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Now, everyone will know.
If Nathan wasn’t able to kill the bastard with his bare hands, it comforts me to know there are other ways to ruin him.
Cooper has already lost his job and family support.
Since dignity is not something a man like that has ever had, all that’s left for him to lose is his freedom.
Whatever Nathan’s outcome with the police, Charlotte needs to make an official assault charge on the fucker. It will be an excruciating thing for her to do if it goes to trial—standing in court to give her testimony of everything he did to her—but justice needs to prevail. If Charlotte is anything like my Piper, which I’m certain she is considering the two are so close, she’ll muster up all her courage to ensure Cooper doesn’t see the light of day again.
And if justice fails and he gets away scot-free, then I’m sure Wilder will need no encouragement from me when I offer to help him settle the score.
I might have moved up in life over the years, but I was born and bred in Roxbury.
And where I come from, every debt has to be paid, one way or the other.
This so-called Cooper hurt Charlotte and, in turn, caused pain to my Piper.
There’s no way I’ll let that slide.
And with Nathan’s help, I won’t have to.
Chapter 28
Piper
I walk into the busy restaurant, feeling a sense of déjà vu washing over me the minute I see Lottie wave from our table. I immediately rush towards her, uncaring if I bump into a few people along the way, eager to wrap my arms around my best friend.
“How are you feeling?” I ask with genuine concern, considering it’s only been a few days since that horrid incident.
“I’m okay. Though that might change since I feel you’re about to break one of my ribs with how tight you’re holding me right now,” she jokes playfully.
“Sorry,” I reply, releasing my hold on her. “I’m still trying to process everything that has happened recently, so I’m feeling a little protective of you.”
“You mean more than usual?” She smiles widely.
“God, you’re incredible,” I say, unable to contain my awe of her. “You’ve just had to endure something unbearably traumatic, and still, you somehow manage to keep a smile on your face. How the fuck do you do it, Lottie? ‘Cause, in all honesty, I’m freaking out.”
“How about we sit down and have some wine first?” she suggests calmly, sliding into her side of the booth while I sit opposite her.
“Is that the secret to you being so calm? Alcohol? Because if it is, I’ll order us two bottles of Merlot right now.” I laugh awkwardly, stretching my arms over the table to hold her hands in mine.
“Wine does help,” she smiles softly, “but I draw the strength from the love and support of everyone I hold most dear—you, your mom, my parents, my family, and most importantly, Nate. He’s been my rock throughout this. If I’m being honest, I’d probably be a basket case without him.”
“I’m happy for you, Lottie. Truly. You and Nathan were made for each other,” I reply in earnest.
I saw how much he loved her when we were back at Cape Cod and again when I drove her to his place on New Year’s Eve. But if there were any lingering doubts that he was the man for her, they were all squashed the day we waited for his release at the precinct. The way he charged for her and held her like she was the most precious thing on this earth… resembled too much with the way Trent treats me. Nathan didn’t look like a man who regretted what he had done to her asshole ex. He looked like a man who would burn this whole world asunder if anyone so much as dared to hurt his love again.
And by the wrathful expression on Trent’s face, my man wouldn’t think twice about handing him the kerosene and matches to do it.
After the waiter takes our order and brings the wine, we start discussing Lottie and Nathan’s case in detail. Luckily, they both have Laurie in their corner, with the best legal representation money can buy. His lawyer has all but guaranteed that Nathan’s assault and battery charge will go nowhere. Considering the circumstances that provoked his blind rage in the first place, even if the case does go to court, it’s very likely that he will only get a slap on the wrist, followed by some probation and court-ordered anger-management classes.
Still, it’s a heavy thing to be hanging over their heads.
Especially with how the media is spinning this whole ordeal.
Lottie has tried to set the record straight by talking to a few reporters. However, some news outlets still portray Nathan as the villain of this whole thing instead of that bastard Cooper. As it stands, it looks like it will come down to the fans to make up their own minds about the Guardians’ star player, which doesn’t bode well, considering how long it took them to forgive him for that bar brawl.
“Enough about me,” Lottie waves off, unwilling to talk about things out of her control. “I want to hear about you.”
