Saving Us: A novel of love and friendship (Northern University Book 1)

by Wendy Million

  Tears pooled in my eyes and slid down my face before I even realized they were coming.

  “There’s no chance I could ever hate a man who loves my daughter that way. A man who sees the things I value in her and is grateful for them.”

  “Dad.” My voice caught.

  He wrapped his arms around me, and I sobbed into his chest.

  “It’s so hard,” I cried into his shirt. “I keep seeing her so battered. Someone she loved did that. She loved him.” I took a heaving, shaky breath. “I feel so bad for her and so guilty I didn’t do more. The signs were there, but I couldn’t make her believe me.” I pressed my forehead into my dad’s chest. “But I also miss Sebastian so much.”

  “We’re going to get Johnny. We’ll get him. We’ll get whoever helped him too,” my dad said into my hair.

  I nodded and drew away, wiping my face self-consciously. Tears didn’t come easily to me, but I’d been doing a lot of crying lately. “I have a couple things to do and then I’m going out for a while,” I said.

  “I force you out of the house once and now you’re going to leave me sitting here twiddling my thumbs every night?”

  Between sniffs, I laughed. “No. Operation Nail Johnny to the Wall needs to get into swing. If they won’t arrest him before this weekend, I want to make sure he’s getting his ass handed to him when he gets home.”

  My dad smiled and ruffled my hair. “There’s my strong, tough girl.”

  The club opened at six, and I wanted to be there when the doors were unlocked. I wasn’t positive what time Gabby’s shift started, but the football schedule meant that if Troy was going to be there, he’d arrive early and leave early.

  Clay had agreed to come with me. Despite Sebastian’s vow to handle Johnny, I wasn’t sure he’d back down.

  “I went to see Annika.” Clay stuffed his hands in the pockets of his coat while we waited in the cold for the doors to open.

  “She texted me and said you stopped by. That was nice of you.” The drive to Annika’s house took three hours. Why he’d gone hung between us.

  “You’re probably wondering why I went.”

  I smiled. “You went because you’re a nice guy.”

  He shook his head. “I went because I couldn’t get the image of her in the alley out of my head. I needed to see her getting better.” He glanced at me, and a ghost of a smile played on his lips. “She was always so full of life. She had this great laugh and this passion for things. To see her so…”

  That’s how I felt, and I hadn’t found her. I was about to respond when the lock on the door flicked open.

  “You think this will work?” Clay pulled on the handle.

  “No idea. But it’s worth a shot. I completely misread Troy when I first met him. I’m hoping I’m reading him right this time.”

  We were the only ones there. Surreal to be in the bar without the crush of bodies, the loud music, and the strobe lights. Music blared out of the speakers, but it wasn’t techno blasting from them.

  We slid onto stools, and Gabby emerged from the rear room carrying a case of beer. She paused mid-stride when she saw us.

  “Back for round two?” Her voice was light, but her expression wasn’t friendly.

  “Not quite.” I shifted in my seat.

  “Tequila?” Gabby put the case of beer beside the fridge.

  “Is Troy coming by?” I asked.

  “Is this your new boyfriend?” Gabby smiled at Clay.

  Clay thrust out his hand with a grin. “Old boyfriend. Turned concerned friend. I’m Clay.”

  Sometimes his ability to gloss over awkward situations amazed me. He didn’t always sail through, but when he did, he was a sight to behold.

  She gave him an assessing look and then accepted his handshake. “I’m Gabriella. Troy’s girlfriend.”

  “Natalie says Troy’s a good guy,” Clay said, still smiling.

  Gabby scanned his face and then shifted her focus to me, wary. “What are you after, Nat?”

  “I want to chat with Troy.”

  “He’s not going to roll on Johnny. Trust me, we’ve talked about it several times.”

  “So, he knows something?” I asked.

  Gabby shrugged. She took a deep breath and sighed. “The only one who knows absolutely nothing is Sebastian, if that makes you feel any better. Since it’s your dad sniffing around, he’s pretty much persona non grata on the team. He’s moved out of the frat house too.”

