Defending Hayden: A Second Chances Novel (16 page)

I bit my lip. “Not exactly. Kellie will be the one to let me in. And I still have a key to the clinic.”

“This is a bad idea, Hayden. Why can’t you just let this go? You’re with me now. I can take care of everything for you.”

Hearing those words just made me love him more. While many girls would have loved to be a kept woman, that wasn’t my style. Taking his face in my hands, I kissed him. “You have no idea how much I love you for saying that. The problem is that I don’t want you to have to take care of me. I want to work and look after animals; it’s what I do.”

He nodded and grabbed my hands. “And there’s nothing wrong with that. We’ll find you a new job, love. Let this place go and be done with it. I don’t exactly like the fact of you working with a man who’s dead set on getting in your pants. Now promise me you won’t go through with this.”

I sucked in a breath. “Don’t make me promise. I have to know what happened.”

He stared at me, not budging. “Promise me, Hayden.”

Sighing, I met his gaze and then turned to the window. “Okay, I won’t do it.” It killed me to lie, but I had to know what had happened.

The guys were pumped and so was I. It was our first division game, against Seattle, and we were determined to win. All I wanted was to get to the Super Bowl again and win but we had a long hard season to get through before the play-offs. We were closing in on the third quarter, and I was determined to make a move to the end zone. It wasn’t very common for a guy in my position to make a touchdown, since I was on defense; I just had to keep the other team from scoring.

Seattle threw the ball and it headed in my direction, toward their receiver, Bryce Nichols. Along with Evan, Nichols was one of the best wide receivers in the league. My muscles burned, but I ran as hard as I could to stop him from making that first down. The score was fourteen to thirteen, with us in the lead. It could be anyone’s game. As soon as Nichols caught the ball, I wrapped my arms around his waist and tackled him to the ground. I landed hard on my knee, but I blocked the pain out of my mind.

“Fucking prick,” Nichols grumbled under his breath.

All I could do was smile. “Just wait,” I replied.

I’d gotten into a fight on the field only once, and that was right after Brianna died. I was ejected from the game, which began my downward spiral into the shithole. That wasn’t me anymore. Watching Hayden on the sidelines was my reminder that things happened for a reason. I woke up every morning for her, and one day I’d let her know just how much I loved her. I still felt like I had something to prove, like I needed to show her I was worthy of her.

Seattle’s quarterback, Chance Hughes, got into position. We all knew he was going to throw it to Nichols; I was ready. As soon as the ball flew in the air, I had one chance to get it. It sailed closer, but it was so high I didn’t know if I could reach it. I jumped in the air and left everything to fate. Once I felt the ball touch my fingers, I pulled it in tight to my chest. The crowd’s cheers were deafening, and I got one glimpse of Hayden jumping up and down before I took off down the field. Adrenaline pumped through my veins as I passed the fifty-yard line and ran on to the forty. Chris ran with me, blocking the fuckers who tried to take me down. The end zone was so close.

“Go! Go! Go!” Chris shouted. I knew there were three guys on my heels, ready to take me down. I crossed the ten-yard line and then felt the weight on my back as Seattle tried to take me down. I could barely breathe, but I had to push through the last couple steps. Another hit came from behind, but it was too late. I crossed into the end zone and collapsed. The fans cheered and hollered my name, and all I could do was laugh.

Chris held out a hand and helped me up. “I fucking love you,” he shouted. He handed me the ball and I raced over to the sidelines, where Hayden stood with Kate.

“What are you doing?” she squealed, beaming with excitement.

I took off my helmet and handed her the ball before lifting her in my arms. I kissed her long and hard. “It’s for you, love. It’s because of you that this is possible.”

“You’re going to have every woman out there hating me,” she said, laughing.

Holding her tight, I couldn’t help but be in awe of how amazing she was. Cameras flashed, and I knew we’d be front and center in the sports section come morning. I wanted everyone to know she was mine. “You’re wrong, Hayden. It’s every guy in the world who hates me right now.”

The rest of the game went by in a blur; we scored another touchdown, which gave us the win, 28–13.

