Chapter 4
Chapter Four
SALVATORE
My leg bounces as I pretend to be listening to Hayley and Reed’s discussion about the unseasonal weather.
They’re trying to distract themselves, and if it was another time, I might partake in the conversation.
Right now, though, I couldn’t give a fuck how much rain they’ve forecast for the next few days.
All I can think about is getting this plane off the ground. And fast.
Where is she?
Keeley was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago and she’s late.
“I’m here.” Her voice filters in from outside, the metal staircase clanging from her heels as she makes her way up.
She appears in the doorway, the glow of the tarmac lights giving her a halo, and I struggle to hide a relieved sigh as some of the tension leaves me.
“Sorry I’m late. Let’s get this plane moving. ”
There are plenty of seats for her to take yet she beelines straight for me, sitting down in the empty chair beside me.
“I was trying to reach a media contact of mine, wanting to get ahead of it in case the news breaks. I actually arrived on time. I’ve been pacing the hangar, waiting for her to call me back.”
“Do they know about Landon, or Zane’s arrest?”
“Not yet.” She offers me a soft smile, the edge of it only lifting for a brief moment.
After our panic yesterday, Hayley contacted Blair, Zane’s girlfriend, and discovered that Zane was not only out of the state—back in his hometown—but that he’d been arrested for issues unrelated to Landon.
Without hesitation, I chartered a flight so we could be there for him, and now, we’re finally on our way.
“I guess that’s a shred of good news.” I sink back into my seat.
“It is. I just wish we had more. He needs a win.”
“I know.” God, I hope he gets one.
The flight takes longer than expected due to the bad weather Hayley and Reed were discussing, and by the time we touch down on the runway, it’s the middle of the night.
We’re all silent on the way to the hotel, robotically going through the motions up until we walk through the glass doors into the foyer, and Reed curses out loud.
A very un-Reed-like outburst. “How the fuck are we staying in a five-star hotel when Zane’s spending the night in a cell? ” He throws his head back and sighs.
“Would you rather I booked a shithole?” I snap, hitting him with a little outburst of my own, and Hayley snorts out a laugh from beside me. “Would that make you feel better? We’re here to help him, Reed. We’re doing what we can.”
“We should be doing more.”
“Like what?” Hayley cuts in before I can ask the same question. Because if Reed has any ideas of what else we can do, I’m all ears.
Reed sighs again, pulling Hayley into his arms. “I don’t know. I feel kind of helpless.”
“Right now, he needs friends in his corner.” Keeley steps forward and squeezes Reed’s arm. “Us showing up for him is more than he’s had in a long time. Get some sleep. There’s nothing more we can do tonight.”
She walks toward the front desk and we all follow, checking in before agreeing to meet back downstairs early tomorrow morning.
We say our good nights, and as Hayley, Reed, and Keeley step off the elevator toward their rooms on the floor below mine, an anxious energy surrounds me.
I’m slow to walk to my room, but after dropping my bag, I’m back out the door in less than a minute, too keyed up to sleep. I’ve just sat down in the lobby bar when, as if on the same wavelength, Keeley walks out of the elevator, her weary eyes instantly meeting mine.
“I knew you’d be here.” She smiles brightly as she approaches, sitting down in the chair opposite me.
“Likewise.” I hand her the drinks menu and wave to get the server’s attention. “We didn’t really get to talk on the flight. I wanted to check how you were doing.”
“I’m good,” she lies unconvincingly. “I’ve got a few more calls to make in the morning but otherwise?—”
“I don’t mean workwise. I mean you, personally. How are you doing?”
“Oh? I’m fine with a capital F.”
“Fine?”
“Good.” She rolls her eyes. “I’m more worried about Zane than myself. As should you be.”
“Believe it or not, I can care about more than one person at a time.” I wink, keeping things light for both our sakes.
“You’re just an all-around good guy, aren’t you?”
“Always. So… are you going to continue to lie to me?” I pointedly raise an eyebrow before continuing on. “Or…”
“Okay. Jesus. I’m tired, stressed, and going crazy because I feel like I’m missing something, or that I’m going to say or do something to fuck this all up for him.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t even know.” She throws her hands in the air, and I reach forward to grab them, giving her fingers a squeeze.
“He’s going to be okay,” I say as the server walks over. “One way or another, I’m going to make sure of that.”
We order our drinks, me a whiskey and Keeley a red wine, and sit in silence until the server walks away.
