Page 23 of UnWholly Angels (Crestview Cardinals #1)

A worn and reddened scar ran from his forehead to his jawline, and his eye looked coated over, glassy even.

Once a familiar sneer gave way to a lopsided smirk, and I knew exactly who it was.

Rocco’s younger brother, Lorenzo Vitale.

The rookie, Petrov, I think his name was, attempted to pass me the puck, but I was distracted by the man in front of me and that goddamn death whistle.

“Did you see that rebound? Damn I got lucky,” Nick raved as we left the arena on a high from the win tonight. If we ever had the opportunity to be on the same team once we went pro, we’d be unstoppable.

“Yeah, pretty sweet. I just wish Maya could’ve made it. She would’ve loved it.”

“Angel, it’s not like her to miss a game.

She had the flu and still managed to drag herself out of bed for the game a couple of months ago.

She finally leave your sorry ass?” He laughed, but there was a form of worry in his tone.

Maya and I had been together for almost a year now, and I wanted to do something special for her this weekend.

I’d told her Coach wanted us to practice more, but what I’d really been doing was working odd jobs to save up enough money to get her a new pair of shoes.

She kept asking the warden, telling her she really needed them, and Maya was always met with some lame excuse.

When I finally bought them for her, it felt amazing, and I couldn’t wait to give them to her.

Nick was right, though; Maya came to every game, and I was upset she didn’t make it tonight.

She was always tutoring, or saving me food, or at the library.

But never had she missed a game; something was wrong.

I could feel it. My foot anxiously tapped on the pavement, and my rapid breaths only worsened when Nick was picked up by his parents, and I started running back toward Crestview.

My lungs burned, my body was exhausted, and I was still about a fifteen minute speed walk from the group home.

Nick offered to ask his parents, but I turned it down.

They drove the speed limit, and right now, I needed to get to Maya quickly.

The added poundage from my gym bag wasn’t helping, and my shoulder ached from being weighed down.

On top of that, my skates were hanging off the straps, threatening to cut me if I fell.

As I stopped where I was and inhaled a small breath, I cheered inwardly, making it to the shortcut Maya and I had found.

A quicker way to the rink. It was a small dirt path with bushes that needed some desperate TLC.

This small path led into the woods just outside of the group home, only giving us about an extra five minutes to walk, but it was quiet.

It gave Maya and I the opportunity to talk away from red-hot ears.

Thunder rolled in the distance, signaling an oncoming storm, and I had a feeling there would be more to battle than the rain.

Thunder cracked overhead, making me simultaneously groan and jump halfway out of my skin—no jacket, great. Venturing closer to the mouse-like whimpers, my eyes widened at the sight. My gym bag and skates fell to the ground quickly when I heard a whimper from inside the row of bushes.

Maya was sprawled out on the wet grass, and she was unrecognizable behind the blood and bruises plastered over her battered body.

Falling to my knees, a cry ripped through my throat seeing her in this state.

She had hardly been breathing, small wheezes escaping through her teeth as she cried. “Maya!” I called out to her. Nothing.

On all fours, I crawled over to her and dragged her into my arms, making sure her head wasn't moving too much as I examined her. Her eyes were black and blue, almost completely swollen shut, and blood ran from the sides of her mouth in streams. I suspected she had a few broken ribs, but what had snapped the cord within me was the blood smeared over her thighs. I didn’t need to go any further, I knew.

Tears sprang to my eyes, guilt flooding my veins like thick ice, threatening to rupture as I moved my fingers over her wrist to check for a pulse.

It was barely there, but the soft heartbeat gave me hope.

Attempting to stay calm, I reached into my pocket to grab my phone.

She needed to get to the hospital, and if I didn’t hurry…

No, I didn’t want to think about losing Maya, ever.

Life wasn’t worth living if I didn’t have her to be my voice of reason.

With Maya, I wasn’t the angry kid everybody had given up on.

I was a boy on the mend, turning into a man with purpose.

I cursed to myself, staring at the black screen, my heart sinking into the lowest parts of my stomach.

No, no, no. Fuck. You’ve got to be kidding me, please not right now.

I pleaded with the universe as I hurriedly tried to get my phone to turn on.

My phone’s fucking dead.

“Maya, say something, please,” I begged, moving a bloody strand of hair that was stuck to her cheek.

A low-pitched whistle, sounding a tune, made shivers crawl down my spine. A more than familiar one sounded in my ears, and I didn’t need to turn around to know who was behind me.