  I tried to hide my surprise, but I was a terrible poker player.

  “You didn’t hear that, huh? Yeah, when he returned to the house last night, he went a few rounds with Johnny. Told Johnny, and I quote, ‘Stay the fuck away from Natalie or I’ll kill you.’ Really messy. We thought we were going to have to call the cops. Then Sebastian packed his shit and left.”

  I swallowed. “Last night?”

  Clay’s worried gaze bored into me. “What happened last night?”

  “Johnny threatened me. That’s why I wanted backup today.”

  Clay stiffened beside me. “You told Sebastian?”

  “We ran into each other. I was upset. I probably shouldn’t have told him.”

  Gabby waved my comment away. “Johnny needed someone to take him to task. I’m confident he’s the one who hurt Annika, or at least played a big part in it. I’d put money on Jeff and Theo being involved too. But I can’t prove anything.”

  I rubbed my face. “Troy won’t flip?”

  Gabby shook her head. “I liked Annika.” She couldn’t quite meet my gaze when she said, “I realized something bad was happening with Johnny. He never treated her like shit or hit her or anything around us. But sometimes, the way she moved, she looked sore. She always blamed it on the gym, but I wondered. I wondered, and I never asked.” Gabby met my gaze, her eyes sad. “I should have asked.”

  “Gabby, I did ask. Said he was bad news. Tried to get her to stop seeing him. Nothing worked.” Even as I comforted her, my own guilt ate at me. I could have done more—should have done more. The signs were there. So, now I’d do everything to get her justice.

  “I’ll try talking to Troy again, but the coach is keeping them on a tight leash.”

  “That’s actually what I wanted to discuss with Troy. I’m not going after Johnny directly. The coach threatened Sebastian. Sebastian is certain he’s threatened other people. To get anyone to talk, we have to reduce the coach’s power.”

  “How are you going to do that?” Gabby asked.

  “By getting him on tape threatening the players.”

  “You want Troy to record him?” She sighed. “Oh, Natalie. He won’t do that.”

  “Clay can wire him.” Before now, Clay’s IT degree was only helpful in removing viruses from my computer. “The device wouldn’t be obvious, but the recording gives us leverage to bring Johnny to justice.”

  At the entrance, the door swung open, and Troy wandered in. The first time I saw him, I’d given him the nickname Steroids. He was still huge, but now that I knew him, I doubted he was using drugs. When Troy recognized us, he stopped in his tracks.

  “What are you doing here, Natalie?” He kept his distance.

  “I came to talk to you.”

  “Shit blew up last night in the frat house. So much for not telling Sebastian,” Troy said. “We play in the National Championship this weekend and half the team isn’t even on speaking terms.”

  All my muscles tensed at the accusation. Keeping Johnny’s threats and behavior secret is what got everyone into this mess. Only the truth would absolve us and give Annika the justice she deserved. “That’s not my fault. Your teammates beat and raped my friend and then dumped her in an alley. You want to blame someone, blame them.”

  Clay sucked in a breath beside me. I’d always been too direct for him.

  “Gabby, I’ll see you later.” Troy turned on his heel.

  “Wait.” Clay jumped off his stool and rushed after Troy.

  “You’re not going to win him over like that,” Gabby s
aid to me.

  I huffed out a breath. “I’m tired of everyone pretending what Johnny and whoever else did isn’t godawful. Johnny caused this situation, and the team is enabling him because he can throw a football kinda far.” Was I playing down his role on the team? Yes. But he wasn’t a god, and he shouldn’t be able to do terrible things and suffer no consequences. “He did this. He did it. Other people are paying for it. Annika could have paid with her life.”

  Gabby’s steady gaze met mine. “Troy’s not heartless.”

  I sighed. “I’m not trying to be a jerk. But he’s not going to the NFL. You’ve said that. He’s said that. Other people say that. The risks aren’t the same for him.”

  “They’re his friends.”

  “Well.” I stared at her. “Whoever hurt Annika isn’t a friend I’d want. Whoever is covering up what happened isn’t a friend I’d want. But maybe that’s just me.”

