Page 40 of Mad As Hell

Ryan clapped a hand on his teammate’s shoulder with more force than necessary, if Pascal’s grunt and wince was any indication.

“Worry about your own girl,” he growled, the threat clear as freaking crystal as he held me against his side. “If I see you near mine again, I’ll make sure you’re benched the rest of the season. It’d be a shame if one of your drug tests came up positive with all those scouts looking at you this year.”

Pascal’s eyes went a little wide and he nodded jerkily as Ryan released him.

“It’s pretty fucking cliché, but check under the bleachers,” Ryan added with a smug look. “That’s usually where Hanson takes her.”

With a scowl, Pascal stormed by, but he didn’t give me another glance.

“My hero,” I muttered, shaking my head in disgust.

Ryan shot me a surprised look that quickly darkened into a frown. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”

I snorted in response but kept up as he walked us out of the dining hall and a little ways down the path. He veered off toward an old oak tree and didn’t stop until we were under it. A quick glance around showed everyone was still inside and we were alone. Only then did I rip my hand free of his.

He threw his hands in the air. “What now, Maddie?”

I stared up at him. “Are you honestly asking me that right now? Like, you’re serious?”

His blue eyes went cold. “I would think that you’d be thanking me right now.”

“Thanking you?” I echoed incredulously. “For what?”

“For setting the record straight?” He stabbed his fingers through his already mussed hair. “For making sure the entire school didn’t think you were cheating on me?”

“You think I give a flying fuck about what the entitled assholes at this school think of me?”

“Considering the state I found you in when I came to your room? Yeah, I do,” he snapped back.

I folded my arms across my chest. “You asshole. You have no idea what I’m going through. You have no idea if you’re making it better or making it worse. You’re just…”

“Just what?” he demanded in a cold, detached tone.

“You’re Ryan fucking Cain,” I spat, using his name like the curse it was. “You think you can just snap your fingers and take back what you gave away. Like standing up for me, even though I was innocent, will make me just forget everything that happened?”

His jaw clenched, a muscle popping out. “I’m trying here, Maddie.”

“Oh, you’re trying!” I clapped my hands together. “Well as long as you’re trying, that’s all that matters, Ryan. Lucky, lucky me to have a guy who is so willing to defend my honor except when it really counts.”

He exhaled hard and planted his hands on his hips. “I know I messed up, Mads. I’ve apolo—”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “Okay then. Sure. Bygones, and all that shit. We’re totally even.”

“What the fuck do you want from me?” He roared, slamming his fist into the trunk of the tree with enough force that pieces of bark went flying and the skin across his knuckles split. “Tell me, and I’ll do it!”

“Why now?” I asked slowly. “Why would you out Dean now?”

He stared at me like I’d grown a third boob. “Seriously?”

“You did it to help me, right?” I went on.

“Obviously,” he retorted in exasperation.

I gave a singular nod. “Got it. So, you’ll do that to help me, but not anyone else?”

His forehead wrinkled in confusion.

“Dean tried to rape Bex last month,” I pointed out, my voice trembling with fury. “I wanted her to go to the cops, and you told me she couldn’t. What changed now, Ry? You’ll do the right thing, but only if it scores you brownie points?”

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