Page 32 of Phantom Faceoff
“I think I’d like that. You’ll come too, right, D—” Julian abruptly stops and clears his throat. “Mal?”
I would love to be in on the joke. Even if to just ease Julian’s mind that he doesn’t have to hide that I know from Malachi. Every time he has to cover, he becomes flushed and flustered.
“I can’t exactly say no, can I?” Malachi’s voice is gruff and reluctant, but Julian’s giggle confirms his participation.
We stop by their dorm so they can grab whatever they need, but while Julian runs in Malachi stays behind.
“Shouldn’t you help him?”
Malachi scoffs, and I frown. That sounded like a reasonable question.
“Jules is a capable man. Don’t infantilize him.”
My brows form a heavy dip. “I wasn’t. He literally just got his arm slashed open.”
“And you’re so busy thinking about getting laid that you didn’t notice, Iofferedto be the one to go inside, and he refused.”
“I’m not thinking about getting laid!”
“Then what the hell are you thinking?”
Malachi turns in his seat, eyes a menacing glare that I can’t pull away from.
“Do you have any idea how bad this could have been?”
Of course I do. This is half of my life.
But my tongue is thick and stuck in my mouth.
“The season starts soon, doesn’t it?”
The shift in questioning takes me off guard. “Ah, uh huh,” is the most coherent collection of sounds I can make.
“What ifyouhad gotten hurt? Your coach would have been pissed. And your teammates? Does anything at all run through your head before you just jump into reckless behavior?”
Me?Who the hell gives a shit ifItake an L?
“There’s still a few weeks,” I manage to croak out. “I’d be fine.”
The bulging vein along his neck pulses with the strain of his clenched jaw.
Have I ever seen him genuinely upset before?
At the bonfire, perhaps.
Back then, I thought it was challenging—entertaining even.
Right now? An odd, icky bout of shame coats my skin.
“You need tothink, Zander. Especially if you’re seeing Jules.”
“We aren’t seeing each other.” I feel the need to interject, the words making me shift in my seat. “Not dating. Just hanging out.”
I didn’t think his glare could get any worse or be any more targeted.
“He cares about you. Whatever the hell you call it, if something happens to you, he’ll care. And if he cares,I care.”
So it’syouwho’s worried about me, Blanchard? Using Julian as a scapegoat?
