20. Addison

“Any sign of him?”

Coach Oliveira sighed heavily and gripped me by the shoulders.

“Addison,” he said sternly. “Look around you. This isn”t what you should be focused on right now.”

Grudgingly, I looked around at the stadium.

As expected, it was full. Everyone and their mother wanted to see me back at it, but all I cared about was the fact that Callum just hadn”t come inside after me.

One of the PAs had looked out into the parking lot for me and said that my car was still there and ever since then alarm bells were blaring in my ears at full volume, but no one else seemed to see it the way that I did.

“Addison, please,” Oliveira groaned. “If Callum walked, we need you more than ever. Who is going to play if you can”t focus? The whole team is counting on you.”

Grimacing, I grit my jaw.

“Fuck,” I sighed. “You really think he just, walked off?”

“Maybe,” he said lips pursed. “Or caught a cab. Either way, this is your first game back right when he was starting to really nail it. You don”t think that would play on someone”s mind?”

Not Callum, I wanted to say, but he had said things about this before. Things that would have led me to believe Coach. The thing was, lately he had seemed so much more at peace with it all and so supportive.

I shook my head.

“He”s my boyfriend. He wouldn”t….”

“I get it,” Coach said, squeezing my shoulders. “But maybe a boyfriend on the same team, in the same position, wasn’t the smartest move.”

I gave him a look and he shrugged.

“At least you”re here. For Callum, this isn”t a good look. Hell, I can only imagine what the PR team will think. As soon as you two go public, he doesn’t even show up to cheer you on.”

This was all wrong.

Every part of it.

Callum wouldn”t jeopardize his career over me playing, even if he was bitter. I knew that much at least. He respected football and all he had accomplished too much for that.

“I”ll just go check my phone again,” I said, but Coach Oliveira gave me his trademark stern look and shook his head.

“He”s still got a few minutes to show up before the game starts,” he said. “Just leave it in his hands. Your job right now is to play. You made me believe you two wouldn’t stir the pot. Don’t you be letting the team down over relationship drama, Addison, you”re better than that.”

I swallowed.

“You”re right,” I said, caving. It was my job to leave everything at the door when it was time to play. No matter what else was happening, I had always managed to do so before. Now I would just have to play, like always, and deal with whatever had gotten into Callum when I was done.

“Let”s do this.”

Pleased by whatever shift he saw in my eyes, Coach Oliveira clapped my shoulder and nodded.

“Good. Let”s get them.”

I got out onto the field, head fully in the game just as it should be. It wasn”t until just before halftime that I looked up at the crowd and felt a thrill of familiarity.

In my last game, when I”d hurt myself, I”d had this exact feeling.

It hit me like an absolute fact. Something was wrong. Something far more sinister than Callum walking away before game time.

The next time there was a stoppage, I walked straight up to Coach.

“I want the police here before the game is done.”

He froze. Then, he frowned like he was suddenly getting it.

“What the hell do you think is going on?” he asked.

“Callum came here with me. He was going to cheer me on. Something happened,” I said firmly.

“Addison, what?—?”

“You know I have a stalker,” I said, helplessly. “Not saying that’s what happened, but I need to be sure.”

“Security is watching for him. He didn’t come in here.”

I shrugged.

“Yeah, neither did Callum.”

The others were coming closer. I was pretty sure a few people had heard what I said, but I didn”t care anymore. I was out now. There was nothing to hide but everything to lose.

Coach waved someone over and I watched as he spoke into the PA”s ear, then turned back to the team, ready to discuss our last few seconds before halftime.

The police didn”t arrive during halftime, but security for the stadium came to talk to me.

I quickly filled them in, and they left with a promise to check the cameras and then it was back to the game.

We were winning and it felt good, but not in the usual way. Each goal and successful play felt like a means to an end. I was doing what I had to do and leaving no crumbs so that I could move on to what mattered the most.

When it was finally done, and we won, I was elated.

The crowd erupted. I was engulfed in hugs from my teammates and practically floated off the field.

Amid all the good vibes, I hoped that Coach Oliveira”s theory was the right one. Nothing too bad could be happening when I felt this good. Later, me and Callum would be able to work through any issue.

