I push my way into the locker room, already jerking my sweater over my head. Dom’s at my back, which I hate because I can feel him glaring at me, still deciding if he’s gonna take another go at me. But now that I’m out of the game, my only mission is Penny. I need to get her out of here and stashed somewhere safe.
I’m pulling off gear as quickly as I can, not caring about getting it in my bag. Hell, I’m barely tossing it toward my locker. Jersey, flung. Pads, dropped. Skates, ripped off, and fuck me, they’re probably half ruined from stomping on the fucking cement. Pants and socks, shoved down as one.
“How could you?” Dominic demands, his voice echoing sharply through the empty room. “I fucking trusted you.”
“I know,” I answer, not glancing his way or pausing my speed strip down. Finally, I’m naked as the day I was born, digging for sweats in my locker.
“Put your dick away so I can beat the shit out of you some more,” Dominic barks at me.
I yank my pants on, free balling it to hurry a little more, and Dominic steps up to me again. He’s still geared up and stands several inches taller than me in his skates. His pads will protect him, too, except I won’t be throwing any punches his way. If he needs to hit me again, I’ll let him. As long as he’s quick about it.
“Can we do this later? I promise you can beat me to a pulp later. Right now, I need to make sure Penny is safe.”
That brings him up short, his entire face morphing to confused concern. “What do you meansafe? What the fuck’s going on, man?”
“Griffin?” Penny’s voice comes from the sports med room, drawing both my and Dom’s attention instantly. “What are you two doing in here? The second period still has a few minutes, right?”
I turn my face toward her, and she sees my bleeding nose and swelling eye, eliciting a gasp. “Oh my God! What happened?” I say nothing, but Dom’s face must give him away, because Penny plants her hands on her hips. “Dominic Lee! What the hell did you do?”
Shocked by her indignation, he stutters, “D-defend you?”
“Guys, let’s do this somewhere else. We need to go,” I tell them both.
“Go? Go where? There’s still another period, and Coach will want to talk to us after the game,” Dominic exclaims.
Ignoring him, I catch Penny’s eyes to say, “They’re still here, Pen.”
“Oh my God!” Horror washes over her face, but is quickly followed by true fear. I think that’s the only thing that gets Dominic moving, straight to her.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ve got you, Penny-Nickel-Dime,” he says, trying to calm her down. Waving me off, he sneers, “I’ll handle whatever this is. You can go.”
I laugh outright. “The fuck you will. I’m going with her. Ifyouwant to come, you can.”
It’s a line in the sand. It’s always been the two of them as siblings and me on the outside. I guess, to Penny, it was Dom and me as friends, with her on the outside. Now there’s a new dynamic. It’s me and Penny as whatever we’re becoming, with Dominic on the outside.
Penny comes up to my side, looping her arm through mine and peering up at me. “Can we go?”
I watch as Dominic realizes everything has changed. “Motherfucker!”
Penny unhelpfully whispers, “Technically, he’d be a sister-fucker.” Dominic shoots her a deadly glare, and she squeaks, “Right. Not the time. Definitely not the time.”
Chapter 22
Penny
Griffin and Dominic spend a ridiculous amount of time arguing about whose house we should go to, with Dominic insisting we go to his place, even though he has no idea what’s going on and Griffin countering that his would be safe and is closer.
Quickly done with all that noise, I stomp off toward the exit. “I’m going home. Feel free to come with me or not, your choice.” Secretly, I really hope they come with me because I’m scared to go outside with those two guys hunting me down.
What if they did get my address?
Thankfully, like the good guys they are, Griffin and Dominic follow along like my own personal, overly protective, Velcro-level guard dogs. Though without looking behind me, I can tell they’re elbowing each other for position so their fight isn’t remotely over, but as long as they don’t start punching again, I’m not going to intervene. Who am I kidding? If they start throwing punches, I’ll absolutely play referee, whistle or not.
The few team staff members in the locker room don’t try to stop us, thankfully, but I’m sure they’ll be telling tales after the game. God knows what the fallout from that’s going to be.
Once we get to my apartment, like the big-brother-slash-dictator he is, Dominic decides he’s in charge. “Tell me what the hell’s going on.”
“With what specifically?” I question, noting that there are two separate but connected issues here. One, the ring and stalker guys. Two, me and Griffin.
