Page 27 of Fought and Freed

“How the Hell did you get him to agree on this?” Cody shook his head in disbelief. “I’ve known students who missed two weeks and had to take the semester over.”

Maddy tilted her head, frowning at her brother. “Did you Moretti him?”

“Moretti him?” He snorted, then busted out laughing.

The guys laughed along with him.

“I’m sorry, Mads, that’s too funny.” Lucca waved a hand as he calmed down. “If you’re asking if I went all gangster on him, then no. But money talks. Let’s just say we didn’t have to do any fundraising for the expenses of going to the Rose Bowl this year.”

Skylar’s eyes lit up. “Wait, the Huskies are going to the Rose Bowl?”

Lucca beamed with pride. “Looks that way.”

“Congratulations, man!” Cody stepped forward to shake his hand.

Maddy looked around, feeling lost. She knew nothing about football. “Is that a big deal?”

Torr gazed at Lucca with admiration. “The Rose Bowl is the highest bowl you can go to for our conference.”

Maddy grinned at her brother. “Well, then, congratulations, Lucca.”

“The team gets tickets for our family to come. Since you and Uncle Salvatore are my only family, and Uncle can’t be there... It’s in four days, but…” Lucca rushed the last part out fast. “I want you to come.”

“I’d love to!” Maddy looked around the room. “It’s here, right?”

“No.” Skylar grinned. “It’s in Pasadena, California, on New Year’s Day.”

Maddy’s eyes widened. “Oh! I’d want the guys to come, too, if they can?”

Maddy glanced at the guys, who all nodded.

“I guess I could use my money for plane tickets and maybe a hotel?” She opened the checkbook Lucca had handed her, and her mouth fell open. “This has to be wrong.”

Lucca reached across Torr and took the checkbook to glance at the amount registered. “No, that’s right. But there’s more I need to tell you. I didn’t want to overwhelm you.”

He didn’t want to overwhelm her?

She gaped at him. “It says I have four million dollars.”

Ryder sat up straight. “Holy shit.”

Skylar thrust his arm into the air. “Yes, I’m dating a rich girl!”

When Lucca made to hand her the checkbook, Maddy raised her hands, her head shaking. “I can’t take that.”

“Why not? It’s yours.” Lucca seemed genuinely confused.

Maddy tucked her hands in her lap. “That money is tainted.”

Lucca’s head dropped, his jaw working back and forth.

Maddy stared at her brother, taken aback at how upset her words made him. Why the Hell did she say that? She didn’t mean it to sound like she thought he was tainted.

Lucca rubbed his mouth with his hand and stood.

Cody’s eyes widened, and he pushed off the fireplace, taking a step toward her.

Lucca turned and scowled at him. “Do you really think I’d hurt my sister, Anderson?”

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