Page 31 of Puck'N Enemy
“Dylan couldn’t face you after hurting you like that,” Coach says with a sigh. “He was also unsure how long Pete would be locked up. So, he came to me and asked for help.”
“You helped him leave?” I ask, staring at the man before me. “Why didn’t you tell me this stuff before? I kept asking you whether you knew what happened to Dylan!”
“Dylan didn’t want you to know,” Coach says, his expression turning stern. “He wanted you to focus on your training and academics and make something of yourself.”
“But, Coach—”
“Dylan needed to get out of here, or he could’ve gotten involved with one of Pete’s men,” Coach says, cutting off my heated retort. “It’s not easy to leave a criminal network, especially one being controlled by someone powerful like Pete.”
A painful lump forms in my throat.
Dylan had been going through so much shit and he was all alone.
He’d been there for me and got me through the darkest period of my life but when he needed me, I wasn’t there for him. I let him be alone and deal with everything on his own.
He got into the mess with Pete because he wanted to help me and my family.
“Dylan’s so stupid!” I blurt out, feeling all my rage turning into anguish.
“Dylan couldn’t risk telling you the truth,” Coach continues. “Pete’s men could’ve been watching you. If they found out you two were together, they could’ve come after you again.”
“So, what? He just left?”
Coach nods.
“Do you know where he went?” I ask, feeling my desperation rise. “What has he been up to these years?”
“Dylan was still seventeen at the time, so I let my brother take him in as a foster,” Coach says, a faint smile coming over his lined face. “John is a hockey coach too. He smelled talent and agreed to take Dylan in.”
“Where does John live?”
“Florida,” Coach says.
Speechless, I stare at him.
“You sent Dylan that far away?” I ask.
“It was for the best,” Coach says. “He was safe there. It allowed him to focus on his training and get into college with a sports scholarship. I wish he had stayed there and hadn’t transferred to Silverlake University.”
A worried, sorrowful look comes over Coach.
“What do you mean by he was safe in Florida?” I ask, detecting a hint of regret in his face. “Isn’t Dylan safe here?”
Coach shakes his head. “I thought he’d be safe after all these years, but he’s not.” His bony shoulders slump and I finally realize how tired he looks. “I wish the kid didn’t care so much. I wish he didn’t walk around wearing his heart on his sleeve. I wish he’d stayed away and not come back for me.”
“Why do you say that, Coach?” I ask, feeling anxious. “Why isn’t Dylan safe here? Is someone from Pete’s gang after him?”
“It’s not just some gang member,” Coach says, looking directly into my eyes. “It’s Pete. He got out of jail.”
“Did he hurt Dylan?” The very thought sends a surge of rage through my body. I won’t let that son-of-a-bitch harm Dylan again. I’ll die before I let him touch Dylan again!
“Not yet,” Coach says, rubbing his knees. With a groan, he pushes himself to his feet and walks toward the kitchen.
I follow him, entering the small space that’s filled with the aroma of herbs and spices. He walks toward the drawers underthe counters and opens one of them. Shuffling through some papers, he brings out a flat white envelope.
“Take a look at this,” he says, handing me the large envelope.
I flip it over but don’t find a return address on it. The top is torn, so I tip over the contents on the counter.
