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A fter talking to Eva, I tracked Toby to the sorority house. He should have been at pre-game, but as usual, he was blowing off his responsibilities. I expected him to be with Amanda, but when I walked in, he was sitting on the couch with his arm around Noel, one of our younger housemates.

I marched up to them, quashing the inner good girl who insisted I was being rude, and waited until he stopped whispering in her ear to look up at me.

“You and I are going to have a discussion. We can do it with an audience or alone, your choice.”

Noel frowned at me, then pouted when Toby pulled his arm away. “I should handle this. Why don’t you go on up to your room and I’ll meet you later to fix your computer.”

I didn’t say anything as Noel walked past me to the stairs, but Toby didn’t know a thing about fixing computers. Noel, on the other hand, was well aware of Amanda’s interest in him. This sorority wouldn’t know sisterhood if it bit them in the ass.

Toby crossed his hands behind his head and grinned at me. “Finally ready to admit you overreacted?”

“Your gaslighting bullshit isn’t going to work on me,” I spewed.

“Language, Kenzie. People might get the wrong idea about you.”

“I don’t care what people think about me. I care that you broke into my room and messed with my schoolwork, after helping try to frame me for theft. Luckily, you’re as inept at criminal conspiracies as you are at being a boyfriend.”

Toby’s smiled faded, and he stood up, dwarfing me. “You’ve really worked yourself up this time. I didn’t do anything to your room.”

I scoffed. “There’s no way Amanda chose to hide her stuff in my pile of bras. You were looking for an excuse to manhandle my underwear.”

“Why would I want to get anywhere near your underwear when you’ve gone and ruined yourself fucking around with Tanner?”

“You mean the guy who treats me like a queen, has my back at every turn, and is the leading scorer on the team right now?” I gave him a sad smile, aiming where I knew it would hurt. “I mean, you haven’t gotten much ice time lately, and you definitely didn’t end up as captain. Do you think you’ll even be asked to finish out the season?”

Toby’s jaw ticked, and he advanced on me. As much as I wanted to stand my ground, my instincts said not to let him close. He’d never tried to physically intimidate me before—probably because his words were enough—so I wasn’t sure of his actual limits.

I didn’t move far enough.

“Sit down.” He grabbed my arm and tossed me at the couch, where I landed on my hands and knees. “Your purpose here is to be a good little wife who doesn’t question or complain. You’ve had your fling, but it’s time to grow up and come home. I’m going to need the support when I move on to play pro—someone to cook, keep the house clean, stand by my side at events and smile. You’ll need to lose some weight for the last one, but it’s nothing a little surgery can’t fix.”

I pushed off the cushions, not willing to let him have a single inch, and let the rage dissolve every last one of the walls holding me back. “You’re a pathetic excuse for a man who plays mediocre hockey. None of the pro teams are going to want you after this season, and all your puck bunnies will lose interest when you’re not worth a signing bonus. Good luck finding the imaginary woman who wants your misogynistic ass. I’m done with you. Leave me and my family alone.”

He let out a sneering laugh. “Your mom isn’t going to go along with your temper tantrum.”

“Oh really? We should probably call her then and find out for sure.” I pulled my phone from my pocket and wiggled it in his face, knowing I might be about to call my own bluff if she sided with him.

Toby smirked as I hit Mom’s contact and put it on speaker. I told myself it didn’t matter if she thought I was overreacting.

“Hi, honey. Are you calling about the fiasco with the photographer because I would love some backup to convince Brighton she needs to hire someone else.”

“I don’t know anything about a photographer, but I can talk to Brighton if you need me to. I have something else I need to discuss. Toby.”

“Oh good,” she sounded relieved. “You finally came to your senses.”

Toby laughed quietly, but I wasn’t done.

“Not quite. You wanted to know why I broke up with him? I found him drunk at a frat party in bed with two other women. He’s been cheating on me almost non-stop, and when I finally broke up with him, he started a smear campaign at school and with the family. He wanted me miserable enough to accept a relationship on his terms, which included him doing whatever he wanted and me not complaining about it.”

Mom let out a confused, “What? Are you sure?”

“I have proof.” Earlier, I’d cued up a group text with the pictures I’d taken the night of the party. I hit send, and every member of my family got an up-close view of Toby’s naked butt.

“What are these pictures, Kenzie?”

It took Toby a second to realize what I’d done. He tried to grab the phone from my hand, but I’d already scooted around the far side of the couch. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway.

“Those are from the night I broke up with him.”

“It’s not what it looks like,” Toby yelled as he circled the couch after me. “She’s manipulating the situation.”

“Tobias Kane,” Mom’s voice came out cold and angry. “Are you accusing my daughter of lying to me?”

“No—” he started to say.

Mom cut him off. “It certainly sounds like Kenzie and I need to have a long talk. Kenzie, are you okay?”

She hadn’t asked me that in a long, long time. I didn’t have time for an emotional breakdown at the moment though.

“Yes, I’m fine, but I don’t want Toby around for the wedding.”

“I’ll speak to Brighton, but I don’t see how that will be a problem under the current circumstances.”

Relief made my knees weak, but I made sure to raise my chin at Toby. “Consider yourself uninvited.”

“And I’ll be calling your mother,” my mom added.

Toby had stopped trying to steal my phone and stood by the door with fury in his eyes, but he wouldn’t do anything where my mom could hear him. His hands curled into fists.

“This is Tanner’s fault. He corrupted you.”

