Page 72 of Sin

Even from yards away, I feel the fury vibrating from Ethan like heat from the sun. The back of my neck prickles.

Oh God, I think he’s about to snap.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Ethan

The crowd’s roar dims to a murmur, and my stomach hollows out. I let everyone down. I see it on all my teammates’ faces—the disappointment, the frustration.

I replay in my mind the moment when it all could have been turned around. The ball was perfect, spiraling through the air like a gift from God. It was a rare decent pass from Mason. All I had to do was catch it. But as my fingers touched the ball, the cornerback crashed into me, and the impact knocked the ball loose, along with our chances of winning.

As I walk off the field, Mason catches up to me. Without even looking his way, I can feel his smug smile as if it were scalding me.

“Are you missing your redheaded good luck charm?” he asks. “Oh, wait. I think I saw her in the family section. Wearing your jersey, wasn’t she? Maybe she’s a redheaded curse.”

I grit my teeth and ball my hands into fists. The desire to punch him is so strong, my hands ache with the need to connect with his face.

He laughs, a grating sound that scrapes against my nerves. “Uh-oh. Don’t like me talking bad about her, huh? I’m surprised, Harrington. I never thought a good boy like you would fall for a slut.”

I stop in my tracks and turn to face him. An otherworldly aura of rage settles over me, and my periphery blurs, my vision narrowing to Mason’s face.

My breathing slows, and the stadium fades, the crowd’s noise turning into a distant hum. My heartbeat thumps in my ears.

Mason’s face twists in a sneer, his eyes glinting with malice. My fists tighten, and the desire to make him feel even a fraction of the pain he’s caused Lily becomes the call of my soul.

My fist flies through the air, driven by a force I can’t control. It connects with his face in a satisfying crunch, and the impact reverberates up my arm. Mason stumbles back, clutching his nose and crumpling to the ground.

The stadium erupts around us, a roar of gasps and shouts. A primal satisfaction courses through me. I stand over him, watching him writhe on the ground.

Coach Rodriguez is yelling, his voice sharp and angry, but it sounds like it’s coming from a great distance, muffled compared to the roaring in my head.

I can’t tear my eyes away from Mason. Seeing him in pain and knowing I caused it brings a twisted sense of vindication.

“That was for Lily,” I say.

With a satisfied smile, I glance up into the stands, my gaze searching for my sassy girl. I hope she saw this. I hope she had the satisfaction of watching Mason crumple over like a card tower.

Then I find her. She’s standing by the railing at the front of the family section. Her body is utterly still. Even from yards away, I can make out the expression on her face.

Shocked. Lifeless. Like she’s just seen something terrible.

Because she didn’t want me to lay a finger on Mason, and somehow, in my haze of rage, I completely forgot about the promise I gave her.

Fuck, I’ll have to apologize.

Only for breaking that promise, though. Not for punching Mason. After the provocation he gave me, no power on heaven or earth could have stopped me from finally taking him down.

“My office,” Coach Rodriguez shouts, making me jump. “Now, Harrington.”

I wince before looking up into the stands. Lily’s eyes lock with mine. “I’m sorry,” I mouth.

Her eyes grow cold, and her lips wobble. She shakes her head before turning around and walking up the bleacher steps.

A jolt of panic shoots through me, but I try to squash it. It won’t help to be distracted while Coach Rodriguez rips into me.

Everything will be okay with Lily. She’ll forgive me once she sees that I had no other choice. Letting Mason get away with calling her a slut after what he did to her would have been the death of my goddamn soul.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

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