The Game That Breaks Us (39 page)

“What?” I bite out, thinking she’s going to give me more bad news about Grace. My thoughts are running rampant, imagining her fucking Tanner in a closet in the club. 

“Greg Paulson agreed to meet with us.” All the air whooshes out of my lungs. Greg Paulson, the team captain for the Hunters, and the player I caught Matthews giving steroids to. If he has a bone to pick with Matthews the way I do then maybe, just maybe, we can take the asshat down once and for all.

“When?” I ask, daring to hope for the first time in over a month.

“Tomorrow.”

I breathe out. Soon. This could all be over in the next week.

Sabrina heads back to her room, probably to do research, and Michael whistles.

“Damn, who was that? She’s hot.”

I stride over to the couch and smack the back of his head. “My sister.”

“Fuck,” he says.

“Yeah, fuck,” I agree. Sitting down beside him. “I have another guestroom. You wanna stay?” I ask him. “You can go with Bina and me to talk to Paulson.”

He grins. “Sure. I’m in. Just let me know what you need me to do.” He glances down the hall and I narrow my eyes on him.

“Don’t even think about it,” I warn.

He chuckles. “Sorry. She’s hot.”

“Don’t make me regret letting you help,” I warn him.

He chuckles. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”

I don’t believe him, not for one second, but I can’t bring myself to be bothered because he cares enough about me to be here. I’ve never really had friends before, but maybe now I do. 

It’s been three days since the club and I can’t get the sticky feeling of Tanner’s hands off my body. It doesn’t help that there’s a photo floating around of us dancing. A photo that makes it look like I was enjoying it. Ugh. The media really knows how to skew things to make them look different than they really are.

I sit in front of my computer,
trying
to work on my paper. Trying being the keyword there. I can’t seem to bring myself to care, which is bad. The last thing I need is my grades to slip because of my personal life. My parents would give me no choice on staying then and haul my ass back home.

Elle comes busting into the dorm, out of breath and red-faced.

“What happened to you?” I ask, checking her over to make sure she’s not hurt.

“You have to see this.” She shoves her phone at me and I take it. “Play the video,” she orders and bends to clutch her knees, trying to get enough air.

“Are you okay?” I ask her.

“Fine.” She waves a dismissive hand. “I just ran all the way across campus to show that to you and I’m now reminded that I’m extremely out of shape.” She clutches at a stitch in her side.

“You realize you could’ve texted me, right?”

Her mouth falls open. “Oh. I forgot. Just play the damn video.”

I shake my head, still watching her out of the corner of my eye since I’m afraid she’s about to collapse, and then press play.

Bennett and another player come onto the screen and sit behind a table. It looks like they’re holding some sort of press conference.

I hold my breath and wait for them to speak.

The other player speaks first.

“I’m sure you’re all shocked to see the two of us together, but we decided it was time for the truth to come out. The truth about Coach Matthews. You all see him as a legend and an amazing coach, but that’s not who he really is. He’s a liar and a cheater. As his star player, he forced me to use steroids to be even better. You’re probably wondering how exactly he
forced
me—let’s just say blackmail was involved and it involved
my
daughter. This man threatened my two-year-old daughter and I felt I had no choice but to do it. Coach Matthews is a well-respected man, and he knew how to cover his tracks, so no one would’ve believed me if I told.” He pauses and takes a drink of water from the bottle on the table. “Until this guy accidently walked in on Matthews giving me the steroids. He didn’t know what he’d walked in on, what
exactly
was happening, but Coach Matthews began messing with him too. You’re probably thinking about his injury, but that was entirely an accident. But the steroid and rape allegations are all from Coach Matthews himself. He’s trying to get rid of Bennett—keep him from ever playing hockey again—to save his own ass. I’m appealing to all players out there, if you’ve ever played for Coach Matthews and he’s blackmailed you too, come forward. You’re not alone. The man’s a monster, and monsters need to be put down.” He nods to Bennett for him to speak.

