Page 95 of Saving the Halfback

“And let you sell out B, like you did me?” Ethan replied to Chase. “Yeah, right.”

“I didn’t sell you out! Dammit, Ethan, I turned the offer down.” Chase came storming out of the bathroom.

“You’re lying,” Ethan accused.

“This is exactly why I never told you. Just forget about it. Go back to thinking whatever lie helps you sleep at night.” Chase flipped him off.

Ethan left the room, slamming the door behind him. I flinched and Lachlan tightened his arms around me. I put my hand on his back.

Chase went to his closet, paused, then turned around and went to his dresser. He pulled out a sleep shirt and a pair ofsweatpants. “Here, Bailey. I’m going to try to shut down the party.”

I nodded. Lachlan moved as I went to the bathroom. “Do you want us to leave?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “Can you just wait for a bit?”

“Always,” Lachlan said. He sat down on the couch next to Nolan.

I closed the bathroom door behind me but didn’t latch it. Chase’s bathroom was huge, as was most of his house, and so brightly lit that it hurt my eyes. I walked over to the now-filling tub, lavender bubbles rising within it, and I pulled Nolan’s shirt off me. I threw it on the floor, with my bra and thong, then turned and looked at myself in the mirror.

A cry escaped my throat as I stared at my body.

“Bailey?” Nolan called.

I cleared my throat, trying to push the sobs away. I had done enough of that earlier. “I’m fine.” I decided to rinse the mud off in the shower first, turning around and getting in before turning the water on. I was hit with a blast of cold water before it warmed up. I didn’t have to scrub hard for the marker to wash off my skin, but it did leave a bit of a residue, a ghost of the words lingering.

Once I was washed up, I climbed into the tub. The water burned my cold skin for only a few moments before I settled in and it was comfortable.

Today was so messed up. Between the nearly forgotten notes, the football game, and then…this. Whatever it was. At first, I’d thought it was a hazing, but really, it was a kidnapping, a scare tactic. To be honest, I was getting tired of being scared.

After a few moments, I could hear arguing out in the room. Ethan and Chase, again, Lachlan would jump in here or there, but I never heard Nolan’s voice. I had hurt him today when Iadmitted to kissing Chase. I knew I had. I shouldn’t have done that.

“It wasn’t Hadley! Fuck, I asked her. Everyone said she’s been here the whole night,” Chase yelled.

Ethan’s voice was deep, low, and menacing, but I couldn’t make out the words.

I pulled the plug and got out, drying off and getting dressed in the clothes Chase had given me.

When I opened the door, Nolan stood up quickly, concern written on his face. I stared at him for a moment, a little surprised to see he had been sitting on the floor just outside the bathroom door.

Ethan looked fifty shades of pissed, Chase seemed bored and indifferent, and Lachlan stood between the two, pinching the bridge of his nose. Everyone was now staring at me.

Nolan picked up my backpack and handed me my cell phone. “Your mom called. I didn’t answer. I wasn’t sure what you wanted us to say.” Nolan wiped his palms down the front of his jeans, then reached up to scratch the back of his neck.

“None of this happened,” I said to all of them. “I don’t want to hear about it again.”

“Fuck, you can’t keep running from shit, Bailey,” Lachlan said.

“Don’t…don’t tell me how to handle it. You don’t know.”

“Then, tell us.”

I shook my head. I would never say anything. “Nolan, can you drive me home?”

“Yes, of course.”

“You can stay here,” Chase offered.

“No. I can’t.” My gaze swung over to Ethan. He stood, arms crossed, waiting for me to address him. “Are you coming back to the farm?”

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