14. Mattie
CHAPTER 14
MATTIE
“You can close the door, you know?” Tucker Pearson said with a hint of ickiness in his voice.
“No thank you.” I sighed. This guy was a piece of work. Sleazy with a capital S. I opened the drawers of the cabinet and glanced down.
I hated being here alone with him.
I’d hated how eerily empty the walk to the locker room and trainers’ rooms had been. It was like not one other soul was down here. I shook the thought away. I had to be a professional. I could handle this. I was being paranoid.
I took out what I would need to ice his calf again. He had told my boss it was still bothering him, but there was something about the way he had approached us that set me on edge. There had been an arrogance in his tone, and then there was the way he looked at me. Like I was a piece of meat he wanted to devour. Just the thought of having to be close to him, much less touch me, made my stomach turn.
“What’s your problem with me, Mattie? Why don’t you like me?”
“I don’t not like you. I’m just not interested,” I answered as politely and clearly as I could.
“Whoa! Not interested, huh? Who said I was? You’re not exactly my type, you know?” I rolled my eyes as I reached for the K tape my boss wanted me to put on him. “Is it because of Macabee? You know he’s not the hot shit everyone makes him out to be, right?”
“Tuck—"
“I’m serious,” he cut me off, and I rolled my eyes. “He has a roster a mile long.” The guy scoffed, and I closed my eyes. I knew that wasn’t true. Dylan was only with me. Time wise, he wouldn’t have any to spare. Plus, I trusted Dylan. We’d been inseparable the last two weeks. Everything was amazing. Not that we had time to go out on a date or anything, but we had been hanging out in my dorm like crazy. “
“But then again, maybe Fattie Mattie broke him?” he teased. My teeth mashed together so I wouldn’t call him an idiot. “That why he’s been following you around?”
“What?” I turned, and my eyes widened. Shit. I realized just how much I’d messed up trying to avoid him by getting the supplies and keeping my back to him. “What the hell are you doing?” I hissed, trying to make sense of what the hell I was seeing.
Tucker Pearson’s jersey was off, something that was completely unnecessary and inappropriate for what he needed done. Not only was he shirtless, but only his pads lay beneath. He had started to untie his uniform pants, and by the mediocre tenting in the front, it was obvious he was hard. He stepped forward slowly only to stop and look at me.
“You have great tits. I get why he follows you into the showers every night.” My brows bunched and his eyes darkened. “I thought it was because you two were fucking in there. You know, a quick hook-up. But by the look on your face right now, you didn’t know.”
“You’re lying,” I said softly, and the bastard had the audacity to laugh.
“I’m lying? Why don’t you ask him?” He shrugged before stepping back. I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he simply reached and pushed the door shut. Though, he didn’t toss it hard enough and it didn’t close all the way. He noticed it, too, and smirked.
“Maybe you like being watched?” His eyes roamed up and down my body before he started to make his way towards me. “You an exhibitionist, Mat?” My back hit the cabinet of supplies behind me, and I winced. A shot of pain ran through me.
“Look, I don’t know what you think you are doing, but you need to back the hell off––“
“You know exactly what I’m doing,” he sneered. “Come on.” His hand moved to my hip, and I smacked it away.
“I’m not kidding, Tucker, back off.” I tried to push, but he didn’t budge. Not even an inch. The guy, as shitty of a football player as he was, was still solid and strong.
“You’re giving that pussy to Macabee, you can give it to me.” He got closer, and I tried to push him off again, but nothing. Why the hell didn’t I take some kind of self-defense class? I tried to wrack my brain for what to do in situations like this. I looked around at what was on top of the cabinet. Something, anything to use as a weapon, but all I had was a handful of sports wrap and plastic bags.
“Look, this isn’t funny.”
“I’m not trying to be funny, Fattie Mattie.” He laughed sardonically. “He follows you around.” He glared. “Everywhere you are, he’s there. Always. And you never seem to notice. You didn’t know that, did you?”
“That’s not true.”
“Before the party, too. To the showers. Your dorm. Fuck, even work.”
“You’re lying,” I whispered. My body shook slightly.
“Really?” he scoffed, running his fingers through my ponytail. Bile rushed up my throat when he wrapped it around his hand and tugged it back, pulling my head. “He does. You should ask him. Ask him if he sneaks into your dorm late at night when you’re sleeping or when you’re not there.”
“He’s never!” I defended. “He doesn’t even have a key!”
“You sure about that?” His head tilted, and he leaned down closer. “Ask him about his black phone.”
“His phone isn’t black,” I pointed out. He had a blue iPhone.
“Ask him about the black phone,” Tucker sneered. “Everyone thinks he’s so fucking great. He’s not the nice guy you think he is. He fucks everything, you know? You think you’re his one and only? Please.” He laughed evilly before he growled. Looking down at me with disgust as he pushed his dick against me.
