“Coach, he came out of nowhere—”
“Don’t give me that bullshit, Camden. I heard what you said to him. My room’s across the hall and if I had a girl I cared about and you said the same thing, I’d beat the shit out of you too. This has been going on for awhile now. I want it dealt with, now.”
Jesse’s shoulders dropped down. He sounded regretful. “He’s got a problem with me—”
“He’s a f**king freshman and he acts as if he’s the entire team, Coach.” Camden was on his feet now. I saw his shadow grow in size. “I’m the captain. I call the shots—”
“I call the shots. Now sit down, Camden.”
He didn’t.
The coach stood now. His tone took an authority that made me grip my bag tighter. “You will sit down now, Camden. Now!”
He sat.
I almost sat.
He let loose with a string of curses. “I can’t believe my two best are pulling this shit now. Now! We have a big game tomorrow. We’re in Las Vegas and the two of you are trading punches in the damn hallway like teenagers who learned what their penises are for. Have you gone nuts? Are you high?” He shot a hand out. “Don’t even answer that. I don’t want to touch that with a ten foot pole.”
Jesse spoke now, softly, “We’re not doing drugs, Coach.”
“Then what the hell is going on?”
“He’s threatened by me.”
The statement was spoken softly, but clearly. There was no ego attached to it, and the simplicity of it had the rest of the room in silence.
“Camden?”
There was no response.
The coach prodded again, “Is that true?”
Then a fourth guy cleared his throat. “Walt, we should get going. We’ve probably missed our reservation anyway, but the rest of the guys are waiting outside. These two idiots can fix this later tonight.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” But the coach didn’t sound as if he was sure of it. Then he grunted, “Camden, if that’s true, that you’re doing all this shit because you’re threatened, then you aren’t the captain I thought you were. Straighten it up, lead the team, and leave your damn ego courtside. I don’t want this affecting us tomorrow.”
A soft curse was heard now.
“And Hunt?”
Jesse straightened.
“Keep doing what you do. You keep your head screwed on right. You come and play every time with the same consistency, and when you’re riled up, you dominate everybody. You hear that Camden? This ‘freshman’ can’t be beat when he’s pissed off. You really want to play that card with him? You the captain or not?”
There was silence.
“I didn’t hear you, Camden!” the coach roared. “You the captain or not?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you lead this team?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Then lead it, Camden. It’s not going to be the first time you’ll run against someone better than you. It’s how you handle it that’ll determine your future. That’s for you to f**k up or get it right. Just don’t f**k it up when you’re on my team, you hear me?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Yes, sir what?”
“Yes, sir, Coach!”
He grunted in approval and passed the closet for the door. He stopped and sounded so close, I closed my eyes. I could’ve pissed my pants at that moment.
“And Hunt?”
“Yeah, Coach?”
“Get the girl out of the closet.”
It wasn’t long before the door slammed shut again. Everything on the wall and closet doors rattled from the strength of it.
Someone walked to the closet door, but I heard Jesse growl, “Reed, touch it and die.”
The doors swished open. I found myself staring at a tall guy, lean build, with striking blue eyes and blonde hair that looked styled to perfection. He was dressed similar to Jesse. He frowned at me, but offered his hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean any disrespect to you. Reed Camden.”
I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. I certainly couldn’t shake his hand. He looked exactly like Ethan.
I bent over. I really couldn’t breathe. I started to wheeze.
“Hey!”
Gentle hands touched my shoulders. I bent my head between my knees and gasped for breath. I couldn’t—I couldn’t even see now. “Jesse.”
“I’m here.” He lifted me out of the closet and carried me to the bed. As he sat, I curled into him.
“Dude, what the hell?”
“Just go with the team. I won’t make it.”
“What’s wrong with her?”
My hands grabbed onto Jesse’s blazer and I pressed into him. I gasped for breath. His hands rubbed down my back in soothing motions the whole time. Oh god. He looked so much like Ethan, too much like him.
“Jesse,” I whimpered.
I felt him press a kiss to my shoulder, then he growled, “Fucking go, Reed!”
I trembled in Jesse’s arms.
He cursed under his breath and readjusted his hold on me. His arms were more secure around me.
Reed went to the door, but he returned again. He sat on the other bed with a fierce frown. “What’s wrong with her?”
Jesse shook his head and cursed at him. “This is when you decide to be friendly?”
He shrugged. His voice came out wrangled. “My sister has night terrors. This hits home with me.”