“Dude, that move was fucking epic,” Chris exclaimed, clapping a hand on my shoulder.

“Thanks, man. It felt good.”

“No shit. The crowd loved it, too.”

“McLaughlin!” Coach Joel shouted.

“Uh-oh,” Chris laughed. “What did you do now?”

I ran a towel through my damp hair and threw on my shirt. Joel was by the door with his arms crossed. “What’s up, Coach?” I asked.

His lips pulled back into a smile and he slapped my shoulder. “There’s someone here to see you.” He nodded at something over my shoulder, and when I turned, my eyes went wide. It was Shelby Reynolds, a well-known journalist for
Physique Sports and Fitness.

“No fucking way. Are you really here to see me?” I asked her. She’d done stories on Cooper and Evan but never me. All the guys dreamed of the day she’d come and pick another of us to interview.

Shelby laughed and held out her hand. “Good game today, Derek. And yes, I’m here to see you. I thought maybe I could interview you if you’re not too busy.”

“Are you kidding? I’m never too busy for you.” There was no way in hell I’d pass up the opportunity to be in her magazine. Her husband was UFC royalty and a legend in the MMA world; I’d met him one time at a fight in Vegas. Shelby was known for picking MMA fighters, football players, and baseball players to interview. I guessed it was easy to see which sports were her favorites.

Hayden walked toward us, still holding the football in her hands, with a questioning look on her face. Shelby was a beautiful woman, but she didn’t compare to Hayden. Before I could speak, Shelby beat me to it. “Hayden Hunter, I’m Shelby Reynolds,” she said, holding out her hand.

Hayden smiled and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Shelby turned back to me. “Derek, if you don’t mind, I was kind of hoping Ms. Hunter could sit in on the interview. A lot of my readers are women, and I feel like they’d connect to the story I have in mind.” She glanced between us. “Is that okay?”

Hayden looked up at me and shrugged. “I’m fine with it if you are.”

I put my arm around her shoulder and turned to Shelby. “We’re ready.”

Instead of doing the interview at the stadium, we met Shelby at the Carolina Tavern and had it over dinner. The interview was heartbreaking yet beautiful. I wasn’t expecting the article to be about Derek’s life but more about his NFL career. Shelby showed me some of her other articles, and I was at a complete loss for words. She had a way of drawing readers in and letting them see the real person behind the name.

“You really put everything out there,” I murmured to Derek as he walked into his bedroom.

He came up behind me and slid my shirt to the side, kissing my bare shoulder. His heated gaze met mine in the mirror. “I have nothing to hide, love. I have a damaged past but a very much wanted future…with you. There’s nothing wrong with letting the world know.”

“What if things change between us? Sometimes people fall out of love.”

He turned me around and clasped my face in his hands. “The only way that’s going to happen is if you fall out of love with me. I’m praying that doesn’t ever happen.”

“It won’t,” I promised. Leaning down, he kissed me and pushed me toward the bed. He lifted my shirt and tossed it onto the floor and unbuttoned my shorts before the back of my legs even touched the bed.

“You have no idea how much I fucking need you,” he whispered against my lips.

“Probably as much as I need you.”

His hands slid down my stomach to the waistband of my shorts, lowering them to the floor. My body tightened and I couldn’t wait to feel him inside me. Once he was naked, he stood in front of me, his arousal thick and heavy between his legs. I wrapped my hand around his length and pumped him hard, relishing his strangled moan. The tip of his cock glistened and I leaned down to lick it off, loving the way he tasted; I wanted more. Taking him into my mouth, I sucked him until he groaned and pulled me away.

“I won’t last if you keep doing that.”

Giggling, I crawled onto the bed and he followed me, his raw gaze penetrating. His breaths came out fast and I knew he was far past ready to take me. I loved it when that hungry look took over his face. It let me know he wasn’t going to go slow but hard and deep.

Spreading my legs with his knee, he didn’t waste any time. He filled me completely and I gasped as the pain and pleasure made me arch off the bed. His mouth closed over a nipple, and just the feel of him everywhere on my body made me lose control. Digging my nails into his back, I screamed out my release as he bit down on my breast, his grip so tight I could barely breathe. His cock pulsated inside me and his warmth filled me as he, too, was driven to completion.

