Page 2

One

T he therapy room hums with the familiar sounds of equipment being adjusted and players preparing for their sessions. It’s just another day in the fast-paced world of professional football, and as the physical therapist for the local NFL team, I’m no stranger to the hustle and bustle.

But today feels different .

There’s this knot in the pit of my stomach warning me of something. The whispers of new recruits didn’t help, either. Rumor has it that three players are joining the team, and there is always a little bit of shake-up when new people join. But this doesn’t feel like that.

“Just keep doing those reps, Aaron. Don’t push too hard. Listen to your body,” I tell one of the offensive linemen, who nods and continues exercising his right leg that’s healing well from an injury a few months ago.

It’s my job to look after this team and make sure they’re ready and healthy enough to go on the field every week. I should be focusing on that, but that nagging won’t leave me alone. I’ll have three new guys to look out for, but I have no idea who they are yet.

I walk to the front of the room and grab my schedule, my eyes skimming over the page to see the new additions since I haven’t heard anyone speak their names. As soon as my eyes reach the bottom, my stomach drops and my next exhale comes out shakily.

This can’t be real.

Knox Hunter.

Jaxon Steele.

Dimitri Kessler.

Three names that send a chill down my spine and bring back memories I had spent years trying to forget. I squeeze my eyes shut as those memories flash through my mind. The harsh words. The sharp eyes. The touches they left on my skin, branding me with scars I could never get rid of .

None of those things have left my mind. They probably never will.

“You okay, Hope?”

I snap out of my thoughts as I rub over my chest, feeling the scars under my touch. My gaze falls upon Jared Carter, one of the team’s wide receivers. His friendly grin and warm brown eyes help me relax a little as I smile back.

“I’m okay. I just saw the new players on my schedule,” I say, not getting into my past with him. I have to keep that hidden from everyone , even if it was years ago.

I thought I could move forward from all of that, but the three of them are apparently determined to haunt me forever.

Jared nods as he drapes his workout towel over his shoulder. “They’re pretty good players. We’ll have a better shot at the playoffs with them on our roster.”

I’m sure they’re great football-wise because they were always revered for their athletic talent. It was why my dad adored them. Why he cared about them more than his own daughter. Or at least, he cared differently for me.

Bile threatens to rise up my throat at the thought of my dad, but I focus on Jared instead. I don’t want anyone to think that something is up, and I definitely don’t want anyone to notice any connections between me and the guys. It’s best if I just keep myself in check.

I love my job, and I don’t want them to mess this up for me.

“Right. That’s what I was thinking.” I put on a fake smile, nodding to Jared as he heads off to stretch .

My eyes settle on the therapy room as all the players do their instructed reps and stretches. This place had become a safe haven for me, helping me heal and move forward from the past. But that’s obviously not the case anymore.

It seems like the nightmare of my past is far from over.

I try to keep myself busy, burying myself in work. Only when the gym empties do I realize it’s time for lunch. I don’t even have a sliver of appetite. My stomach is in knots, warning me that my predators are steadily getting closer.

Thankfully, I haven’t seen the guys yet, but they have to be around here somewhere. I just haven’t found them.

More like, they haven’t found me .

The only saving grace is that there are still people milling around. People who aren’t like my dad and wouldn’t just let the torment happen.

Some of the staff are cleaning off the many machines we have, while others are chatting at the check-in area out front.

The bright white lights of the physical therapy office make shadows a rarity, which means that it’s harder for any of the three big guys I remember to hide.

After a few breaths, I wave to one of the front desk workers and head to the cafeteria to eat.

Some other people mill around, talking and laughing.

It’s not as huge as a school cafeteria, but there’s plenty of room for a whole football team and our staff.

I grab a salad and take a seat off to the side. Typically, I have no problem sitting with the other staff members or some of the players, but I’m not really in the talking mood today. Those three names have shaken me up so much that I need time alone to settle down.

If I could disappear, I would.

Just as I poke my fork into my lettuce, movement around the cafeteria door catches my eye. I peek up and feel my stomach twist as Knox, Jaxon, and Dimitri stride inside, looking like they own the place.

Their smirks and confident strides make my heart race with a mix of anger and fear. They were my tormentors, the ones who had made my college years a living hell with their relentless bullying. Now, they’re back to torture me some more.

