And notices I’m here an hour earlier than normal.
Sloane warned me not to get baited into anything or stir up any drama. She said it was unlikely anyone would try something, given the serious nature of the situation. But she also knew I was too close to it all to keep a level head. And she was fucking right.God dammit. I really hope this doesn’t cause more issues for Ellie.
I’m honestly still so worked up I’m not even sure I should be here. Maybe I should go to my house…
The door swings open and my heart stutters in my chest in that now familiar way at the sight of Ellie in her big sweatshirt and fuzzy socks, smiling at me.
She’s just…adorable and cozy andmine. Some of the tension thaws just from looking at her.
“Hey! I got a notification on the security app and then I saw you standing there on the feed and figured maybe your keywasn’t working or something so I just decided to open the door, but sorry if you were having a moment or whatever.” Ellie looks down at her watch. “Also, you’re early!”
I smile at her rambling and then wince as my lip stings from the pull. Ellie’s face falls and I watch her zero in on the cut that’s probably bleeding now.
“What happened?” She reaches a hand up to my face and softly touches her thumb to the side of the cut. “Is this what Dev was talking about? Don’t they normally fix you up and tell you to ‘get back out there’?”
This is why I was standing here, not using my key. I should’ve considered the damn camera though.
I know I could tell her something vague to avoid the details, but I promised I wouldn’t lie to her after that first night, technically or otherwise. And giving selective truths feels almost as bad.
“I got ejected so I decided to just come here early,” I say as I grab her hand from my face and kiss her palm, threading our fingers.
I lead her back inside and shut and lock the door behind us, dropping my bag and taking off my shoes. Sliding my keys onto the counter, I flip my hat around before dragging her over to the couch and onto my lap. I set my hands on her waist only to have them fall as Ellie hops up and runs to the bathroom.
“What did Dev say?” I ask loud enough that she can hear me from there.
She’s back a moment later, resettling on my lap with a wiggle that makes me stifle a groan. She presses a gauze pad to my lip and then focuses on my eyes. “That I might want to tune in to the game. Why’d you get ejected? Does it have something to do with your lip? Are you hurt anywhere else?”
I put my hands back on her waist and close my eyes. I know this conversation is going to suck, but having Ellie here with meis doing wonders for my mood. The rage has quieted and I’m just…happy to be holding her. I bask in that for a moment, fully aware this next part might not feel as good.
I open my eyes and look back and forth between hers. Ellie’s smart—she’s going to ask the right questions. “I’ll probably have a bruise on my ribs tomorrow, but I’m not hurt anywhere else,” I tell her with a slow shake of my head.
Her posture relaxes a little at that. “And the rest of my questions?”
I give her waist a quick squeeze and sigh. “I got ejected for slashing.”
Ellie looks back down at my lip before refocusing on me.“Slashing.” Not a question. She narrows her eyes. “You hit someone with your stick?”
I hide my surprise at her quick interpretation of the term and nod.
“On purpose?”
I hesitate and then nod again.
“You hit him and they made you leave? Why is your lip split?”
See? Right questions. I know I could just give her a play-by-play, but part of me is still hoping she’ll drop it and we won’t have to have the rest of this conversation. I made my bed…
“He wanted to fight afterward.” I withhold a wince. “So did I,” I tell her truthfully.
Ellie straightens at that. “You never fight.” Another non-question. She traces my two scars, one after the other, brow slightly furrowed. “Why’d you want to fight?”
This is the hard part.
I started a fight with Bryan McCormic at tonight’s game because he makes me sick and Ikind ofwant to murder him. Because I can’t look at his face without seeing the guy who killed Ellie’s mom. Because he’s the reason my girl can’t get out ofbed some days. Because Ellie’s mom isn’t the one who should be fucking gone.
And because he deserves it and so. Much. Worse.
But I don’t want to talk to Ellie about how violent Bryan makesmefeel. “It was a long time coming,” I answer simply.
