Madison sighed, running her fingers through her hair. She glanced around her dorm room and realized that perhaps she took this place for granted. Just a little bit.

She got a call from Amanda but ignored it, shooting her a quick text that she had to take care of a family emergency and she was all right.

The Gulls had won, another low-scoring game, thanks to Zachary Ryan’s overtime goal. Alec had the assist and no fights, which was better than they could hope for. Unfortunately – and surprisingly – there was a small group of fans who booed him every time he touched the puck. And they weren’t just Vancouver fans. Madison noticed people in navy blue jerseys booing as well.

Which just astounded her.

She understood that Alec had a reputation. She understood that no one knew they were dating because it would compromise Madison’s position as a Gulls Girl. But why not wait until he was tried, until evidence was actually presented, until they judged him? She felt herself furrow her brow to the point where she was feeling legitimate anger at these people for turning on him so quickly. Alec was the last person to ever be caught up in a rape scandal.

But, a voice in her head pointed out. But no one knows him like you. And when a celebrity has been accused of rape, it’s easy to believe the victim because why would they ostracize themselves in such a way? What have they got to lose?

Madison couldn’t blame them. Just because she knew the truth didn’t mean they did.

She needed some space. She was glad the Gulls had won, disappointed she missed the game. Glad things were progressing for Alec.

She needed to think about everything. She needed to think about where she was going after the season ended. She was still upset at everything and wanted to cool off so she didn’t continue to say stupid things and take her issues with her mom and dad out on Alec, hurting Alec even more.

Instead, she took a long shower and went back to her dorm to change after dropping Rhine off at the hotel her parents were staying at. She was nearly done with her paper, which was good because she wanted to be able to study on her exams and not have to worry about anything else once June hit.

When her fingers were screaming for a break, she crawled into bed and stared up at the ceiling. Her eyes were heavy and she knew if she turned off the light and closed them, she would fall asleep.

But she had to do something first.

She grabbed her cell phone and swiped it open. She sent Alec a quick text. I’ll be there tomorrow. A lot has happened since the game and I just need time to myself.

Alec replied almost instantly. I know. I love you. Come over.

She giggled and shook her head.

Then: The bed is so empty without you.

She felt her heart clench at the message and her entire body spread with warmth. Besides Rhine and Amanda, Alec was the person she could count on the most to make herself feel better.

At that moment, there was a knock on her door. Madison furrowed her brow, quickly glancing at her phone to make sure it wasn’t Alec. He would have just used his key, she imagined.

She went to her door and looked through the peephole. Furrowing her brow, she stepped back and opened the door to find Brady standing there, a sheepish grin on his face. She did not smile, did not do anything to attempt to make him feel welcomed. The fact that he was here, pissed her off more than she expected it to.

“Yes?” she asked, not bothering to hide her attitude in the singular word. She only emphasized it by pushing up her brow and giving him an expectant look.

“Okay, I know I’m probably the last person you want to see,” Brady said. He glanced around, clearly feeling slight discomfort at how exposed he was. “Do you think I could come in?”

“I actually think that would be a bad idea,” Madison said. “My NHL player boyfriend wouldn’t appreciate me inviting guys into my room late at night.” She clenched her jaw. “How did you even know about him anyway?”

“I saw him a week ago sneak into your room,” Brady said. “I think he used a key.”

“What were you doing in my dorm that late at night?” Madison asked suspiciously. She remembered that night: she and Alec had gotten into a tiff that caused her to head back to her dorm for the night, only to be woken up by Alec kissing her on her neck and waking her up to make love to her.

“Dropping off Alexa,” Brady said, though he seemed uncomfortable with the question.

Madison pressed her lips together. That sounded legitimate. One of Brady’s girls lived down the hallway from her dorm but Madison had never run into her before. Probably because she had always been at Alec’s, school, or at a Gulls game.

“And why in the hell did you think you had any right to tell my parents about him?” she asked in a hushed whisper. “Honestly, Brady, first of all, my relationships are none of your business. I know we’re kind of friends, but at the very least, you know I don’t have a close relationship with them. And you go and tell them that I work as a Gulls Girl and that I’m dating Alec Schumacher.” She shook her head. “What I don’t understand is why you would ever think that would be okay. Like, it’s none of your business. It’s never been.”

“I thought I was helping,” he said.

“No, you weren’t,” she snapped and then shifted her weight. “You know you were stirring the pot. What’s your problem, Brady? I thought we were friends.”

“Friends?” He furrowed his brow and shifted his eyes so they glanced down the hallway, as if ensuring no one could overhear them. When he returned his eyes back to Madison, they were hard and determined. “Madison, I asked you out last year. I wanted to be more than your friend. When you never called…”

“You never called, either,” Madison pointed out. “Brady, why did you want to continue to go out when there wasn’t that spark between us? And you know there wasn’t.”

