Page 72 of Sticks and Stones (Shadow Valley U)

“Speaker, now,” Stone whisper-snaps.

I give him the finger, and Evan snickers.

Brad’s voice disgusts me.

“Did you seriously sic your psycho boyfriend on me for calling you onefuckingtime?”

Why did I ever like him again?

“He better watch the way he fucking talks to you.”

I shuffle backward so Stone can stop using his supersonic hearing and listening to the conversation.

“One time?” I ask. “I have multiple calls a day fromUnknown, Brad.”

“Well, it isn’t me!” he argues.

“And you want me to believe you? You cheated on me for months and lied right to my face. How could I ever believe a thing you say?”

“Fucking bastard.”

“Maybe we should all take turns punching him?”

“Fuck yeah.”

I glare at the guys, who are all staring at me with their arms crossed. They’re each sharing a scowl, and I scoff. I don’t need them to fight my battles for me. I was doing just fine fending Brad off myself.

“Well, believe what you want. I called one time, and the only reason I blocked my number was because I didn’t think you’d answer if you knew it was me.”

“Well, you thought right. Don’t call me again.”

“Don’t even think about her again,” Stone says.

I push Stone back, and he goes willingly, smirking the whole time.

Brad curses in my ear. “Tell your psychotic little hockey player boyfriend that if he ever touches me again, he’ll be done for.”

I hang up and stare at Stone from across the hall. “You are unbelievable!”

Stone’s hand stretches forward, and I think he’s going to pull me in to try and put a damper on my frustrations, but instead, he grabs my phone. Everyone is leaning over his shoulder as he flips through my missed calls.

“You’re changing your number,” he mutters.

His finger continues to scroll.

“Sure are,” Evan says.

“If it isn’t Brad calling, who is it?” Grant asks.

I try to laugh, but it dies on the edge of my lips when I see that they are all sincere. “You can’t be serious. You want me to change my number? I can’t do that.”

“Why can’t you?” Stone flicks his head to the guys.

They head upstairs. I wait until they’re out of sight before ripping my phone out of his hand.

“Because…” The word lingers in between us. “I can’t afford to just get a new number. I’ve already been there, done that. I can’t keep changing my number.”

His eye roll is more of a dismissal. “I’ll take care of it.”