Fool Me Once (New England Bay Sharks #2)

Chapter 12

I ’ll hand it to Smith; Paige is really nice. I guess I already knew that from Friendsgiving because Saylor told me she was, but now, I know even more that she’s someone I want to be friends with. She’s not only sweet, but she’s real.

Her friend and another player’s wife, Poppy, is also sitting with us. She and her pregnant belly are adorable, but what I love most is that she has the mouth of a pirate. I understand why Saylor has told me in the past that she likes her.

My mouth is bad, but Saylor’s is way worse. And Poppy’s? A whole other level.

When my ball cap starts to slowly creep up, I pull it down a little lower, just like I have been wearing it throughout the game. I know I’m being paranoid, but I can’t help it.

“Looks like they are going to pull off this win,” Paige says, excited, next to me before gently nudging my side. “Glad Smith turned it around after that first period.”

“For real. I’m not sure if he knew he was on the ice or out getting an ice cream.” Poppy snorts. “Boy looked lost.”

I shouldn’t, but I giggle because it’s true. The first bit of the game, Smith did seem a little lost. But after a while, he blew me away with how good he is now. He was the star player in high school too. But now that he’s a professional athlete, it’s like he’s a whole other animal.

“I haven’t seen him play since we were in high school,” I admit. “I’m just happy that he got it together. That was a little painful to watch at first—not gonna lie.”

It’s true too. But he’s not the only player I haven’t watched since high school. I haven’t watched any hockey at all since then. Hockey reminded me of Smith, and as pathetic and cliché as it sounds, I couldn’t stand to even look at a hockey puck after everything went down with him.

Paige leans a little closer. “ You know , I’ve watched him play on this ice many times, and I’ve never seen him play like shit either. But you know what was different about those other times?” she chimes.

“What?” I turn toward her, knowing exactly where she’s heading with this.

“Ooh, I know! I know!” Poppy laughs.

“You weren’t here, sista.” Paige waggles her eyebrows up and down playfully at me. “I’d say you made that boy nervous tonight, which says something because that dude is usually cockier than a rooster in a henhouse.” She waves a hand toward the ice. “But then again, when you look like that , why wouldn’t you be cocky?”

“So true,” Poppy utters. “So, so, so true.”

My eyes float back to the ice as the game starts again, and I watch in awe as Smith skates effortlessly inside the arena. I’m sure the other players are equally amazing, but my sight is drawn to him.

“Yeah, right,” I mumble. “Trust me, it’s not like that with us. Not anymore.”

“I said that when I moved back in with my husband after a year and a half.” Paige snorts. “Look how that turned out.” She holds her hand up, showing off her beautiful diamond ring. “And, Poppy, didn’t you and Walker grow up together and then lose contact for, like, years or something?” Paige waves toward Poppy’s swollen belly. “And just look at you now.”

“Yep, I hated that fucker when he first came back around me,” Poppy admits, nodding her head with one hand resting on her stomach. “Hate sex is fun though. Highly recommend. Ten out of ten.”

“That is true.” Paige nods in agreement. “Kolt and I did some hateful yet unspeakable things in one of our old high school classrooms.” She fans herself with her hand. “It was … yeah … ten out of ten for sure.”

“You little slut!” Poppy whispers. “You’re a dirty girl, Paige Kolburne.”

Having Poppy here almost feels like Saylor is here because of how unfiltered they both are, and I feel a pang of guilt in my stomach, wondering how she is doing, adjusting to her new home in South Carolina. We talk every day, and she says she’s good, but there’s something in the tone of her voice that tells me otherwise .

I just want her to be happy.

The Sharks score another goal, and I feel the only set of eyes on me that have the ability to melt a hole in my soul. And when I stare back at Smith, I can just barely see that damn crooked grin. And I curse my stupid heart for fluttering this way, knowing he’s the reason why.

I grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator and twist the top off before guzzling the entire thing down. After the game, I got hung up in interviews, and Kolt was talking with Coach, so he told the girls to take his truck home and he’d catch a ride with me instead. I was nervous about Gemma coming into the house alone so late, but with the number of cameras I have set up, all linked to my phone, I knew it was fine and that I was being overprotective.

On the way home, I told Kolt some of the shit that was going on with Gemma. Not in great detail, but enough so that he knew she could potentially be in danger. Kolt is one of those people you’d want in your corner if the world was against you. I know it’s not my story to tell, and I probably shouldn’t have said anything, but, fuck, I just got to talking shit out, and it happened.

I wasn’t sure if Gemma would wait up for me or go to sleep. I was leaning toward her waiting for me because I knew she had a bit of trouble sleeping, but when I got here a few minutes ago, the house was quiet, and I knew she’d gone to bed. Not that I can blame her. She’s been home for an hour and a half, and it’s late.

Tossing the empty bottle into the recycling bin, I start down the hall, and that’s when I hear it.

A bloodcurdling scream, coming from Gemma’s room.

Bolting quickly, I sprint to her room just as I hear another one. When I reach for her doorknob, it’s fucking locked. I don’t know what the fuck is going on in there, and I don’t have time to wait around to find out. Stepping back, I kick the door as hard as I can, and it flies open .

Storm is beside her, his ears back as he sits up on the bed, not knowing what to do.

“Stop,” she whispers, so distraught that I can barely make out the word. “No! Stop!”

She’s crying now, and the last thing I want to do is scare her more, but I can’t let her be stuck in this nightmare, so I sit on the edge of the bed and put my hands on her arms.

“Please,” she whimpers, her lips quivering, even in her sleep. “Please … no!”

I can’t fucking take it anymore. I can’t stand to hear her this scared and sad.

“Gem,” I say softly as she flails, her entire face crumpled with tears rolling down her cheeks. “Gemma, it’s me. Wake up.”

Her body is covered in sweat, and I feel like my whole entire soul is being mutilated just from witnessing this and knowing that she had to live this fucking nightmare in real life.

Her eyes fly open, wide with panic, and she sits up in bed. Once she realizes I’m here, another emotion takes over.

Shame.

“You’re okay, baby.” The words slip out before I can stop them. “You’re safe.”

Her chest rises and falls as she pulls in more shaky breaths, trying to calm herself down.

“Smith,” she croaks out.

“That’s right; it’s me.” I nod, moving my hands to her cheeks. “Just breathe, okay?”

I fight back tears of my own, just wanting to be strong for her. I’m supposed to be the one person she can lean on right now, but even I feel like I’m in over my head.

I don’t know how to fix her, but I know one thing: I’ll never fucking stop trying to help her.

“Can you stay with me?” She pulls her knees closer to her body, her lips quivering. “Please?”

“For as long as you’ll let me, I’ll be right here,” I whisper, wrapping my arms around her and kissing the top of her head. “Just know you’re safe, Gem, I swear. ”

She sniffles, nodding her head against me. I feel her tears soaking my shirt as I continue to hold on to her. I meant what I said; I will stay for as long as she’ll let me. And when the day comes when she wants to leave, I’m going to beg her to stay.

I threw the girl away once, but I’m never going to make that mistake again.

Slowly, I lie down on the bed, pulling her against my side, and for once, she doesn’t fight me.