Chapter Forty
Sophia
“I can’t watch this anymore.” I winced as Devon hip-checked Leo into the boards again. “They’re on the same team!”
Adrian stood next to me, looking tense. “His attitude’s been deteriorating all season. He clearly has something against Leo.”
Yep, he does. Devon had been treating Leo like public enemy number one since Harley had officially been sent back to jail pending a hearing on the violation of his parole.
Leo had tried to keep me from finding out what was happening, but Devon had talked so much shit that it had circulated through the entire hockey team and gotten back to Jia and Alyssa.
I’d confronted Leo about it, and he’d told me he hadn’t wanted me to think about that night any more than I had to.
I loved him for that, but I’d still given him a good tongue-lashing for not telling me he was being harassed by his own teammate.
Lavi took in a sharp breath on my other side as Leo broke away with the puck and flew down the ice, dribbling it like a pro before lining up a shot. The puck sailed right past the goalie and the crowd erupted in cheers, us included.
“He’s going to dominate next year—even as a rookie,” Lavi said before cupping her hands around her mouth and cheering again.
A few minutes later, Leo was hopping back in after a shift change and he took an elbow to the face from an opponent. “I think I might hate hockey,” I said, covering my eyes with my hands.
“You don’t hate it, Sophia. I’ve been to games with people who hate hockey. That’s not you,” Adrian said with a chuckle.
“He’s right,” Lavi said. “Sloane and Sutton would rather paint their nails in the stands than get invested the way you do.”
I laughed. “I can almost imagine them doing that.”
I loved Leo’s family so much, and I loved that I felt like I knew them well enough to understand their personalities and antics just as well as I knew my own family’s.
Leo and I had been having weekly dinner with them since I’d returned from winter break and I sat with Lavi and Adrian whenever they attended Leo’s games.
Jace and Leo had even had some of their video game nights at Leo’s place while I was around working on homework, and it felt almost like having a big brother.
I couldn’t help but think about Jace’s joke at Christmas about them offering to adopt me.
Was that an option? Could I keep my family and be adopted by this one?
Not officially, obviously, since I have every intention of continuing to bone their son.
“You don’t have to imagine them painting their nails,” Lavi said, sitting down as the second period ended. “I have photos.”
“Wait, they really did that?” I laughed and sat down to look at the phone with her. “I thought you were being facetious.”
“Oh, they did it several times during youth hockey,” Lavi said.
I looked over her shoulder as she pulled up the pictures, stopping on a few of a young Leo skating on the ice.
Always in the number twelve, and always with either a look of determination or a smile on his face.
His love for the game was evident even in those pictures, and when the third period started, I looked up and saw that same look of determination on his face—but not before he peeked into the stands and gave me one big smile before the puck dropped.
I stood outside the locker room with Adrian and Lavi as a few of the guys started coming out, looking happy about their win.
They hadn’t needed the win to secure their spot in the playoffs, but they had been hoping to end the regular season on a high note since that also gave them a ten-game winning streak to end the season.
“Don’t walk away from me, Harrison!” Devon yelled, following close on Leo’s heels as they stepped out of the locker room.
Leo was wearing a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve shirt with his duffel bag over his shoulder, facing forward and looking down as Devon trailed after him. Devon’s curly hair was wet from the shower like Leo’s, but he wore sweatpants and a T-shirt, his face red as he yelled.
My body tensed as Adrian took a step forward. It would only take him a handful of seconds to cross the hallway, but I suspected he was waiting to see what happened.
“My brother is doing time because of your bitch girlfriend,” Devon yelled, drawing the attention of most of the hallway as Leo continued toward us. “Stupid little slut wouldn’t put out for anyone but the captain.”
Leo spun around so fast he blurred before my eyes. “Watch your fucking mouth, Devon. Your brother’s doing time because he’s a criminal. Frankly, you’re lucky you aren’t locked up with him this time.”
“Nothing even happened.” Devon pulled his right arm back and swung at Leo with a strong right hook.
His fist connected with Leo’s cheek and Leo dropped his bag and lunged at him, grabbing Devon by the shirt as he slammed him against the wall.
Players flew out of the locker room to see what was going on, but no one tried to stop Leo. Adrian took off toward his son.
“Nothing happened?” Leo yelled before punching Devon in the face. “Nothing happened because of me!”
Leo punched him again and Devon’s eyes were wide with fear at the look of rage on Leo’s face. “I watched the woman I love become incapacitated because your brother is a sleezy piece of shit. And he did it for you. He drugged her so you could take advantage of her.”
“Leo, let’s just go,” I yelled, my eyes filling with tears. The last thing I wanted was for Leo to get in trouble or hurt because of this situation, and he looked dangerously close to punching Devon again.