Bennett clears his throat. “I know I don’t have the best track record and haven’t always done the best thing, but I met someone who made me want to be better. For her and for me. In the last six weeks, I’ve watched my life spiral out of control and there was nothing I could do. No one believed me. It was my word against Matthews and his daughter’s, and who’s going to believe the guy that used to fuck everyone?” He shrugs sadly. “I understand why no one believed me, I really do, but innocent until proven guilty is nothing but a lie. I’ve been made to feel like the dirtiest of scum for something I didn’t do.” He takes a deep breath and spreads his fingers out on the table. I feel tears prick my eyes.
My Bennett
. “I don’t hate anyone for treating me the way they did. Rapists should get more shit than they do, but I’m not one of them. To Matthews’ daughter, I want to say I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry your father used you in a vendetta against me. That’s not something a father should ever do.” He licks his lips nervously. “I don’t know where things will go from here. Whether anyone will believe us, but everything we’ve told you is the truth. Look into Matthews. He’s dirty, and I’m sure you’ll find proof of something he’s done because I guarantee you this is the least of it.” He flicks a finger between him and the other guy. “All I’ve ever wanted to do is play hockey and I hope that dream isn’t crushed.”

The video ends and a sob wracks through my body. 

I read the attached article and see that in the hours following the press conference, a journalist came forward with enough information to condemn Coach Matthews for multiple counts including slander, blackmail, distributing drugs to athletes, and even money laundering. Even though it doesn’t say who the journalist was, my gut says it was Sabrina. She’d do anything for her brother and I’m sure she’s been pouring all her time and energy into clearing his name. She’s a better person than I am. I just abandoned him.

“I can’t believe I ever thought he did it. Even for one second.” I rub away the tears sticking to my face. 

Elle comes and puts her arms around me. “Hey, with the information we were given, it was impossible not to believe it.”

I shake my head and choke on a sob. “But I
know
him and he’s a good person. I should’ve known he wouldn’t do it.” I hiccup. “I feel horrible. I should’ve defended him. Done
something
—like hire a PI to look into his coach. I just sat back and believed what was in front of me and deluded myself into believing everything he told me was a lie.” I groan into my hands, incredibly frustrated with myself. “He probably hates me,” I mumble. “And I can’t even blame him.”

Elle gives me a sympathetic look. “I’m sure he doesn’t hate you.”

“If he doesn’t, then he’s a better person than I am, because I would hate me.” I breathe out, trying to calm the shakiness in my body. I feel untethered to the world around me, like I’m a balloon on a string about to blow away.

“What are you going to do?” Elle asks. “Are you going to go to him?”

“I don’t know.” I shake my head. “I want to, but what if he doesn’t want to see me?”

She rolls her eyes. “Please, for the love of God, don’t be one of those girls who sits back and doesn’t go after what she wants because she’s afraid of rejection. Just do the damn thing.”

I don’t know how I can laugh with how shitty I feel, but I do. “I have to make this good, though. He’s been through hell and he deserves an epic apology.”

She grins wickedly. “Damn straight he does.

Watching Matthews get carted away in handcuffs might be one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen. He yelled obscenities at everyone and even spit on one officer. I’m pretty sure I saw that officer give him a right good shove in the gut when he was getting in the car. 

This feels like the best kind of retribution since only weeks before,
I
was being arrested for a crime I didn’t commit. 

Now, I change into my gear, about to play my first game of the season. I should’ve been here long ago, but I’m not going to dwell on the past. All that matters is that I’m here now, with a new coach and a team that is now banded together in a way we never were before. 

Three more current players came forward after Paulson and I spoke out. Five others that played for Matthews previously also came out with grievances against him.

I wish now I would’ve done something sooner—
believed
in myself—but I can’t undo the past and the only thing I
can
do is learn from it.

My sister … Fuck. I owe her everything. She dug and dug and dug until she got enough proof that there’d be no doubt that Paulson and I were telling the truth once we went public. She gave Matthews no way to slander us further. I owe her everything.

Paulson claps his hand down on my shoulder pads. “You ready, James? This is your big day.”

My chance to redeem myself
. 

“Yeah.” I nod. “I’m ready.”

I’ve learned that Greg Paulson is a decent fucking guy. Fuck, a lot of the players I never got along with before are great now. I’m learning that Matthews hatred had seeped down into all of us. A team is meant to be a family and we weren’t. I think we’re getting there now, though. It’s just going to take more time. Something I have plenty of now that I’m not worried about losing my contract. As long as I play well until the end of the season I know I’ll get a renewed contract and I have no doubts that I’m going to kick some ass. It’s been too long.

Our new coach—Coach Thompson—stands on a chair and yells above the chaos to be heard. When the room quiets he finally speaks.

“I don’t have much to say, but what I do have to say is important so listen up. This is our first game together, let’s make each other proud.” He claps his hands together and jumps from the chair.