Page 76 of Wicked Serve

Dad blinks, but that’s the only sign of surprise he gives. There’s still worry on his face, worry for me, thanks to my own stupidity, yet he glances at Mom and says, “We’re happy to hear it.”

“Of course.” Mom’s eyes shine as she strokes my hair. She looks Nik over. “You came from the game?”

“As soon as he heard,” Sebastian says.

Seb must have been the one who told Nik what happened. I lift my chin in a silent thank-you, and he nods. He’s not quite smiling, but I can tell that he’s pleased.

Then I notice Cooper, looking at me and Nik like... like he can’t believe what he’s seeing.

“Cooper,” I say, my mouth going dry.

“What did you do to her?” he asks Nik.

“Nothing,” I say quickly. My head throbs, and I wince. Nik settles his hand on my shoulder, a comforting weight. “He didn’t do anything.”

“Victoria said she was upset,” he says, still looking at Nik instead of me. The hurt on his face sends my heart into a fresh sprint. “Not just because of what happened with her coach. About an argument. She said she argued with a friend, but it wasn’t a friend, was it? It was you.”

“Cooper,” I say again. “Stop it.”

He doesn’t know a thing about what really happened, and I won’t betray Nik’s confidence about the panic attack. I watch Nik closely, waiting for that frozen-over expression, but aside from a wince at Cooper’s words, he seems okay. I squeeze the hand on my shoulder, reminding myself that he promised to tell me the whole story. Whatever it is, I’ll find a way to help him.

“No,” he says. “You’re right. This is my fault.”

“No, Nik, it isn’t.” I struggle to sit up properly, but a flash of pain makes me grit my teeth. Nik holds me in place. The doctor said I was lucky to get away with a minor concussion, but I still feel like someone hit me with a sledgehammer.

“What did you say?” Cooper presses. “What did you do to make her go to a fucking daytime rager?”

“Let’s go outside,” Sebastian says, grabbing Cooper’s arm. “Come on.”

“Do you have any idea what it felt like to get that call from Victoria?” he continues, shaking Sebastian off. “What it felt like to tell my parents that my little sister had a goddamn head injury?”

“Baby,” Penny pleads. “Sebastian’s right. We should go outside.”

Nik steps around the bed, eyes alight.

“Yes,” he snaps. “Because I got it from Sebastian.”

“She hasn’t been to parties like that in ages—”

“My heart fucking stopped when I heard—”

I press a hand to my mouth. I threw up earlier, and despite the anti-nausea medication the nurse gave me, I might do it again. I was half-unconscious during the drive to the hospital, but I remember the panic on Cooper’s and Sebastian’s faces. Whatever Nik thinks, this was on me. My stupidity. My mistake. My nose smarts, tears filling my eyes.

“Enough,” Mom interrupts, pulling herself to her full height. She crosses her arms over her chest tightly. “Enough. My daughter is hurt, and she needs rest, not shouting, and especially not from people who care about her. Cooper, Sebastian—go home.”

Cooper clenches his jaw. “But—”

“Now,” Dad says sharply. “You need to calm down, son.”

He nearly protests further, but allows Sebastian to guide him out of the room.

“And you,” Mom adds to Nik. “Go home and clean yourself up. And eat something, you look dead on your feet.”

“I can stay.”

“Go,” she says, in a voice that leaves no room for argument. “We’ll take care of her. If you calm yourself down, I’ll let you back in this room. That goes for her brothers, too.”

They stare at each other for a long moment, but eventually, Nik nods. He sweeps his gear into his bag and slings it over his shoulder.

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