32 A fun amount

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

A fun amount

WILL

By the time the bus pulled up outside of the Athletes’ Centre, it was late. Past midnight. I was so fucking tired. All I wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep the weekend away.

After saying our goodbyes to the team, the guys and I climbed into my truck and set off for home.

Another away game, another loss. We were holding our position in the standings, but just. Boston was within a game, and Allentown was hot on our tail too. If we didn’t turn things around soon, we could kiss our National Championship hopes goodbye.

“You good, man?” I asked Levi, who was staring out the window.

The opposing centre had taken a nasty run at him, slamming him into the boards. I’d retaliated and served a five-minute major for it, one I was happy to cop.

“Grace went out tonight and hasn’t responded for a few hours.”

Huh, so his mood wasn’t even related to the game.

“I’m sure she’s fine,” I said in reassurance.

Levi didn’t seem convinced. “She sent me a message around ten and it didn’t make any fucking sense.”

He flashed the phone to me. Sure enough, it was a collection of gibberish, which we were quite used to when it came to Hughesy and her Aussie lingo. But this text was another language in itself. And that language was tanked.

“Maybe she’s home already,” I offered hopefully .

Levi bounded straight up the stairs the second I unlocked the front door. He was barely on the top level for five-seconds before he was barrelling back down, zipping up his hockey jacket.

“She’s not there.”

Tripp perked up. “Where is she?”

“Lastlings I think.”

“Looked busy there tonight. Think the soccer team had some event on.”

Levi rested his hands on his hips, looking pensive.

“Do you want to go and check it out?” I offered.

He juggled his hands. “Does it make me a crazy boyfriend if I say yes?”

“No. If something feels off, it’s usually because it is. Better to be safe, right?”

“How about I try Parker,” Ryan offered. “Her and Riley were going there tonight as well.”

My ears caught onto that last piece of information. Riley was there too? Interesting. And concerning maybe.

We all watched Ryan while he held the phone to his ear. After what felt like a full three periods, he ended the call.

“Voicemail.”

“Fuck it.” I pulled my keys from my pocket. “Let’s go.”

*

Lastlings was packed. We had to edge our way into the bar. Once we did, as a pack, Levi, Ryan, Tripp and I looked around.

None of our usual crew were here. Some of the football guys were, as well as the entire soccer team as Tripp had mentioned. There was also a collection of older business guys watching college girls ride the mechanical bull, which was pretty fucking creepy. If any of the riders happened to be Riley, I was prepared to throw some suits out the way.

“Over there,” Tripp shouted, gesturing to the dance floor.

We pushed our way through, pausing to stand at the edge of it. Grace, Riley, Stella, Ava and Parker were dancing in the centre. They looked like they were having fun, jumping around to what I think was Burning Love by Elvis Presley. Probably Hughesy’s request. She was a music girl.

They were surrounded by countless other bodies, all moving to the beat too. The body that caught my attention though was Hayes Braddock. He came up behind Riley, his hands coming to rest on her hips as he ducked to whisper something in her ear. She tensed before shaking her head, but he didn’t get the message. When she attempted to edge away, his grip on her tightened. That’s when I kicked into gear .

I stomped onto the dance floor, not caring whose vibe I killed as I barged through. I could feel the guys on my heel. We were coming off a brutal loss. If it came to it, there was no doubt we had enough anger to throw down with Hayes and whoever stuck up for him. I was hoping it didn’t come down to that though.

Riley helplessly looked up. When her gaze collided with mine, relief transitioned her face. Once I was close enough she squirmed out of Hayes’s grip and walked straight into my outstretched arm. I tightened it over her shoulder, tugging her back to rest against my chest. She death-gripped my forearm, holding it in place over her collarbone. I could feel it heaving up and down.

“Braddock,” I practically snarled.

Hayes looked surprised to see me, and even more surprised to see Riley in my arms.

She felt so fucking perfect there.

“Caufield,” Hayes returned. “I didn’t realise you knew Riley.”

“I didn’t know you knew her either.”

He sneered. “Do you know her like I know her?”

“Doubt it.”

I didn’t like what he was insinuating. I sure fucking hoped he didn’t know her like I knew her.

Hayes’s hair was currently slicked back, the gel making him seem even sleazier than normal, and he was wearing a buttoned polo tucked into cream chinos like he was about to start a round of golf.

