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“We can’t win if we’re all dead,” Oak pants beside me as he touches the line and takes off in the other direction again.
“We’re not at the top of the league, and if you want to secure that championship place then I need to see more.”
“Fucking hard-arse,” Reese seethes.
I fucking love rugby. And I’d like to think that I’ll be playing and watching it until the day I die, but right now, Coach is making me question everything.
Sucking in a deep breath, I focus on my body, focus on pumping my legs, on making my muscles move in the way I know they can. Exercise—sex included—has been the only thing that’s got me through some of my worst times over the past few years. That and the three boys at my side, of course.
Without it—without them—I’m not sure I’d be the person I am right now.
There have been times that I’ve been so consumed by the darkness, by the secrets of my past that I haven’t been able to poke my head above water.
I’ve had to, though. Because as much as I want to drown and never come back, I’ve got someone relying on me. Someone I need to protect as if my own life depends on it.
Thoughts of Millie spur me on and I get a fresh boost of energy.
Everything I do. Everything I’m going to do, it’s all for her.I want her to have the life she deserves along with the justice we both need. Not that she’s aware of that. I’ve kept everything I know locked down.
Her life is hard enough without having the truth eating at all the goodness inside her just like it does me.She’s sweet, innocent, pure, and I have every intention for her to stay that way.
“Yes, Ashworth,” Coach booms when I take off ahead of the others.
He forces us to go five more before he blows his whistle.
Middleton and Ainsworth drop like fucking rocks making both Coach and Elliot groan.
“Get the fuck up,” Elliot barks, kicking Middleton in the ribs while Oak sets his sights on Ainsworth and Hickman who’s also gone down. “I’m not leaving my school or my team to a fucking pussy like you.”
“Get out of my sight, the lot of you,” Coach demands. “And if I were you, I’d come back here tomorrow ready to show me you belong here, instead of the netball team.”
The four of us stare down the rest of the team before we take off in the direction of the locker room, leaving them all behind to cry like little girls.
We’re almost at the door when movement across campus catches my eye.Previously, the pathways surrounding what used to be the old pool were deserted. The building ignored by almost every person at All Hallows’.But that has all changed since Oakley convinced his dad and the school board to renovate it at an eye-watering cost to impress his girlfriend.
I mean, I get it. Tally’s campaign to improve student welfare wasn’t a bad one. The flaw was the fact she wanted to use the Chapel—our fucking Chapel.
But Oakley being Oakley managed to make her happy and get back in her knickers all in one swift and very expensive grand gesture. It is now a state of the art hub for students who need extra support. And one of those students just so happens to be my little sister, who’s just practically ran from the building like her arse is on fire.
“Millie,” I shout, but my voice is swallowed by the gale-force wind that whips around us. “MILLS,” I try again.
But nothing.
“Fuck.”
I take off running, my need to surround her in bubble wrap in the hope no one hurts her is all-consuming.
“You can’t fight all her battles for her,” Elliot calls after me, making me pause as red-hot fury floods my system.
I spin around and get right in his face before slamming my palms down on his chest.“What the fuck would you know about it?” I growl, getting so close our noses are almost touching. “Do you have a little sister?”
Elliot’s nostrils flare, his jaw clenching with anger, but he doesn’t answer my stupid question. I know as well as he does, that he doesn’t have a little sister. Just a twisted fuck of an older brother who’s tortured all of us enough in the past for shits and giggles.
“Theo, just leave it. Give her some time, then go and check in on her,” Reese says.
“She’s a good kid,” Oak joins in. “She was probably just running to get out of this shitty weather.”
Shoving Elliot away from me, I spin back around to continue toward the locker room.“Fucking unbelievable,” I bark. “It’s like you don’t even care.”
