All I can concentrate on is Xander’s face in front of me and his gentle, probing fingers as he touches the back of my head. Everything around me sounds like it’s coming from far away through a tunnel, weird and echo-like.
“Let’s get you to the nurse.”
“No. I’m fine.” I clench my teeth together and suck in some air, wincing when I try to move my head.
“I’m sure you are, but she’ll let you rest in there.”
“But I’ll miss class.”
“I’ll get your assignments. Mr. Roudebush wouldn’t want you in class like this.”
“But—” As a last resort, I pout.
He shakes his head before he touches my cheek. “No buts, Red.” He scoops me up and carries me down the hall, then turns the corner away from the chaos behind us.
When we get to the office, he sets me down, and looks into my eyes. His are tormented, dark and stormy, like he’s terribly angry, but trying to hold it back for my sake.
“What’s wrong?”
He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, then exhales through his nostrils. “I’ll tell you more later. I never should have let him near you.”
My brow creases. “Xander, what’s the deal? I’m confused.”
“That piece of shit? He’s my stepbrother.”
Chapter 37
My mind whirred with questions the entire time I’d been in the nurse’s office. We’d called my aunt, no way around that, but I’d downplayed what’d happened and insisted that I stay for practice. By the time I’d gotten to the locker room after school, word had reached Coach Lance that there’d been an incident, and he’d refused to let me go out and run with the rest of the team today. So, unless I want to walk home or call my aunt back, I’m kind of stuck here.
I lean against the fence and watch the football team practice. I’ve never been a huge football fan, but I have to admit I like watching Xander run around and catch the ball. I especially like the way his ass looks in his practice pants. All ogling aside, he’s like poetry in motion. The way he darts past the defense and then turns at just the right moment to have the ball drop into his waiting hands is fluid, almost graceful. I have no idea how he makes it look so effortless, but I guess it has something to do with running the same plays over and over again and the relationship he has with his teammates. Xander may not be the quarterback, but heisthe team captain, and they listen to every word he says as if he’s king—and it very much works to his advantage, both on and off the field.
In fact, at the beginning of practice one of the guys had whistled when he saw me standing here and called me Red. I’ve never seen someone move so fast, but Xander had a hold of the other guy’s facemask and yanked him in close so no one else could hear what he was saying. Whatever it was, that guy hasn’t so much as looked this way since.
Yep. They listen to him, that’s for sure. And I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of his fury if I were them. He goes from zero to ninety in no time flat, just like a race car, and I can’t say it doesn’t freak me out a little bit. And now with what Justin hinted at earlier? I have to wonder what Xander’s dad is like. The deeper into Xander’s world I go, the more concerns I have—but I can’t help it. I’m spellbound. It’s like he’s sunk his claws into me and isn’t going to let me go.
And I don’t want him to.
* * *
Once we’re in Xander’s SUV and on the way home, I can tell he’s still stewing over everything that happened today.
“Talk to me, Xander. Your silence wigs me out.”
“First—I’m sorry you had to wait. I wish I could have just brought you home, but coach vetoed me cutting out on practice with the big game coming up on Friday.”
“I understand. It’s no big deal.” I bite my lip. “You didn’t get into trouble for punching Justin, did you?”
He gives a swift jerk of his head at the same time he lifts his hand from the wheel, flexing and straightening his fingers as if he’s testing them. I didn’t get a good enough look earlier, but his knuckles are bruised up, and the skin is split open on one of them.
I gasp, hands flying to my face. “Oh my God, Xander. The last thing I want is for you to not be able to play because of me.”
“I’m fine. But I want a chance to explain myself.”
My brows draw together.Explain himself? This sounds—ominous.
He glances at me before returning his gaze out the front windshield. “I hate that I’ve exploded like that twice in front of you. My dad was abusive—both physically and verbally—toward my mom and me. It was like that for us right up until we left when I was about ten. I’m sorry, I just can’t stand Justin around you with his tendencies. He was only eleven when his mom married my dad. He’s been through some shit in the last few years.”
The pieces of the puzzle that are Xander Grey shift a little bit, and I see a glimpse of why he reacts so strongly when he sees a perceived threat. “Xander, is that what Justin meant? What you both learned from your dad?”