Roman (Raleigh Raptors #2) - Samantha Whiskey Page 0,17
you or do things for you. I just want to do whatever I can to make it easier for you to get your life back. Your life.”
I swallowed the rock in my throat, nodding my thanks.
A half-hour later, I had a new phone and a new number.
Rick never showed himself. And something about his lack of appearance settled in my gut like an icy stone.
But the new phone felt like a weapon, almost like I had a new identity. A small rush of power stirred in my blood as Roman drove us back to his place.
Rick didn’t have this phone number.
And he sure as hell wouldn’t get it.
But what would he do when he found out he couldn’t get a hold of me? Couldn’t find me?
Ice coated my throat, chilling my bones.
He’d come after me, come after Roman. He’d find a way to—
Stop, stop, stop.
I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the cool window of Roman’s car as we drove.
No more.
No more giving him power he didn’t deserve.
I was stronger than this. I could survive this and come out smarter on the other side.
Right?
Part of me believed that—the part of me that had grown up running wild with Roman, believed it.
But the other part of me? The one twisted by fear and weighted by shame? That part of me whispered that I’d never lose the shackles Rick had taken years to secure me with.
The two pieces of me battled it out in a war of emotions I couldn’t control, and by the time we made it back to Roman’s, I didn’t even have the energy to put up my new clothes.
Instead, I sank onto his bed and shut out the world.
Because I couldn’t decide which was more terrifying—rediscovering myself or to search for a part of myself only to discover that girl no longer existed.
5
Roman
The sound of weights clinking all around me filled my ears as I pushed up another rep. My chest and arms burned, but it felt great to be back with the team.
“Thirty.” Hendrix stared down at me, spotting as I set the bar back in place. His usual, easy grin faded as his gaze darted across the room. “Shit,” he muttered as I sat up, my heart pounding with exertion.
A quick look across the weight room was all I needed for my muscles to lock up.
Rick was coming our way.
“Want me to get Nixon?” Hendrix asked quietly.
“No.” I stood and faced Rick head-on, crossing my arms over my chest and breathing through my instant, consuming need to beat the living shit out of him.
“I want to see her,” Rick spoke through gritted teeth, stopping about twelve inches from my face.
“Teagan makes her own choices,” I said. “So, yeah, I’ll tell her that you want to see her, but chances are that request will go with the roses you’ve sent every day for the past month—right into the trash.” I shrugged.
“She’s mine!” He lunged for me, and I sidestepped, sending him sprawling across the weight bench.
The room fell silent as every head turned our direction.
“Oops.” I clucked my tongue. “Better watch where you’re throwing that weight around, Rick. You might get hurt.”
“Padilla! Baker!” Coach boomed from the doorway. “My office, now.”
My stomach clenched. She doesn’t want him to know. I repeated the phrase in my head with every step I took toward Coach’s office, Baker stalking closely behind. It was Teagan’s choice whether to press charges. Her choice to tell—or not tell—Coach. It didn’t matter how much the rage burned like acid in my veins, begging for any release. Her story wasn’t mine to tell.
This was the first situation I’d ever been in where the only defense I could give her was my silence, and it fucking sucked.
“You’d better not say a fucking word,” Rick seethed over my shoulder as we approached the heavy, wooden door that marked Coach’s office.
“What? Scared the entire team will know you last all of fifteen seconds before you come? Pretty sure they already know. Word to the wise—stop overcompensating. Just admit you have a tiny dick and move on. Some women like that kind of thing.” I kept my voice calm, despite the tension radiating through my muscles.
“You mother-fu—”
“Get in here,” Coach barked, storming past his intern, who dutifully held the door open as Rick and I passed through.