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“If anything like this—” I got up into Dad’s face, and he backed off a step. “—ever happened to me, you wouldn’t care.”
He pushed my chest. Instinctively, I shoved back and glared.
“I’m always the fucking bad guy, huh?” he asked, voice going shrill.
I shrugged.
“Listen up, son,” Dad said, teeth gritted so hard I could hear them squeak. “I’ll have you know—” He poked my chest and it hurt. “—I picked up the tab for your boyfriend’s fall semester, and I’ll probably get the next one, too. But I’m always the fucking asshole. Everyone’s happy to spend the money I work hard for, but somehow, I’m always the fucker.”
I shuffled back a few steps. I’d never quite heard Dad sound this way. Usually his tone was furious, but right now he was lost. He stomped out of the room, the door banging against the stop as he shoved it out of his way.
I was still pissed off, but guilt began to gnaw at my insides. Did he really help Wy? Shaking off the unusual feeling, I turned to Wy, who was staring up at me with his mouth hanging open as if he was trying to think of something to say.
“Do you need to stay home?” I asked quietly.
He sighed and crossed his arms. “Not really. I just feel useless. I don’t want to go.” He looked good in a charcoal gray suit, but his lavender tie was crooked. I took a few steps forward, caressing the silky fabric before I centered it on his chest. He stared up at me as I trailed my fingertips along his neck and the underside of his jaw. He was in pain, the small furrow between his eyebrows made that clear, but he was still sitting upright and making conversation.
“You’re being strong,” I said quietly.
He huffed and rolled his eyes. “Okay.”
I ran my thumb along his bottom lip. “I would like it if you were there. Come with me.”
He let out a long breath and grinned. “I wanna hear that later tonight.”
I snorted. We hadn’t done anything sexual since he’d gotten home from the hospital because he was in pain, and I was worried I would hurt him more.
He grabbed my wrists and stared up at me, and a warmth that coiled in my gut took me by surprise. It was a happy sensation that tickled through my body.
“All right. I’ll watch the game, but if you fuck it all up, I’m going to assume I was the superior captain.”
My heart jolted and I laughed, closing my eyes and feeling.... I wasn’t sure what for the first time in forever. It was good, though.
“Let me help you up?”
He nodded, and I wrapped my arms around his waist. How messed up was it that being close to Wy and helping him move around was slowly becoming the best part of my day?
20
WYSTAN
The flightto New York City was short, so my doctor had given the okay for me to travel. The team could’ve driven, but Coach Hill had insisted that a plane ride meant we would be less tired when we got there. I didn’t entirely agree, but it wasn’t on me to decide. I wasn’t on the team, and I certainly wasn’t captain. They’d taken that away from me without a fight. I guess it showed how much they didn’t care.
The guys greeted me as though I was still one of them with hugs and back slaps, and I gave them a small smile, but my spark to lead and participate wasn’t there. The numbness ate at me from the inside, and all I could do was offer the fakest joy I had in my arsenal. If they noticed the difference, they didn’t say anything.
Atlas stayed beside me the entire trip. He made sure to get the seat next to me on the plane and helped me with my bag, even when I protested. There was no way in hell I would win in an argument with him, though. I was too tired and sore. The painkillers barely did anything to help. Maybe I was getting used to them now. I had a knee immobilizer on over my suit pants, and I used silver crutches to get around. People stared, but I was so unwell that I didn’t give a shit.
Getting on and off the bus after the plane ride was the most difficult part. I wasn’t used to walking on crutches and they were a pain in the ass, and the step up into the vehicle drove an agony through my leg that made me bite down hard on my bottom lip. I refused to make a sound that gave away how much I hurt.
Atlas reached out to help, but I sent him a glare over my shoulder, warning him not to touch me. His hands fell to his sides. I didn’t miss the hurt expression that flitted over his face before he was back to a pursed mouth neutrality that caused a spike of guilt to stab me in the chest.
I ignored him and limped my way to the second set of seats, then sat down, and while I expected him to sit farther away after my rudeness, he surprised me once again by taking the spot beside me. I stared at him, and he raised his chin in challenge, silently asking me to tell him to move. I didn’t. Instead, I tugged at my tie in frustration and slouched against the window, focusing on the pain that throbbed from my knee.
The cacophony of voices around me made it difficult to relax. The muscles in my shoulders ached from tension, and no amount of measured breathing helped. I should’ve stayed home because at least then I could pretend this game wasn’t happening and I was still captain.
Fuck.I’d really messed this up. I’d gotten cocky and was reaping the consequences.
“Hey, are you okay?” Atlas’s voice dragged me out of the pity party in my head, and I glanced at him.
