“Concussion, days off.”
He nods because he understands. Out of all of us, he’s the one who would have been just as anxious to get back on the ice. Buthe would have taken that knife if it meant Annie didn’t have to. He would do anything for her. We all would.
“Cam’s doing well.” Damon takes Annie’s hand, and she looks up at him. “He had to get some stitches and a couple days off the leg. Probably fully healed in like a month.”
“Good.” Annie glances toward the door. Her lips press into a thin line. “Ishehere?”
We all know she means Jackson.
“Until they get him patched up enough to go to jail.” Damon glances at his dad. Adam gives him a solemn look. Jackson isn’t getting away with this shit.
“He needs intensive therapy.” Annie sighs. “Losing time to prison won’t help him. It will just ruin all his hopes of a career.”
“I don’t know a coach who will pick up someone with felonies on their records.” Adam shakes his head. “If he wanted a career, he should have chosen that over taking you. There’s no guarantee therapy would help him if he doesn’t want help.”
Personally, I hope the guy rots. I glance at Damon. We still need to do something about Brandt too. He doesn’t get away with this without a few scratches.
“How’s Chase?” Annie asks. “He was with me when Jackson took me. He tried to help.”
Damon releases a breath. “I can find out. He was beat up when we found him, but breathing.”
“I’ll go find out.” I lean down and kiss Annie. Damon gives me a nod when I lift my head. “I’ll be right back.”
Damon
Hawk leaves us alone with our parents. I’m expecting a lecture on how stupid it was to go after her that way. How I couldhave died or gotten Evan killed. Lisa’s words echo in my head. I swallow. She’s not wrong and my father would be justified in yelling at me.
Dad clears his throat. I meet his eyes and brace myself.
“I’m so glad you’re both okay.” He swallows and clears his throat again. Heather squeezes his hand and puts her other hand on his arm as she looks up at Dad. Dad continues, “I can’t imagine what you two went through, but I’m glad you have each other. Things could have gone horribly wrong, but they didn’t.”
I release my breath, and Evan squeezes my hand.
“There’s a lot we try to prevent or get ahead of to avoid pain, and I know you guys did your best to protect each other. I’m hoping you’ll both take my offer of therapy for at least a month. There’s going to be a lot to unpack once you get over the relief of being alive. You both are so driven with your careers it would be easy to just keep plugging away. To say you don’t have time, but I want you to strongly consider this as not something you opt out of.”
“I think that’s a great idea.” Evan lifts her gaze to mine.
“Yeah.” There’s guilt underlying our success. I could see it in Hawk’s eyes. “I think we should all go in together a few times too. If that’s okay?”
Dad nods. “Whatever you need.”
Heather stands and comes over to Evan’s bedside. “I’m going to go get some sodas.” She brushes Evan’s hair a little off her face, careful of the bandage. “I’ll be back.”
Evan nods, and Heather turns, taking my dad’s hand and leading him out of the room, leaving us alone.
I don’t know what to say. There were moments I feared the worst in that room, but would have done anything for her. I wasn’t sure who we’d be on the other side.
“Would you have?” Evan asks softly, shifting in her bed to make room for me. She tugs my hand, trying to pull me on the bed with her.
I sit beside her. “Would I have what?”
But I know what she’s asking. Would I have cut my tendons to save her?
“Given up hockey for me?” There’s a hint of fear in her voice.
I shift so I’m lying beside her on the bed, careful of the leg I know was cut. I watched it happen. If she hadn’t carved him up, I would have. If she hadn’t needed me to hold her, I would have carved him up more.
“Watching him slice open your clothes while you lay helpless on that bed was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.” I bring my forehead to hers, careful of her bump. “I would have burned down the world for you in that moment, little devil. Anything.”
