Page 86 of Wicked

From now forward, I vow to give her a life filled with happiness and some semblance of peace from the hell she lived through. She continues with determination in her voice.

“Shephard’s sharp. He knew something was up with me other than my relationship with his little brother was getting intense. Finally, Shephard confronted me. I didn’t tell him I was an informant for my uncle. Or that my uncle was passing along the information to his connection in the DEA. Not until after I buried my uncle. All I told him was my suspicion of Sam dealing drugs to my classmates and to the guys at the gym that Shephard co-owned. Something he did on the side while still in the military.”

“He wasn’t planning on making the military his career for life?”

She bites down on her bottom lip. Her brows slant low. “It wasn’t his dream. Being a cop was, and I took that away from him.”

“The reason you didn’t want me to take his place as your protector. The reason you ripped to pieces Shephard’s promise to your uncle. You didn’t want to destroy my dreams of playing in the NFL.”

“Yes.” Her voice soft, she turns away from me.

I nudge her face back to me with my knuckle under her chin.

“If I lose my chance, that’s on me, and not you, babe. Free will, remember? Shephard made the decision to quit the police force. He made the choice to protect you at all costs. And you know what?”

She shakes her head, her eyes wide, looking adorable and sexy as fuck.

“I’d give up everything for you, too, sweetheart. It’d be a choice I make over and over, if only to keep you safe. If only to have you at my side, laughing at my dumb jokes. Calling me out when my randy beast gets too randy, if you know what I mean.”

When we first slept together but without the sex.

“Nailing me in a game of dodgeball, then kissing me stupid when your team wins. Listening to my non-stop shop talk after my team stomps on the other team. Or snuggling up to me after a devasting loss.”

“Which your team hasn’t had much of,” she points out.

I take her hand and kiss her fingertips.

“We haven’t, but the guys and I came to a truce a long time ago. What I should’ve told you as soon as that shit with Missy happened. Harper, the guys and I made a pact that we’d keep our personal affairs off the field, but it doesn’t mean we stop giving a flying fuck if one of our teammate’s hurting. They apologized for their behavior. Jake too. Brett—”

“Brett is a scumbag,” she finishes for me. “I tried warning Missy after I ran into her at the library. She transferred in last year. Probably followed me to Prescott to spy on me for Sam. I told her there were rumors of Brett slipping date rape drugs into girls’ drinks, but she refused to listen.”

“Wait a fucking minute.”

Every nerve in my body stands at attention.

“When I saw you in the kitchen staring into the red cup, you were thinking Brett could’ve slipped you drugs? Why didn’t you say something? I would’ve kicked his ass,thenkicked him from the house.”

She sighs, and it’s deep.

“I understand what it feels like to be the object of a rumor. Sam’s friends were my friends too. Kids spread rumors that I was a slut, spreading my legs for the older guys I hung out with. Why else would such good-looking guys pay any attention to plain me? It’s the reason I didn’t have sex with Sam. I didn’t want there to be any truth behind the rumors.”

She balls her hands at her sides. Her blue eyes darken, going from clear skies to a storm brewing over the horizon.

“By association, the kids summed up my friendship to be something filthy and whispered about. I couldn’t do that to Brett, but I couldn’t ignore the rumor either. Then he propositioned me after he saw me sparring with Shephard. I told him no. He didn’t get the message. He shoved me against the gym’s wall. Told me to watch my drink and my back if I’m ever at a party he’s at. I didn’t have enough to go to the authorities. It’d be my word against his. Someday, though, he’ll slip. Or some girl will remember and be brave enough to step forward and tell her story.”

I don’t hear Harper’s last words. Red fills my vision. Grabbing her under her arms, I’m ready to move her off me. A small finger glides over my forehead. I blink. Stare into blue eyes watching me with dark brows slanted to her nose.

“Don’t. Please. Karma has a way of catching up with guys like him.”

“Prison or death?”

“Or a beating by some girl’s overprotective boyfriend. But not you. Never you. I don’t want more violence.”

My temper cools way the fuck down. I never want to disappoint Harper. I always want to be the better man for her.

“I should’ve told you about Brett and Missy, but back then, I didn’t know whose side you were on. I honestly believed you were one of the bad ones, but you’ve proven me wrong.”

Her fingers skim along my jaw. Stroke my beard.

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