Page 33 of Pucking Obsessed

“No, don’t!” she yells, her body trembling. “I don’t want to see him!”

“Dawson Meyers,” Callum says, his tone dripping with disbelief as he stares down at the bloodied face of the Castlebrook football player.

My jaw tightens, my fists curling at my sides. Of course it’s him. That arrogant bastard has been circling Madison like a vulture since the moment she set foot on campus.

Before I can process the fury boiling in my chest, Madison steps forward, her movements deliberate and eerily calm. She leans down, her fingers gripping the edge of the second mask.

With a sharp tug, she rips it off.

Kyle Roberts. My teammate.

“What the fuck,” Callum blurts out, his voice breaking the tense silence.

Tristan doesn’t say a word, his dark, intense eyes scanning the area like he’s already calculating our next move.

“Who’s the third motherfucker that was with you?” I snap, and I’m seething as I step closer to Kyle.

He groans, his chest heaving as he tries and fails to lift his head. His eyes remain shut, and he doesn’t respond.

“Answer me,” I demand, but he just groans again, barely conscious.

“He’s long gone by now,” Callum says, his voice edged with frustration. “We’ll never find him in the dark.”

Tristan nods, his expression grim. “We will find him,” he says quietly.

He turns his attention to Winter, his movements gentle as he leans down to inspect her neck. They move away from us, but I catch enough of the conversation to know he’s speaking in both English and Russian.

“I’m sorry, Dushen’ka,” he says tenderly. Winter’s birth parents are Russian, and from what she said, Tristan learned the language in a very short time when they were young. I assume it’s his way of keeping her to himself, since no one else we know speaks the language.

I glance at Bethany, who has woken up and is sobbing loudly, her cries grating on my nerves. I want to tell her to shut the fuck up, but I bite my tongue.

Kirsten, for once, is silent, her eyes staring off into the woods like she’s trying to see where the third guy went.

Then I notice Madison standing still, her gaze locked on Kyle, her expression blank and distant.

“That’s my father’s ring,” she blurts out, pointing to Kyle’s hand.

Madison’s eyes flash up to mine. We don’t even have to say it.

This wasn’t just some prank gone wrong. The note. The bloody necklace. It all clicks into place. We just still have no idea why. I step toward her, closing the distance between us, and cupping her face in my hands. Her skin is cool to the touch, and I tilt her head up gently, forcing her to meet my gaze.

“You’re okay, princess,” I murmur, my thumbs stroking her cheeks in slow, soothing motions. “You’re safe,” I whisper, leaning in to press a soft, chaste kiss to her forehead. “I’ve got you, baby. No one’s ever going to hurt you again. Do you hear me?”

She nods faintly, her hands gripping my wrists as if she needs to make sure I’m really here. I smooth her hair back, letting my fingers slide through the silken strands, and lean in closer. My lips brush against hers, gentle and undemanding, a promise more than a kiss.

“It’s going to be okay,” I murmur against her lips, my voice steady even as my heart races. “We’ll figure this out. Together.”

Her body softens against mine, her breathing slowing as she presses her forehead to my chest.

I wrap my arms around her, holding her close, cradling her like she’s the most precious thing in the world. Because she is. “Don’t worry, baby,” I murmur, my lips brushing against the top of her head. “I’ve got you.”

MADISON

Ilean into Hayden, his warmth seeping into me as I try to steady myself. My whole body is trembling. Without a word, he slips his hoodie off and puts it over my head, helping me put my arms through. He pulls me back into his hard chest, and I’m so tired that I just melt into him.

Callum speaks, and his tone is like we’re standing around planning a party instead of trying to cover up…whatever tonight was.

“You and Tristan should take the girls back to campus,” he says, nodding toward me and Winter. “I’ll handle getting the fire put out and our little visitors up to the Falls.”

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