Page 12 of The Penalty

“Hope you got it all out of your system, mate,” Bennet drawled from the far corner of the training studio. “Thought you were going to dismantle the bloody thing.”

“Don’t you have somewhere better to be?” My words came out sharp. He’s been up my ass all week and I just wanted to get out of here without a litany of snarky comments or questions.

“Not this time,” he replied. “You’re too much of a loose cannon.” He raised his hand to shush me. “And it’ll be a cold day in hell before I let you anywhere near McKennie again. The mess I’ve had to clean up since—”

“Keep scolding me, Logan. You won’t like what happens next.”

“Xavier,” he said calmly. “I understand why you went after him the other night.” Concern tinged his voice. “But I’m worried you’re conflating what happened with—” he caught himself “—you’re conflating what happened when you were younger with what you’ve learned recently. You didn’t know Victoria back then. It’s not the same situation.”

He’s right but it didn’t feel that way. I have to do something. He’ll hurt her.

All the stress and anxiety from the last couple weeks caught up with me, suffocating me until everything sharpened into a singular, painful clarity.

I fucked up.

I never should have left her like that.

“I’m going to New York after the final match next week,” I blurted without thinking. “I’m not doing anyone any good being far away.”

My words hung in the air, heavy and determined.

If I stay here, I’ll do something I’d regret. If I’m with her, I’m less likely to jeopardize my relationship and career.

Bennet’s resigned sigh was all I needed to hear to ease some of this tension. Don’t get me wrong. I was still ready to put him in his place if he so much as hinted at trying to stop me.

“Fine,” he muttered. “But don’t lose your head. And don’t do anything stupid between now and then. I need you focused and ready.”

“I’m always ready. You know that.”

“Sure.” His stony demeanor cracked a little. “We expect nothing short of perfection.”

Right. I am, after all, Xavier Fucking Maddox.

England’s number one.

As long as I’m in goal, there’s no chance we’d lose.

Arrogant? Yes. I didn’t work this hard or get this far to be modest.

A smug smile pulled at my lips. “If anyone scores on me I’ll retire. How’s that for perfection?”

Bennet’s exaggerated eye roll punctuated his response. “The size of your ego is astounding.”

“Go annoy someone else. I’m leaving.”

“One more thing.”

“What?”

“Remember how we discussed having Marcus keep an eye on Victoria?”

I tensed. Marcus is one of the Caldwell family’s top security guards. He’s assigned to Hannah’s detail, along with one of Bennet’s top men, Alex. It wouldn’t be too difficult for him to also watch Victoria.

The problem?

“She’ll lose her mind if I tell her she has a babysitter.”

Bennet shrugged. He’d brought up Marcus several times but before I left Manhattan I promised her I wouldn’t let it happen.

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