Charity (Black Mountain Academy) - Rochelle Paige Page 0,48
need you to tell me why you’re so freaked out by a rumor that has nothing to do with either of us.”
Corby looked over his shoulder to make sure we were alone. The other students with early dismissal had already left, and everyone else was in class. Even though nobody could overhear, he lowered his voice when he explained, “My life was ruined by violence. It kills me to think yours could be touched by it, too. I’d do anything to stop that from happening, baby.”
I hated how awful his voice sounded as he remembered such a tough time in his life. He rarely talked about his mom, and I hadn’t wanted to push the issue because in the few times she’d come up in conversation, it was easy to see how much he missed her. Driven to give him whatever comfort I could, I went up on my toes to brush my lips against his. “I know she died before you went into foster care, but I didn’t realize she’d been taken from you because of violence.”
“The man responsible for her death wasn’t the violent one.” His fingers dug into my hips hard enough to leave a mark, but I didn’t say anything. I didn’t want to make the moment more difficult for him when it already seemed as though the words were being dragged from the depths of his soul. “My dad never had been until she was taken from us, and he’ll be paying the price for his single act of brutality for years to come.”
I rocked back on my heels, surprised by what he’d just revealed. “You never talk about your dad. I guess I assumed that he was dead too since you were in foster care.”
“No.” He heaved a deep sigh, running his fingers through his hair. “Fuck, I’m sorry. Most of the guys on the team already knew the story because it was big news at all the rinks back then, and the hockey world is small. I figured word spread around the school, too.”
“No, the guys must’ve kept it to themselves,” I reassured him. “This is the first time I’m hearing any of this. What happened?”
“My mom and dad were on their way home from dinner. They did a date night every week.” His eyes had a faraway look in them. “They were hit by a drunk driver, T-boned on the passenger side of their car after he blew through a red light. The guy didn’t have a scratch on him and was babbling about how he wouldn’t spend a single day in jail because his brother was a cop who’d already gotten him off on two DUIs before. My dad lost it. He punched the guy, who fell backward and hit his head on the curb. When he didn't make it, they charged my dad with manslaughter.”
“Oh, my gosh,” I gasped, pressing my fingers to my lips as tears welled in my eyes. “Did they actually convict him? And sent him to jail? Even though he had just seen your mom die right next to him and didn’t intend to kill the guy responsible for the accident?”
“Yeah, the guy’s brother pulled all of the strings he could to make sure my dad paid for his death. He got ten years, and the earliest he’ll get out is still four years away. Just in time to see me play professional hockey if I finish my bachelor’s degree first.” His lips curved up in a rueful grin as he shook his head.
“Is that why none of the hockey families took you in?” I hadn’t intended for the question to slip out, but there was no taking it back. “They were worried you inherited your dad's temper, and something might happen when you were living with them?”
Corby considered my question for a moment before nodding. “I never thought of it that way, but now that you mention it, that could be it.”
“Have you at least been able to visit him?” I couldn’t imagine how difficult the ordeal must have been for them. Dealing with the grief while being apart from each other had to have made a bad situation even worse.
My heart broke more when Corby shook his head. “The prison they sent him to is a five-hour drive, and I never had a way to get up there before.”
“Maybe we should go after the hockey season is over?” I thought the suggestion would help, but it seemed to make him sadder.
“I don’t know. I