Page 89 of For Crosby

With my chest rising and falling and adrenaline rushing through me, I glared at Jeremy. “You’re lucky they’re here. You’re lucky I didn’t kill you for what you did to me. What you did to Sabrina.”

“What about me?” Jeremy asked, spitting a wad of blood on the floor.

“You?” I blinked furiously. “I did nothing to you.”

He stared at me with a red cheek and swelling eye.

I hated that my parents hurt other people—and under other circumstances I might’ve felt bad for Jeremy, but it didn’t mean I deserved to be hurt anymore because of them. “You need help,” I said. “Get it. And then you’ll see we both got fucked over because of my father. It wasn’t only you he hurt.”

“Are you good?” the cop holding me asked. “I need to get him out of here.”

“Yeah,” I said.

He released me and helped his partner escort Jeremy, with his head hanging down, out of the locker room.

I dropped onto the bench, the last few minutes proving too much for me to even fully process.

Coach burst into the locker room, searching the now empty space.

“He’s gone,” I said.

“Did you hit him?”

“Yup.”

“Feel better?”

I shrugged, having no fucking clue what I felt. I was still reeling from the information. Still pissed the fuck off. Still scared to allow myself to believe it was over.

“The dean wants you to file a restraining order, but now I’m wondering if Jeremy will be taking one out on you.” Nervous laughter followed his words.

I didn’t bother looking up at him as I unlaced my skates that suddenly felt too tight.

“Once you file it, he won’t be allowed to contact you,” Coach assured me. “If he does, the authorities will be called and he’ll be facing serious repercussions.”

I said nothing, my mind still struggling to make sense of everything he was saying. Everything that had happened to me. Everything that happened to Sabrina because of me.

“Do you understand what I’m telling you?” Coach asked, likely noticing the dazed expression on my face.

I nodded.

“I wish you would’ve talked to me,” he said.

My eyes finally lifted to his, still stunned Jeremy’s vendetta against me ran so deep. “He had me by the balls, Coach.”

He shook his head, clearly disgusted by the turn of events. “You’re lucky to have such a determined girl.”

My forehead wrinkled. “What?”

“Your girlfriend. She’s the one who brought the proof to the dean.”

My head fell back and a delirious laugh escaped me. I’d underestimated what a stubborn and determined girl Sabrina was. She didn’t get the information she wanted from me, so she found it out for herself.

All the emotions I’d been holding back since she’d shut me out flooded my body. She did care. She did have my back.

Coach stood. “Okay. I’ve gotta confiscate all the guys’ phones now.”

My brows inverted.

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