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.The assailants scrambled to the car and jumped into the passenger side as it squealed and spun away from Devon and into the nearby intersection in a cloud of black smoke and burnt rubber.Devon felt the throbbing sting in his face with his hand.A searing pain ran through his right arm where he blocked the shot to his face.Devon knew something was wrong with his arm.The throbbing pain lasted into the next day.He had protected his face enough to prevent any major damage.It could have been much worse.What could have been a facial fracture or injury requiring stitches was reduced to a nasty welt on his face that would heal in due time.The injury to his arm, however, appeared more serious.He had to see the school nurse today.He could tell the nurse it was a football injury, and they couldn’t force anymore out of him anyway.They could not use what they did not know.Erin would still be safe.And that was most important to him.Devon went to school early to see the nurse before classes began, prepared with his story.The nurse had known Devon from tending to minor football injuries.This would be no different, he thought.Devon told her he got the injuries from football practice the day before.He had been hit many times and felt pain but this pain did not subside the next day.It just lingered and worsened, so he came to see the nurse.Totally believable, he thought.For the welt on the face, he said his helmet came off during the hit as he fell to the ground and onto another player.Something or someone had gotten him right in the face during the fall.True, no.Believable, yes.Other than that, he was taking the Fifth.How many times was he hit during the day during football practice, and who was going to know the difference? This was an arrangement, pure and simple.Erin would be left out of this as agreed.Nothing else could protect her.She had not been assaulted, and there was no other way out.That was the deal, and he would do it for her.The nurse examined Devon’s arms, face, and chest and suspected one minor fracture in his right arm.It would take six weeks to heal if set immediately.She disinfected the wound on his face and gave him some ointment to apply to help it heal.“Football injuries?” she asked, looking at Devon with her brows drawn close.“Okay, Devon, the doctor will need to X-ray and set your arm and take it from here,” she said, shoving her hands into her coat pockets.“I called your doctor and they can see you today.Put the ointment on twice a day, and try not to get into any more brawls,” she said, quirking her lips.“Thank you,” Devon said as he headed out the door.Whew.Let’s just leave it at that.Devon told the doctor the exact same story.He did not ask any more questions.Devon knew his football season was over.But he could still swim and train in two months.He would wear a cast for six weeks and be done with it.Small price to pay for Erin’s safety, he thought to himself.Devon had told his mom the same story: he was injured in football practice.She did not need any more undo stress in her life.The last thing she needed to hear was that a gang of thugs beat him with baseball bats.For Erin, he would need to tell her the truth.He wanted to know whether Steve ever laid eyes on her, talked to her, or did anything to her since.Because if he did, the deal was off, and he was sure he would sacrifice everything to protect her.Chapter Ten~Erin~Erin, we need to talk.Meet me for lunch.Devon’s text was unusually brief.It lacked his usual sense of humor and style, or something that always made me smile.When I saw Devon walk into the diner, my mouth fell open and I visibly lurched back in shock.“My God, what happened?” I ran up to him and gently touched his shoulder.“I fell down the stairs.” Devon’s eyes glared at me in mock seriousness.“Stop it, Devon.What happened?” I slapped his shoulder and my brows angled in a plea.“Okay, sit down.I have to tell you the truth anyway.But you have to promise not to tell anyone.And I mean anyone.You are the only person who can know this.Can I trust you?”“Of course,” I said, astonished that he would ask.“I know I can trust you, Erin.But this can get a lot of people in trouble.So you can’t tell anyone.”“I won’t.” My face clouded with concern.Just then the waitress asked us for our order.Devon ordered for both of us.He gulped down some water and set his eyes on me.“Erin, I need to tell you the truth.When you told me about Steve and what he did, I could not let him get away with it.I just wanted to tell him to stay away from you.But he shot off his mouth and told me it was none of my business, so I kicked the shit out of him.”“You did what?” I blinked at Devon as my eyes widened.“Erin, you have to understand.I cannot bear to see you harmed.I would rather die than let that happen.I…I…”“You what?”Just then the waitress placed our food in front of us.“Will that be all?”My gaze flicked upward and back to Devon
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