He tries to step around me but I shift, my hands going to his chest to stop him. His shoulders tense, his lips pressed tight. “What, Laney?” he shouts, his voice echoing off the walls of the tunnel. “Your boyfriend gets a little of his treatment back and now you want to talk to me?”

I drop my gaze. “What’s going on with you, Luke?” I ask, my tone soft.

He shoves my hands off him. “Leave it alone, Lane.”

“Luke!” I look him in the eyes, hoping he sees my concern.

“You want to know what’s happening? Fine!” He steps closer, towers over me, his eyes right on mine—eyes filled with rage. “Your boyfriend won’t get off my back. He just keeps pushing and pushing until I’ve got no room to fucking move!” He sucks in a breath. “Leo’s grades were suffering, so the school brought a specialist in and they told him he’s dyslexic. All those books he walks around with? He can’t even fucking read them! And last night…” He laughs, but not out of humor. “Last night the cops showed up on our doorstep with Logan, cuffed. He was smoking weed at the fucking playground. And the twins are being bullied at school, so much so that Liam’s talking about killing himself! They’re only twelve! They shouldn’t be dealing with this shit.” His voice breaks, his pain slicing through his words. “And now Lachlan’s going around asking every woman he sees if they’re his mom because his mom’s dead, Laney. She’s dead, and he doesn’t understand that. And it’d be really fucking nice if his godmother was around to get him through that!”

I wrap my arms around him, tears in my eyes, because abandoning Luke served a purpose, but abandoning his brothers…

His hand settles on the back of my head, the other grasping the fabric of my top. His chest rises and falls against mine. He wipes his eyes on my shoulder, his pain causing my own. He whispers, his mouth to my ear, “And I miss my best friend, Laney. So much.”

“Where’s your head at, Sanders?” Cooper asks, watching me from his desk while I study on his bed.

I look up at him. “Hmm?”

“You’ve been on that same page for the past ten minutes.”

“I have?”

“What’s going on?”

I blow out a heavy breath. “Have you been giving Lucas a hard time at practice?”

He rolls his eyes. “This is about that kid?”

“That kid is the same age as me.”

“That’s not what I meant,” he says, getting up and sitting on the bed with me. “I do give him a hard time,” he admits.

“Why, Coop?”

He doesn’t skip a beat. “Because he’s good. Better than good. He’s the best one out there. He may even be better than me, and he’s been slacking lately—”

“He’s got a lot going on,” I cut in.

He sighs, looks at me like I’m stupid. “And that may be fine off the track but if he wants that UNC scholarship he has to do better. I’m not doing it to be an asshole because he was one to you. He races well when he’s under pressure, when he feels like he’s competing against an enemy. I’m doing it for him, Lo. No other reason.”

“Okay,” I concede. “I’m sorry. It’s just really not like him to explode like he did today. He’s always been so calm and—”

“I really don’t care,” he cuts in.

I rear back. “Excuse me?”

“I’m sorry. I just don’t care about Lucas off the track, especially after what he did to you. And I’m not going to sit here and pretend like I do. I get you guys were friends, but he means nothing to me.”

“Wow. That’s a little harsh.”

He shrugs. “Maybe it’s a little too much honesty when you’re used to lies.”

I start to pack my books. “I’m going home.”

“No.” He stops me, his hand around my wrist. “I’m sorry, okay?” He leans in, kisses me once. “I’m just stressing and I’m taking it out on you.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Not really.” He shifts his gaze away from me and over to the desk where he’d been doing his own studying. “My classes are killing me, and doing this whole coaching thing and training but not being able to compete is getting under my skin.” He faces me again, a sad smile pulling on his lips. “You’re my saving grace, Sanders. I live for this time with you. Stay. Please?”

I nod, open my books again.

“No,” he says. “Stay the night with me?”

I swallow, nervous, because even though we’ve had sex, we’ve never slept together. There’s a knock on his door, saving me from answering. A man pokes his head in, a man I’ve only seen in the pictures hanging on the walls. He seems taller in person, or maybe it’s just his presence. “I’m sorry,” he says, looking between us. “I didn’t know Cooper had company.”

I stand, fix my clothes, make sure he knows nothing inappropriate is going on in his son’s room. Then I walk toward him, my nerves on end, my hand out to shake. “Hi, Mr. Kennedy. I’m Lois Sanders. It’s such a pleasure to meet you, sir.”

Behind me, Cooper chuckles.

His dad shakes my hand. “Lance Kennedy,” he says. “It’s good to meet you, too, Ms. Sanders.” His smile is tight as his gaze shifts to Cooper behind me. “Sanders,” he murmurs. “She’s not Brian Sanders’ kid is she?”

I nod while Cooper says, “Yeah, Dad. She is.”

“Right.” Lance drops my hand, keeps his focus on Cooper. “Your mom and I are heading out to some charity dinner I knew nothing about until an hour ago. We’ll be home late.”

“Sure, Pops,” Cooper replies.

His dad looks down his nose at me. “Goodbye, Ms. Sanders.”

Once he’s gone, Cooper cackles. “It’s such a pleasure to meet you, sir,” he mocks.

I walk to his bed, pick up a pillow and throw it at his face. “Shut up.”

He attempts to contain his laughter as he tugs on my tee, pulling me down until I’m lying on top of him. He shakes his head, eyes on me, smile for me. “You’re so cute, all nervous and stuff.”

“You said your parents were out of town.”

He shrugs. “They were. I guess they’re home now.”

“I wish I’d met them properly.”

“What was wrong with that meeting?” he asks.

“I panicked.”

With a laugh, he says, “A little.”

“Did you know he knew my dad? And how does he know my dad?”

Cooper shrugs again. “My dad invests in a lot of property. They may have worked together in the past. Who knows?” He moves his hand to my back, under my top, moving higher until his fingers find the clasp of my bra.

“Really?” I ask. “Now?”

He kisses my cheek, moves across my jaw toward my ear, his tongue like fire against my skin. He bares his teeth, tugs on my earlobe. “Right now.”

I want nothing more than to get lost with him, but he was right. My mind is elsewhere. I lean back, look him in the eyes. “I’ll stay with you tonight but tomorrow, I need to do something.”