Page 42 of Released from the Sin Bin

He slips my good left foot through the pant leg, then rolls the right side of the baggy sweatpants before carefully picking up my ankle to feed it through.

I suck in a breath and clench my teeth together to stop from screaming. Carter is going as gentle and slow as he can, but any slight movement sends a sharp stinging pain through my ankle and up to my knee.

“Take a minute.” He stops once the pants are up to my knees.

I let go of the breath I was holding in and take quick deep breaths to prepare myself for more.

“Is it broken?” I ask in a shaky voice I don’t recognize. “It’s broken. Isn’t it?”

Carter nods without looking at me. “Callie said it’s most likely broken.”

Sucking in another quick breath to hide any sign of agony I’m in, I close my eyes and will the tears to stay in. Forget the Bobcats. Not even they will want me now. I’ve destroyed any chance of turning hockey into a career. I have six months of school left, and I can’t spend any of that time on an injured list, sitting on a bench, and watching my team from the sidelines. That’s if I don’t get kicked out of school.

I endangered my friends and myself by going against the prohibition set on us. Everything I’ve worked so hard for is shattered.

“She said it might not be that bad.” Carter awkwardly pats my knee to comfort me. “We won’t know anything until we get you to the hospital in the morning.”

I swallow down those tears that are threatening to break through. “Can we get these pants on now?” There is nothing more pathetic than breaking my ankle while chasing after my lying, cheating boyfriend, except crying about it with my pants around my knees.

Carter leans over me, lifting my pelvis with one arm wrapped around my hips while pulling the pants up with the other hand. In any other situation, this would be a very precarious and somewhat sensual position, but Carter is focusing on not moving or harming my ankle. While I’m focusing on not screaming from the excruciating pain burning up my leg.

“Are you good?” He sets me down with a grunt.

“Perfect.” I steady the shakes rolling through my muscles.

“I’ll get that tea for you.” He leaves me to relax on the hard blanket covered floor.

Renna stands at the edge of the room, quietly watching us. She bites her lip, keeping her eyes on Carter’s tight ass in those tiny underpants he’s walking around in, winking at me before following him to the next room.

“Kandi said you were awake.” Callie comes out from behind Renna with a small white container in her hand. She crouches down and ties back her long black hair from her face. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.” I straighten up and put on a brave face.

“Don’t lie.” She looks up through the top of her eyelids and holds up the container of what I’d presume is a homemade herbal cream. “We don’t have any aspirin, and the salve would have worn off by now. It’s not going to take away all the pain. It works better on muscle strains, not fractures.”

With her nimble fingers, she carefully removes the ace bandage and smoothes the cream over my calf and down, lightly spreading it around my ankle and foot.

I hiss from the pain, but bite the inside of my cheek.

“I have a clove that will help ease the pain or take your mind off it, if you want?” She asks quietly and looks up for my response as she wraps my ankle again.

I nod, unable to open my mouth without crying. I’ve never smoked before, but I’ve heard about Callie’s special herbal cloves that give good highs without getting detected on the athletic department’s drug tests. At this point, I’ll take anything to get rid of the pain. My life as a hockey player is already over.

She sets my foot down on a stack of pillows. “I have some clothes you can borrow, too.”

“I’m ok for now.” I don’t want to go through another dressing by Carter. “Thank you.” Grabbing her hand, I stop Callie from leaving. “Really. Thank you for everything.”

She shrugs. “Don’t worry about it. We’re all happy to help.”

Carter comes back with a heaping mug of tea.

“No one’s complaining about the eye candy either,” Callie whispers beside me. She looks at Carter and gives me a wink. “I’ll be back.”

Carter passes me the mug, careful not to spill the hot water.

“Callie said she has clothes for me.” I keep my eyes on his, not daring to check out his hard lined six-pack abs or his thick package that the other girls are ogling.

“It’s fine. I have extra in my bag.”

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