  Troy returned with Clay at his side. When he made eye contact with me, I was struck by the change in his expression. Whatever Clay said to him, Troy was different.

  “I’ll do it.” Troy’s gaze traveled from me to Gabby. “I’ll wear the wire.” He covered his face, and his arms bulged. “I’ll ask the coach for a meeting, and I’ll tell him I’m having second thoughts about keeping quiet.” He splayed his arms wide in a helpless gesture. “But I’ve got nothing, Nat. I swear. I’m not convinced telling the coach I’m going to flip will be enough.”

  “It’s worth a try, Troy. Thank you.” When I glanced at Clay, his expression was haunted.

  “You’ve got my cell?” Clay asked Troy.

  “Yeah, I’ll text you so we can meet up.” Troy’s focus never left Gabby.

  Something about the way he was looking at her saddened me.

  “Come on, Nat,” Clay said to me. “We have to get organized.”

  I hopped off the stool and stood in front of Troy. “Thank you.”

  He tore his gaze from Gabby and gave me his attention for a beat longer than normal. “Whoever dropped her in the alley should be shot. I had no idea, Natalie. No idea they left her in that condition.”

  Once we were outside, I turned to Clay. “What did you show him?”

  “Pictures of Annika from that night.”

  “What?” My heart dropped into my feet. “You have photos?”

  Clay nodded and kept walking. “She asked me to take them at the hospital. It’s not as weird as it sounds.” He stopped short and thrust his hands in his jacket pockets. He took a deep breath but wouldn’t make eye contact. “She was worried that it wouldn’t be enough.”

  I frowned. “I don’t get it.”

  “Once the bruises healed, if charges weren’t pressed, if he came around again…” Clay trailed off.

  “Oh, my God.” I covered my mouth. His words sank into me, each one a stone. “You’re not kidding?”

  Clay shook his head. “She wanted someone to have the photos in case she was ever tempted. Or in case she ever picked the wrong guy again.”

  Tears pricked at the back of my eyelids. I had to look at the dark sky to collect myself. “I don’t understand that mindset.”

  Clay shrugged. “I don’t either. But it’s why I have them. I’m glad she’s getting counseling. Troy wouldn’t listen to me. So, I showed him the photos.”

  “And then he listened?”

  “He was shocked, but the pictures weren’t quite the turning point. Gabby is still around those guys. Not that much different from Annika. If they could do it to her, they could do it to Gabby too. They might have a taste for it now.”

  A chill coursed through me, and I shivered. He was right. Annika’s assault wasn’t necessarily an isolated incident. We had no idea what set Johnny off in the first place, and we hadn’t yet pinpointed who helped him either.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Tuesday, Clay heard from Troy. I’d texted Sebastian to see where he was staying, but he hadn’t responded. His fistfight with Johnny wouldn’t have gone over well with his coach this close to their championship game.

  Clay’s living room was sparsely furnished and surprisingly tidy. Normally there were dishes in the sink, clothes strewn about, and an odd scent had made me wonder if he had rotting food under the couch. I couldn’t imagine he tidied up for Troy. That meant the cleaning was for me.

  I checked my watch again. “What time did Troy say he’d be here?”

  Clay popped his head out of his room off the kitchen. “Soon.”

  I perched on one of the lawn chairs he used as furniture. He had a couch, but I didn’t want to end up sitting next to him. He wandered out and plopped onto the couch.

  I twisted my hands in my lap and took out my phone to check for messages. Tomorrow, Johnny was being questioned. Thursday, the football team left for the National Championship.

  “Looks as though no matter what Troy comes up with today, Johnny will get to play in the game.” Clay scrolled through notifications.

  “Yep.” I settled deeper into the chair. “I don’t understand how the coach can protect him.”

  “I’m not sure what to tell you, Natalie.” He placed his phone on the couch beside him and turned tired eyes to me. “The coach and the players have been working years to get to this spot. The college hasn’t been in this championship game in decades. You realize the hours they put in for practices, games, external workouts, and so forth. If Johnny doesn’t play, those people suffer.”