“Back away, Tucker. This isn’t cool!” I gritted through my teeth. “You need to let go of me, right now or––“
“Or what?” he called me on my bluff. We both knew no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn’t be able to push him off. There was no one in the locker rooms. No one would hear me scream for help. “What are you going to do? No one is down here. Everyone is busy at practice,” he goaded.
“Stop it.”
“You don’t believe me.” His head dipped down, and I pressed my lips together, trying to get as far away as I could from him. I really didn’t want him to kiss me. Thankfully, he didn’t try. His nose skimmed my neck, and I whimpered with fear.
“Ask him about it,” he repeated. Before I could react, I heard it.
“What the fuck!” Dylan bellowed along with someone else. I heard footsteps rush in, and thankfully, Tucker was pulled away from me.
When I looked behind him, I saw not only Dylan there but my boss and Red Bridges, one of the coaches. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Coach Bridges screamed at Tucker, who looked like he was about to shit himself.
“Nothing! She came onto me and we were just––“ Dylan moved so fast I shut my eyes, sure that he was going to hit Tucker again. Instead, he hurried over to me and wrapped me in the safety of his arms, and my body sagged in his embrace.
He’d come. He’d saved me from Tucker.
He’s been following you.
Watching you in the showers.
Sneaking into your dorm room when you’re not there.
Tucker’s words bounced in my head, but I still held on to him. “Bridges, you have him?” my boss asked.
“Yeah,” the coach rumbled.
“You’re hurting me!” Tucker whined, but I didn’t look. I didn’t move from Dylan’s arms.
“Your dad is not going to be able to get you out of this one,” Red Bridges.
“Macabee,” my boss called, “let me see Mattie,” she urged him, but he didn’t move. His arms simply wrapped tighter around me. “Hun, I gotta make sure she’s okay.” That loosened his grip on me. “And if you don’t mind, Mat, let’s go ahead and write up an incident report right now, okay?”
“I want school police to be called, too,” Dylan growled at the top of my head but didn’t let me go.
“They will be,” Coach Bridges promised before shoving a complaining, arguing Tuck out.
“Macabee,” the trainer called, and he sighed. He pulled away, and I looked up at him. Ask him, Tuck’s voice whispered in my head. Ask him about his black phone.
“You okay?” His blue-green eyes searched mine, but I quickly looked down at the ground. Had Tucker been lying? He had to have been. Right?
“I’m fine,” I quickly answered, trying to get out of his arms. “I’m sorry. I just need a little space.” His brows bunched with obvious concern. I could tell he didn’t like my answer, but being the daddy he was, he gave me what I needed. Why are you still thinking about him in that way? I wondered to myself. He could have been stalking you this entire time!
The next two hours were a blur of questions and paperwork.
I had no idea how or why the three of them had rushed down to the trainers’ room the way they had, but I was glad. While I gave my statement, the school police shared a couple of things about Tucker Pearson. It seemed I wasn’t the only one he had ever cornered that way. Unfortunately for those others, no one had stopped him before it was too late. Somehow, those incident reports female students had reported had mysteriously been swept under the rug or blocked by his attorneys.
By the time I was done with everything, my boss offered to drive me home, but I shook my head, telling her I was okay walking back.
Not that I had to.
I wasn’t surprised when I saw him standing there, his arms crossed over his massive chest while he was waiting.
Dylan stood just outside the conference room where I had been questioned and my statement had been taken. Dressed in gray joggers and a U of D blue shirt with his hair damp from a shower. When our eyes connected, something inside of me loosened up. He was exactly what my soul needed to look at.
Without saying a word, Dylan took a step forward, then stopped. Emotions got the better of me, and I blinked away tears. I knew exactly why he wasn’t rushing towards me. I’d asked for space, and he was still giving it to me, respecting my needs above his.
Ask him about the black phone. I shook away the thought and ran towards him, slamming my front to his, but Dylan didn’t seem to mind. His arms wrapped around me, and I felt so safe. Loved. Protected and cherished.
What if he has been watching you? Stalking you like Tucker said? I glanced up, and his hand cupped my face.
“You okay? What do you need?” Do I care if he has been doing all the things Tucker accused him of?
“I’m okay,” I whispered. My nose stung with unshed tears. “Can we go home?” He nodded, and before I knew what he was doing, he lifted me up like a groom would his bride.
“Dyl!” I squeaked. “What are you doing? You’re going to hurt yourself!” I hissed, looking around. If anyone was surprised by his antics, they didn’t show it. He tsked and pressed his lips against my temple.
“Shh, relax. Put your head on my shoulder and breathe. I got you,” he promised, and I knew he did. No matter what, I was safe with Dylan. He wouldn’t let anything happen to me, and today proved it. I was his, and he was mine.
Even if there was a possibility of him stalking me.