Cheap Shot by Brittney Mulliner
Haley
The girls offeredto wait with me after the game, but I told them I needed privacy for this conversation. I didn’t want them, or anyone else, to be around Ethan after seeing how angry he was on the ice. We needed to talk so I broke my own rule and came to his game. The one place he couldn’t avoid me, and I was mentally prepared for the fallout. If he wanted to tell our parents about everything that had happened, I wouldn’t stop him. If they wanted to stop paying my tuition, they could. That didn’t mean I would move home. I was an adult, and maybe it was time to start acting like it.
I could get a job and support myself. I was done letting other people control me, even under the guise of protecting me. I’d spent my whole life following the plans someone else set but no more. I was ready to take a stand.
“Hey, Haley.” Matt waved as he walked by with Becker. They were the first to leave from the back entrance the team used.
I waved back and wrapped my arms around myself as more of the guys trickled out. A few of them greeted me, but most either ignored me or shot me looks that varied from irritated to white-hot anger.
Great. Not only was my brother pissed at me, but now half the team was.
Benjamin walked out, and the second our eyes connected, his face turned to stone, and he shook his head as he walked away from me. How was he able to make me feel thoroughly chastised without a single word?
Finally, Ethan stepped out. He saw me immediately and rolled his eyes. He tried to pass me without saying anything, but I stepped in front of him.
“Can we talk?”
He shook his head. “I’m not in the mood.”
“I know, but you won’t answer my calls or texts. You aren’t staying in your dorm, and you avoid me on campus. I’m done trying to chase you down, so we’re talking about this now.”
He glanced around, but we were alone. “I told them to stay away from you for a reason. After everything you went through last year, you need time to heal.”
I pushed down my initial reaction of yelling at him. He was telling me his perspective. That was a good first step. “I appreciate you trying to protect me, I really do, but if I tell you I’m ready to move, on then you need to trust me.”
He adjusted his duffle strap higher onto his shoulder. “I trust you, it’s the guys I have a problem with.”
“Why? Reid is your best friend. You’ve known him for years, and I assume you wouldn’t tolerate him if he wasn’t a good person.”
“You deserve better. You deserve normal.” He stared down at the ground while I tried to figure out what that meant.
“Normal?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “What isn’t normal about him?
He rubbed the back of his neck. “His life is focused on one thing. His priorities, energy, thoughts, time, everything is all directed toward hockey.”
I shook my head. “Okay, and?”
He sucked in a breath, looking as frustrated as I felt. “You deserve better than that! He can’t give you everything a boyfriend should. I don’t want you to go through that. It can only end in heartache.”
It finally clicked. Everything he’d been grumbling about since the second I moved here. His threats to his teammates and his constant warnings. He wasn’t thinking about me at all. This was all to do with him. And his ex-girlfriend.
I wanted to scream. How did I not see this sooner?
“Ethan! I’m not Kennedy. Reid isn’t you!” I fisted my hands, ready to wrestle him to the ground and pummel him like I used to when we were kids and got into fights.
His eyes darkened, and he took a step toward me. “That’s what you think now. Reid is somehow different. He will be able to do better than I did, be better than I was. How? I know exactly how this is going to go. I lived it, Haley! I know how this ends, and I refuse to let it happen.”
“We’re not the same.”
“Exactly! It’s worse because it’s his senior year. Scouts are looking at us. This is the most important year of his life. That should be reason enough for you to stay away. He can’t be the boyfriend you deserve. He’s already been playing worse than normal lately, and you want to add onto his distraction right now?”
His last words made me immediately sick to my stomach.
That hadn’t crossed my mind. I thought of all the reasons Ethan might throw at me, all the reasons why Reid was wrong for me, but I never once consider why I might be wrong for him.
He sighed and reached for me, but I pulled away. “Haley, I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be a jerk. I hate being the bad guy, but neither of you is thinking clearly.”
I couldn’t speak. I couldn't even think clearly. I was so stupid. How could I be so self-centered? I should have realized how this would affect Reid.
As much as it absolutely killed me to admit, Ethan was right.
“I’m falling for him.” I whispered the words I’d only allowed myself to think. I had to get them out now. I had to let it all out. “He’s everything I told myself to stay away from while also being everything I could ever want. He’s kind, patient, compassionate, driven, and he makes me feel utterly adored. He accepts me even though I’m a complete mess.” I bit my lip as my eyes started to burn. “How am I supposed to let him go?”
