Chapter 37
Izzy
Nik’s words hang in the air for the longest ten seconds of my life. The day has been a blur, from this morning to the party
to the hospital, but I see this moment in perfect clarity.
Nikolai. My boyfriend.
Joy rushes through me like wildfire.
When I woke up this morning, I knew I couldn’t handle sneaking around anymore. I didn’t want to do it. And I thought I lost him over it, only now... now he’s in front of my family, declaring himself mine.
Which makes me his.
“Yes,” I say. “We’re together.”
Dad blinks, but that’s the only sign of surprise he gives. There’s still worry on his face, worry for me, thanks to my own
stupidity, yet he glances at Mom and says, “We’re happy to hear it.”
“Of course.” Mom’s eyes shine as she strokes my hair. She looks Nik over. “You came from the game?”
“As soon as he heard,” Sebastian says.
Seb must have been the one who told Nik what happened. I lift my chin in a silent thank-you, and he nods. He’s not quite smiling,
but I can tell that he’s pleased.
Then I notice Cooper, looking at me and Nik like... like he can’t believe what he’s seeing.
“Cooper,” I say, my mouth going dry.
“What did you do to her?” he asks Nik.
“Nothing,” I say quickly. My head throbs, and I wince. Nik settles his hand on my shoulder, a comforting weight. “He didn’t do anything.”
“Victoria said she was upset,” he says, still looking at Nik instead of me. The hurt on his face sends my heart into a fresh
sprint. “Not just because of what happened with her coach. About an argument. She said she argued with a friend, but it wasn’t
a friend, was it? It was you.”
“Cooper,” I say again. “Stop it.”
He doesn’t know a thing about what really happened, and I won’t betray Nik’s confidence about the panic attack. I watch Nik
closely, waiting for that frozen-over expression, but aside from a wince at Cooper’s words, he seems okay. I squeeze the hand
on my shoulder, reminding myself that he promised to tell me the whole story. Whatever it is, I’ll find a way to help him.
“No,” he says. “You’re right. This is my fault.”
“No, Nik, it isn’t.” I struggle to sit up properly, but a flash of pain makes me grit my teeth. Nik holds me in place. The
doctor said I was lucky to get away with a minor concussion, but I still feel like someone hit me with a sledgehammer.
“What did you say?” Cooper presses. “What did you do to make her go to a fucking daytime rager?”
“Let’s go outside,” Sebastian says, grabbing Cooper’s arm. “Come on.”
“Do you have any idea what it felt like to get that call from Victoria?” he continues, shaking Sebastian off. “What it felt
like to tell my parents that my little sister had a goddamn head injury?”
“Baby,” Penny pleads. “Sebastian’s right. We should go outside.”
Nik steps around the bed, eyes alight.
“Yes,” he snaps. “Because I got it from Sebastian.”
“She hasn’t been to parties like that in ages—”
“My heart fucking stopped when I heard—”
I press a hand to my mouth. I threw up earlier, and despite the anti-nausea medication the nurse gave me, I might do it again. I was half-unconscious during the drive to the hospital, but I remember the panic on Cooper’s and Sebastian’s faces. Whatever Nik thinks, this was on me. My stupidity. My mistake. My nose smarts, tears filling my eyes.
“Enough,” Mom interrupts, pulling herself to her full height. She crosses her arms over her chest tightly. “ Enough. My daughter is hurt, and she needs rest, not shouting, and especially not from people who care about her. Cooper, Sebastian—go
home.”
Cooper clenches his jaw. “But—”
“Now,” Dad says sharply. “You need to calm down, son.”
He nearly protests further, but allows Sebastian to guide him out of the room.
“And you,” Mom adds to Nik. “Go home and clean yourself up. And eat something, you look dead on your feet.”
“I can stay.”
“Go,” she says, in a voice that leaves no room for argument. “We’ll take care of her. If you calm yourself down, I’ll let
you back in this room. That goes for her brothers, too.”
They stare at each other for a long moment, but eventually, Nik nods. He sweeps his gear into his bag and slings it over his
shoulder.
“Talk to him,” I say, grabbing his hand. “Please.”
He nods. “I will. And I’ll be back later.” He leaves me with another kiss.
As the door clicks shut behind him, Mom sweeps back her hair, a tight frown on her face. “I need to figure out what’s going
on. Let me find the nurse.”
When we’re alone, Dad bends over and kisses me lightly on the forehead, right above the stitches, before settling into the chair next to the bed. He groans, tipping his head back. For a minute, we don’t speak. I fiddle with the tape on my sprained wrist.
“I’m sorry, Daddy,” I say quietly.
“It’s okay, darling. I’m just glad you’re safe.” He gives the monitor a glance as it beeps softly. There’s no anger in his
expression, only weariness and concern. Same as when I broke my arm at nine, concussed myself for the first time at thirteen,
nearly got arrested at seventeen. This is the latest disappointment, and I have to face it. “Why don’t you tell me what really
happened?”