Page 72 of Blindsided By the Enforcer

“Is Cade okay?” Ruby asks. “He looked so stricken after punching Ford.”

“He deserved it,” Charlie says.

“The police came but Ford said he didn’t want to press charges,” Briar says. That gives me relief.

“Cade is fine,” I assure my friends.

“And did something happen with you guys because the sexual tension between you two was off the charts last night,” Briar says.

“How would you know that?” I ask her.

“When Ruby made it back to the table without you, Cade was searching for you. When he spotted you in Ford’s arms, his face fell. But when he realized Ford was holding you against your will, he lost his shit and charged for you. It was so damn sexy. He was on a mission to rescue you.”

“I was a little freaked out about the way he punched Ford so brutally,” I admit to the girls.

“Finn said Cade scraps on the ice. He ensures the guys get the pucks to make goals. He’s a fighter,” Charlie explains.

I hear what Charlie is saying, but I was also there in the aftermath. Cade isn’t a fighter. It seems like fighting made him feel physically ill. His head was all over the place.

“So are you guys hooking up?” Briar asks.

I give her a look.

“Come on, it’s just a matter of time the way you both look at each other,” she says.

“We have decided on some benefits to our relationship,” I share.

“I knew it,” Ruby cheers. “You guys all owe me five bucks.”

“You guys bet on me and Cade?” I ask in shock.

“Come on. It was obvious to me,” Ruby says.

“I bet it wouldn’t happen because of how resistant you are to relationships,” Briar says.

“You aren’t wrong, but Cade and I set boundaries. We are both on the same page,” I explain. “So, the benefits have been a nice added perk to this fake dating.”

“Cade is a super nice guy. We got close last semester,” Charlie says. “I feel like there was more to why he stayed with Scarlet.”

“He shared some things with me,” I admit, but I don’t elaborate because it’s not my place. “He doesn’t want her back and that’s where I come in.”

“Do you think Ford will back off now?” Ruby asks.

“Sadly, I’m not sure. The way he grabbed me last night and wouldn’t let me go was scary,” I admit.

“What are you going to do?” Briar asks. “Should you go to the police?”

“Absolutely not. Ford didn’t press charges against Cade. I can never do that to him while he is helping my family,” I state.

“But at what cost?” Briar asks.

“I was going to ask the same thing,” Ruby says.

“I don’t know but I’m considering graduating in the spring and not returning next fall for my master’s. Maybe I’ll take the year off or if things go south with the farm, then maybe I’ll go to veterinary school. I always wanted to take care of animals, but I also didn’t want to let my family down.”

“You should do what makes you happy. Having to leave Riverside because your ex is a nut is very unfair. Just watch your back,” Charlie cautions.

“Are we getting food? I’m starving,” Briar interrupts. “And I have a practice later, I need time to digest.”

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