Page 98 of Lucky Shot
I hear, “Oh my god, that’s Elgin Bolingbrook talking to Noah Kain,” a second before a group of three approaches. They’re young, a group of two men and a woman, all with big smiles as they come near.
I consider myself humble; so it’s always a surreal feeling being recognized by someone who follows your career. It’s humbling, slightly frightening, and certainly overwhelming. Especially since the three that approach seem to have opened the floodgates for others to gather around.
Elgin handles the conversation on his own, somehow managing to keep the attention off me as much as possible. Unfortunately, it doesn’t keep people from inching closer. Closer. With the more people who gather, the closer they get until the small crowd somehow separates Elgin and me and I’m left with my own battlement of bodies talking over each other.
My eyes dart between them as I try to keep a smile on my face. I keep trying to back away but eventually, I’m as far back as I can get. My hip hits the table, and they’re still closing in. The walls are. The ceiling is. I think the floor is even pulling me under.
A body presses at my back, and I inhale sharply. “All right, guys. Take a step back,” Demi says and I nearly sob. “You need to remember what personal space means, please.”
The crowd obediently gives me a wider berth, apologizing for getting too close. I nod, but I’m no longer seeing straight. The world is rocking.
“Noah needs some air,” Demi says. “Would y’all be so kind as to give him some space for a while?” I don’t know how he manages to sound so serene and kind. While I’m ready to scream.
More apologies. I can hear them but I don’t see anything except the clouds around my vision as tears prickle my eyes.
“Take a breath, Pretty Boy,” Demi says, his lips at my ear. “You need to learn to set boundaries early on, sweetheart. They don’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
I nod, but words still don’t come. My mouth is dry. It feels like my tongue is too swollen.
“Come here. Sit.” Demi guides me to a chair and then pulls his chair close. He rests his foot on the rung between my legs and leans partially over me so he can continue talking to Jakub, who I now realize has also moved his chair closer and the two of them are effectively boxing me in. Hiding me. Giving me a moment to collect myself.
I take a breath and lean heavily into Demi’s chest, turning my face into his neck. His voice is calm and soothing as he talks about… houses? Is he discussing houses? Or backyards? I don’t know.
Once everyone is firmly away from me, it doesn’t take me long to get under control again. Then I feel like an idiot. Demi’s right; I need to learn to set boundaries. Right away. I shouldn’t let myself get to that point.
The problem is that my breaking point comes so damn soon and so quickly that I barely have time to realize it’s there. It just overtakes me, and I’m left floundering without any control of the situation. Ready to drown.
But no more. Now I’m tucked into Demi’s chest and watching the space around us fill up with chattering people with excited, happy smiles as they admire the hockey players they love. It’s the first time since we arrived that I feel at peace. Protected from the world of things that bother me.
Demi’s hands move softly against me. Sometimes across the back of my shoulders, or cupping the back of my neck, occasionally his fingers move through the hair at the back of my head. He’s leaning forward, his opposite arm on his raised knee, effectively concealing me as he leans towards Jakub.
And I can just admire him. The light stubble lining his hard jaw. His perfectly trim eyebrows over stunning light eyes. Straight, perfect nose and strong lips. Yes, they’re strong. I stand by that statement. His hair is as messy as always but it’s short, so it appears stylishly messy.
His broad shoulders and hard body fill out his suit in such a way that you justknowthere’s a god underneath his clothes. And there is. I’ve seen that god. Just a peek.
“You okay, Pretty?” Demi murmurs, his lips pressed against the side of my head.
“Yes. Thanks. But I’d like to just sit right here for the rest of the night if it’s all the same to you.”
He chuckles. “As soon as dinner is over, we’ll get out of here. Just hang in there.”
I nod and cuddle a little closer. Ethan pulls up a chair so my view of the room is completely blocked. He gives me a smile that I swear is filled with mischief. But that’s fine. I return it with one of my own. I’m right where I want to be. Safe. Warm. Happy. Wanted.
TWENTY-NINE
ELIXON
Noah doesn’t eat much.I keep him on my left side so I can still rest a hand on him while we’re seated. At our table there are half a dozen hockey players and then half a dozen others. Ethan sits on Noah’s other side, keeping the crowd away from him.
After his near-meltdown, I’ve kept him as hidden as much as I could manage. Thankfully, Jakub, Ethan, and Creed seemed to pick up on what I was doing and stuck around, helping me shield him too.
He’s been quiet, but I think that has more to do with the environment than anything else. He’s definitely not huge on crowds. They’re obviously detrimental to his mental health, something he has to address with his management. They can’t keep putting him in a position like this. It’s just not fair to him.
Dinner is as quiet as it can be with so many people in a single room and everybody wanting to be heard. I keep my hand on Pretty’s thigh or the back of his chair so he can feel that I’m there at all times. When I have to go to the bathroom, I take him with me. As I promised, I don’t let him go all night.
He’s tense most of the night. Especially when strangers are close. He keeps a pleasant smile on his face but doesn’t say much unless it’s something directed at him specifically that no one can reasonably answer instead. When he talks, it’s quiet. Somewhat aloof. But I can see how hard he’s trying.
“You’re not hungry?” I ask when his dinner is taken away and he’s only eaten a dozen bites.
