Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 163209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 816(@200wpm)___ 653(@250wpm)___ 544(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 816(@200wpm)___ 653(@250wpm)___ 544(@300wpm)
“It was an unkind question,” Hannah said, unapologetic. “The fault is with me. But it is curious, isn’t it? The unmitigated aggression,” she clarified when neither man responded. “Kevin also transferred away from Edgar Allan, albeit over winter break. The Ravens’ crusade against Palmetto State University is a well-known grudge—further exacerbated by the end of this last season—but they never turned that outrage on Kevin specifically.”
Kevin turned a serene stare on her. “You’re leading up to a ‘why’,” he said, and it was almost impressive how pleasant he could make an accusation sound.
Hannah smiled and admitted, “Guilty. Some of the rumors are fairly damning, if you’ll excuse my Fr—language,” she finished with a glance at Jean. “Would you feel comfortable addressing those with us today to help clear the air?”
Jean teetered between kneejerk refusal and the bewildered suspicion he was supposed to allow this. If he denied her the answers she craved, would he be considered combative? Would that break his contract and his promise to behave in public? He had only a couple dizzying seconds to war with it before Kevin gave a quiet “Huh” at his side. It was just loud enough to get Hannah’s attention, and she glanced away from Jean.
Kevin didn’t wait for an invitation to speak but said, “I’m sorry; it’s just an unexpected line of questioning. You’re the last person I expected to buy into the Ravens’ sensationalism, especially seeing how you’ve covered the Trojans for the last six years. USC’s endorsement should be more than enough to settle the debate, I would think.”
“Even an ardent fan such as yourself must admit USC is not without its missteps,” Hannah pointed out. “Part of the Trojans’ undeniable charm is in how enthusiastically they recover and work to improve.”
“The misstep here is not theirs,” Kevin said. “The Ravens are out of line, and I am out of patience with their tedious antics. They should spend less time dragging Jean through the mud and more time rebuilding their nonexistent defense line. They’ve lost their major players,” he insisted. “Zane graduated, Jean transferred, and Grayson...”
Kevin didn’t bother to finish that thought but gave a slight what can you do wave of his hand. Letting a camera see this heartless side of him was unprecedented; Jean wasn’t sure whether to blame the vodka or Hannah’s dig at the Trojans. He stepped on Kevin’s foot in silent warning, but Kevin persisted with, “They have no one of value left.”
Hannah drummed her fingernails on the arms of her chair as she considered him. “A rare treat to see you so protective of someone, Kevin.”
“I lost Riko this spring,” Kevin said. “Jean is the only brother I have left.”
It stung more than it should this many years later, but Jean only had a moment to seethe. Across from him Hannah said, “Speaking of brothers, let’s backtrack to Grayson Johnson.”
Jean stopped breathing. At his side Kevin said, “It is perhaps a little too soon.”
Hannah nodded to acknowledge that but didn’t give up. “Every other Raven we lost this summer chose to—leave,” she said after a brief search for the best euphemism, “from their own hometowns. Grayson is the sole exception, as he drove two hours north to Los Angeles from San Diego. By all accounts, Grayson’s younger brother Lucas—also a Trojan—and Jean were the last two people he spoke to before he died.” She gave Jean her undivided attention. “What did he say to you, and did you know then it was a cry for help?”
“I know where you play. I know where you live.”
Jean couldn’t feel his face. “I don’t want to talk about Grayson with you.”
“The report filed with campus security stated that you got into an altercation with Grayson outside of the Gold Court but that you chose not to press charges. Coach Rhemann, however, filed a complaint to ban him from school property. An unusually decisive and aggressive move from USC, don’t you think? Must have been quite the confrontation. What did you two fight about?”
Teeth, Jean thought. He was distantly aware of Kevin’s bruising grip on his wrist, as Kevin tried to pry Jean’s nails free of his throat without being too obvious about it. Whether or not the camera could pick it up mattered little; Hannah was studying Jean’s hand with an unhealthy amount of interest. Jean sucked in a slow breath and held it, looking past a cruel “Who is going to protect you now?” to a too-calm “Grayson will never bother you again.” Jean forced his grip to relax and let Kevin press his hand flat against the couch.
The Trojans would beat him black and blue for standing his ground so rudely, but any agony would be better than this. “I won’t talk about him with you. Do not ask me again.”
“I just think—”
“Hannah,” Kevin said, in a tone that shut her up immediately. “That is enough.”