One Choice (Hogan Brothers 2)

A hand on her chest, the same way he’d done that first night, had their eyes clashing. Hers full of pain and regret. His full of pity and shock.

“I know that, but how?” He let the question hang as he began massaging her thigh lightly. Not so much pressure that it hurt, but enough that she knew after a little while her muscles would relax and unknot.

It was hard for her to talk about the accident, what it did to her and her family. Her dreams slipping down the drain like melting snow.

The quiet surrounding them had her spilling her guts, nevertheless, shocking as it may be. “I’ve been a runner since I was little. I wanted to compete in the Olympics. Gold was always in my eyes for as long as I could remember.” She paused to take a breath and close her eyelids. “I used to run everywhere. Always wanting to practice, to work for it. To the grocery store, my friend’s house, school, and back. The distance wasn’t important so much as my feet pounding the pavement, my heart beating wildly, or calmly, in my chest. Pushing myself a little bit harder than the day before.”

“Impressive,” he murmured as his hands moved down to her knee.

She flinched when he got to the ligaments that were hurting most. “Harder. Faster. Stronger.” Her words were whispered. “It was my motto. I lived and breathed by those three words.”

“It’s a good motto,” he said, his low tone soothing her. His understanding made her continue.

“There was this road that wound uphill and down, with bigger peaks all around. You really had to pay attention when you were driving on it. I didn’t normally take that route to school. My parents had wanted me on the open roads where people could see me, just in case, yanno?” He nodded at her question. “I didn’t listen. I don’t know why. There was something in the air, and for some reason, I felt like I had something to prove. It added an extra two miles to my run to school, and I knew I could do it no problem.” She paused to take a breath. “I didn’t take into account stupid frat boys out for a damn joy ride.”

A tear rolled down her cheek as she remembered the sounds and feelings of that fateful morning. “It’s okay, sugar.” Levi wiped the tear away.

She smiled wanly at him. “They took everything from me. My hopes, my dreams. Everything I worked for. They took it, and I have nothing left.”

She couldn’t hold back the sobs as they wracked her body. It was the first time she’d openly admitted that to anyone. It hurt her heart, her mind. Her soul ached to have her life back. To be the real Hayes Morrison again.

The struggle to not take Hayes home and hold her for as long as she needed was nearly more than Levi could handle. Her pain was so palpable he felt it to his bones. Hearing the story of her dreams crushing down around her in the blink of an eye was every athlete’s worst nightmare.

“Come here.” He offered, pulling her into his arms. Her fragile body shook with her sobs. He didn’t like it one bit.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured after a while, pushing away from him.

“Nothing to be sorry for,” he told her meaning it.

She’d barely started living when her world imploded.

“I should go.” He didn’t like it, but he knew she was feeling vulnerable.

Helping Hayes down from the table and getting her pants on without flashing him proved difficult when all he wanted to do was strip her bare and hold her. Having the flesh on flesh contact would show her that she wasn’t alone in the world. That she had him now.

“How’s that knee?” he asked as she slowly limped out of the room without his help.

Looking over her shoulder at him, she smiled. “It feels better, Levi. Thank you.”

He gave her a partial grin back. “I’m glad. Tomorrow we’ll work on movement.”

“Tomorrow?” She was visibly shocked he was bringing her back.

“Yeah, sugar. Maybe JJ will be back, I didn’t know he was on vacation.” He didn’t say more and was thankful when she didn’t either.

“Heya, kid, how you feeling?” Cam asked Hayes as she walked past him.

Her blush was sweet as she realized he was talking to her, his gaze fixed on her knee. “Uh, it’s moveable.”

“Good. See ya tomorrow, kid!” She practically skittered away as Cam grabbed Levi’s arm. “Tank and Cory will be here tomorrow. Watch yoursel

f.” Taking the warning seriously, he nodded his head and followed after Hayes as she limped through the gym.

Tank was customarily a good guy, but an eternal flirt, and unless she had a ring on her finger, he wouldn’t stop until someone put him in his place. Levi hoped he didn’t have to do that; he liked the big guy.

Cory was a different story. He and Levi had been at each other’s throats since Levi started fighting. They’d gotten into more brawls while sparring than they should have. Casper almost refused to put the two of them in the ring together because they’d tear each other apart, and not in a way a fighter should.

He didn’t know what the problem was, only that Cory had a deep-seated hatred for him ever since the first time he walked into the gym. They’d spoken barely two words to each other when Cory tried to rip him apart on the mat. That didn’t work, so he’d done his best to antagonize Levi at every opportunity. Tomorrow might just push Levi past his limits if he gets out of hand with Hayes.