But then, as I walked off the field, Coach put his arm around my shoulder as we walked toward the changing room.

He didn”t say anything but steered me toward a different door.

It turned out to be one of the security offices and as soon as I entered and saw the serious faces of a couple of police officers and the stadium security, my blood ran cold.

“What happened?” I asked.

“Come have a seat,” One of the officers said. He waited until I did before introducing himself and his partner.

I looked at Coach, who was watching the scene unfold somberly.

“What happened?” I repeated, fear evident in my voice.

“Looks like you were right about Callum,” Coach said. “He didn”t just walk.”

I was shaking as I turned to the others in the room.

“It appears as though Callum was taken somewhere against his will,” the officer said.

I shook my head, reeling.

“Let me show you the tape,” one of the security guards said.

He turned the monitor so that I could see.

There was Callum, standing in the lot. I could see the tail end of me walking away and then his cute smile while he spoke to his dad.

My heart was racing, waiting for something to happen.

I jumped when a black car suddenly swerved toward him, far too aggressively from another parking spot where it had been waiting.

For a split second, I thought Callum was going to get run over and I could do nothing, but Callum instinctively jumped against the side of my car to get a little room and the driver stopped right next to him.

I could barely breathe when the door opened a crack.

There was a man in the driver”s seat but we could only see his arms through the front window.

“What”s that on his lap?” I asked quietly.

I knew the answer and I felt sick, watching Callum”s expression go from slightly annoyed to shocked and nervous.

He stood there for a minute and then walked around the car and got into the passenger seat.

I watched the car drive away, too stunned to speak.

“We found his phone in the parking lot,” one of the officers said.

I looked at them all, shaken.

“This is being treated as a kidnapping.”

I nodded because yeah, of course, that was what it was.

Shit. This couldn’t be happening.

“Addison, do you know anyone who has a grudge against Callum?”

I nearly laughed at that. He was far too sweet to be making enemies.

“No.”

“Mr. Oliveira told us you have a stalker?”

I squeezed my eyes shut.

“Oh fuck. It”s him, isn”t it?”

“We pulled your files and saw that you have a restraining order against Ari Morrison. Any chance that could be him in the tape?”

I nodded.

“Yes. I would bet on it. Do you have his address?”

It was weird how calm my voice sounded. It felt like the world was ending.

“We sent someone to check on him, but no one was home. The license plate on that car wasn’t registered to him, so we’re checking in with the owners next.”

I stared.

“So basically, you have nothing?”

They exchanged a glance.

“We are doing what we can to track down the car right now, but if you have any information that may help…”

I wanted to scream because I didn’t. Callum was out there right now with Ari, of all people, and it was because of me. So that he could get to me. Again.

“I have to check my phone,” I said suddenly.

“I’ll send it for you,” Coach said. “I have to check in on the others.”

He left us and I turned to the security guard. Can I see the tape again?” I asked.

I watched with bated breath as he replayed it. This time, I focused on the man in the front seat.

Those hands were so familiar.

This time, I knew it was him.

“It’s Ari,” I whispered, frustration growing.

He had never hurt me physically, but I had never dated anyone else. If he was willing to kidnap my boyfriend, how far was he willing to go?

Would he hurt Callum to get him out of the way?

There was a knock on the door.

I stood up, too eager to see my phone to wait for someone else to get to the door.

One of the PAs held my bag out for me. I took it, eagerly and shut the door.

My hands were shaking when I pulled out my phone and saw that there was one message waiting.

I swiped it open.

I want you back, or your boy toy suffers.

I stared at the message for a long time. Eventually, I handed my phone over, feeling numb.

“This is good,” the officer said gently. “This means he’ll tell you where he is.”

My heart suddenly leaped.

“You’re right,” I breathed. “I should play along so that we can get Callum back.”

There was a good chance that Callum was okay. Ari wasn’t a murderer, right? He was just sick and obsessed.

I took my phone and typed out a reply.

They double-checked it and then one of the officers called in for backup while I pressed send.

I’m sorry I upset you. I’ll do whatever you need. Where are you?