Page 53 of Hutch (Minnesota Raptors #2)

Daisy

The streets at least aren’t packed as I drive through what little traffic is out tonight. Everyone is at the game. Lucy is catching me up on things back home and with what’s going on with her out in LA. Her life sounds pretty perfect honestly. But I know better. She’s being way to chit chatty.

“Hutch’s mom is pretty great.”

“Yeah, she’s been very welcoming to me. I like her.”

Lucy moves on to talking about what’s been going on in California. It’s not even substantive stuff, just random things. Which is not like her.

“Spill it,” I say after twenty minutes of her constant talking about anything and everything except what’s bothering her.

“What?”

“Something’s wrong. You don’t go on like this unless you don’t want to talk about something.”

“Like that box at your house?”

“We already talked that subject to death with the cops. I want to know about you. What’s wrong?”

She sighs. “It’s a guy.”

“When isn’t it about a guy?”

She rolls her eyes. “I really liked him, but he dropped me like a hot potato when I told him I had no interest in playing professional basketball.”

“He’s one of those?”

“Yeah, and I didn’t see it. He seemed so genuine.”

“That’s what I thought about Joe.”

“I never liked him.”

“Neither did Nana or Robbie, but they didn’t say much because I did. I think I ignored all the red flags because I loved him and didn’t want to see the bad in him. Perhaps that was what you did. You liked him and didn’t want to see the bad in him.”

“I felt so stupid when I realized he was only with me because he thought he landed a future professional ball player.”

“You’re not stupid. He’s gross.”

“I guess that’s why I was so rude to Collin today. He reminded me of Mark. Way too charming and knew his effect on women. Mark just broke up with me three days ago.”

“You should probably apologize to him. Collin is a big old teddy bear and is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met.”

“I’ll apologize tomorrow. I’m assuming you’re dragging him and Hutch to my game.”

“You know I am if he dragged us to his freezing house of pneumonia.”

“Oh my God, it was so cold!”

“I know. The first time I stepped into the college ice rink thingy, I got sick. That’s why I made you layer up tonight. You don’t need to be hacking up a lung tomorrow while trying to play.”

Her eyes widen at the visual.

“Other than the rink of death, what did you think of Hutch? Really, I mean.”

“He seems to be a good person, but I don’t know him well enough yet.”

“You said you never liked Joe. Was that your first impression of him?”

She nods.

“That’s what I want, your first impression of Hutch.”

“I liked him. He seemed genuine, not fake, like he was trying too hard. And the way he spoke about his fans…it was honest. I respect that. I think you have a keeper there Daisy Mae. I can see you falling hard for him.”

“I think I already did,” I admit as I pull into the hotel parking garage.

“It’s hard to resist someone as persistent as he is.

I tried so hard to push him away and keep him firmly in the friend zone, but he refused to stay there.

He proved himself I guess you could say and he makes me feel so safe.

It’s been months since I met him and he’s right there, every day, refusing to give up.

He’s hard not to love. I’m afraid to say that to him, though. ”

“I get it.” Lucy nods sympathetically. “After what you went through, you have every right to be wary. You’ll know the right time to tell him how you feel.

Don’t rush yourself. You deserve the best, Daisy.

I think he might be your Mr. Right as Nana would have said, but if you have doubts, then take all the time you need. ”

“I think he’s my Mr. Right too, I’m just scared.”

She reaches over and squeezes my hand. “It’s okay. You’ve always got me. Want to come up and watch a movie or something?”

“Yeah. Hutch will be busy after the game. He’ll have interviews and then he said the team would probably go out. Not my scene anymore. A movie will keep me from obsessing about that stupid doll and wondering if I’m safe.”

“Then come on, girlie. Let’s go find a Jason Mamoa film and drool.”

I laugh and get out of my car, locking it.

“Daisy!”

I turn and see Will, one of the football players waving me down as he comes over. What is he doing here?

“Sorry if I scared you. Since I’m still not back to playing thanks to this busted leg, I got guard duty tonight.”

