Chapter 21
Cooper
“If I scrub myself any harder, I’m going to start bleeding,” I groan, walking out of the shower, towel wrapped around my waist.
“You ate grass.” Danny, one of my teammates, chuckles. “Epic save though.”
“Thanks.” I grin. “Too bad it wasn’t for a game, huh?”
“Hey, just bring that level of energy next time and we’ll kill it. Like we always do.”
“Hell yeah we will.”
Opening my locker, I grab my change of clothes and quickly get ready. I already left Blake waiting for far longer than I wanted. If we get going now, we should have enough time to grab coffee and something to eat. Even if we have to eat it while we walk.
“See you later.” I wave to the team and head out. Texting Blake, I check to see if he’s still waiting where he told me he was going to. I feel bad for keeping him for so long.
Rounding the corner, I hear a voice that has my hackles rising. Head snapping up, my brows furrow as I listen.
“Here’s how this is going to go.” The sound of Mickey’s voice fills me with dread.
“You’re going to do the rest of my fucking classwork for the semester and get my grades back up enough to graduate.
My father said he’s cutting me off if I fail one more class, and I can’t have that.
If you refuse, not only will I kick your ass so much fucking worse then I ever have in the past, but I’ll send this video to everyone in school, and post it online.
I’ll ruin both you and your stupid boyfriend's reputations. Good luck finding a job with your sex tape on the internet. That shit stays for life.” He chuckles cruelly.
“So, what’s it going to be, faggot? Fight me on this, or roll over in defeat like the good little mutt you are? ”
Pure unfiltered fury hits me, a straight shot to the veins.
Fuck! Fuck. Fuck. I swear to god if he lays a fucking hand on my boyfriend, I’m going to kill him!
My feet move as I run in their direction. Rounding the corner, I find Mickey with his hand fisted in Blake’s shirt.
“Hey!” I shout, getting his attention. “Get your fucking hands off him!” I roar, wasting no time as I charge at him.
“Look who we have here.” He chuckles, removing his slimy paws from Blake. “Just in–” He doesn’t get the chance to finish his sentence. I tackle him to the ground, both of us going down hard.
He lets out a pained grunt and I take the momentary distraction, not allowing him to have the upper hand. My fist starts flying, the sound of skin hitting skin. I don’t process the pain, I'm too furious.
“How fucking dare you touch him!” I roar in anger, hitting him square in the jaw.
“I told you to leave him alone.” Another hit to the face.
“Your days of hurting Blake are over, do you hear me!” I scream in his face, grabbing him by the shirt the same way he just did to Blake.
He groans, blood dripping from his mouth and nose.
“Fuck you,” he spits. “Your little boyfriend ruined my grades. Now he has to make it up to me, or I’ll expose the both of you.”
“Cooper, stop!” Blake begs me. “You’re going to kill him.”
“What are you talking about?” I demand, then look at Blake. “What is he talking about?”
Blake swallows hard, fear and shame flooding his face. Two emotions he should never have to feel. Not as long as I can help it.
“He saw us,” Blake whispers. “After the last game.”
“When you two thought it would be a good idea to fuck where anyone could see you. It’s like you wanted to get caught. And just my luck, I was the one to catch you. Got it all on video.”
“You’re going to delete the video.” I get in his face, lips pulled back in a snarl.
“Or what?” He chuckles, spitting blood in my face.
“I’m going to fucking kill you.” I growl, shoving him back hard. His head smashes against the ground. He’s not playing now. I see the murderous unhinged look on his face. He swings and I don’t get out of the way in time, catching a fist to the jaw. I grunt, becoming disoriented a little bit.
It’s enough for him to get another few punches in before I snap out of it and start pounding on him again.
Blake is screaming in the background, begging me to stop. But I’m too far gone. I let all my anger for this piece of shit out, ignoring the fact that my lip started to split.
It’s not until two sets of arms wrap around me, pulling me off Mickey.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Brody roars in my ear. “Are you fucking crazy?!”
Chest heaving like a wild animal, I swing my feral eyes his way. “He was hurting Blake!”
“Then you get him away from Blake, not fucking murder the guy. Do you want to go to jail for manslaughter?!”
“Cooper.” Blake’s panicked filled voice has my shoulders dropping, my gut sinking and bile rising in my throat.
He looks at me with fear. He is afraid of me. Fuck. Fuck!
I look down at a bloody Mickey on the ground and curse, running my red-stained hands through my hair, most likely turning my blond curls red.
“An ambulance is on its way.” When did Jax get here? Doesn’t matter. I take a step towards Blake, and he takes one back.
