The Perfect Game (18 page)

“I’m not,” he said confidently before a knock on the front door interrupted our exchange. “I’ll be right back. Sit tight.” He kissed my forehead and I watched him walk out of my room.

My phone beeped, alerting me to a text message. Melissa.
Oh my God, are you okay? Dean just called me. I
’
m coming back.

Don’t come back. I’m fine. I’ll call you after I talk to the police,
I responded, knowing she
’
d be sick with worry.

The p
olice? What the hell
? Call me as soon as you can. I
’
m freaking out!!!!!!!!

Her text made me laugh. I think it was all the exclamation points. Or the fact that I could hear her voice whenever I read her words. Either way, I typed out another response.
Call you soon. Don
’
t freak. Jack
’
s here.

“Hey, Kitten?” Jack peered into my room, his hand gripping the edge of the door. “The police are here.”

I tossed my cell phone on the bed before pushing my body off. Two uniformed police officers were waiting for me when I walked into the living room. One held a notepad while the other gripped a camera that caught my gaze and reminded me of what I’d lost.

That asshole stole my camera.

I no longer own a camera.

I’m
camera-less.

Tears started to roll down my cheeks as I blinked in vain to stop them. Jack rushed to my side and gathered me close, wiping them away tenderly with his thumb. “Are you okay?”

“I can’t believe he stole my camera.” I closed my eyes tightly as the drops continued to fall, feeling like a hole was opening in the pit of my stomach. 

“We really need to get your statement, miss,” one of the officers prompted.

I sniffed once and looked up, swiping at the moisture under my eyes. “Okay.”

“Your brother already told us what happened, but we’d like you to corroborate his story. He also said that more happened once he left the scene and we’ll need you to give us those details as well. Okay?” the officer asked, while reading from his notepad.

I looked at Jack with confusion before looking back at the officer. “My brother?” 

“Yeah. Um, Dean Carter? He said he was Cassie Andrews’s brother,” the officer noted.

“How’s he doing? Is he okay?” My concern for Dean instigated a rush of questions.

“He doesn’t need stitches but has a nasty cut on his head, not to mention a raging headache. It probably wouldn’t hurt to have him seen by a doctor,” the other officer chimed in.

I looked at Jack and he waved his hand to calm me down. They read Dean’s statement out loud and I agreed with his account, noticing as Jack clenched his jaw. I reached down for his hand and squeezed it tightly in mine. I filled in the blanks from when Brett carried Dean away until I walked to Cole, watching again as Jack cringed and the veins in his neck bulged. Seeing him in pain caused an ache to form inside my chest. But I’ll admit I liked the fact that he was so pissed off about the whole thing. I’d never felt more safe or protected in my life.

The officers asked me simple questions that I had already answered and nothing stumped me until the last one. “Can you give us any idea of what the perp looks like? Would you be able to identify him in a lineup?”

My gaze flashed to Jack, and I shifted uneasily in my seat. “I could identify his shoes. And maybe his fist.” 

“I’m sorry?”

“All I saw were his black and white shoes. And his knuckles. He was standing with the sun behind him and I never saw his face.” My body shook and Jack released my hand as he stood up and started to pace.

“Are we almost done?” Jack asked defensively.

“Almost.” The officer’s voice was a little terse before it softened when he turned to me. “I’m sorry, Cassie, but we have to take some pictures of your injuries.”

“That’s fine.” I sighed and then stood up to move in front of the white living room wall. The officer took pictures of my face at varying angles, while I kept my eyes locked on Jack’s, refusing to let go of the comfort he brought me. 

When the police officers left, Jack walked me into the bathroom where I caught a glimpse of my reflection for the first time that evening. 

“That’s so weird.” I leaned toward the mirror, touching the green and purple bruise on my brow before moving to the similar one forming on my forehead.

“What is?” 

“I don’t even hurt where the bruises are,” I noted, mesmerized by the unfamiliar face staring back at me.

Jack’s forehead creased. “Where do you hurt?” he asked, the pain in his eyes evident.

“My cheeks and jaw.” I touched them gingerly.

“I’ll go get you some ice and ibuprofen. They’ll help with the pain and swelling.” He grabbed my hand, turning me toward him. “If I ever find this guy, I’m going to fucking kill him for putting his hands on you.”

I shook my head, my heart breaking. “I just want my camera back.”

“I know,” he said before looking away.

“Hey, Jack?” I stopped him. “Why did Dean say he was my brother?” I asked, suddenly remembering what the officer had said.

Jack shrugged. “I don’t know. I can only guess that he thought he was doing you a favor. Or protecting you somehow. Why?”

I smiled and quickly winced with the pain. “I just liked it, was all.”

His dimples flashed in his cheeks as his lips turned upward. “Oh yeah? And why’s that?”

I shrugged. “I liked the way it sounded.”

I didn’t know it was possible, but I watched as his dimples deepened as his smile grew. “So did I, Kitten. So did I.” He walked out and my heart stammered with his confession.

Jack’s cell phone rang and it reminded me that I still needed to call Melissa. I walked toward my bed and reached for my cell as Jack leaned in, his hand covering his phone. “You don’t mind if Dean stays here tonight, do you?” 

“Of course not. I was just gonna tell you to call him. I’m gonna call Melissa real quick,” I told him, relieved that Dean was coming over.

He removed his hand from covering the phone before bringing it up to his ear. “She says it’s fine. I don’t think so. Hold on, I’ll double-check.”

He looked at me again. “We don’t need anything, right?”

I shook my head. “Nope, just get him over here.”

“She says no. She won’t care. Make sure Gran knows we’re both staying here before you leave. Okay, see you soon.” 

“I won’t care about what?” I asked as soon as he hung up.

“If he stays here all weekend,” Jack said before straightening his stance.