I pivoted Riley and me, turning our backs to Hayes. Hopefully that’d give him the message to scram.

“Levi!”

Hughesy launched herself into Levi’s arms, grinning excitedly. He returned her kiss momentarily before pulling back and scrunching his nose.

“Babe, how much have you had to drink?”

She merely shrugged. Not a good start.

I chanced a look at Riley. Her cheeks were tinged pink, and her skin was radiating at a temperature much higher than normal.

“And how about you?” I asked.

She wriggled out of my embrace like a child being told they had to get off the playground.

“A fun amount.”

“Uh-huh.”

The guys and I were out of place on this dance floor. Everybody else was dancing to the fun beat, bodies moving accordingly. I was currently as stiff as they came .

“I think I’m ready to go home,” Grace announced, sliding down Levi’s body and placing her feet on the sticky floor.

He placed a protective arm around her waist. “I think that’s a good idea.”

I subtly checked over Riley. She was swaying on her feet and her eyes had gone hazy. Before she bumped into the girl dancing behind her, I grabbed her hand and tugged her off the dance floor. She came without objection, which told me she wasn’t in a sober state of mind.

Her interlaced fingers gripped mine tightly when I broke through the crowd. There wasn’t exactly anywhere free from lots of people though, so I continued outside.

Riley inhaled deeply when we burst through the doors, like she’d never tasted fresh air before. She dropped my hand to place both of hers on her knees, hunching over like she’d just crossed the finish line of a marathon. I placed a tender hand on her back, moving it up and down. I wasn’t sure whether she was about to throw up. She’d never been great at handling her alcohol.

The sliver of skin showing above her jeans was covered in goose bumps. I shrugged my hockey jacket off and placed it over her shoulders. Smiling appreciatively, Riley slipped her arms through it. My jacket was at least four sizes too big for her petite frame, she didn’t seem to mind though. And I certainly didn’t. I looked her over appreciatively.

After pulling herself back together, she straightened.

“Are you good?” I checked.

“I am now. I just needed fresh air.”

When I blocked her from returning inside, her defences shot back up quicker than my snapshot.

“What are you doing, Caufield?”

“You’re not going back in there, Riley. You’re done.”

Her eyes widened in astonishment. “And what makes you think you have the right to decide that?”

I didn’t. We both knew it. Though as the sober person, I had a duty of honour from preventing anything bad from happening, and letting Riley go back into Lastlings was practically signing off on something bad. Like Hayes fucking Braddock for starters.

“If I hadn’t turned up, you’d currently be getting felt up by Braddock.”

Riley squared her shoulders. “That wouldn’t be new.”

Well, that was like a fucking puck to the face. No, it was more like a thousand pucks being fired at me without protective gear. Now I was the one feeling nauseous.

“Hayes Braddock?” I snapped. “Fuck me, Riley. You can do better.”

She shrugged. “Like you? ”

Placing her hands on her hips, she held my gaze. If she was aiming for a stare off, I was quite confident I would win. Her eyes were cloudy and currently more closed than open.

“I’m hungry,” she hiccupped, shifting the conversation entirely. “Can you take me to get food?”

She stumbled backwards, catching herself on a light pole. Reaching for her, I sighed. You couldn’t converse with a drunk person. And if it got her out of here without complaint...

“Sure.”

The door opened. Levi walked outside with Grace. Her walking ability was almost as wobbly as Riley’s, and Levi looked equally as unimpressed as me.

“Ryan and Tripp are staying.”

I snickered. Of course they were. Those guys were incapable of saying no to a party. I should’ve known this would happen when they offered to come with Levi and me.

“I left them with the girls. They’ll make sure they get home safely.”

Grace dropped Levi’s hand and skipped over to Riley, lowering her mouth to whisper something in Riley’s ear. With her mouth gaping open, Riley listened intently before they both giggled.

Levi stared his girlfriend down. “Care to share, babe?”

“Nope. But I would share a cheeseburger with you.”

When Levi reached for Hughesy’s hand, she tugged him to a halt.

“Wait, Levi. I lied to you.”

Levi looked nervous as all hell. He swallowed. “About what?”

Grace’s serious expression was unnerving me too. Both Levi and I braced, waiting for her to drop a fucking bombshell.

“I don’t want to share a cheeseburger with you,” she whispered. “I want my own.”

Exhaling heavily, I took my keys from my pocket. “Looks like we’re doing a drunken food run.”

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