Page 31 of College Hockey Bully (Forbidden Daddy #15)

Chapter 31

Scarlett

After five unsuccessful tries to reach Aiden, I throw the phone down on the bed beside me, sighing with disappointment. We shared an amazing time last night. The last thing I expected was… whatever this is. I know he has an upcoming game on Thursday, but this feels awfully like he’s ghosting me, especially when he promised to help clear my name.

My body jerks to a sitting position when the phone suddenly rings, and I drop back when I see Tabitha’s name on the screen. Remembering that I’d asked for her help with searching for answers in the sports department, I reach for the device. “Hey,” I whisper.

“So I got a lead, I think,” she begins, and I wipe my eyes, perking up. “I spoke to a janitor who mentioned seeing a guy around the locker room area that day. He remembered him because he slipped on the wet floor. When the janitor tried to help him up, he brushed him off and hightailed it out of there.”

“Okay… that doesn’t sound much like a lead to me, though.”

“It probably wouldn’t be, if he wasn’t carrying a black thingy. The janitor’s words, not mine. Didn’t you say Noah’s man purse was black?”

“Oh God, yes! Did he say anything else, like how he looked?”

“Just that he had blond hair and wore glasses, which could be any of the hundred guys at school.”

“No,” I breathe excitedly. “Just one.” It’s no coincidence that the description fits the same guy who tried to kidnap me: Ryan.

Which brings me right back to my initial suspicion. Noah. It was that asshole all along, paying Ryan to make my life hell.

But how the hell am I going to prove that?

“You know who it is?” Tabitha asks.

“Yeah, I think so, but I have no proof.”

A brief silence on Tabitha’s end, then she says, “You could confront him and try to make him confess.”

I snort. “As if it would be that easy—but wait, weren’t you the one always telling me to be careful?”

“You could carefully confront him and make him confess,” she corrects, and I hear the humor in her voice. “Besides, you wouldn’t be doing it alone.”

“As in, you’d go with me?”

“Of course. I already told you; I’m your guardian angel. And FYI; I own a taser and pepper spray.”

“I have one, too. The pepper spray, that is.”

Tabitha squeals excitedly. “Are we going on a mission?”

“We’re definitely going on a mission.” First, I need to find Ryan’s hangout spot. Aiden can help me with that.

If he answers the goddamn phone.

With a promise to call Tabitha as soon as I get more information, I hang up, then try Aiden again. Surprise, surprise; no answer. I’ve been calling him since four this afternoon. It’s now a quarter past eight.

With a frustrated sigh, I leave my bedroom. Mom is busy cleaning the oven and Dad isn’t home yet. I’m tempted to ride over to Aiden’s, but I don’t want to leave her alone, especially when I’m not sure what Noah’s next plans are. He attacked Milo. He’s evil enough to take things up a notch.

“Honey, like I told you before, I’ve got this,” Mom says when I offer to help. It’s frustrating lying in bed, facing the fear of what’s around the corner and being too powerless to stop it. Again, I try Aiden. This does not look good.

It feels terrible, too.

The painful twist in my gut settles into an aching thud as a sudden knock comes on the front door. Mom sticks her head out the kitchen, frowning at me. “Are you expecting anyone?”

I shake my head. My parents have no clue what’s been happening with me. I haven’t yet told them about being potentially suspended and losing my honor roll status. They don’t know someone’s been trying to harm me. Like the other neighbors, they think it was a random break-in by a sadistic kid, but I know better.

Just like I know who’s at the door.

“Don’t answer it, Mom,” I whisper as she moves toward it.

She ignores my warning, but still opens the door just a crack. “Can I help you?” she asks.

“I’m looking for Scarlett Pierce. By any chance, is this where she lives?”

The familiar voice pushes me forward and my jaw slackens with shock when I see Mrs. Hunter on our doorstep.

“Ah, there you are!” she says pleasantly. “Can I come in?”

“Is Aiden okay?” I ask at once, worry teasing my brain. Is this why I’m not getting his cell? Did something terrible happen to him?

“Aiden is quite fine.” She smiles brightly. “There’s something we need to discuss. Is it okay if we talk inside?”

I take in the dress shirt and tailored pants that clashes with my oversized T-shirt and Mom’s old dress. Mom and I exchange a look and she nods with approval, wiping her hands on the dirty apron.

“Um… sure?” I finally say.

