do suggest you find a way to calm down your coach because he’s going to make your life a living hell.”
And with that, she’s out of the office as well.
I lean back in my chair and pull my phone out of my pocket. I need help, and there’s only one place to look for it.
Levi:I need help. It’s bad . . . really bad. Meet me at Café Peppermint in half an hour.
“Oh look, he got us drinks,”Silas says as he takes a seat in the private room I secured.
