“Aren’t you my hero.”
“Keeley. Please. You have to talk to me. No more deflecting.”
“Okay.” She takes a deep breath before glancing at the door, only speaking when I’ve turned around to follow her gaze.
“Vance and I attended the same college close to where I grew up. He was a year above me, and while he was one of the most popular guys on campus, he was also considered one of the good guys. He was focused on the game. He wasn’t a player like theother guys on his team.” My stomach knots as speaks, and it’s hard not to let my imagination run away from me.
“I’ll save you the details, but after a little while he asked me out. Took me to some fancy restaurant away from the college. He was nice enough, and I had a good time, but we didn’t click. At least I felt that way. He didn’t agree. He’d convinced himself I was a sure thing, so when we pulled up to my off-campus apartment, he wouldn’t let me get out of the car.”
She pauses to glance away while my hands ball into fists again, and I force myself to release them, flexing once before curling them around my thighs.He wouldn’t let her out of the car?
“I wasn’t the badass I am now.” She fakes a smile, making my chest ache as she sucks in a breath. “If I was, I would have kneed him in the balls, or screamed my lungs out. But back then, I let him kiss me. I figured he’d notice we didn’t have a connection and pull away. I was wrong.”
Jesus, fuck. I stiffen, reaching for Keeley’s hand only to have her shake me off as she turns away again, unable to meet my eye.
“He didn’t go all the way, but he…” she trails off and I stupidly answer for her.
“He assaulted you? In the car?” My fingers dig into my legs, inflicting an ounce of the pain I want to inflict on Vance.
“He did.”
“Fuck.” I stand, running a hand through my hair as I pace. “Did you report him?” I glance back her way, as Wes’s words flit back to mind, my anger growing.Was that why he got a one-game suspension? One fucking game?
Keeley nods, and bile rises in my throat. I’m going to kill him. I’ve never been one to solve problems with violence, but what the fucker did deserves?—
“Sit down. Please. It was a long time ago and?—”
“The ‘when’ doesn’t matter. How the hell is he still playing football? Why isn’t it on his record?”
“They covered it up and fired me from my athletic department internship.”
“They what? Are you kidding me? Who’s they?”
Keeley smiles but I don’t see what’s funny. “Thank you for caring. We can’t do anything about Vance or the entire athletics department now. I’m sure they’ve all moved on.”
“They may have, but you haven’t. How is that fair?”
“I have moved on. At least, I thought I had until Vance was standing in front of me.”
“Then let me do something to help.”
“You can’t. Hurting him is not going to take the memories away. And he’s the reason I’m stronger now. I wanted to ensure that never happened again. That I was never that vulnerable.”
“You’re allowed to be vulnerable, Keeley. And you can be strong without enduring trauma. He deserves to pay for what he did.”
Keeley plays with the edge of her sheet, as she smiles. “I don’t disagree, only that ship has sailed. I want to move on. For real this time. Can you help me with that?”
I pause, staring into her uncertain eyes, and drop back into the seat beside her. “Of course. What do you need me to do?”
“Do you think you could ask Wes not to hire him? I know it’s been hard to find someone and a QB coach is more essential than a media liaison but?—”
“What? No. Keeley…” Fuck, she’s worried about history repeating itself. “There is no way in hell we would choose that fucker over you. Or anyone else. Is that what you think?”
“No. Maybe. I don’t know. I didn’t think my boss in college would do it either, but he’s more important and?—”
“Keeley, stop.Youare important. If anyone on that team hurt you, they’d be gone the second I found out. It wouldn’t matter who they were. And I have no doubt, Wes would feel the same.”
Keeley’s eyes water, and I silently curse myself for never taking the time to ask her what she was thinking the few times I noticed her hiding something.
