Jax’s head drops as he shakes it slowly. “Fuck, Zee. I forgot what today was. I never would have let them plan all this shit today.”
“It’s all good, Jax. It nearly slipped my mind too until Davis text me yesterday to remind me.”
“You sure you’re good, Zee?” he looks at me closely. Close enough to know that I’m lying when I say yeah. But he doesn’t argue or push right now. He just shakes his head with a sigh and heads out the door.
Five minutes later, I’m following. I throw my stuff into the back then climb in. My phone rings through the car system with Maddox’s name flashing across the touch screen.
“What’s up, Maddox,” I answer.
“You tell me douche bag. Why does Tori look like she’s been crying every time we FaceTime?”
“Douche bag, huh?” I say turning left on the ninety. “What does she say?”
“She doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t talk about you at all, but I can see it in her face. Her eyes and nose all red. She looks like she hasn’t slept in weeks. She wouldn’t video chat at all for a couple of days. Said something about running into a door and not wanting me to see her black eye. I’ve seen Tori with black eyes before, so I didn’t by the bullshit. Then I asked about you and she just started bawling then ended the call. So, I ask again? What did you do douche bag?”
I pull into the stadium parking lot after flashing my pass at the security guard. I park beside Zoey’s new SUV and cut the engine. The black eye comment runs through my mind. There is no way that Tori ran into a door. And she wouldn’t try to hide a black eye from Maddox. Which tells me I’m not the only one she is keeping secrets from. I can’t help the worry that churns in my gut at what she’s really hiding. “What makes you think I did anything? What makes you think she didn’t do it?”
He’s quiet for a minute. He must really be trying to think of an answer. “Look, I know Tori is notorious for short-lived relationships, but when she’s done, she’s done. She doesn’t sabotage she just walks away. And she damn sure doesn’t fucking cry over it.”
I lean my head against the seat of the truck. I’m tired. And hurting. And fucking worried. “I didn’t do anything Maddox. Tori is keeping things from me.”
“And you don’t keep things from her?” His voice is laced with accusation. Maddox is well aware about what I’m involved in.
“If she asked, I’d tell her. She had a not too subtle run in with Rory and Jax. She’s not stupid. If she’s not asking it’s either because she’s already figured it out or doesn’t want to know. This is totally different. She took a match a few weeks ago. She never said a word about it until I pointed out the bruises. She’s been acting differently. Withdrawn. She is hiding something, and I’ve asked what. She denies anything.”
“So, you just dump her?”
“No, Maddox, I didn’t just dump her over that. I haven’t dumped her at all technically, but a couple of weeks ago I was at a charity event in Chicago and she was there. With another guy. After she lied to me and said she would be working all weekend.”
I hear him suck in a breath. “What the hell?” he blows out.
“Yeah, that’s the gist of it.”
“Tori didn’t cheat on you, Zane. You must know that.”
I do know that. I know Tori would never do something like that in spite of where my mind initially went. “I do know that. But it doesn’t change the fact that she lied to me. That she was there with another man regardless of the reason. Or that she has been closed off for weeks.” Then something occurs to me. “Ever since she stayed with Cara in Chicago,” I mumble lowly.
“I don’t know what’s going on, Zee, but I know that Tori really cares for you. I’m not bullshitting here. I’ve never seen the girl so messed up.”
I squeeze my eyes closed.Thisis not what I need before a game. “Maddox -.”
“Don’t Maddox me, Zane.”
“I’m a lot of things, Maddox. Most of which are not good. I’ve seen and done some really bad shit. Youknowthis. But I hate being fucking lied to. And I can’t be with someone I don’t trust. Who doesn’t trust me. It could get one or both of us killed.”
“So that’s it? You just gonna give up?”
“What am I supposed to do? If she won’t tell me what’s going on, what the fuck am I supposed to do? She won’t even tell you. Has she said anything to her brother?”
“No. And he’s worried as fuck and pissed as hell at you.”
“If he has a problem with me, he can call me.”
“No, man. I don’t need to lose my drummer. He’s a pretty good friend too.”
“Why do you assume it will end in death?”
“Not death, necessarily," he chuckles,"But he needs both arms and a working brain.”