It’s like a fucking knife right into the heart. “Baby.” My voice cracks.
“Fuck,” Brody hisses. “Cooper, whatever you do, do not fight them.”
“What?” I asked, confused on what he meant. That is until two police officers grab me.
“You’re under arrest. Whatever you say can and will be used against you in a court of law–”
He continues to read my rights, but I don’t hear him. All I can hear is the blood pounding in my ears as I stare at Blake, my whole world crumbling down around me.
I didn’t mean to scare him, he has nothing to fear from me. I’d never hurt him.
I’m just so done with that sack of shit thinking he can continue to torment Blake.
He’s gotten away with it for far too fucking long. No one was able to help Blake back in high school, not the way he needed it.
His mom tried, but the school did nothing. She did the best she could.
But the school failed him. They allowed him to be bullied and harmed for years. They knew what was going on under their own roof and did nothing about it.
I won’t fail Blake. I’ll make it my life's mission to protect him.
Yet, the way he’s looking at me right now has me feeling like I’m the one he needs to be protected from.
It’s not true. I’d rather die than hurt Blake.
I’m being dragged back. I want to fight, to demand they let me go. I need to make sure Blake is okay. To assure him I’m not the one he has to fear. To apologise for losing control, but not for defending him.
I don’t though, knowing it will make things so much worse.
As I’m being dragged to the backseat of the police cruiser, I start to panic. I can’t lose him. I can’t. I don’t think I’ll survive it.
They close the door behind me, locking me in. I look out the window and see Blake running towards the car. “Cooper!”
My already pounding heart races faster.
He gets to the car, coming to a stop. “I love you!” he shouts. “Everything will be okay.”
I let out a somber laugh, relief filling me. For a moment I really thought I lost it all. He doesn’t hate me. But I still see that fear in his eyes. Is it because of me, or is it fear for me?
“I love you!” I shout.
The car pulls away and I watch as we drive away, leaving my heart behind.
I don’t regret what I did. I’d do it again. This time, I’d just make sure Blake wasn’t around to see.
Still. Mickey has money, I don’t. The best lawyers money can buy, while the best I can get is a public defender.
Knowing Mickey, he’s going to press charges. He’d do anything to make sure I didn’t get away with what I did.
I fucked up. Big time. But I don’t regret it. He was hurting my man, and that’s not fucking okay.
Never again will he fucking lay a hand on Blake. Because if he’s going to bring me down, I’m going to find a way to take him down too.
***
“Get up.” Someone bangs on the cell bars.
Groaning, I sit up, my whole body aching. “How long has it been?”
“A few hours,” the guard drolls. “Don’t be so dramatic. Now, come on, you’ve been bailed out.”
“I have?”
Rubbing the sleep away from my eyes, I get to my feet, back stiff from sleeping on the hard, steel bench.
I follow the guard out to the front of the station. As I walk through the door, there’s two people waiting for me.
“Cooper.” Blake’s voice sounds broken as he rushes over to me. He throws himself at me and I wrap him tightly in my arms.
“I’m so fucking sorry,” I murmur into the crook of his neck. “So sorry, baby. I saw him hurting you and I just lost it.”
“I’m not mad.” He pulls back, bright blue eyes glassy. “I’m worried about you. Are you okay?”
“Hands are a little beat up, but I’m fine.” I cup his cheeks and lean in for a kiss. “I thought I lost you.”
“Lost me?” Blake looks at me confused. “Why did you think you were going to lose me?”
“Because of the look in your eyes. You looked afraid of me.” My voice breaks. “It killed me. I never want you to think you have to be afraid of me.”
“No.” He shakes his head. “I was just in shock at the moment, because of everything that was going on. I wasn’t afraid of you, Cooper.
Never you. You're the only person who’s ever stood up for me, defended me.
I love you so fucking much for that. The only thing I’m afraid of is how much trouble you're in because of me.”
“It’s because of that asshole,” I growl, holding him tighter, needing his touch, to know he’s okay, he’s with me and safe.
“Well, that asshole is out of the hospital luckily.” Brody’s voice has me turning around.
“What are you doing here?”
“Gee, thanks. That's how you talk to the person who bails you out?”
“You're the one who bailed me out?” My eyes widen.
“Of course I did. If Ellie found out and I didn’t help, she would kill me. Plus, after everything you’ve done for my girl, it’s the least I could do.”
“Did you tell her?”
He shakes his head. “No one knows.”
“Thank fuck.” I sigh out a breath. “I don’t want to worry my dad.”