He dropped his shoulders. “I’m sorry, Haley. I never wanted you to get hurt. Maybe if I’d been around more, I could have stopped this.”
I didn’t have words. I didn’t know what to do. My heart was breaking with each beat.
All I wanted was to see Reid and have him tell me everything would be all right, but I couldn’t. I had to be the strong one. I had to tell him we were done before we ever really started.
“I need to talk to him,” I whispered.
“Do you want me to wait with you? He should be out soon.”
“No. I want a second to gather my thoughts before I see him.”
He nodded and gave me a quick hug before releasing me. “Call me if you need me. I promise I’ll answer.”
I gave him a small wave then turned back to face the door. Most of the guys had already left, so Reid must have got caught up with one of the coaches or something. I wasn’t in any rush to have this conversation, but I was grateful we’d at least have privacy out here. I didn’t want to go back to my room or his. That would be too hard. Being out in public would force me to keep my emotions in check. Being in an enclosed space where he could comfort me or talk me out of my thoughts was dangerous.
I reached into my back pocket to check the time on my phone when arms wrapped around my waist and swung me around. I giggled, thinking Reid managed to sneak up on me until I inhaled and realized it wasn’t him.
The smell of sandalwood and musk hit me along with memories of the night at the costume party.
Jay.
“There you are, pretty girl,” he whispered into my ear while he dragged me around the corner of the building.
My body finally reacted and I opened my mouth to scream, but his clammy hand slapped me, blocking me from making a sound.
I swallowed and glanced around, looking for help, but he took us to a secluded area with no one in sight.
“If I’d known you were waiting for me, I would have come out sooner.” He spun me, slamming me into the brick. My head collided with the wall, and my vision went black for a second before I could blink away the haze. “My dorm is one building over, though. I almost missed you, but don’t worry, I’m here now.” He licked up the column of my throat.
I tried to kick him, but he tsked and stepped forward so his legs were between mine and his body was pressed against me.
“Well, well. You want to play, don’t you?” His free hand pulled my wrists together and held them over my head. “All you had to do was ask, baby girl.”
He started kissing along my jaw, and bile rose from my stomach. I jerked while trying as hard as I could to free my hands.
“I knew you were freaky.” His voice was breathy, and I gagged against his hand. “Shhh I’ll take care of you.”
The pain in my arms dissipated enough for panic to take over. He was vile. Disgusting. Dangerous. I had to get away from him before he did whatever he was planning. I bucked my hips again trying to throw him off balance, but he just took that as encouragement and dropped his hand as he moved his lips to mine.
He moaned into me and I tried to turn my head so I could scream, but he gripped my chin with more strength than I thought possible. The flash of pain made me pause, allowing him to get a better grip.
I whimpered, and the sound filled me with shame. I couldn’t give up. I refused to let him touch me, not after I escaped him twice. He couldn’t win.
My legs were in no position to kick or injure him, my hands were pinned, and any movements of my torso only encouraged him.
I opened my mouth to bite him, but he took the opportunity first, taking my bottom lip between his teeth with so much pressure I cried out.
“Oh, you like that?” His voice was even huskier.
I had to get away.
My only other option was to make this as hard as possible for him. I relaxed my entire body, becoming a deadweight for him to have to hold up. The move caught him off guard and he released his grip on my hands and chin to catch me, but I was ready.
I shoved against his chest as hard I could. That surprised him, and he stumbled back, enough that my legs were free. I debated for a half-second about kicking him in the groin but didn’t want to wait any time or get closer to him again so I turned and ran as fast as I could toward the player entrance, praying it was unlocked.
“Help!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, but the word came out as more of a gasp.
He cursed behind me and the pounding of his footsteps pushed me to run faster. I made it around the corner, searching for anyone to help me. The crowd from the game had already dispersed.
“Come back here!” Jay’s voice was too close. He was going to catch me, and I knew he wouldn’t let me get away again.
“Help!” I screamed again. There was no one here, but I had to keep moving. The door was only a few yards away.
Please be open.
I reached for the handle and pulled with all my strength, stumbling as it opened, and I flung myself inside. The hallway lights were dimmed, and I took a second to look around for help when a body collided with mine.
No!