Leaning into him, I growl, “You better learn to watch your fucking mouth. It can get you killed.”
“Fuck,” Baden hisses as he and Stone each grab an arm and try to pull me off Coach Keller.
But I’m fueled by rage and adrenaline rushing so hot in my veins that I’m impervious to their strength. I press my arm harder, noting his skin tingeing purple now and his eyes bugging out.
Jenna appears at my side, but I don’t look at her, keeping my fury directed at Keller as he struggles to breathe. “Gage… let him go,” she says.
“I should knock your teeth down your throat,” I whisper to Keller, “and let you choke on them, you lowlife piece of shit.”
Baden and Stone pull hard on me.
“No one would cry about it either,” I say to the man as his eyes start to roll into the back of his head.
“Gage,” Jenna says, her hand tugging on my arm across Keller’s throat. “Please… let him go.”
And just like that, I release him.
Because Jenna’s touch instantly reinstated my sanity, and she said please, and I wouldn’t deny her a single thing.
Keller sags to his knees, clutching at his throat, coughing and choking. Baden squats beside him, and Stone pales with shock.
I look down to Jenna, standing before me. She lifts a hand to my face to comfort me.
Reaching up, I take her wrist and pull her away from Keller. I lead her down the hallway as Keller rasps out, “Who do you think you are?”
I glance over my shoulder at him as Baden and Stone help him to his feet. He’ll be all right, more’s the pity.
We hang a left down another hallway that leads toward the physical therapy room, and as soon as we are out of sight, I spin on Jenna and pull her into me, a hard hug followed by a swift kiss.
“Are you okay?” she asks as I loosen my hold on her.
“Fine.” I kiss her again. “You look beautiful today.”
Jenna frowns at me, hands pressed to my chest, and she probably thinks I’ve lost my mind. “What just happened?”
“He said things about you I didn’t like.”
Jenna’s hand goes to her scarred jaw, her gaze lowering.
I pull her hand away, lean down, and kiss her there. “He made a lewd comment about how great your ass looked.”
Her eyes spring back up to me, going wide with astonishment. “Oh.”
Squeezing her hand, I don’t keep the truth from her. “But he also made a comment about your scars, and I lost my shit.”
I brace for her to shut down, but instead, her brow creases with worry. “Are you going to get in trouble?”
“I really don’t give a shit if I do,” I reply without an ounce of remorse. “But there’s something I need to do, and it can’t wait.”
“You’re not going after Keller, are you?”
“In a manner of speaking.” I pull her hand to my mouth and kiss it. “I don’t want you near him.”
“But we’re supposed to be filming in his office in half an hour,” she says, worrying her lower lip.
“I’ll be back before then,” I assure her.
One more kiss, this time on her lips, and I turn from Jenna as I pull out my phone. I walk away dialing Callum Derringer’s number. He answers on the second ring.
“Where are you?” I ask.
“My office. Why?”
“It’s urgent I talk to you,” I reply, heading toward the elevator.
“Come on up,” he says and disconnects.
CHAPTER 19
Gage
The executive offices are deserted. It’s a Saturday, and most of the people who work in this department handle the Titans’ administrative arm and therefore follow a mostly normal work schedule.
As the general manager, Callum has a nice office overlooking the skyline but on the far end of the building from Brienne’s office. Sort of like two pillars holding up the team.
Callum is wearing a well-cut, tailored suit. I showed up at the arena in a suit, as it’s not only the custom but a requirement, though I’ve since changed into workout clothes for comfort.
As I enter his domain, he doesn’t stand from his desk but merely asks, “What’s up?”
I don’t sit. This won’t be a lengthy conversation. “I need you to know that I just attacked Coach Keller.”
Callum is a cool cucumber as he cocks an eyebrow at me. “You’ll have to give me more than that to know just how pissed off I’m going to be.”
I tell him what happened, focusing solely on the comments Keller made about Jenna and my swift reaction.
“Who was involved?”
“Baden and Stone. They tried to pull me off.”
“And is Keller injured?”
I shrug. “Don’t really care.”
Callum sighs and leans back in his chair, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “What do you want me to do about it?”
I blink at him in surprise. I had expected him to chew me out. Fine me. Possibly suspend me. It’s what any reasonable general manager would do.
“You’re the boss,” I reply. “Not my call. But you and I both know Keller lost the respect of this team long ago. If you want me to, I’ll play my heart out tonight. I’ll do it for you, for Brienne, for this team. But I won’t be doing it for that piece of shit.”
Callum stares at me with a shrewd expression, considering my words, before standing from his chair. He moves past to his office door. “Follow me.”
Silently, I trail behind him as he heads to the opposite side of the building toward Brienne’s office. We pass by Jenna’s, darkened and empty.
Although Brienne’s office door is wide open, Callum knocks before entering. Brienne is at her desk, head bent over a sheaf of papers, marking with a red pen as she reads.
Her eyes lift and she frowns to see us. “Come on in.”
We enter her office, Callum first and me hanging slightly behind. “We have a situation,” he says, hands tucked in his pockets as he recounts my story.
I watch Brienne’s expression carefully. It goes from mild shock to alarm to anger.
I have no clue who that anger is directed at until her gaze comes to me. “He said that about Jenna?”
“He made a crude comment about her ass and then an inhumane comment about her scars. It was the comment about her scars that made me go after him.”
“Did Jenna hear any of it?” Brienne asks with worry.
I shake my head. “But I also didn’t hide what he said when she asked. I don’t lie to her.”
“No, of course not,” Brienne murmurs as she stares out the window for several long moments.
Finally, she pivots to Callum. “Get Keller up here.”
Without hesitation, Callum pulls his phone from his pocket and calls the coach. Brienne looks to me. “If you’ll wait outside, I’d appreciate it. I’ll want to talk to you after.”
“After what?” I ask.
“After I fix this mess,” she says coolly, and I’m effectively put in my place. I nod and move out of her office, choosing to go sit in Jenna’s rather than loiter outside the door. I don’t wish to have another run-in with Keller. If he looks at me wrong, I’m liable to go after him again.