Page 99 of The Play

A brief silence travels between us. Then Nico hisses again. “Wait, it was you? You’re the asshole who told her about the chick at the party?”

“What the hell does it matter? She was going to find out anyway, Nico. She was already going to find out about yourotherscrew-up because you’re too stupid to delete a Wi-Fi password.”

“Who the fuck you calling stupid?”

He charges at me, and I dodge him, taking several steps back. “I’m just saying, you did this to yourself. If you want someone to blame, go look in the mirror.”

“You ratted me out.” Nico glances over his shoulder at his buddies, each of whom has his arms crossed. “Thisputaratted me out, can you believe that? You’re a real prick, Davenport.”

“I’m the prick? You cheated on your girlfriend.”

“You broke the bro code,” he spits back.

“You’re not my bro.” I take another backward step. “Are we done here?”

Before I can blink, his arm shoots out. He grabs the collar of my winter coat, tugging me toward him. His face is inches from mine, the white puffs of his alcohol-scented breath chilling my face.

“Nico,” I warn.

A spiteful smile stretches across his angry face. Beyond his shoulders, I spy his buddies closing in on us.

“Get your hands off me,” I say in a deadly voice.

His smile widens. “Or what?”

23

HUNTER

“THE WAYISEE IT, THERE’S FIVE OF US AND ONLY ONE OFyou.” Nico chuckles, his dark eyes glinting with impending violence. “Sure, you’re the hockey guy. I bet you can fight real good. But can you take all five of us?”

I know I can’t. I glance toward Matt’s front door. It’s closed, and the pulsing music thudding in the house tells me that even if I shouted for backup, nobody would hear me. My best hope is that someone decides to brave the early December chill, come out to smoke a cigarette or a joint, and throw me an assist.

But what I’d prefer happen is that I defuse this bomb before it goes off in the first place.

“Look, Nico. You seem like a cool guy. You made a mistake, and there’s no need for violence, okay? Even if I didn’t tell Demi about the party, she would’ve found out through her friend. But you’re right—what I did went against the bro code. I should’ve kept my mouth shut.”

“Damn right you should have.”

“So I’m sorry for that, okay? With that said, youreallyneed to take your hands off me.” Adrenaline is already surging in my bloodstream. Nico’s right—hockey players are no strangers to fighting. I’ve gotten into scraps on the ice, and off of it. I can hold my own in most physical confrontations.

But not when it’s five against one.

“Sorry, jock boy, but you’re not getting off that easy.” Nico chuckles.

“For chrissake, man, you’re gonna punish me whenyou’rethe moron who cheated on your woman—”

The first blow cuts me off and sends my head rearing back. His fist crunches against my jaw, a jolt of pain shooting down my neck. Just as I straighten out, two of his buddies are suddenly behind me, locking my arms behind my back. Presenting me like a juicy carcass to a pissed-off hyena.

Nico cracks the knuckles of his right hand, then the left. “All I’m saying is, us men need to stick together. And the fuckers who don’t, deserve to get their ass whupped.”

His second punch collides with the corner of my mouth.

I taste blood. I spit it out onto the pavement. “Get your punches in,” I tell him in a resigned tone. “If that’s what makes you feel better. But it’s not gonna bring Demi back and it’s not gonna change the fact that you’re a sack of shit—”

The next blow gets me in the ribs.

Fuck.

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