Page 107 of Foul Territory

I’ll text him later. He’s probably asleep after a day on the road. I put my phone on the charger and shift the car into drive. As soon as I start to move I know something is wrong.

I put the car back in park and open the door. Walking to the front of my car, I notice the tire is flat. My heart rate picks up as I make my way around my car, noting every tire is flat.

I glance around the parking lot hoping maybe someone lingered behind, everyone has already cleared out.Damn it.How did I manage to do this? I must have driven through some broken glass or something. That's what I force myself to believe. The other option will make me spiral and I can’t afford to do that right now. What I need is a ride home and a tow.

I get back in my car and call my brother. He owes me at least one late night rescue after all the times I picked his ass up from a party in high school.

My hands shake as I put the phone on speaker. No one is here. I’m fine. It’s just a coincidence. “Come on Nash, pick up.” Fear prickles over my skin. What if he doesn’t answer?

“Hi, baby,” Koa says, answering Nash’s phone. I didn’t know how much I needed to hear his voice.

The tough facade I’ve been holding onto starts to crumble and tears begin to fall. My body shakes and snot starts to run down my nose. It has nothing to do with being frightened or worried. It’s because I know that he’ll be here soon.

Koa will always be there for me when I need him. I just have to stop pushing him away.

22

KOA

Rolling over, I check the time on the clock. Fuck. I slept a lot longer than I planned. The last few days have been emotionally draining and hell on my sleep cycle.

I rub my eyes and let out a long yawn. I was going to head up to Ray’s and wait for Sydney to get off work but she’ll be leaving any minute now.

I grab a clean shirt and shorts and throw them on before I go downstairs to get something to eat. I’m fucking starving after sleeping most of the evening. I haven’t eaten anything since the breakfast we had before we got on the team bus.

Nash is asleep at the dining room table and using one of his textbooks as a pillow. Poor guy. The late nights and early mornings are catching up with him too. I should wake him up and get him downstairs so he can get a few decent hours of sleep before morning workouts.

I’m in the process of folding down his laptop and stacking his notes and textbooks when his phone starts to ring with a familiar song.Sydney’s ringtone.

I check the time on the microwave clock. She should be on her way home. Why is she calling this late? Maybe she calls Nash every night on her drive home.

Intuition is telling me this isn't a nightly tradition and there is something else going on.

“Hi, baby,” I say, acting casual. I don’t want to freak her out if she’s alright. She doesn’t say anything. Is she mad I answered or is something else going on?

“Are you okay?” I ask, full with worry. Her breathing gets heavier and then I hear her sniffling. She’s crying. “What’s wrong?”

“My tires.” She sniffles aggressively. “They’re flat.”

“All of them?” I question, as calmly as I can.

“Yes,” she says, her breathing returning to normal the more we talk. “I must have run over a broken beer bottle or something.”

“Is anyone there with you?”

“No. Everyone left already. There is one car in the parking lot. I could go see—”

“No,” I say, cutting her off. “If you aren’t already, I need you to get in your car and lock the doors.”

I pull my phone out of my pocket and call her on my phone. “Switch lines. That’s me calling you.”

“Okay. Hello.” Her sweet voice echoes through my soul. I hang up Nash’s phone and leave it on the table.

“Hey, baby.” I hold my phone against my chest. “Nash,” I smack him on the arm jostling him awake. “I’m going to go get Syd from work. She’s having car issues.”

“Do you need me to go with you?” he asks, rubbing his eyes.

I shake my head. “I’m good. Go to bed. I’ll fill you in tomorrow.” Walking out the door, I hold the phone back to my ear. “I’m on my way. Don’t open the door or window for any reason. Do you understand me?”