“He saved me. You were the one ruining my life—and I’m happy to return the favor.”

“I should have smashed your fucking laptop instead of deleting those files, you stupid bitch. The next time we hide something in your room, the police won’t be able to dismiss it so easily,” he said quietly.

Mom didn’t hear him, but I did. “Guess you’ll have to find another good little wife to be at your beck and call. This one’s taken.”

Toby shook his head. “What a waste.” He didn’t say goodbye to Mom as he slammed the door on his way out.

Mom cleared her throat. “I have some time tomorrow if you want to join me for lunch at the club. It seems like we have a lot to discuss.”

It was as close as I’d probably get to an apology, but for once, I wanted to hear what she had to say. “Text me a time, and I’ll be there. I’ve got to go. Love you, Mom.”

“I love you too.”

The second the call ended, I collapsed limp onto the back of the couch. If nothing else, I’d learned my family did value me. I remembered Brighton’s face when she’d seen me in the bridesmaid dress. She’d never been a part of the Toby fan club, and with Mom’s support, she’d definitely bar him from the wedding.

I wanted to rush over and tell Reece, but despite Toby’s confession, nothing outside this room had changed. The administration still thought I was a criminal, and my supposed crimes were all over social media.

Breathing in the overly perfumed scent of the couch, my brief moment of triumph felt hollow without Reece. Mase’s words came back to me. Maybe you should trust him. Reece had stood by me through everything thus far, how could I ask him to risk his future too? A small voice in the back of my mind whispered I wasn’t worth it.

Except…I was. The old me who’d blindly followed Toby to TU at his request wasn’t the same person who’d told confronted him today. I wasn’t alone, for one. Reece and the others would be here in a second to toss Toby into a dumpster and move me to the hockey house if I asked.

A warm feeling spread in my belly at the thought, not because I liked the image of Toby in a dumpster—I did—but because I liked the idea of taking the next step with Reece. One I’d never been willing to do with Toby. I groaned into the couch. Eva was right. Along the way, I’d fallen in love with Reece.

No wonder everyone was so afraid of her.

Reece had shown how he felt about me in a million ways. I was willing to fight for me because Reece had helped me believe in myself. Why wouldn’t I give him the same opportunity?

“Are you okay?” asked a quiet voice from behind me.

I leapt up and spun around with my hand on my chest. Kiki stood in the kitchen doorway, alone for once. I didn’t trust it.

“Where’s Amanda?”

“At a study session. She didn’t know Tobias was here with Noel, and she didn’t know he planned to get back together with you. There was a lot she didn’t know.”

Kiki didn’t seem like her normal ditsy self, and I started to suspect she put on a front as much as the rest of us.

“I’m not going to feel sorry for her after what she did, but Toby is the absolute worst. Too bad no one will believe me,” I said.

“I believe you. He hit on me, then wouldn’t leave me alone when I said no. Every time Amanda turns her back he tries to touch me. I’m not even sure she’d care that he makes me uncomfortable.”

I snorted. “That sounds right. At least they’re not trying to get you kicked out of school.”

“Don’t you want to do something to defend yourself?”

“I’d love to, but I don’t have any evidence.”

“I do,” Kiki offered. “I was there the whole time they were planning it. I also filmed your conversation just now. Sorry.”

I blinked at her. “You filmed Toby threatening me?”

She blushed and raised her shoulders. “I got a call from an acquaintance to keep an eye out if I wanted anything to change. Amanda is in way over her head. Tobias admitted to framing you, he physically threatened you, and he didn’t say anything about stopping. He shouldn’t be allowed to harass other girls.”

“And you’d admit the truth for me? You might get in trouble.”

“I’m tired of feeling sick about my choices. This one feels right. I’ll email the administration right now.” True to her word, her fingers flew over the screen, and in less than a minute, she’d sent an email explaining the situation with the video attached.

“Done. I’ll post to the house chat too. You don’t deserve what they did to you. I’ll bet the president will revoke the vote to evict you if you want to stay here for your last semester. It might be nice to have a friendly face around to discuss the newest Dragon Rider book.”

I was in awe. First my mom, then Kiki. I expected Reece and the boys to stand up for me, but this support came out of nowhere. Maybe I should have spoken up earlier, but I wasn’t ready for the fallout.

I was ready now. Eva was right. I could do hard things, and Toby’s failures weren’t a reflection of me.

“I appreciate the offer, but I found a better place. That doesn’t mean we can’t hang out though, especially if you like the Dragon Rider books. You’d fit in great in my book club. If Amanda comes after you, call me. I know a bunch of bulky hockey players who will run to your rescue.”

She smiled tentatively. “Could you introduce me to Mason Black?”

I huffed out a surprised laugh. “Yes, but the most we’ll probably get out of him is a grunt before he leaves. He doesn’t really like people.”

“That’s okay. He’s my favorite goalie. Every time he plays it’s so intense. Like his whole mission in life is to protect the net.”

I nodded slowly. “Yeah, that’s scarily accurate. He can be very protective.” My phone alarm beeped, warning me I needed to get moving. “I have to go, but thank you. I wish we’d connected earlier in the semester.”

Kiki laughed. “Then you might not be with Reece. Watching you stroll up to him while Amanda seethed was one of the highlights of my year, even if I did end up doing all her kitchen duty after.”

I impulsively hugged her goodbye. “I think he and I would have found each other.”

She stood in the doorway and waved as I started walking. If I hurried, I could make puck drop. I’d call a car on the way.