I started to move toward him, but Lavi grabbed my wrist and held me back just as Adrian reached Leo.
Leo’s face was less than an inch from Devon’s as he continued yelling at him, “Harley is lucky to be alive after what he put Sophia through. And you should be fucking grateful that I didn’t tell Coach or anyone else on this team just how involved you were.
I’ve taken your bullshit for months and I’m fucking done. Go to hell, Devon.”
Adrian gripped Leo’s shoulders, pulling him off Devon, and muttering something to him quietly.
Leo took a deep breath and let go of Devon’s shirt. Adrian steered Leo away without another word as everyone looked at Devon who was rubbing his jaw and staring after Leo.
Leo spun around again. “If you ever call my girlfriend a slut again, I’ll break your fucking jaw.”
Lavi dropped my wrist, and I sprinted to Leo. I threw my arms around his neck, tears falling at the shock of the situation.
Leo wrapped an arm around my waist. “I’m so sorry, Hawaii,” he said into my ear as he held me.
“Harrison!” Coach Alvarez shouted. We broke apart and turned to face Coach who stood in the doorway of the locker room. “You want to tell me why you’re punching your teammate in my arena?”
Leo looked at me and I could tell he was seeking my permission to be honest in front of the crowd of people gathered here.
But as humiliating as this situation was, I had done nothing wrong.
I’d gone to a party, opened one drink, and been drugged.
That wasn’t on me. Besides, the rumors that Harley had drugged me and that’s what was causing the issue between Devon and Leo had basically been accepted as fact months ago.
The only thing left for everyone in this hall to discover was that Devon had been an accomplice to the whole thing.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded at Leo.
“The day I missed practice before Thanksgiving was because I was taking care of Sophia. Harley drugged her at a party because she turned Devon down when he hit on her. Devon knew about it and did nothing. I found her completely out of it with Harley callously offering her to Devon. I can’t speak to what he would have done if I hadn’t gotten her out of there, but he certainly wasn’t doing anything to help her, sir. ”
A few gasps sounded from the mob of hockey players in the vicinity, and I couldn’t help but feel like there was a good amount of protective energy coming off each of them on my behalf as they all realized the extent of Devon’s involvement. It made me feel like part of the team in some strange way.
Coach Alvarez turned to Devon with daggers in his eyes. “You going to deny any of that?”
“No, sir,” Devon mumbled, his lip swollen and split.
“My office, now,” Coach said. “And you can clean your shit out of your locker on your way.”
The guys in the doorway all stepped out of the way, parting for Devon and Coach to pass into the locker room.
Lavi took my hand “Let’s get you out of here, Sophia,” she said, prompting us all to start moving toward the exit.
Leo put his arm around my waist, and I waited until we were at Adrian’s car before I fell apart in Leo’s arms. He held me and stroked my hair while I cried, reassuring me over and over again that this wasn’t my fault.
Adrian and Lavi stood nearby at what felt like a comfortable distance and I appreciated that they neither approached me nor left us completely alone.
“I’m so embarrassed that you know this happened to me,” I said to them as I lifted my head, wiping my eyes.
“Oh, Sophia,” Lavi said, rushing over to give me a hug. “You don’t need to feel embarrassed. We’re on your side, always.”
Adrian put a hand on my shoulder. “I already had a pretty good idea that you’d been drugged earlier this year.”
I lifted my head to meet his eyes.
“Leo never told me your name, but I put two-and-two together a while ago based on how concerned he was about his friend that night. I’m glad Leo got in a few good punches,” he said with a smirk.
I choked on a laugh. Lavi let me go and Leo pulled me back to him. He gave me a gentle kiss before looking at his family. “I think we’re going to skip the celebration tonight.”
“Of course,” Adrian said. He stepped forward to give me a hug. “Sophia, I’m sorry to even ask. But if Devon considers pressing charges—”
“Do you think he’d do that?” I asked, my pulse soaring. That could end Leo’s career before it even started.
“I don’t know,” Adrian said, looking at Leo who shrugged. “Sutton can preemptively prepare a defense to get the charges dismissed if she knows about what happened tonight.”
“Yes, tell her,” I said.
“Hawaii, I don’t give a shit about anything except you right now,” Leo said, kissing my temple.
“And I don’t give a shit about anything except your career,” I said. “I trust your mom. Tell her, Adrian. She can call me for all the details she needs.”
Adrian smiled sadly. “Okay. You’re family, Sophia. We all love you. I promise Sutton will make it as painless as possible if it ever comes to that. And if I can do anything to make this easier on you, I will.”
“Thank you,” I said, giving him another hug. Lavi gave me one more hug while Leo and his father embraced.
“I wish you’d kneed him in the balls too,” Adrian said, patting Leo on the back.
Leo snorted. “Thanks, Dad. Me too.”