There was no answer.Unbelievable.I shook my head, tears finally trailing down my cheeks. I should have known. I remembered her always talking about howgoodbusiness was when she became a travel agent. I had just started my freshman year and she got her newjob.
“I was paying bills, Trinity. Taking care of you. I was owed that money,” she snapped.
“I was an adult and lived on campus!” My voice cracked again. “You’ve gone too far this time, Mom. Too fucking far.”
I ended the call and tossed my phone down onto the couch. Tears continued to stream down my face as I stormed to my room and snatched my running shoes from my closet. I hadn’t picked back up on my running routine since I moved here, but I had the urge to get out. Run as far as I could until I didn’t feel this betrayal so deep.From my own mother.
After tying up my strings and setting my watch, I took off, with no destination in mind.
21
Preston
“I think we should practice.”
I blinked at Wesley as he stood in front of the whiteboard, while Theo and Shaw sat in the two chairs across from his desk.
“What?”
My mind wasn’t absorbing whatever Wesley was cooking up. It was on the look that washed over Trinity’s face back in the hallway. I didn’t like it.
“We play the Scorpions next week. It’s crucial.”
I ran a hand over my hair, a relieved laugh warring to escape my chest. This is aboutthatgame.
“It’s Dodgeball. I didn’t think we actually needed to practice,” I offered, glancing at Theo and Shaw for backup.
The recreational dodgeball league we entered in two years ago had been a great way for us to blow off steam, and apparently, cling to our youth.
“As captain, I would think you’d have a little more discipline, Preston.” Wesley lifted a brow before hiking a thumb behind him to the board with a bracket drawn out. “The Scorpions areour biggest rival. We need to be prepared. I think we need a two-hour practice on Sunday.”
“For fuck’s sake, Wes,” Theo grumbled.
We played once a month. Don’t get me wrong, the Scorpions could getfucked,but I didn’t need topracticesmashing Gregory Akin square in the junk. Although, as small as I’d heard it was, it might not hurt to do a little target practice.
“We could just practice hitting you.” Shaw grinned.
Wesley flipped him off without even looking at him. “And Atticus is up in the air. Julia might have some birthing class to go to, so we may be a man down.” He rolled his shoulders back. “After last year, I want revenge. That fucker almost tore my ACL.”
Shaw snorted, while Theo looked completely unfazed.
“You strained your hamstring,” I deadpanned.
“It fucking hurt,” he scoffed. “I had two children to take care of.”
“Which you should probably do since we fly out tomorrow,” I pointed out.
His shoulders relaxed. “You’re right. I hate leaving them.”
With a slap to his shoulder, I nodded at the room. “See you in the morning. Shaw, don’t be late.”
“Since when have I been late?” he asked as he pushed to his feet.
“This morning,” I called out as I left the room.
The conversation eased my worry over Trinity, but I still had this odd feeling in my chest that I couldn’t shake.
I had spent about another hour and a half in my office before I finally called it a day. It was dark by the time I made it home, and the shift in my mood told me it would be a long night. I always had trouble sleeping on game nights ever since college. My mind would never stop racing. Overthinking.