“Oh. Not at all. I sort of want him here.”

“Oh, really? Trading me in already?” He winked at me and I laughed.

“Ouch. Don’t make me laugh, it hurts.” I grabbed my cheeks with both hands. “No, it’s just that I want to be around him ’cause he was there. He knows how I feel because he experienced it too. Is that weird?”

“It makes sense to me, Kitten,” he said with a smile. 

“I really need to call Melissa before she shows back up here.” I started to press buttons on my phone and Jack turned away, closing my bedroom door as he left.

“Oh my God, Cassie! What happened? What is going on? And what took you so long to call me back? I’m freaking out here!” Melissa yelled into the phone.

“Sorry, it’s been a crazy night.” I held the phone away from my face, taking care to not press it against my cheek like I normally would. 

“Is Dean okay? Is Jack there? What happened?” Her questions shot out rapid-fire. 

“We were walking to the softball game to see Jack and we got jumped. Some guy stole my camera, beat me up, broke a forty-ounce bottle over Dean’s head—”

“Oh, Cass, he stole your camera?” I could hear the sorrow in Melissa’s question as she interrupted me, and her compassion for my loss affected me more than I expected. 

I struggled to even out my breathing as I swallowed hard. “Yeah.”

“I’m so sorry. I know you’re more upset about that than anything else.” 

“You know me well.”

“Are you okay? I mean, where did he hit you? Did Jack freak?”

“Jack’s pretty…” I paused. “I don’t know what Jack is. Pissed? Sad? Angry? He’s all over the place. Oh, but hey, I think Dean’s gonna stay here this weekend. Do you mind if he sleeps in your bed?”

“Not at all. Just tell him no funny business in there. I don’t want to come back to sheets I have to crack in half or anything.” Melissa laughed at her own joke.

“You are so gross.” I chuckled, trying not to scrunch my cheeks.

“I know,” she responded proudly. Her tone changed as she asked, “How’s Dean? Is he going to be okay?”

“Apparently he’s going to be fine. He must have a pretty hard head,” I joked.

Melissa was quiet for a moment. “I’m just glad you’re both alright.”

Before I could respond, there was a knock on my door and it opened slowly. “Kitten, Dean’s here.”

“Hey, Melis, Dean just got here and I really wanna go see him. Can I call you later?”

“Yeah, you go. Tell the boys I said hi and I’m glad they’re staying with you.”

“I will. Love you.”

“Love you more,” she said before hanging up, and I tossed the device onto to my mattress.

I emerged from my bedroom and locked eyes with Dean as Jack stood beside him. My eyes instantly watered up at the sight of him. “Dean! Are you okay?” I said, my voice frantic. I ran to him, locking my arms around his back and squeezing.

“I’m fine. How are you? Are you okay?”

I nodded. “You have no idea how scary it was to see you hurt like that.” I tried to shake the images from my mind that I was certain were seared there forever. 

“You have no idea how horrible it was to see some guy hitting you,” he replied, his voice rising in anger. 

“Can we not talk about that right now?” Jack’s voice sounded angry and I was grateful for the subject change.

I let out a sigh. “I’m just happy you’re okay. Does your head hurt?” 

“Like a bitch,” he muttered.

“Before I forget, Melis said you could stay in her room.”

“Yeah? Well I was going to stay in there even if she said I couldn’t,” he said with a laugh. “It’s okay if I take a shower, right?”

“Of course. There’s a shower in Meli’s room. She has extra towels under the sink.” As I spoke, Jack reached for my hand and pulled me toward the couch.

“We’ll be out here when you’re done,” Jack said, before sitting down and pulling me onto his lap. “I’m going crazy inside right now, Kitten. I feel like I’m losing my
fucking
goddamned
mind. I’m not going to practice this weekend. I won’t leave you alone.” He leaned his head against my chest and I ran my fingers through his hair.

“Jack, I love that you care so much about what happened to me, but you can’t be by my side twenty-four hours a day. And you absolutely cannot skip practice this close to the draft. Are you out of your mind?”

He glanced up at me, the pain evident in his narrowed eyes. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you!”

“When you go to practice, Dean will stay here with me. I won’t be alone, okay?” I prayed my suggestion would ease his worry.

He let out a long, exasperated breath. “Okay. He’s the only one I trust anyway…” His voice trailed off. “We’ll take shifts.”

I rolled my eyes, but he didn’t notice. “You have to get past this, Jack. You can’t take it upon yourself to be my personal bodyguard.”

“Yes, I can.”

“You’ll drive me insane,” I snapped, my voice harsher than I intended. “And then I’ll break up with you.”

Jack’s head snapped around as he glared at me with shock and surprise. “What?” 

“I don’t want a babysitter. I don’t want a bodyguard. I appreciate what you’re trying to do, Jack, but I don’t want to feel like I’m in a
fucking
cage.”

He slid my body from his lap and turned to face me, his forehead creased. “Cass, just give me some time to deal with this, okay? It just happened and I feel like I’m losing my goddamn mind.” He cringed as he continued. “Do you know what it feels like to want to beat the shit out of four of your teammates? Four guys I’m supposed to respect and trust. Four guys I trusted completely before tonight.”

I watched as his face twisted with his pain, my heart aching. “I can’t tell you not to be mad at them, Jack. I don’t know why they ran and left me there. I’m sort of conflicted about all that. It did happen really fast, though, I can tell you that. It’s like one minute the guy was with me, then with Dean, then back at me.” I closed my eyes, my head shaking. 

“That’s exactly it. You might be conflicted in regards to them, but I’m not.”

Dean walked into the room, a towel wrapped around his waist. “Remind me that it’s
really
going to
fucking
hurt next time I try to wash my hair.” He smirked. Dean’s ability to bounce back so quickly after what happened amazed me and gave me hope.