Page 145 of Stick It
He growls, shadows curling around his features. It’s fuckedup how that look sends a shiver through me, and not one of fear or discontent. One ofexcitement. Exhilaration.
“Overmydead body willthatbe happening.”
I roll my eyes, my grin growing wider. He immediately drops his arm over my shoulders, pulling me into his side before leading me down the steps.
We catch each other up on our days as we pass through campus before walking down the sidewalk toward Athletes Row. However, as soon as we turn onto the street, my stomach seizes, and my steps slow.
Reaching the house I’ve been sharing with the guys and Kyle for the past two months, I stop. I don’t know if I can make myself go in there. It was challenging enough when it was just Kyle I had to avoid, but now I have to avoid allfourof them. That’s impossible!
And yet, what choice do I have?
I can try searching for somewhere else to stay, but that isn’t going to happen today. So, for right now, I need to make myself go in there.
It’ll be fine. You can stay in your room the entire time, go back to eating meals on campus, and hang out with Griffin or Wren in the evenings. I literally just need to sleep here.
As if sensing my resolve, Griffin steps forward. “You don’t have to come in,” I tell him. Probably better that he’s not here for this. He’s already seen the evidence of my tears and a restless night’s sleep the past two days when he picked me up at fucking dawn to get breakfast. I swear it nearly sent him on a homicidal rampage. I kinda dread what might happen if he sees me break down over these guys. He might actually kill them, and as much as I’m hurt by them, disappointed by their actions, even I don’t want themdead.
At least, not yet. Let’s see how the rest of today goes. I reserve the right to change my mind tomorrow.
Instead of leaving, Griffin’s arm falls from my shoulders as he takes another step forward. He turns to face me, his backpack swinging as he throws his arms out. He begins to walk backward toward the house, a sly grin stretching across his face. “What do you mean? I live here.”
My brow furrows, and I watch as he continues to back up to the house. At the bottom of the stairs, he spins around, climbing them to the porch. He’s at the front door before I find my words. “Wait,” I call, taking a step forward, then another. “What do you mean?”
He’s already opening the front door, and I hurry to catch up. “Griffin! What do you meanyou live here? Since when?!”
He’s gone, disappearing inside and leaving me to chase after him.
Hastily dropping my bag inside the door, my Converse slap against the wooden floors as I move deeper into the house. “Griffin! What are you?—”
I come to a stop at the entrance to the living room, finding not only Griffin but all four of the guys standing there as though waiting for me.
My next breath lodges in my throat, a sudden case of nerves assaulting me, even as I internally balk at how fucking hot the four of them look standing there together. Even as tired and worn down as Ethan, Finn, and Jax look, they paint the most breathtaking picture of strong, athletic, should-absolutely-be-in-a-dirty-calendar men.
Forcing myself to go three days without seeing them is like witnessing them up close and in person outside of their hockey gear for the first time. I’m left just as stunned, just as speechless now, as I was that first day on campus.
Ethan steps forward, brow creased and eyes soft, pleading. “He means we kicked Kyle out.”
They did?
Wait, isthatwhy Kyle felt the need to pull his little intimidation act?
But… “Why?”
Jax steps up beside Ethan, their shoulders brushing, but his gaze is zeroed in on me. “Because we’re fucking idiots. We should have listened to you. Should have given you the opportunity to explain.” He ducks his head, running a hand through his hair, before glancing at me through his thick, lush eyelashes. “We let our emotions overrule common sense. Letjealousyblind us. We momentarily forgot the type of person you truly are and that you’d never do something like that.”
“What, kiss multiple guys?” It’s a defensive response, one primed from years of being on guard, years of being let down, of being bullied, hated on.
Jax shakes his head. “Betray us.”
“But we betrayed you,” Finn finally speaks up, joining the line on Ethan’s other side. Pain flashes across his face, and for the first time, I catch a glimpse of Finn’s true feelings, instead of hiding them behind the mask he typically wears in my presence. “Me, most of all.” He shakes his head, stuffing his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. “I didn’t want to believe it, but Kyle showed his true colors on Friday night with that stunt.”
I notice he doesn’t mention the attack, and I don’t needle him with it. Now isn’t the time, but I firmly believe a time will come when Kyle will show just how far he’s willing to go—and it’s well beyond public humiliation.
My eyes rake over each of them before flitting to Griffin who is standing off to the side. “Did you put them up to this?”
Before he can answer, Ethan does. “Coach made us realize what idiots we’d been.” I stiffen. “He told us that you were basically family.”
He pauses as if waiting for confirmation, and licking my dry lips, I croak, “We are. He’s like an uncle to me.”
