Chapter 43
CHAPTER 43
T he scene in front of me is reminiscent of a bad CW television show. Red and blue lights flashed like beacons in the dark night. Maci huddled on the edge of an ambulance, a rough gray blanket draped over her shoulders. When Jackson and I arrived at the junkyard, Maci had done most of the work. The image of Cooper slumped over her, ingrained itself in my memory. Tiffany tried to run like the coward she was. Jackson had the delight of taking her down. Nobody would attest to it, but he definitely tackled her with excess force.
He jumped up triumphantly after, smiling as if he’d just won the Stanley Cup. Tiffany cried and complained about her collar bone. She was lucky Jackson was the one who tackled her. I would’ve done a lot more damage than one broken bone.
Maci flinched, and I shot the EMT a death glare. The woman ignored me and continued to place butterfly bandages on her forehead.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?” The EMT asked.
Maci shook her head. “No hospitals. I hate them. ”
I wanted to protest, but Maci shot me a look that stopped me. She let the medic perform a cursory check before being dismissed. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and kissed her temple.
“You’re going to see a doctor, Sunshine.” She was about to protest when a police officer jogged over to us.
“Before you go, I just need a statement.” He motioned behind him.
Maci patted my hand and removed herself from my hold. I watched as she walked closer to the police vehicle. Jackson sidled up next to me and let out a whistle, “This was not what I had in mind tonight.”
I snorted, “Me either, Cooper fucking Rollens.”
“Did you call Crew yet?” Jackson asked.
I ran my hands through my hair. Crew is going to be devastated. Maci filled me in on what was said in the locker room. Turns out our honorary little brother had a bone to pick with all of us. It explained a lot of his recent behavior. More than anything, I wished he would’ve come to us. Now he sat handcuffed in the backseat of a police cruiser. Maci thought she killed him. Lucky for her, the object she hit him with was blunt, not causing much damage.
“Fuck, no,” I padded my pockets looking for my cell. Jackson put his to his ear before I could get mine out, “Go get Maci home, I got this.”
He walked away, his voice floating behind him as he broke the news. I surveyed the scene in front of me. A few officers lingered, getting statements from the junkyard owner. Another took pictures of Tiffany’s Toyota. Somewhere, I heard her shrieking as an officer got her into his car. Good riddance.
Maci came back, and I wrapped my arms around her again. Part of me never wanted to let her go. Was it plausible to keep her locked in my bedroom for the rest of her life? Wheels turned in my mind at the possibility .
“You’re thinking quite loud over there,” Maci said, pulling away from me.
I smirked. “Just contemplating keeping you out of trouble for the foreseeable future.”
She rolled her eyes. “You act like I look for trouble.”
“Come on Sunshine, let’s go home.”