“We were starting to think you wouldn’t show up,” Rocco said, stopping just feet behind me. The crunching of rocks stopped, and it was completely silent.

I lifted my head slowly, my eyes landing on the four fucks that did this to her.

The assholes that beat this amazing girl, who would do anything to see everyone smile, despite her own hurt.

My hand gripped the back of her neck softly, supporting her head, and laid her back to the ground gently.

Rage prickled at me as I snapped my gaze back to Maya.

Letting everything we had been through fuel me, I slowly rose to my feet facing them, and ready to fight for my life to get Maya somewhere safe.

“She needs an ambulance,” I rushed out. I didn't have time for these childish games right now, and time was fragile, but Rocco knew that.

“And we need you out of the picture. Your relationship with Maya has become a liability,” Lorenzo replied, stepping closer to Maya’s shaking form. With each step he took, Maya became more distressed, so I placed myself between her and them.

My eyes darted between each of the guys, waiting for one of them to make the first move.

If my heart continued to beat this fast, I would pass out myself.

I couldn’t stop the adrenaline from coursing through my veins when the four of them surrounded me, forcing me a small distance from Maya.

Balling my fists at my sides, I prepared for a fight; I was so tired of fighting.

I knew I'd lose because I was outnumbered. “This has gone on long enough, Rocco. Tonight, this…all of you went too far. Why does she need to be in the middle of something between you and me? For what reason! At what cost! Tonight, Maya is coming with me, and I swear on everything I love if you come near her…I’ll fucking kill you with my bare hands.”

Something broke through the pumping blood that rushed in my ears, and the anger slowly fell away, for just a minute.

My name fell from her beautiful, broken lips, and the decision was made.

One day, everything will come full circle, but I'll be stronger and less afraid.

They will all pay for what happened tonight.

Breaking through the circle Rocco and the other guys formed, I rushed over to her and placed my hands gently around her face, hushing her cries.

“Please don't cry, freckles. I’m going to find some help, hang on. Then, we’re leaving this place once you’re better. I’ll leave it all to keep you safe.”

Her mouth opened, the pain showing on her face clearly, but I never got to hear what she had to say.

In a flash, I was on the ground, ripped from her weak grasp, and punches landed repeatedly over my face.

I felt around for anything at all that could help me.

If I could only get to my gym bag. The only thing I could think of doing was to knee my attacker in the abdomen, so I did and smirked when he doubled over in pain.

As quickly as I could muster, I dragged myself over to the bag, noticing my skates just next to it.

My skates.

I could hear her crying for me as another fist flew at my face and caught me in the jaw, sending me back to the floor.

Before I could catch my breath, Lorenzo’s hands wrapped around my neck, squeezing the life from me.

I was suffocating, my chest struggling under his weight to take in air.

My eyes rolled from the loss of oxygen, but I couldn’t give up.

In the distance, Rocco’s other goons were closing in on Maya, and I had to act fast. One last time, my hands shot out, trying to grip the skates.

I think Lorenzo was too focused on beating the shit out of me to notice the death grip I had on one of them.

In one swift movement, his face was sliced with the blade, and he fell backward, gripping at the fresh wound. Right through the skin. The rest was a blur.

More fighting.

Sirens?

Screaming.

Where’s Maya?

The back of the police car.

Did they call the ambulance?

I can’t hear her anymore.

Kicking at the door, trying to find a way to get back to her.

“You fuckers left her with the wrong people…I didn’t do anything.” It was weak to cry, but how would you feel being ripped away from the love of your life like this?

“Son, there was no pulse, and we saw the way you were assaulting her boyfriend,” one of them said with a disgusted tone. “Son, you’re facing serious charges. They might try you as an adult for this one.”

I was her boyfriend, and I didn’t protect her. Nick’s family could help me. Yeah, maybe they could help. The tears fell down my face in an angry stream. Maya’s gone. A truth I refused to accept.

“Let me out!!” I screamed through gritted teeth.

“Yo!” A voice brought me out of the traumatic memory.

“Angel, watch out!” another voice called out.

Was someone talking to me? My own stupid question was answered when my body hit the ice. Painfully checked by the rookie, I lost my balance. Stupidly, I'd decided not to wear my helmet today, and my vision blurred for a moment when my head bounced off the ice.

“Fuck,” I groaned in pain. I sat up and attempted to steady myself before looking back toward the stands in what can only be explained as a mix of mild panic and shock. They…Rocco…knew Maya was with me. Lorenzo was sent here as a warning, but I had no intention of running this time.

What I would do is send a message right back to that coward.