Page 95 of Mad As Hell

“Likewise. Maddie,” he said with a smile before ducking to hug me like an afterthought.

Laughing, I gave him an awkward, one-armed hug so I could keep watching the game.

Which was why I saw the Vipers’ cornerback tear through a hole the defense opened and slam into Ryan’s side, bringing him down with enough force to make his helmet bounce off the turf.

When the players cleared, everything in me went cold. Ryan didn’t get up.

He didn’t move.

And I stopped breathing.

CHAPTER 26

MADDIE

“Holy shit,” Imani whispered as the medics raced onto the field. As soon as they knelt down, I jerked into action.

“Move!” I ordered Charles, pushing by him and racing down the stairs as fast as my heels would allow. By the time I made it to the bottom, Ryan was already being carried off the field on a backboard and in a neck brace.

My heart sank at the idea of a spinal injury. Football was a violent sport at the best of times, but both teams had been foaming at the mouth for this match up.

“Maddie!” A sharp voice called to me, and I glanced over to see Ash running toward me from the sidelines, helmet tucked under his arm.

“Where would they take him?” I demanded, needing to see if Ryan was okay for myself. “What’s the closest hospital?”

“We have a full medical suite in the locker room.” He pointed a finger in the direction of the stadium hallway that led to the locker rooms and press area.

I nodded and hurried to the hall, ignoring the people who tried to stop me to ask if Ryan was okay.

What—because I was his fiancée, I had a psychic link to his well being? I fucking wished.

It took forever to navigate my way through the crowd and down the hallways.

There was usually an attendant at the front of the hall to keep fans out, but he was nowhere to be seen. I kept going until I found the door for the home team locker room and pushed my way inside.

It was quiet here. Abandoned clothes were strewn about, like the team had begun partying before they’d made it onto the field. But an energy still lingered in the air.

Or maybe it was the smell of stale man-sweat.

A man wiping down the benches jumped when I stormed through the space like a woman on a mission.

“Who are you?” he demanded. “How did you—”

“I’m Ryan Cain’s fiancée,” I cut him off. “I need to see him.”

“Uh, he’s being checked out right now. They’re in the middle of a scan,” the man told me. “I don’t think you’re supposed to be in here.”

I arched a brow. “Okay, you can be the one to tell Ryan you kicked me out when he needed me.”

The man paled and straightened, and I kinda felt like a bitch for playing that card.

“Look, I just need to make sure he’s all right,” I assured him. “I swear I’m not a crazy stalker or something.”

He sighed. “I have to finish up in the other locker room before halftime. I guess you can wait here for them to be done.” He gestured to the half-closed door on the far side of the room. “They’re in there.”

“Thank you,” I breathed, clasping my hands over my heart and smiling as he left me alone.

I slowly sank onto the bench and waited.

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