She comes up the steps and I briefly introduce Mom, who goes back to the kitchen. At my awkward gesture, Mrs. Hunter takes a seat on the couch and I look for a sign of repulsion, but there’s none.

Still, it’s weird having her in a place like this, especially after her behavior the other night. I can’t imagine what she would want to discuss.

She looks up at me, still smiling. “I think you need to sit down for this.”

“Okay…” A spark of worry goes off in my stomach as I gingerly take a seat beside her.

“First, I must apologize for my behavior when we first met. The other night, too. See, I was angry at Aiden, but I took it out on you.”

“Why were you angry at Aiden?”

She stares at me for a moment, uncertainness filling her face. Then, she sighs deeply, taking my hand. “Because he keeps breaking women’s hearts.”

“I don’t understand.”

She sighs again. “I love my son, but I can’t stand by and let him do this to you or Casey.”

My stomach drops. “Casey?”

“Yes, the girl he’s been dating for two years now. They’ve had a tumultuous relationship, but they are crazy about each other. My son has a thing where he pursues another woman whenever he and Casey break up. When they finally make up, he dumps that woman like trash.”

Her smile slips into a soft frown. “Sadly, my dear, this time, that woman is you.”

“I don’t believe that,” I whisper, hearing the quiver in my voice. I pull my hands from hers. “You don’t like me, so you’re trying to break me and Aiden apart.”

“That couldn’t be further from the truth, my dear. I’ve seen how much my son has ruined other women. I’m trying to prevent that happening to you.”

“Why don’t you warn Casey, then?” I fire back, my voice raising. Mom finally pokes her head out of the kitchen, though I suspect she’d been listening all along. She crosses her arms over her chest, scowling. I know that look. One word from me, and she’ll throw Mrs. Hunter out of here.

“Why would I warn Casey when she’s the one he truly loves?” Mrs. Hunter says, her pretty face scrunched with confusion. “My dear, Aiden plans to propose after college. He has been looking at rings for the last few weeks—”

“That’s not true.” I stand, my chest heaving as I pant for breaths. “Aiden wouldn’t do that to me.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” she tsks, standing with me. “There are plenty of women who thought the same thing. I’m sure you’ve seen them around campus, losing themselves over him. One of them even tried to break into our home. My son is quite the dog—well, was a dog. He has decided now that he’s serious about Casey.”

“I don’t believe you,” reply, still defiant. “You’re trying to sabotage what Aiden and I have, and I won’t fall for it.”

She shakes her head with pity. “There’s nothing between you and Aiden. The sooner you get that through your head, the quicker you will heal. I’m not trying to put you down, darling, but you’re not in his league. You have no money. No status. Nothing to offer my son. Casey does—”

“I think you should go, lady,” Mom interjects furiously, stepping forward.

Mrs. Hunter ignores her, reaching into her purse. “Do you want to know where my son is tonight? I’ll show you.”

My head snaps back as she shoves the cell phone in my face. “He’s at his girlfriend’s birthday party. Look.”

With a gasp, I grab the phone, gaping down at the Instagram photo posted an hour ago. They look quite cozy posed against a rose-gold balloon backdrop, the brunette quite stunning in a blue dress, Aiden relaxed in a buttoned-up shirt. My focus goes back to the brunette and a memory makes my heart crash to the floor of my stomach. It’s the same girl who touched his face a few weeks ago. Tabitha warned me about them, and I didn’t listen.

Oh, my God.

Reunited and it feels so good, the caption reads.

I think I’m going to be sick.

Holding back the tears, I hand Mrs. Hunter the phone. “You need to leave.”

“Not before I give you something for your trouble,” she replies, following me into my bedroom. “You shouldn’t suffer for what my son did to you.”

Before I can ask what she’s yapping about, she pulls out a piece of paper from her purse. My eyes widen.

“While it can’t mend your broken heart, this can certainly fix quite a lot of things around here,” she says as Mom comes into the room.

“A hundred thousand dollars!” Mom exclaims, clutching her jaw.

Mrs. Hunter grins. “More money than you will ever see in your life. Take it.”

I stare at her blankly. She sighs, resting it down on the dresser. “You’re a smart girl, so I’m sure you’ll do the right thing, Scarlett. Otherwise, it won’t end well for you.”

With that, she goes out and I wait for the front door to close before crumpling on the bed as the sobs break free. Mom rubs my back soothingly, whispering words that, under usual circumstances, would calm me down.

Sadly, there are no words strong enough to repair a broken heart.