Page 58 of Pucking Obsessed

“Don’t have to be,” Tristan replies, his tone bored enough to make Winter giggle softly beside him.

Madison laughs outright, leaning into me, and I can’t stop myself from kissing the side of her head, her hair brushing against my lips. Her hand slides over mine under the table, and I can’t help the way my chest swells at the small gesture.

My phone buzzes almost simultaneously with Callum and Tristan’s. Callum pulls his out first, his eyes narrowing as he tilts the screen toward me.

COACH

Office. Now. We need to talk about the bullshit. No distractions the rest of the season.

Callum lets out a low whistle. “He’s been pestering me to talk to him, but I’ve been avoiding him. I get that he’s tired of shit happening at games. Nobody’s doing anything to stop it, just to sweep shit under the rug because they don’t want the Castlebrook name tarnished. Why is he so insistent on getting to the bottom of it?”

“I don’t fucking know, but now I think he’s involved. He’s never once texted us personally, not even when we fucked off for two weeks and went on that snowboarding trip.” Tristan is already up, his chair scraping loudly against the floor as he stands. Callum takes his time, stretching like this whole thing is an inconvenience.

When we get outside it’s already dark, and I want to go home instead of going on whatever wild goose chase this is going to be. Callum strides ahead, yanking the back door of my vehicle open with a mock bow.

“Ladies first,” he says, grinning.

Madison slides into the passenger seat while Winter climbs into the back. Tristan follows Winter, reaching over her to buckle her seatbelt.

Callum says, shaking his head, “She’s not a toddler.” And I’m team Tristan on this one.

Tristan doesn’t respond, just shuts the door and climbs in beside her.

I slide into the driver’s seat, glancing at Madison as she settles in. She’s already buckled herself in, and her hand finds mine. I hold it, my thumb brushing over her knuckles as I start the engine.

The drive is quiet, but Callum is the first to break it.

“So do we have a plan or?” he asks. He’s checking over his gun, and I glare at him in the rearview because we’re on the main road that leads through campus.

“I don’t care what we do as long as we finish this shit tonight,” I reply, keeping my eyes on the road. “Which one of you fuckers is staying at the house with the girls?”

“I’m going,” Madison says, squeezing my hand. “I don’t think it’s safe to be away from you right now.”

“It didn’t even sound like Coach,” Callum says suddenly, his voice dropping. “Think someone has his phone?”

I snort. “Why would someone text us from his phone?”

“To trap us, obviously,” Callum replies like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“Callum,” I start, but Winter cuts in.

“He’s not entirely wrong,” she says, her tone hesitant. “We’re safer together. Splitting up doesn’t make sense.”

Tristan shakes his head. “Winter’s not leaving this car. Not when I don’t know what Coach has planned or who the fuck actually texted us.” The girls aren’t going to let us take them to the house, and we’re sure as shit not taking them on this littleextravaganza of fuckery. I turn to head toward the arena, so we can figure out a game plan.

“I’ll go in by myself,” I say as I pull into the lot. All the lights are on in the arena and there are a few cars parked randomly in the lot. “You two stay here with the girls. Double protection if something’s off.”

“No,” Madison says. She sits straighter, her hand tightening in mine. “We’re all going in together, or not at all. I’ve got a really bad feeling, Hayden.”

Before I can argue, the driver’s side window shatters.

Glass rains down around me, and smoke floods the car, and it feels like I’m choking. Madison’s hand tightens in mine. All I hear is shouting and then doors slamming.

My girl’s hand goes limp, and then everything fades to black.

MADISON

It’s so cold that my skin is burning and I can’t stop coughing. My eyes flutter open, and it takes a second for my senses to come back to me. My head pounds like I’ve been hit with a bat, my arms feel like lead, and when I try to move, I realize I can’t.

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