Page 122 of Rinkmates

But we all know Riley could take him down without breaking a sweat.

“Sweety,” Sandford says with a sly smirk, using the same endearment he always did when he wanted something from me. But I am not that naive girl anymore. I have changed and I owe it all to him. He made me grow up fast.

“I’m not your sweety anymore,” I sneer, emphasizing each word. “I told you once and I’m only telling you this twice, don’t play me, I don’t want anything to do with you. Get out of my way.”

But Sandford doesn’t listen. He never did listen to anyone. “Why didn’t you call me back?” he demands, completely disregarding my previous statement. “I just want to talk.”

I swallow hard, trying to keep my composure in front of everyone watching us. “You talked enough on TV,” I retort, remembering how he tried to twist the truth to make himself look like the victim.

That poor man.

His young, teenage protégé, all wild and naive, running away from the Olympics. The hate I got on social media made me cry myself to sleep, even though there was so much more I had to cry about.

“I never want to see you again. I mean it, I’ll get a restraining order if I have to.”

Sandford laughs, probably thinking about how broke I am and that I can’t afford to come after him. But he has no idea how much I’ve earned from the show. If I win, I’ll finally have the means to track him down. And I will.

He reaches out to grab my arm in a desperate attempt to stop me from leaving. Before I can react, Riley is there, standing between us, his eyes shooting daggers at Sandford. It’s then when I realize he’s half a head taller than him. “If you touch her again, I will knock you out,” he warns.

Sandford looks up at him with a steely gaze, showing no signs of fear. “Another sports career ruined over trifles? How pathetic.”

Trifles? He can’t be serious.

The anger inside me boils over as I look at him and all the hurt he’s caused me.

“Trifles?” I say.

Riley doesn’t throw a punch.

I do.

My fist connects with Sandford’s jaw, but the pain shooting through my hand is nothing compared to the satisfaction rushing through me now.

“Leave me alone,” I spit, cradling my throbbing fingers. “I never want to see you again.”

Riley pulls me away before anything else can happen, leading me outside into the cool night air.

As we walk toward our waiting car, I lean against him for support, tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.

I let out a groan of pain as Riley quickly inspects my hand.

“Oh no,” I mumble, realizing what I’ve just done. My hand. I need it.

I have never hit anyone before and I didn’t even do it right.

But it was never just trifles and Sandford knows it.

“Fuck. Hospital. Now. I think you broke your thumb,” Riley says.

Thirty-six

RILEY

“You’re crazy,” I grunt out as I tape up Liora’s blue thumb again. “Most people would rest an injury like this.”

She just smiles, flexing her fingers gingerly. She was incredibly brave facing Sandford again, and while we waited at the hospital, she shared her plan to finish law school and come back to finish him. I absolutely love the idea. But the best part was when she told me she wasn’t afraid to see him again because I was by her side. Hearing that made my heart swell.

“Good thing I’m not most people then. A little tape and some painkillers, and I’ll be fine. I’ve skated through worse,” she says.

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