When he’s gone, Keeley stares at me for a beat before raising her brow just like I did. “You’re going to make sure? Like you did for Paige?”
“What did I do for Paige?” My shoulder lifts in an innocent shrug, and Keeley’s beautiful laughter echoes through the quiet bar. Her way of calling my bullshit.
When Paige was blackmailed by her ex-boyfriend’s family last year, I may have gone to great lengths to protect her. Not even Keeley knows the full story of my confrontation with the Mikklesons. Let’s just say, I would have done almost anything to ensure her safety.
I will always protect my family, and while Paige is my flesh and blood, my team—the players—are my extended family too.
I’d never do anything that put Paige or Isaac at risk, but I’d do pretty much anything else.
Especially for Zane. I don’t know what it is about him.
I got the sense early on that he didn’t have anyone in his corner.
He’s been through so much, he deserves a break.
“I’ll do whatever I have to do, Keels.”
“He’s lucky to have you.”
“And you. He needs all of us tomorrow.”
Our drinks arrive and we change the topic as we drink, talking about Isaac to keep our minds off the following day.
Keeley yawns after taking her last sip of wine and my chest tightens. “You should get some sleep.”
She laughs, rolling her eyes. “What’s that saying? You can’t take the dad out of the man.”
“I don’t think that’s a saying at all. If you’re trying to say that I care too much or that I’m overprotective, guilty as charged.”
Keeley’s strawberry-colored lips curl into a soft smile, and it draws my gaze, my heart pounding as her tongue swipes out to lick the gloss. “You’re a good man, Sal. I’ll see you in the morning.”
She stands, the movement pulling my attention as I stand with her. “You will.”
I walk her to the elevator and wait while it arrives, holding the door open until Keeley’s inside.
“Good night, Keeley.”
“Night, Sal.”
Just like she instinctively knew I’d be down here, she also seems to know I’m not ready to go back up.
Not yet. I couldn’t sleep if you hit me over the head with a brick.
I may have argued that there’s nothing we can do, but it doesn’t mean I’m a hundred percent convinced.
There has to be something. I just have to figure out what it is.
I’m exhausted after my sleepless night—my whirring mind keeping me awake—and when I meet the others at the restaurant for breakfast, their weary faces suggest we’re all in the same boat.
“I’m guessing you all got about as much sleep as I did?”
Reed scoffs as though my question is absurd. “If you mean none, then yes.”
Silence falls as the server takes our order, and as we’re waiting for our food, we keep the conversation on football rather than the reason we’re here. It’s not until we finish eating that Hayley addresses the elephant in the room, attempting to perk us up.
“By the end of today, Zane’s going to be free, we’re going to be able to put this behind us, and give him shit for stealing so much attention. He’ll love it.”
“Hayley’s right, mostly.” I smile. “Zane’s going to be cleared. On both counts. We have to stay positive.”
“For everyone’s sake.”
“Fuck, yes.” Reed stands, nodding a few times. “Positivity is key. Let’s do this.”
Hayley smiles while Keeley nods in agreement, both of them jumping up, ready to go.
I pay the bill and follow behind them, ignoring my own positivity spiel, while my mind spirals, thinking about a plan B. If there’s any way I can help Zane, I’m going to find it.
When we arrive at the address Blair gave us, we’re guided through the diner to a private area off to the side, with windows facing the police station.
And my stomach sinks.
Zane’s been there all night, and I’d put all my money on him spiraling more than I am, probably to the point of believing he deserves it.
Reed’s the first to walk into the room to meet Blair, with me sliding through last, taking in the deafening silence following the creak in the door.
“Hi.” Reed waves enthusiastically until he seemingly reads the room. “Sorry, that was a little too cheery for the situation.”
Hayley snorts, and I lift my gaze in time to see a young woman step forward, grinning in response.
“We’ll welcome any cheer we can get.” An older woman joins her, lifting her hand in a wave. “I’m Florence; this is my husband, Tim.” She gestures to a man beside her. “And I think you know Blair.” Her attention shifts to the young woman, and Hayley bounces in anticipation.
“We do. At least Keeley and I do. Hi, Blair.”
We introduce ourselves, and while Blair and Florence offer warm smiles, it’s easy to see Tim’s more unsettled, and if the protectiveness I’m feeling stems from being a dad, as Keeley seems to think, I’d bet I know how he feels.