As he leaned his forehead to mine, his breaths came out as deep growls. “I love you so fucking much.”

“And I love you.”

He pulled out of me gently and carried me into the bathroom so we could rinse off before bed. It was getting late, but I wouldn’t be able to sleep. I just prayed he’d fall asleep fast so I could get to Stonebrooke by midnight. Once we were done in the shower, we got back in bed and he pulled me into his arms.

“Do you want to go to the Whitewater Center tomorrow? I thought we could do something fun together, since I don’t have practice.”

“Sounds fun. Although I might laugh at you if you fall out of the raft.”

He chuckled. “Not if I take you with me.”

His body was warm as he held me against him, and I dreaded having to slip away. When his breathing slowed and deepened, I knew I was home free. He was a deep sleeper, but I still wanted to move carefully. Once I was out from under his arm, I slid out of bed, tiptoeing over to the drawer he’d emptied for me to put my clothes in. I threw on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt before exiting the room. I had ten minutes before I had to meet Kellie at the clinic.

In the kitchen, I scribbled a quick note telling Derek where I was in case he got up looking for me. The last thing I wanted was for him to worry about me. He was going to be angry, but eventually he’d have to understand it was something that had to be done.

The roads were desolate as I drove to Stonebrooke in the dead of night. There was a bar down the street that was still open, but on my end of downtown, everything was closed. I parked in the back, just as Kellie had suggested, and saw her waiting in her car.

We both got out and she looked at the clinic, sighing. “If we find something on these cameras, you know we’ll have to tell my grandfather we broke in.”

I swallowed hard. “That probably won’t help my case, but I need this.” I followed her to the back door.

“I know, Hayden. I’d be the same way if something like that happened to my furry friends.” She opened the door and we walked inside; it felt like home. I hadn’t realized how much I missed being there. Thankfully, my office was still bare: Wilford hadn’t hired anyone to take my place yet.

Once we got to his office, Kellie fired up his laptop and we waited. She searched through his drawers until she found a little black book. “What is that?” I asked.

She flipped through the pages. “It’s Pappy’s password book. I told him he should probably write everything down, and he took me up on it.” Her fingers landed on a piece of paper and she smiled. “Got it.” My heart thundered in my chest as I waited for her to type everything in. A part of me was hopeful, but the other was ready for disappointment. Sliding away from the desk, Kellie got up and pointed to the computer. “It’s pretty easy from here. Just type in the date you want, and it’ll take you to that day. Rewind and fast-forward to whatever times you want.”

We switched places and she sat across from me while I sat in front of the screen. There were so many files to look at, it was insane. I picked the day Goldilocks came in and went from there. So far everything looked normal. Jessica and Amanda followed all protocol and didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. I watched day after day, my stomach growing sicker by the minute.

“Anything yet?” Kellie asked.

I shook my head. “Nothing. The girls disposed of everything properly and made sure their hands were clean after each visit. I don’t understand how it could’ve passed to the other dogs. Even looking at myself, I did everything safely. There must be something I’m missing.”

The only cameras in the building were in the main kennel area, the isolation room, the lab, and at the front and back doors. Every time I saw movement into the isolation room, I stopped the feed and watched. No one went in there except me, Jessica, Charity, and Amanda.

Turning to Kellie, I lifted my arms in defeat. “I’m done. There’s nothing in here that can prove anything.”

“I’m sorry, Hayden. I really thought you’d be able to find something.”

“So did I,” I said, getting to my feet. Kellie took my spot, and I walked out into the waiting room while she turned off Wilford’s computer.

“You ready to go?” Kellie asked.

Holding my tears back, I took one last look around the clinic. “I guess this is it.”

She hugged me. “You’ll find another job, Hayden. You’re the best there is. There’s no other doctor who’s going to put in nearly the hours that you have here. There were plenty of nights you were here long after I went home.”

It took me a minute to concentrate on her words, and when I did, something clicked into place. I
was
the only one who put in the hours, including many late nights. “Oh my God,” I gasped. Kellie looked at me like I’d lost my mind. I hurried back into Wilford’s office and opened his laptop. “I need you to get me back in.”

