Page 74 of Hard to Break

She lifts a shoulder and pulls out a pack of almonds to snack on.

It’s almost an hour before I spot the assistant trainer, heading toward his car. Taking a deep breath, I step out of my vehicle and call out to him. He freezes at the sound of my voice, his eyes darting around like a cornered animal’s. As I approach, I see the sheen of sweat on his forehead, the tremor in his hands.

“Josh? We need to talk,” I say, keeping my voice low and steady, “about the drugs you planted in Miles's locker.”

His face goes pale. “I don't know what you're talking about,” he stammers, but the lie is weak, transparent.

I press on, my heart racing. “We know it was you. We have a witness. But I also know you didn't do it of your own free will. Kevin Hildebrand put you up to it.”

The trainer's eyes widen in shock and fear. “How… Who told you that?”

“It doesn't matter,” I say. His reaction is as good as a confession. “What matters is that you have a choice now. You can come clean, help us expose Kevin for what he really is, or you can go down with him when this all comes out.”

I see the conflict in his eyes, the war between fear and conscience. For a moment, I think I've gotten through to him. But then his phone chimes, and as he glances at the screen, swallowing hard.

“I-I can't,” he chokes out, his voice trembling. “You don't understand. It’s my family. I have to protect them.”

My stomach drops.

He didn’t do it for a payday. He did it out of fear.

“I'm sorry.” Josh looks at me with desperate, pleading eyes. “I never wanted to hurt anyone, but I won't say anything else. Please, just leave me alone.”

Before I can respond, he's fumbling with his car keys, practically diving into the vehicle. I watch him peel out of the parking lot, my mind reeling.

As I drag my feet back to the car, the weight of what's happened settles over me.

“What happened?” Caroline demands, opening the door to look at me over the top.

We were so close.

I lean against the car, suddenly exhausted. The cool metal against my forehead is the only thing that feels real in this moment of crushing defeat.

Caroline dropsme off at Miles’s condo when the phone vibrates.

Unknown number.

I click Decline. A moment later, it’s ringing again. My heart pounds, a sense of foreboding settling over me. This time, I answer.

“Hello?”

“You think you're clever.” Kevin’s voice is sharp, cutting through the static. “I know you’ve been talking to people.”

“Listen—”

“No, you listen.” His tone is low, menacing. “You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, no idea what I'm capable of.”

“What happened to being sorry?” I demand.

He chuckles. “I have regrets, Brooke, but that doesn’t mean I don’t also have plans.”

My mind races. I knew his contrition was too good to be true.

“My family firm’s donations form a big part of your mom’s reelection campaign. If you don't back off, you're going to wish you had.”

My heart hammers against my ribs. “Are you threatening me?”

“I'm saying that you have a lot at stake. You and your family.”