Page 195 of Reckless Storm


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“You love it.”

“Anyway…moving on.” She bites back a smile and I laugh, holding my ribs so it doesn’t hurt. “Lots of people care. Even my parents have called checking in on you. I thought I should fill them in, especially considering it was only a matter of time before the media got ahold of the story.”

“Let me guess; it’s already out there?”

Hayley’s nose scrunches and I have my answer. Another scandal for the San Francisco Storm. As if Zane doesn’t have enough to think about.

“Knock, knock.” As though I conjured him, Zane’s voice echoes through the room as he raps his knuckles on the open door. “Mind if I come in?”

“Of course.” I try to sit up but Hayley gently pushes me back down wearing a loving smile. I’m about to argue, but when I don’t feel any pain, I quietly thank her.

“How are you?” she asks, turning to give Zane her full attention.

“I’m fine. I don’t know why they even kept me here overnight, to be honest. It was barely a scratch.” He lifts his tee to show off his wound dressing, and when I try to sit up again, I cringe, making him chuckle. “I should be asking howyouare,” he says to me.

“I’m fine.” I answer the same way he did. “But I don’t think Hayley was referring to the physical pain.”

“Right. I knew that, but…” he trails off and both Hayley and I frown.

“I’m sorry, Zane.” Hayley walks forward and lightly grips his arm, her expression broken. “I’m grateful but sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.” Zane pats Hayley’s hand before stepping out of her reach as though he doesn’t deserve the comfort. “I did what anyone would have done in my situation.”

“That may be true for some of it. But I don’t think I would have coped if not for you.”

“Nah. I don’t believe that. You would have stayed strong for Reed. You didn’t even notice you’d been cut until the medic asked you about it. You only had eyes for Reed. Speaking of, it’s good to see you awake, man. You had us all worried.”

“Believe me, I would have woken sooner if I’d known. Thank you for waiting around. I appreciate it.”

“Ah, no worries. I had to take a few days off practice anyway, so where else was I going to go?” He laughs off my thanks but fails to hide the vulnerability in his eyes. And it’s at that moment that Thomas’s words come back to me.I think he’s self-destructing.If Thomas is right, then what if Landon’s accident is the thing that breaks him?

We’re all going to need to be there for him, ready for if that happens.

Zane tells us he’s hoping to be cleared to play next week, and I try hard to conceal the jealousy I feel with a few more tests needed before I’ll know my own future.

Barely a few minutes pass before his eyes flash to the door, clearly uncomfortable. But I can’t let him go without mentioning Landon.

“Zane, wait. I know you’re going to brush me off, but I need to say this. You are not to blame for what happened. I’m notsure how much you’ve been told, but he was stalking Hayley, following her around and taking pictures. He knew where she lived, he…” I trail off when our beach day comes to mind.Jesus. Landon acted shocked to see us but he was there. At the exact time we were. Nowhere near his apartment. “He knew a lot about her.”

“About us,” Hayley adds.

“I have no idea what he wanted that night, but he hurt Hayley and he had a knife. Please don’t let his current situation weigh on your mind.”

Zane curses under his breath. “I swear I knew something was off with him. But I couldn’t figure it out. I’m sorry you went through all that. Don’t worry about me. Just look after yourselves.”

Not possible, Zane. Especially after that response.

A nurse pops her head in, and Zane’s eyes flash her way before he frowns and uses her arrival as his excuse to head off.

“You’re going to worry, right?” Hayley asks after the nurse finishes her checkup, and we’re alone again, bringing a smile to my face.

“God, I love you, Hayls. I don’t even think you realize how amazing you are.”

Her gaze softens and she hits me with the most beautiful grin. “I’ve always been confident, but you make me see a different side of myself, and I like the person I am in your eyes.”

“Good. But I love every side of you. And I always will.”

It’s another few days before the doctors clear me to fly home but only after delivering another blow.