She sat down and booted the laptop back up. “Why? What’s going on?”

“I checked every day for the past two weeks, but I didn’t even think to look at the nights. It might be a long shot, but I have to give it a try.”

Kellie nodded. “Smart thinking,” she praised. “I never would’ve thought of that.”

She pulled the software back up and we switched seats. Her phone buzzed and she glanced down at it curiously. “It’s my husband.”

“Everything okay?”

She finished reading the text and groaned. “Looks like my daughter is sick. He said she threw up everywhere.”

“That’s not good. Do you need to go?”

I was hoping she’d say no, but she got up and nodded. “Asking my husband to clean up puke is like making him eat brussels sprouts; he can’t do it. He’d probably put poor little Allie in the shower with her clothes on until I could get there.” I started to get up, but she stopped me. “You stay and finish up. You’ve come too far to quit now. Just make sure to lock up when you leave.”

“Are you sure? What if I get caught?”

She laughed. “Then I’ll bail you out. It was my idea for you to come in the first place.”

“Thanks, Kellie. I’ll shut the computer down once I’m through.”

“Good luck,” she replied, grabbing her keys. “If you find anything, let me know.”

She hurried off and I got back to searching. The clinic was pretty dead at night, since I wasn’t there working all sorts of hours. As I was fast-forwarding through the various nights, something caught my eye. It was a burst of light, then back to the awkward night-vision lighting. I carefully scanned back and stopped when the light came on; someone was in the lab. All I could see was a shadow, but then it disappeared and reappeared in the isolation room with Goldilocks. Her tail wagged, but she was so weak she couldn’t get up. A figure in a dark blue hooded sweatshirt and jeans opened her cage and stuck her with a syringe—only he wasn’t giving her an injection…he was taking her blood.

What the fuck is going on here?
It was Jeremiah. The time on the video said two o’clock in the morning. What the hell was he doing there that late at night?

As soon as he left the isolation room, he went into the main kennel, and then everything happened so quickly. Bile rose in the back of my throat, and I held my breath as I watched him infect three of my patients with the contaminated blood. After infecting my animals, he put the syringe in the sharps container on the counter.

Tears burned my eyes and I closed them. I was hoping what I’d seen was a mistake, but it wasn’t. I rewound the video and watched it again and again, feeling like I was going to throw up any minute. How could a man who dedicated his life to saving animals do something so vile and disgusting? He’d made me believe he was on my side, helping me.

Heart racing, I jumped up and started to shut down the computer, but then another dog came to mind…
Lady
. I still remembered having to tell Mrs. Jenkins that Lady was dead shortly after I’d told her the dog was doing well. My hands shook as I clicked on that specific day and watched Lady on the camera. She was active in her cage, he tongue lolling out to the side. There was no indication that she was doing poorly. I came into the video and listened to her heartbeat while she licked my hand. I scratched behind her ears and laughed as she flopped down on her back for me to rub her belly.

It wasn’t long after when I called Mrs. Jenkins. Lunchtime was closing in, and I figured everyone had left…but I was wrong. Jeremiah walked in and stuck Lady with a needle through the cage door. She fell over and all life drained out of her tiny body. He disposed of the needle and walked out of the room as if nothing had happened. Anger boiled in my veins. By tomorrow morning, everyone would know what he’d done.

I shut down Wilford’s laptop and hurried out of his office to the lab. The sharps container was still there; I had to take it before Jeremiah could dispose of it. I needed all the evidence I could get. With the container in hand, I locked the back door and headed to my car—only I never made it there.

It felt like a bee had stung my shoulder, but then I felt a warm, tingly feeling shoot through my veins. My eyes started to close and the container fell out of my arms. “What’s happening?” I mumbled, the words not making any sense as they left my mouth. I thought I was going to fall to the ground, but instead, I was picked up and carried back inside the clinic.

“Don’t worry, you stupid cunt. It’ll all be over soon.”

I wanted to fight, but I couldn’t move. All I knew was that I was in trouble…and there was no one around to help.