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Ryder shifts his gaze from me to my teammate. “Nothing that concerns you, Clark. Do yourself a favor and stay the fuck out of it, or I’ll give you a taste of what he just got.”
It’s not an idle threat, and we both know it.
Easton’s brows wing up as he gives me a sidelong glance, taking in my face, which feels like a pulpy mess. “Rhodes? Is there an issue?”
“No. It’s all good.” A mirthless chuckle slips free as I keep my good eye on Ryder.
Easton nods but looks unconvinced.
An uncomfortable silence falls over the three of us before Brooke’s cousin forces out a grunt. “Whatever. I need to take off.” He points to me as he walks backward. “You better hope I don’t catch sight of your ass again or you’ll get more of the same. Got it?”
When I jerk my head into a nod, he gives me one last glare before swinging around and pushing his way through the throng of students.
Easton watches him go with narrowed eyes before glancing at me. “I really hate that guy.”
I snort as the tension filling my muscles gradually dissipates. “Yeah, but you don’t hate him because he just beat the shit out of me. You can’t stand him because he took Sasha out before you two got together.”
“That motherfucker is lucky I didn’t give him a little taste of his own medicine...” His voice trails off, and I almost see the realization as it flashes across his face before he points to mine. “This is because of Brooke?”
I release a steady breath and nod. “Yup.”
His brow furrows as he stares at the last place Ryder was seen before disappearing. “He didn’t even have a scratch on him. You just stood there and let him hit you?” There’s a pause. “Why would you do that?”
“Because I deserve it.”
And I’d been prepared to take much more.
As far as I’m concerned, Ryder McAdams let me off easy.
38
BROOKE
“Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?”
I glance up from the chicken, black bean, and quinoa bowl to meet Sasha’s concerned gaze from across the table before shaking my head.
Nope. I feel like a complete idiot for being catfished. Do you have any idea how humiliating that is?
Apparently, I can’t pick a good guy to save my life. That’s the only conclusion I’ve been able to arrive at after much soul searching on the subject.
A couple of days have slid by, and thankfully, I haven’t run into him. It’s like we’ve fallen into our old habit of avoiding one another. We just have to keep it up until the end of spring semester.
Shouldn’t be a problem, right?
Exactly.
“Come on, girl. You need to eat. All you’ve been doing is picking at that poor salad.”
With a sigh, I set down the fork. “I probably shouldn’t have bothered to buy it. I’m not really hungry.” I suppose that’s one tiny silver lining in all this. No appetite. Maybe I’ll shed a few pounds and my mother will stop threatening to take me to the spa over break.
A rush of sympathy floods her eyes. “I’m sorry he hurt you.” There’s a pause. “I still can’t believe he was the guy you were texting with. That’s so messed up.”
“Tell me about it,” I force myself to say lightly.
“I always thought Crosby was a dick, but this stunt only solidifies it.”
“Yup.” Except…after we started talking and I got to know him on a deeper level, he didn’t seem like such a jerk. Truth be told, I’d actually come to like him.
A lot.
The hardest part is not knowing where the truth lies.
Did he ever have feelings for me?
Or was it all just a big charade to screw me over?
It’s tempting to scrub a hand down my face. I’m tired of lying awake at night, unable to stop the questions from circling around in my brain. It’s mentally and emotionally exhausting. I don’t want to think about Crosby anymore. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. He refuses to be banished.
Here’s what I do know—it’ll take a long time before I’m able to trust another guy with my heart again, if ever. The last two I’ve allowed into my life have inflicted permanent damage.
Sasha clears her throat, and I blink out of my inner turmoil before shoving it to the back of my brain where it belongs.
“Just know that I’m here to listen when you’re ready to talk, okay?”
I nod in relief that she won’t force the issue. Sasha is a good friend. Probably the best I’ve ever had. There’s never been a time when she didn’t have my back. As much as I want to graduate and move on with my life, I’ll miss seeing her smiling face on a daily basis. The thought is enough to bring tears to my eyes.
Ugh.
This breakup has made me super emotional, and I hate it.
