Page 3 of Forever Relentless

“You expect us to believe the dean’s daughter doesn’t know that Wrighton’s bent like a corkscrew?”

Savannah licked her lips, her shoulders squared, defiance and something that looked a lot like pride in her gaze. “My father is trying to clean it up. We are trying to clean it up.”

“They went digging when they couldn’t find a trace of you anywhere,” Hadley spoke up before Mason could argue. “They found me. I found you,” she said to Mason. “And together, we found Tiffany Preacher.”

There was a moment of silence before Mason barked out a laugh. “Tiffany Preacher? Are you fucking kidding?” He looked them over, his eyes hard and his body tense. “You’re here for Tiff?”

“Tiff?” Dante questioned, his voice low but not soft. No, nothing about this was soft. “Sounds familiar for someone who accused you of sexual assault.”

“No charges were pressed,” Hadley said quickly. “I have a . . . friend who said that Tiffany’s statement was written three times, and each version was different. I just want to know the right story,” she said, and I could hear her earnestness. “I came here looking for Tiffany. The guys wanted to find you—”

“Why?” Mason cut in. His gaze returned to the quarterback. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“Don’t you want to defend your case?” Dante asked smoothly.

“Nothing to defend.”

“No charges were ever brought against Mason,” I told them all. “He was never accused by anyone in a position of authority.”

“Why?” Noah asked, leaning back with his shoulder resting lightly against the garage door. “Because you knew Tiff personally, or because you didn’t do it?”

Mason turned his head slightly to look at him. “You and I are going to have a problem, aren’t we?”

Noah grinned in challenge, and I stepped between them, not even caring that I made it obvious.

“No charges were brought because Mason is innocent, and because Tiffany never accused him.”

“Then why go quietly?” Dustin asked. “When they kicked you out, why not make a fuss?”

Mason glanced at him. “Who said I didn’t?”

Hadley spoke again. “Where is she?”

I refused to look at Mason. I wasn’t giving them shit about Tiffany. I knew he’d never say a word.

“She lives on this street,” Savannah told us. “That’s where we were headed, but Noah saw you.” Her gaze settled on me. “Have you always lived here?”

“None of your fucking business.” Mason stepped forward, and I saw Noah straighten. “There’s no story for you here,” he said with a sneer, his eyes on Hadley. “Now, as I said earlier, fuck off.”

Dante Spence tilted his head slightly to the side. “There’s always a story,” he said to Mason. “You know more about the program than we do. I’d be very interested to hear about it. I’ve come to Bobby Ray’s attention, not in a good way. He’s watching us, all of us.” His gaze swept over Mason. “I believe you didn’t hurt her—”

“Just like that?” Mason challenged.

Dante’s lips twitched. “I’m very good at reading people.”

“Really? Did you miss the rundown on Sutherland?” Mason snorted.

Dante shrugged. “Wasn’t looking for corrupt and twisted — caught the douchiness early on.”

Mason huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, well . . . I’ll maybe give you that.”

“Hadley,” Dante gestured toward the dark-haired girl. “She’ll want to know more about Tiffany. My girlfriend, too. I think they’re right to want that. If something happened to her and her story isn’t told, doesn’t she have the right to be heard?”

I cleared my throat. “You’re wasting your time.”

“I don’t believe that,” Hadley murmured. “No one writes three versions of a statement. She was traumatized.”

“Or she was confused, or lying,” Mason bit out, anger radiating from him. “Ever think of that? Maybe she wasn’t traumatized; maybe she couldn’t keep the story straight because it wasn’t true.”