Page 89 of False Start

Mayhem swatted my shoulder.

“What?”

“Don’t be a bellend,” she muttered.

“A what?”

“Ooooh, I like her. She called you a bellend. You should know what it is, you have one…it’s the glans of the pe—”

“What the hell are you doing talking to him?” Lana’s mother shrieked from across the room. Her cheeks flamed as she headed right for us.

“Christ,” Lana bit out. “She was supposed to wait for me by the gift shop.”

“It’s fine. Just go.” I needed her to go. I didn’t need Mayhem to witness this. To see this confrontation in her eyes every time she looked at me from here on out.

“No. I haven’t even seen Zach yet, dammit. She’s got some stellar fucking timing as always.”

Lana’s mother elbowed her way between us and jabbed a pointed finger at me. “You! Stay the hell away from my daughter.”

I held my hands up and forced my voice to stay calm. “Look—”

“No, you look. You’ve done enough. Look at her—just look!” she spat, pointing that finger at me again.

A knot of disgust lodged inside me, heavy with dread. My skin grew hot and tight, shame roiling through me until it choked me and kept me from being able to look Mayhem in the eye.

“Mom, stop!”

“After everything you’ve done, you think you can just come galivanting into town again and right back into coaching. Not on my watch.”

The energy shifted and my arm fell away from Mayhem as she launched herself in front of me.

“Hey!” Mayhem snapped, forcing Lana’s mother back. “You stick that finger in his face one more time and you’re going to need a doctor yourself. Knock it off.”

Everyone froze.

“Holy shit,” Lana whispered.

This right here was the problem. My mistakes were never going away. There would always be someone looking to tear into me for what happened.

I could take it. Did take it.

But the people I love didn’t have to.

“Mayhem, don’t.” I wanted her to defend herself like that. Not me.

“No,” she said with a sharp glance at me, her eyes shining with barely banked rage. “You know what? No, dammit. I won’t have someone attacking you right in front of me after everything you’re doing to help us. I won’t have it.”

“Stay away from my daughter. Do you hear me? And you,” she said, this time looking at Mayhem, but thinking better of pointing a finger at her. “You think your team will have success while you’re connected to him. Think again.” Lana’s mother stormed off back the way she came.

Lana sat in her chair, rubbing her forehead. “I’m sorry. She’s the last thing you needed tonight.”

“She has a right to how she feels, Lana. It’s not your fault.”

“What?” Mayhem said, turning on me. “She does not have the right to tear into you whenever she wants. How the hell is anyone supposed to move on with her lashing out like that? And why the hell did you just stand there and take it?”

My skin prickled. Trapped between secrets that weren’t mine to tell and what I wanted, what I needed, frustration bubbled up inside me. Tired, scared for my sister, and so damn sick of being tempted by what I couldn’t have, humiliation took complete control of my mouth. “Me taking it? You’re one to talk.”

Lana flinched and dug her fingers against her temples. “Oh, Coach…not the right reaction.”

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