I almost wonder if they know I’m working here, but that’s a stupid question. It’s not like anyone pays attention to who works at the therapy office when they’re focused on their NFL career. Just as it passes through my mind, Knox glances my way.

Uh-oh.

Knox’s brows knit as he stares down, then I see the moment of recognition. He grins and nudges the others before he stalks toward me. Jaxon and Dimitri follow.

I try to stay strong as they approach, but the memories flood back with a vengeance. The taunts, the laughter, the feeling of isolation that had consumed me every day. I thought I had left that behind, buried deep beneath the facade of professionalism I wear like armor.

But now they’re here, in my workplace, threatening to unravel everything I had worked so hard to build.

I force a smile onto my face as they greet me. I’m going to stay professional. That’s all that matters .

Their grins widen and that evil glint in their gazes chills my core. I can’t let them see how much they still affect me. I can’t give them the satisfaction of knowing they still hold power over me.

And I can’t let anyone else know about our history.

Once they approach the other side of my table, my eyes sweep over them. My left hand tightens into a fist as it rests on my thigh out of sight.

“Welcome to the team,” I say, my voice steady despite the turmoil roiling inside me.

Their dark chuckles echo in my ears as they exchange knowing glances, and a shiver runs down my spine. This can’t be happening.

“Long time, no see, Hope,” Knox says as pulls a chair back and sits across from me. Dimitri does the same and takes a seat next to him.

I swallow hard as Jaxon sits next to me, his body even bigger and more muscular than I remember. They don’t look all that different, but they have stubble and more muscle on them.

We’re not alone in my dad’s house. We’re in a public area. This should be fine, or at least that’s what I tell my anxiety. I clear my throat. “I didn’t know you guys went pro.”

“Of course, we did, Princess. Remember how good we were?” Jaxon asks as he leans closer to me. His cologne with touches of cedarwood and sage washes over me.

I grind my teeth as my eyes sweep over all of them, doing my best to not look affected in the slightest. That’ll fuel them. “ Well, I’m sure you know, but I’m the team’s physical therapist.”

“Which means we’ll see plenty of you,” Dimitri says, the sleeves of his white T-shirt pulling tight around his large biceps.

“After you help us stretch, we’ll have to stretch you,” Knox comments with a devilish glint in his eyes.

“Has that line ever worked for you?” I huff, pretending their words and presence aren’t anything out of the usual. But as heat rushes to my cheeks I quickly add, “We should keep things professional.”

Jaxon clicks his tongue, and I jump a little when his hand lands on my thigh under the table. His touch burns right through my khaki uniform pants. “Where’s the fun in that, sweetheart?”

I try to shift my leg away, but he grips my thigh, anchoring it in place. “Get your fucking hand off me!” I dig my nails into his hand, tightening my grip until I’m sure I have broken his skin.

“Oh, look who got some bite,” Knox says as his face softens. However, his tone remains sarcastic. Teasing.

My grip won’t stop Jaxon’s. As I try to move my leg and squirm away, he just stares at me.

This is what they do. Trap their prey, then let them fight because then they can have even more fun.

“Just leave me alone,” I spit, and Jaxon’s grip finally leaves me. “Don’t you have to meet your new teammates?”

Dimitri shrugs. “We’ve already said our hellos.” He crosses his arms on the surface of the table and lowers his head until he peers at me through his lashes. “We saved the best for last. ”

I push Jaxon away and rise to my feet, feeling their dark eyes follow my every move. Jaws tense. Eyes narrow. For not staying to play with them.

“All of you are on my schedule. I’ll see you at those scheduled times,” I say and start to step away from the table, but Jaxon strikes his hand out and grabs my wrist, stopping me in my tracks. “Jaxon—”

“You don’t want to leave things like this,” Jaxon warns me.

I swallow hard as his grip tightens, making my wrist ache. Part of me wants to cower, run, and hide like I used to, but I need to put up a boundary, even if they try to break it down. “I’ll see you all at your scheduled times.”

Tearing myself away one more time, I walk away from the table, hoping desperately that they won’t try to follow me. Before I leave the cafeteria, I pitch one more look over my shoulder in their direction.

They’re probably calculating their next ambush, and I doubt it’ll stop there.

This is going to be a long season.