Page 38 of Inside the Penalty Box

She looked at me with curious eyes then opened the bag.

“It’s my jersey,” I said, as she pulled it out of the bag.

A smile fell over her lips as she flipped it around to see my name across the back. “Thank you. I love it.”

“So you’ll wear it?”

She nodded. “I will.”

* * *

After dinner, we made our way over to a private nightclub where we were meeting up with Clay and Knox.

Once inside, Dylan ordered us each a drink from the bar and we headed out to the dance floor. Dylan took a moment to text them both to tell them where we were, then we started dancing.

Once Clay and Knox arrived, they came over and said hello then made their way to the bar. We were going to follow, but a slow song came on. Dylan grabbed my hand and pulled me against him. Resting my head against his shoulder.

As the music played, we swayed together. Something about this moment made me wish it would never end. I felt him press a kiss to my forehead as he held me in his arms. I’d just closed my eyes and relaxed in his arms when I felt someone grab hold of my hair and pull me backward, ripping me away from Dylan. I tried to fight, but there was nothing I could do, I couldn’t see who it was.

The room spun as I fell backward, until whoever it was finally let me go. I tried to catch myself before I fell to the ground but didn’t succeed. I blinked a few times and tried to focus before I moved. I got up on my knees and turned to see a woman about my age shouting at Dylan. I couldn’t make out what she was saying, but watched in horror as she smacked him across the face. She then began shouting at him again, only his time, she pointed at me.

Dylan came over to where I sat on the ground and grabbed my hands, bringing me up to my feet as she continued to shout at him.

“You asshole. Is this the piece of ass you have your eye on?” she screamed as she pointed in my direction.

Clay and Knox both came over to us and pulled me back away from her, stepping in front of me to protect me. The three of us stood there watching the events unfold before us.

“Carlie, it’s over,” Dylan gritted, wiping at the spilled drink that was all over his shirt. “It’s been over for a long fucking time.”

“Please…we had plans,” she cried.

Dylan shook his head and glanced over at me. Shock, hurt, and anger flooded me as I watched him stand there wiping the drink from his shirt. This girl looked absolutely gutted.

“You can’t give up on us that easily.” She sniffled.

Dylan shook his head. “Carlie, there isn’t anything left!”

“I made mistakes, Dylan. You were right. I didn’t know what I had with you, but I do now, and I don’t want to live my life with a huge regret. I need you back in my life. We were talking about getting married and starting a family. Settling down,” she cried.

My stomach churned and the room spun. I glanced at Knox and Clay, who stood there, neither of them looking surprised. This seemed to be something that was a common occurrence for them. As the events of the past few minutes ran through my mind, my hearing became fuzzy. Never in my life had I been the other woman, and it made me sick to my stomach to think that’s what this was.

“Carlie, I told you, we are over. If you never got the hint from the last letter from my lawyer, then I don’t know what it’s going to take,” Dylan said, coming over to me and wrapping his arm around me.

Carlie spun around and glared at me, then at Dylan.

“Dylan, don’t do this…” she sobbed. “And you…you slut…you stole him from me,” she sneered, raising her fist.

Dylan grabbed me and ripped me from the spot where I stood, Clay and Knox both staying there protecting the pair of us as we left the club. Once outside, we all walked in silence, Clay and Knox keeping an eye out from behind us as we made our way through the parking lot to Dylan’s car.

My heart pounded in my chest as the events that had just unfolded before my eyes replayed in my mind. I didn’t know what to think. What I knew was I wanted to get away from this place and from Dylan as quickly as I could. He opened the door and turned to me, waiting for me to get inside.

I swallowed hard as I looked at the three of them, my stomach rolling. Why wasn’t anyone explaining anything? Who was that girl? Was Dylan married? Was he in a relationship that I didn’t know about? I had so many questions, and the world seemed to be moving at such a fast pace right now, I didn’t know what to do or what to ask.

“Come on, let’s go,” Dylan said, waiting for me to get in.

I shook my head and slowly stepped back away from the car. “Not until you tell me what that was about,” I said, standing my ground while trying to fight back tears.

“Not here,” Dylan said, still waiting for me to get in the car.

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