“I just figured you would let me know you were interested,” Brady said, glancing down at his feet and shrugging his shoulders. For someone as good looking and charming and intelligent as Madison thought Brady was, he looked small in front of her. He couldn’t even make eye contact with her, which, quite frankly, was pretty pathetic.

“I wasn’t,” Madison told him. “We had a nice date but I don’t want to date someone I’ve had a nice time with. I’m sure you feel the same way.”

Brady furrowed his brow. “Actually,” he said, “that’s exactly what I want. I’ve done the dating, the one-night stands. I want a girl I can take home to my parents.”

“That’s great,” Madison said, sounding sincere. “That’s wonderful. And you will, Brady. You will. But I have no idea why you thought it might be me. We haven’t seen each other in two years and then, all of a sudden, you start talking to me again.”

“I was just getting sick of the lifestyle,” Brady said, shrugging his shoulders. “And I remembered our date and thought maybe we could try it again.”

“Even though you know I’m dating Alec Schumacher?” Madison asked.

“I didn’t know it until that night,” Brady told her.

“Even so,” Madison said with a shrug. “It sounds like you’re coming back to me when you could have had me two years ago.” She furrowed her brow. “Actually, no. You wouldn’t have been able to have me then, and you can’t have me now. Brady, you completely fucked me. I don’t think you realize that. By telling my family what you did, they went to my boss and tried to have me fired.”

Brady’s mouth dropped open. At least it seemed as though he was surprised, like he maybe regretted what he had done.

“Maddy, you have to believe me,” Brady said. “I didn’t know –“

“I know you didn’t know,” Madison told him, “but you did know it was going to bite me in the ass at some point. Don’t pretend, either. I told you about my family.”

Brady clenched his jaw and looked away. “Okay,” he said, nodding his head. “You’re right. I was petty about the whole thing. That’s on me. I’m sorry for that.”

Madison looked deep into his tawny gaze, trying to read his eyes. From what she could see, he sounded sincere. There didn’t seem to be an underlying current of expectation from her. She felt the tension ease out of her shoulders and tilted her head to the side. “Is there anything else?”

“Were you fired?” he asked her.

“What?” she asked, furrowing her brow.

“From the Gulls,” he said. “Were you fired?”

Madison shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know,” she said. “Seraphina was professional enough not to discuss anything in front of my family. But I have a feeling…” She shook her head, her dark hair slowly following her movement. “And, quite frankly, it’s none of your business, Brady. Whatever happens to me, will happen to me. I can’t do anything to change it.”

Brady pressed his lips together, nodding his head. “Would it be all right if I asked one more question?” he asked, lifting up his brow.

Madison refrained from rolling her eyes. She wanted to say no, but at least this might get rid of him for once and for all. She might be able to go back to worry about Alec and her job.

“Yes?” she asked, not bothering to hide the exhaustion from her tone.

“Is it true?” he asked. His eyes weren’t wary anymore. They weren’t filled with shame or regret. They were hard but curious. Like his apology was a farce. Like the whole thing was a farce to get information out of her. “That Alec Schumacher raped that girl?”

Madison clenched her teeth together. It took everything in her to not reach out and sock Brady in his perfectly chiseled face. “I think we’re done here,” Madison said, nearly slamming the door. Brady was quick and prevented her from doing so.

“Madison,” he said. “I’m just trying to protect you. When I saw Alec go into your room, I was worried he might be doing the same with you. You heard what the papers said. You knew the victim was part of the organization.”

“Actually, I hadn’t heard that,” Madison said. Not that it was important right now, but she would tuck that information away for later.

“Well, it came out today,” Brady said. “And obviously I knew you worked as a Gulls Girl, so I put two and two together.”

“Except, you came up with five instead of four,” Madison retorted, “because if you genuinely believed that Alec was going to rape me, why didn’t you stop him?” She perked her brows.

Brady opened his mouth, unsure how to respond.

Madison didn’t hesitate. “Because you knew he wasn’t going to rape me,” she said. “If you were so concerned, you would have gone to the cops. Instead, you did nothing. Until you saw my family. At that point, you said I was dating Alec Schumacher, not that you saw him attempt to rape me. Because the truth of the matter is, Brady, Alec didn’t rape me. He didn’t rape anyone. I’m not sure if you’re in it for the drama or what, but I’m over your meddling and your bullshit. Stay away from me, okay?”

Before Brady could counter anything Madison said, she slammed the door in his face and locked it. She turned, pressing her back against the door and staring up at the ceiling.

She wished she had a bottle of wine in her dorm room. Technically speaking, it was against the rules to have booze in the room, but everybody did it, and after everything she had been through, she figured it would be completely understandable.

She forced herself to the bed, not bothering to change out of her clothes.

Sleep. She would sleep and hopefully, everything would be better in the morning.