“Guard duty?”

He nods. “After what happened earlier, we all decided to shadow you. I drew the short stick tonight.”

“How did you know where I was?” I ask, not trusting his story.

“We knew you’d be with Lucy so we asked one of the basketball players where their opponents were staying. I decided to wait here because I had no idea where to find you at the hockey game and you need a ticket to get in.”

“That’s so sweet,” Lucy says, coming over and smiling. “You seem to have made some really good friends, Daisy.”

“Girl can cook. Anyone who feeds my stomach has my loyalty.”

Now that I might believe. He’s been at the house on a few occasions I cooked for everyone.

“We were just going up to watch a movie,” I tell him.

“I’ll walk you both up to the room and then come back and wait down here. Just call me when you’re ready to leave and I’ll come and walk you down to your car and follow you home.”

I relax a little when he didn’t ask to join us. He seems genuine, but I don’t know. No one called me about this and Jenny and Christa would have called. They know how freaked out I am.

“What are you two planning on watching?” he asks as we start to head toward the exit so we can cross the street to the hotel itself.

“A Jason Mamoa film.” Lucy tugs her hair down, letting it flow over her shoulders. “Why is it so cold here?”

“It’s Minnesota,” I tell her. “It’s cold.”

“Not used to the cold?” Will asks, checking his phone.

“We’re from West Virginia. We’re both used to the cold, but it’s cold here way earlier than it is in there. And I’ve been in LA for the last two years. It’s not cold there.”

“LA?” he asks with interest. “I want to end up out there when I get drafted.”

Lucy looks over at me and I shrug. The one thing I remember about Will is his confidence in his own skills. It can be a little off putting, though. Confidence is one thing, but arrogance is another. He definitely comes off more arrogant than confident.

“Are you going to be okay down in the parking garage all by yourself?” Lucy asks as we approach the entrance.

“Yeah. I brought film to watch of our opponents next week. I might not be cleared to play yet, but I can help out by studying their plays and giving advice as needed and if wanted.”

A dark SUV pulls into the garage and makes a turn, blocking the entrance so we can’t get out.

My anxiety ratchets up a notch and when Joseph gets out of the passenger side door, I open my mouth to scream, but before I can, he slams his fist into my face.

I hear Lucy scream as I fall and I shake my head, trying to clear it, but he hit me so hard, I’m seeing double.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Will asks, coming closer.

“Shut up,” Joseph says and grabs me by the hair of the head. I can just barely see Will try to stop him, but Joseph is stronger than him and renders him unconscious quickly.

“Lucy?” I croak out.

“She’s not going anywhere this time,” Joe says and slams his foot into her head. He kicks her over and over before hauling me into the back of the SUV. He gets in the back with me and tells whoever is driving to go.

I don’t recognize the guy driving.

Will snatches my purse and yanks out my phone, trying to unlock it. The passcode is Hutch’s birthday. It used to be mine and my brother’s birthday.

“You changed your passcode. What is it?”

I shake my head, refusing to do that. I’m not going to allow him to send any kind of message to Hutch and make him freak out worse than he will when he discovers what happened.

“I’m not playing, Daisy. What is your fucking passcode?”

“You can go fuck yourself. I’m not giving you shit.”

His fist slams into my face and I see stars.

“This can be easy or it can be hard.”

I stay silent.

“Fine. The hard way then.” He grabs my head with one hand and slams his fist into my face several times, but still, I refuse to give him the passcode.

“Fucking bitch. Fine. Don’t tell me. Not like it’ll save you.” He rolls down the window and tosses my phone out.

I blink, doing my best to stay conscious, but it’s hard.

“Where to?” the driver asks.

“The rental. It’s not under my name so they won’t look there.”

The guy nods and I feel the car accelerate as the first signs of darkness creep into my line of sight. It’s not long before I’m pulled under to the sound of Joseph humming, a sure sign he’s satisfied with himself because he got what he wanted.

Me.