  “Not nearly as badly as Annika.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. You’re completely right. Johnny is a disgusting piece of shit. If I could put him in jail, I would. Some of those guys have enabled him. If I can go to a party and hear Johnny is abusive, then they heard it too.”

  My mind drifted to Sebastian. He’d never given any indication he believed Johnny was violent. Had he heard things? Did he ignore incidents at the frat house? The idea made me ill. Maybe he hadn’t seen anything. He’d been in the house and on the team for the shortest amount of time, and over the last few months, he’d spent any free time with me.

  The doorbell rang, and I jumped, startled. Clay stood and walked to the apartment door, swinging it open.

  Troy was on the other side, shoulders hunched. He moved past Clay and into the apartment. He was so tall, broad, and muscular he made the room feel small.

  “Well?” Clay said, and I stood to face Troy.

  I squeezed my hands together, giving him a hopeful expression. If our plan didn’t work, I wasn’t sure what to do next.

  Taking a deep breath, he examined both of us. “The coach isn’t keeping the team under lockdown because of what Johnny did to Annika. He’s trying to hide something else.”

  I frowned and reared back. “Something else? Worse than Johnny abusing Annika?”

  “Just listen to the recording. Then we can figure out what it means. I don’t have a clue what to do with what he said. It’s not what I expected.”

  I closed my eyes, and my tension rushed out. Frustration swept in to take its place. Another complication wasn’t what I anticipated.

  Clay held out his hand for the small device he’d given Troy earlier. At his laptop on the kitchen island, he plugged the unit into the side. He cranked up the volume.

  Troy sat on the couch and put his head in his hands, listening without looking. I took a stool at the island, and Clay slid onto another beside me.

  The three of us listened in silence, and I started to wonder if Troy was exaggerating about the importance of the conversation. He took forever to get to the point of the meeting.

  “I saw photos of what happened to Annika. Johnny’s girlfriend. I don’t feel right about staying quiet anymore.” Troy was more confident than I expected.

  There was a heavy pause and what sounded like the creak of a desk chair. “Photos?”

  “Yes.”

  The chair creaked again as though the coach was rocking it. “Do you remember freshman year when Johnny got that shoulder injury?”

  I pictured Troy frowning.
“Yes.” His voice when he responded was laced with confusion.

  “It was important to me and to him that he got better. We were sure he was going to go places. Hell of a talent, that kid. So, I gave him supplements, vitamins, and such, to aid his recovery.”

  “Okay,” Troy said slowly.

  “One of the side effects of those supplements can be aggression. Not always, but sometimes.”

  “Are you telling me you gave him a drug that caused him to beat his girlfriend?”

  “No, no. Not at all.” The coach’s voice became louder, as though he was leaning into Troy. “What I’m telling you is that sometimes a situation isn’t what it appears. Sometimes, more people are at risk than you might realize.”

  I’d seen the coach many times. I could picture his steely gaze in my mind.

  “Have I brought the best out in you, Troy? Have you fulfilled your potential?”

  “Yes sir, you’ve been a great coach.”

  “That’s what I do. I bring out the potential in my players. Sometimes that’s through drills, watching game tape, a conversation…and sometimes that’s through other means.”

  “What happened to Annika, sir—”

  “Was unfortunate. It was. And if Johnny had anything to do with it, the police are capable of figuring it out without any help from the team.” The chair squeaked again, and when the coach spoke, his voice was louder. “Loyalty and gratitude are such important qualities for a person to possess, don’t you think?”

  There was a heavy silence. “So are honesty and integrity, sir.”

  The coach laughed, a deep guttural sound. “Yes, that’s true. That’s true. Of course, my two will get you more in your last year at this school. Only a few credits shy of graduation, aren’t you?”

  “Jesus.” I drew out the word.

  Troy glanced at me as the recording cut out. “Coach and the dean are tight. Hell, Coach and everyone at this school are tight. Especially since we’ve done so well this year.” He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “I can’t afford to retake courses, to not graduate.”