Page 114 of Offside Angel

Carson yells as I slam into his chest, but the sound dies when the air rushes out of his lungs when I take him to the floor. My vision is red. I’m operating on some deep, animal level as I rear back and drive my fist into his stupid fucking face.

Again and again.

Carson gets a few shots in, mostly to my ribs and my chest. I grunt, but I don’t slow down.

Not until hands grab me from behind.

“Whoa, Zane!” Jace is shouting in my ear, utilizing every decibel of his captain's voice. “Back off. Enough. Stop!”

Davis and Nathan are picking Carson up off the floor, but I’m still lunging for him. I can’t stop. Not when he’s threatening my family.

Not when he’s coming after what is mine.

Jace spins around to face me and plants both hands on my chest. “Zane, look at—Look at me!”

Finally, I tear my eyes from Carson’s bloody nose and his split lip. Jace’s face is red, but his eyes are pleading.

“Stop,” he growls. “Don’t do this.”

“He threatened Mira!” I spit loud enough that my voice echoes off the stone walls. “He came for my family because he wants to be the fucking captain. How—” I lean around Jace, talking only to Carson now. “How do you not realize I’m out of the running for captain? I have been since I walked out of this locker room before we played the Firebirds. If you haven’t put that together, maybe you’re too stupid to be captain.”

A few whispers echo through the locker room. It’s the first time I’ve said out loud what everyone has been thinking.

I’m not going to be captain.

But I don’t care.

“I don’t regret leaving, by the way. I don’t regret it because, as much as I love this team, I’ll do anything to protect my family. From the media, from people who want to hurt them, or from fuckheads like you?—”

I lunge again, but Jace pins me against the locker. “Zane, seriously. Enough.”

I fight him for a second before I sag back, hands raised. “I’m done. I’m done. He isn’t worth it.”

Jace doesn’t buy it, though, and I don’t blame him. He keeps his hands on my chest as the rest of the team starts to file in like a bunch of rubberneckers here to see an accident.

But I don’t care about any of them. I jab a finger at Carson as he swipes his wrist over his bloody lip. “You’re a piece of shit, Deluth. You’re shady and you don’t give a fuck about anyone but yourself. I can put up with your bullshit—until you start fucking with my family. Don’t ever,” I spit, leaning over Jace’s shoulder to get as close to Carson’s face as I can, “threaten my family again, or I’ll end you.”

“That’s enough.” Coach is standing in his doorway, leaning against the frame. I’m not sure when he got here, but he looks as tired of this shit as I am. “Show’s over. Clear out and go home.”

Carson’s face flames red. He dips his head as he passes the office door. “Sorry, Coach.”

Maybe I’m still high on adrenaline, but I swear Coach’s eyes narrow.

I may not be in the running for captain—but after this little stunt, Carson might not be, either.

43

MIRA

The last few weeks have been a dream, but Dante was always lingering on the periphery. Whether I wanted to acknowledge it or not, he was a shadow in the picture, a dark cloud over the party.

Now, standing in a sea of screaming people, he’s the entire picture. I can’t look anywhere without thinking about him sitting out there somewhere.

Watching me.

Waiting.

“Do you see him?” Taylor asks.

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