Page 116 of The Breaking Point

“Hey, Brady,” said Julia. She didn’t look happy to see me. “Let’s get you out of here.”

I considered telling her no, that I’d walk home if I had to. But Julia didn’t look like she’d take no for an answer. I gritted my teeth and followed her to her car outside.

“How did you know to bail me out?” I asked.

“I guess you wouldn’t have seen all the news stories about you getting arrested,” she replied, her tone scathing. She started driving after asking me for my address.

Shit, shit, shit.“Sorry,” I muttered.

“Sorry? That’s all you have to say?” She glanced at me, incredulous. “You just spent the night in jail after assaulting somebody! Did you even call somebody to get you out?”

I shrugged. I didn’t feel like explaining that I hadn’t remembered anybody’s numbers.

Julia sighed. “Never mind. I’m just glad I could figure out where you were easily enough. Oh, and you owe me five hundred bucks.”

“I’ll pay you five hundred thousand if you can drive me home without lecturing me,” I said.

“No way in hell.” Julia got onto the interstate. “Look, I know you’ve been having a hard time lately. I’m very sorry to hearabout your mom passing. When I lost my dad, it was really, really difficult. So I get it.

“But that doesn’t mean you can throw your life away, either. You’re digging yourself into such a deep hole. It’s getting to the point that Silas is talking about having you off the team, and I don’t think Coach is far behind him. Is that what you want? To ruin your career?”

“Of course I fucking don’t.”

“Then you need to pull yourself together. I don’t care what it takes. Do you need to go to therapy? Go to some nature retreat? Go volunteer at a shelter and play with puppies? Whatever it takes, Brady. But you need to dosomethingother than self-destruct.”

I knew she was right. I knew it, but I didn’t want to hear it.

Besides, she didn’t know the half of it. She had no idea how I was feeling, how the woman I loved wouldn’t even let me near her now. That I’d ruined my life way before last night.

“Did you hear what I said?” Julia asked, her voice rising.

I hadn’t, so I just shrugged. “I know you’re pissed at me. And so is everybody else in my life.”

“They’re pissed because they care about you. Even I care about you. I know you think I’m just around to make your life more difficult, but it’s because I want you to succeed.”

I snorted. “You only care about making sure the Blades look good.”

Julia’s expression was the definition ofif looks could kill. “Yeah, I care. It’s my job to care. Your behavior hurts not only yourself but also everybody else on the team. And I know you’re not so selfish as to not care about that.”

I sank down in my seat, pulling up my jacket to my ears. “I have a headache,” I groused.

“Shocking, with how much you’ve been drinking. But I don’t care. I just want you to hear me.”

“Of course I fucking hear you! I hear all of you. I’m a fuckup, and I know that. You don’t have to keep telling me over and over again.” I groaned as my head started pounding for real. “Can’t you just let me figure this out on my own?”

“And let you set the entire organization on fire? No damn way.”

Julia parked her car in front of my apartment and gave me a strange look. “Is this where you live?”

“Yeah. I don’t need a huge place.”

She was silent a long moment. Then she gave me an awkward pat on the shoulder. “Call me if you need anything, okay?”

No way in hell.I just nodded and got away from Julia as fast as I could.

I had a game that night, and I couldn’t miss it. Not since I’d missed our last game because of Mom’s funeral.

When I showed up, everybody refused to look at me, like they were embarrassed for me. Mac, at least, took me aside and asked me if I was okay. I just shrugged him off and told him I’d talk to him later.

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