Page 64 of Replay

“Riley.”

She takes my phone and I hear her gasp. Sam then Isla also take a look. Isla takes her own phone out and her hands fly across the screen.

“I told him to have Falcon use his find my friend app. If he’s at the hotel, then we can go get him or have someone check on him,” she explains.

Riley forces my head between my legs, instructing me to breathe, and I concentrate on my own heartbeat, which sounds too loud in my ears. Little black spots dance in my vision.

“Oh shit,” Isla breathes out. My head snaps up and I see her face pale. She hits dial on the phone and I can hear Falcon pick up.

“Look at your brother’s trending hashtag. Then the news media,” she instructs and my eyes swing between Sam and Riley while Isla keeps talking.

“What is it?”

Sam’s eyes soften as she looks at me, but her hand is gripping her phone. “I’m sure there's an explanation. He’s crazy about you and this means nothing.”

“Show me.” I turn to Riley, who reluctantly hands me her phone.

It's a news article from Instagram.Gia Houghs tells all about her fiery affair with Michigan’s QB, Hawke Sheppard, during his time at Texas.

The image is the worst; it’s a beautiful woman with long blonde hair wearing a tiny Texas University cheerleader uniform standing next to Hawke, and it appears his arm is around her back while she’s saying something in his ear. His head is leaned toward her and it looks intimate.

He said he was never with anyone when we were apart. He swore I was and have always been the only woman in his life. My heart burns and I blink back tears. The picture is damning. His silence is even more unnerving. Either he knew this was happening and can’t face me or…

“I don’t believe it. It's fake.”

“Emms,” Sam starts.

I shake my head. “He loves me so much that he purposefully transferred here and ruined his reputation in Texas. He wouldn’t lie about this. Look what he did to Jax.”

I grab the phone from Isla and put Falcon on speaker phone. “Fal, it's fake. I don’t believe anything this bitch is selling. Find him. Something happened at the hotel. Hawke wouldn’t miss the bus home. He wouldn’t not answer me or come home to me.”

Falcon laughs, but it sounds forced, laced with worry. “You know my brother well. You’re right, Emma. Hawke wouldn’t not be there for his team. And he definitely wouldn’t let you down.”

“Isla, I’ll locate him, if you can help once I find him. I’m going to dig up info on this girl here in Texas.” Falcon goes over a plan and Isla nods her head.

“Once you find her, I’ll do a deep dive on the picture. Find where it really came from,” Island confirms.

“Oh and Falcon, call Riggs. Have him talk to the coach. We can’t have them benching Hawke before the big game,” I give one more order before Falcon disconnects the call.

I’m breathing hard, and my mind is buzzing with ideas and plans. My girls are all steady, waiting, wearing varying expressions on their faces, and showing me how proud they are of me. We’re in this together and we’re bringing Hawke back.

ME: Babe, tell me where you are.

hawke

. . .

My head is killing me.

My throat feels like I swallowed a bag of cotton balls and something scratchy.

My arms ache.

My muscles feel like they’re on fire and restless.

What the fuck happened to me? Slowly, my body starts to come back to itself. There’s a beeping noise, cool air, and a stillness that you don’t usually have in a team hotel. Where am I?

“Mr. Sheppard?” a feminine voice says, and I want to recoil when a cool hand lands on my arm.

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