Read Online Penalty: A Bad Boy Sports Romance (Alpha Second Chances Book 3) by Rowena - Free Book Online Page A

I really don’t want to think Beth would do something like that, but she’s the only person who makes sense, considering… ”
    “Considering you just dumped her and hopped into bed with some other chick pretty much immediately?”
    “Yeah. And considering she pretty much threatened me when I dumped her. Look, I get it—Beth’s hurt, and she’s lashing out. But this still seems a bit extreme. Maybe it’s some other student—some sick prankster who preys on transfers or something… ”
    Cody gives me the most admonishing skeptical look and I know what I’m saying sounds ridiculous because Beth is the only logical answer, but I don’t want to believe she’d be that cruel.
    “Listen, I know you don’t want to think the girl you’ve been banging the past few years is a monster, but like I told you before, I’ve heard some things. I don’t know if there’s any truth to any of them, but there are reasons people tend to avoid crossing her.”
    “You got my attention.”
    “I figured it was just talk. Most people are full of it,” he begins quietly, then he fills me in on what he’s heard. “So brace yourself,” he finishes. “Something tells me this is just the beginning. If I were you, I’d do everything I could to nip this thing in the bud. By any means necessary.”
    “Well, right now, I need to comfort Maddy; she’s a wreck.”
    Cody lets out a dry chuckle.
    “You’re definitely in deep,” he says, and I’m not sure if he’s referring to Maddy or Bethany.
    In any case, I don’t bother answering or acknowledging what he said—I don’t even bother sparing him a parting glance in my dash to get out of there and talk to Maddy.
    I’ll deal with Beth later.

    * * *
    M addy wants to get her mind off of the horrible package, so dealing with Beth has to be delayed even longer since we’re on an aimless drive for who knows how long.
    Maddy says it calms her, and she likes not having to worry about doing the navigation herself.
    “You know, I still own it,” she suddenly says.
    I wait for her to clarify.
    “That old house in the neighborhood where we met—well, sort of met. It’s paid for, so I didn’t inherit a mortgage or anything. It’s mine.”
    I let her continue, waiting patiently for her invitation to join the conversation.
    “I could have lived there, but after she was gone, I didn’t want to see it anymore. I don’t think I want to go there ever again—too many ghosts. So it’s just sitting there, because I can’t get rid of it, either; I can’t bring myself to sell it.”
    I still don’t know what to say so I just stay silent, but I reach out and place a hand on her thigh, just to let her know I’m here; I’m listening.
    Her hand covers mine, and warmth spreads through me.
    “Did you ever visit the area? After you guys left?”
    I can feel her face turned to me, finally away from the window and the passing scenery.
    I shake my head. “Like you said, too many ghosts.”
    We drive around for almost two hours before she says she’s tired and needs to go to bed.
    “You can stay with me tonight, if you need to,” I say as we pull up to the campus lot.
    She shakes her head.
    “I’ll be fine,” she says with a brave smile.
    I walk her to her dorm, holding her hand.
    “See you tomorrow,” she says once we reach her room.
    She reaches up to kiss me, and then I reluctantly watch her disappear behind her door.
    I stare at it for a few seconds before I finally turn away, one mission in mind.
    I pull out my phone.
    Did you mail Maddy something recently? I text Beth.
    I am still too enraged to talk to her in person, and I instinctively know the last thing I need to do is give any validity to potential claims.
    Who is this? she texts back.
    Yeah, right. There’s no way she removed me as a contact yet; she was convinced I’d come back around. I see her deal clearly.
    Well, she can play as indifferent as she wants, but she needs to answer for what she did to Maddy.
    You know