“After the game the other night, I went to bed early. The guys stayed up playing video games and drinking. When I got up to use the bathroom, Chase and Dal were talking in the hallway. Chase said he needed to meet with Dallas’s dad about something urgent.”

“Dallas’s father? I don’t follow.”

“Well…he’s a lawyer.”

Worry seized me. “Why would Chase need a lawyer?” Was he in trouble?

“I’m not sure,” she said. “I was half-asleep. Didn’t think much of it at the time and didn’t stick around to listen.”

“What kind of law does Dallas’s dad practice?”

“Litigation. But maybe Chase needed general legal advice.” She rolled her lips into a line. “The timing is odd, don’t you think?”

What kind of trouble could he be in? He hadn’t been arrested for anything—as far as I knew. Luke was still alive, so it wasn’t that. Chase wasn’t suing anyone or being sued. And he didn’t engage in anything too far outside of the law, aside from dabbling in occasional marijuana use.

Could he have failed a drug test for the team? Or could he have been using performance-enhancing drugs? That last one was doubtful.

Kristen didn’t fit into any of those scenarios, either, unless she was a drug pusher.

None of it fit.

Then again, neither did Chase ending things out of the blue. Things between us hadn’t been just fine, they’d been great. We’d been talking about the future. We’d been talking about forever. My heart tugged, and tears pricked my eyes. I inhaled slowly, trying to blink them away.

“Dallas didn’t mention this to you at all?” I clarified.

“No.” Siobhan shook her head. “I didn’t ask because it was pretty clear I wasn’t supposed to hear. They were talking quietly.”

“Maybe it’s good you didn’t. This way Chase doesn’t know that I know.”

“What are you going to do?”

I wasn’t sure, specifically. Something. Anything.

“Find out what the hell is going on.”

* * *

“What are the stakes?”

“If I win, you have to watch The Royal Boyfriend.”

“And if I win, you have to watch Operation Vengeance.”

Ten minutes later…

“Nice, Carter. You beat me for once.”

“Sure did.”

“Fine. Operation Vengeance it is.”

“Nah, we can watch your movie.”

“Really? We don’t have to.”

“I know.”

* * *

CHASE

I stared at my Sports Economics textbook blankly. Our exam was this week, but every time I opened the book to review the material, the words blurred.

All I could think about was Bailey. Missing her, wondering if she was okay, hoping she didn’t hate me…even though she should.

I wanted to call her. No, I wanted to go over there and tell her everything. But I couldn’t risk her getting caught in the crossfire.