“Thanks for coming.” He steps forward, his eyes flashing to his family before he straightens his posture. “I’ll let Blair and Florence fill you in on what we know. I have somewhere to be.”
“Wait.” Blair grabs her dad’s hand, stopping him from leaving. “What’s going on?”
“I think I know how I can help Zane,” he tells her, barely loud enough for us to hear, and I stiffen, opening my mouth to speak until Blair voices my question.
“How?”
“I’ll tell you everything when I get back.” He squeezes her hand and takes another step toward the door. “Excuse me for rushing off.”
I’m about to stop him when Reed gets there first, doing it for me. “I’m coming with you,” he states matter-of-factly, his expression serious. “I’m here to help.”
Like hell he is.
“Not a chance, Coombs.” I move in front of him, my expression stern. “You’re staying out of this. You’re here for support and to provide your statement to the police on another matter. You’re not getting involved.”
“I’ll be back soon,” Tim says, trying to pass by, only I can’t let him leave. Something in my gut is screaming at me to go with him.
Following Reed’s lead, I step forward, tapping him on the shoulder before he’s even managed a step.
“Can I help?” I ask, leaning back, my hands in my pockets as I stare him down, showing him I mean business.
Tim eyes me slowly, his gaze thoughtful, before he offers me a nod. “Come on. You can be my witness.”
Witness? Jesus. What the fuck is he going to do? Whatever it may be, I nod and follow him out the door, only stopping when he pauses on the sidewalk.
“That’s my car across the street,” he tells me, pointing to a modest SUV before he takes off walking in that direction. “The passenger door is unlocked. I have to grab something from the trunk.”
I nod, taking my time to walk around to my side, and I’ve just opened the door when my phone vibrates in my pocket. Without checking, I know that it’s Keeley.
KEELEY: Do you know what you’re doing?
I smile, imagining that the lack of knowledge is driving her crazy. She’ll be hating that she has no idea where I’m going or what I’m going to do.
SALVATORE: I don’t. But I’m quite capable of keeping myself out of trouble. You don’t have to worry about me
KEELEY: I wasn’t
SALVATORE: Sure, you weren’t.
I picture her standing tall and projecting her strength to the others around her, and my concern deepens. I’m sure she’s putting on a front, always making sure she’s helping others first.
She doesn’t respond, and that’s all the confirmation I need as I silently vow to make this all better.
Tim sighs as he gets in the car, running a hand down his face.
“What exactly are we doing?” I ask hesitantly, and he immediately perks up, turning my way with a grin.
“We’re paying Zane’s dad a little visit. Long story short, he goaded Zane into throwing the first punch yesterday, and he’s been manipulating Blair for the past seven years.”
“Jesus. I’m guessing you want to hurt him?” I wouldn’t usually encourage violence, but I know without a doubt that if someone was hurting Paige, I’d stop at nothing to make them pay. I’ve been there. Only the issue was resolved before I had to take that particular path.
“I would love nothing more than to rearrange his cowardly face,” Tim seethes. “But that’s not my plan. I’m here so he can beat the shit out of me.”
“Come again?”
“I need you as my witness. This time, I’m doing the goading, though I don’t think it’s going to take much effort on my part. One mention of Zane should do it.”
“I can’t believe any of this is happening. Have you seen him?”
“Only after the fight. None of us have seen him since the police took him away.”
My heart pounds in my chest but I smile through it. “He’s lucky to have you.”
“And you, I hear. Blair tells me you arranged a private jet to be here today.”
“I did. The commercial flights would have taken too long.” I shrug softly, though he’s not even looking my way. Still, he smiles.
“I’ve followed football my entire life. My dad played for South Carolina. I’m proud to say I know a lot about the sport in general. I can’t think of another team owner that would go to bat for his players like this.”
“I’m here because I’d made the assumption that Zane didn’t have many people in his corner. I’m happy to discover I was wrong.”
Tim points out Zane’s parents’ house when we pull up across the street, and within a few minutes, Zane’s dad appears at the front door. Possibly on his way to Zane’s hearing. Who knows.
“Wait here.” Tim nods before jumping out of the driver’s seat and jogging across the road. “Ron, I think it’s time we had a word.”
Ron’s eyes widen, moving from Tim to his car and I duck, hoping he doesn’t notice me. I wait a few seconds before taking a look, and when my eyes lock on Ron, I’m the one that’s seething.
Tim was right. It’s not going to take much to push his buttons. He’s ready for a fight.