Chapter 12
Disappointed
~~Aria~~
Drakos Lenkov is up to no good. Why else would he pursue me with such reckless abandon? I’m intrigued and horrified by his aborted seduction. In fact, if he hadn’t asked why I hate him, we’d probably be in bed right now, and sleep wouldn’t be on our minds.
But when he asked that question, I was reminded of what he did to my sister and, most of all, to Noah. That kid deserves a father who’ll love him through thick and thin, not one who walked away without a backward glance and never bothered to meet his son. Nope, Drakos threw away Noah.
This man should be the last guy on earth I’d consider sleeping with, but I’d be lying if I said I don’t want to experience sex with Drakos. Wanting him betrays Anna and Noah, doesn’t it? Well, probably not Noah, as he won’t ever learn about it, and my sister is gone.
Perhaps there’s a way to exact revenge once I sleep with him? I could threaten to write about it. Charles would salivate over a story like that, and there’d be a big bonus for me. Or Drakos would pay good money for me to keep my mouth shut.
Regardless of what the team may think of me, I would never stoop so low as to exploit a night with Drakos, or anyone else for that matter.
Then why do it?
The answer is clear. It would be fun, and it would mean nothing to either of us. We could go back to hating each other and never mention it again. It would be a temporary fork in the road that’s enjoyable and forgettable.
I’m trying too hard to convince myself when I should be trying to discourage myself. I sigh deeply.
“What’re you thinking? I bet you’re picturing me naked. Let me tell you, fact is better than fiction.” Drakos has a mischievous sparkle in those blue eyes so much like Noah’s.
“Don’t flatter yourself.”
“Honey, I don’t need to flatter myself. I know what I’m talking about. This body, this face, this cock, these lips are all designed to pleasure you. I can make you moan with gratification and scream with unbridled passion. I’ll give you the best orgasm you’ve ever experienced.”
“Those are big promises to make.”
“Experience tells me I can keep those promises.”
“I don’t think so, but thanks for the offer. No need to muddy the waters of our hatred with a one-night stand.”
“Who says anything about muddying them? We’ll only be splashing around for a short time in the waves.”
I shake my head, but inwardly my resolve is crumbling. I do want this man regardless of the consequences. I can’t do this. I can’t. Sleeping with him would be a blow to my self-worth. I deserve better, and so did Anna.
“What do you say? Want to take a walk on the wild side with me?” His cocky grin should irritate me, yet I find him even more irresistible.
I shake my head as my body screams yes, yes, yes.
Drakos leans in, and his breath tickles my ear. “Aria, I won’t disappoint.”
I shiver involuntarily and shut my eyes in order to regain my wits about me.
Something I can’t do when gazing at him.
The internal struggle is real. I’m a hot mess of contradictions and confusion.
I want him. I don’t want him. I hate him.
I kind of like him. I want to leave by myself, yet I really want to leave with him.
I open my eyes to find him studying me closely. His face is only inches from mine.
I open my mouth to reject him but blurt out the wrong words.
“I’m still going to hate you afterward.” I panic and try to find a way to back out or claim I’m joking, but I’ve forgotten the gift of speech.
“Anything less would be disappointing.” He grins widely in triumph. I don’t smile. I merely stare straight ahead.
Drakos finishes his beer and asks for the tab. I sip the last of my drink and watch while he pays. My brain works overtime on how to get out of this or if I even want to get out of it.
He takes my hand in his as we stand, but his phone beeps. He glances down and grimaces. “Oh, shit. It’s Kirby. I have to take this.”
He turns away and carries on a muffled conversation. I gather something has gone wrong by his tone. When he turns back around, his exasperation is clear. “We’re going to have to take a rain check. Kirby needs me.”
“Is something wrong?”
An inward struggle plays out on his face before he responds. “No, nothing. Just team business I have to take care of. How about tomorrow night?”
“We’ll see.” I’m not committing to anything. Once I’m away from him and come to my senses, I doubt I’ll be agreeable. We aren’t seizing the moment, and the moment will fade.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s for the best.”
He hesitates as if he wants to say more but doesn’t. Instead, he leans in and gives me a deep kiss before hurrying off. I grab the bar counter to hold myself up. Shit, that kiss just about spun the barstool. It left me feeling dizzy enough.
Watching him go, disappointment laced with relief floods through me. I won’t be able to experience his extensive talents in the art of intercourse, nor will I have the morning-after blues. Intercourse? Damn, I hate that word. It’s so sterile and gross.
I gather my wits and leave the bar. Once in the lobby, I spot Drakos exiting the front doors. I glance toward the elevators, then make what might be a fatal decision. I walk briskly in the same direction he did and onto the sidewalk.
I look around and catch a glimpse of him disappearing into a bar at the end of the block. Marco’s Sports Bar is the name on the outside.
I’m almost running until I reach the bar, then I carefully peek in one of the windows.
It’s dimly lit, but squinting through the glass reveals a disturbance in the back near the pool tables.
This might be the very incident Charles salivated over.
And if it’s real, I won’t be breaking my promise to Gardenia.
I might be able to save my job after all.
I slip inside and keep to the darker edges of the room as I make my way toward the back. No one notices me. They’re focused on the group of people gathered around one of the pool tables.
“This asshole cheats at pool,” a big guy with a mullet and beard declares and jabs a beefy finger in the direction of Koko. My one date with the guy had been uneventful and frustrating. I didn’t even get a kiss goodnight, not that I wanted one. He’s even more full of himself than Drakos.
“You’re the fucking cheater, and you’re also a liar.” Koko is a hothead. I’ve seen him lose his temper before with other players. When he was in the minors, he came out of net and dropped the gloves on a forward who slammed into him. That forward happened to be on his own team.
Drakos and Kirby flank Koko with hands on his arms to hold him back. Dash steps in front of Koko and faces mullet guy, whose buddies step back. As I move closer, I hear one say to the other, “These guys are professional hockey players. They get paid to fight. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
“What about Bubba?” They both glance at their friend, who’s blustering with bravado.
I blink several times, certain I haven’t heard correctly. Bubba? I have to admit he looks like a Bubba, mullet and all. Koko strains to get closer to the guy. Bubba moves forward, and Dash blocks him.
“Let’s all calm down. Can I buy you and your friends a round?” Dash asks casually, as if this scene isn’t about to implode.
“You can fucking move aside so I can teach this little prick a lesson.”
Dash motions to Drakos and Kirby. “Get him out of here.”
Before they can react, Bubba stands in their way.
“You don’t wanna do that.” Dash adopts a casual tone, but his body language is menacing. The team captain is one of the nicest guys in hockey, but he’s capable of turning into an asshole when the situation calls for it. He’s long been a favorite of mine no matter what team he’s played for.
“Bubba, let’s go.” His friend steps forward and tugs on his arm, but Bubba stands rooted to the spot, hands on hips and chest thrust out.
“Not until I settle the score.”
“Bubba, not tonight. Let’s go.”
Bubba isn’t going. In fact, he moves a few steps closer. “Get out of my way. I don’t have a beef with you.”
“Nope,” says Dash.
Bubba moves unusually fast for a big guy built like Santa Claus. He darts past Dash and plants a fist in Koko’s face. The goalie struggles to get free, but Drakos and Kirby hold him back. “Someone grab this guy,” shouts Drakos.
Several Icehawks hurry forward and pull Bubba back. He’s fighting mad, but they’re in way better shape.
“Bubba,” says one of his buddies. “The cops will be here any second. You can’t afford another arrest on your record.”
This seems to wake Bubba from his murderous trance. “Let me go. I’m leaving.” The guys loosen their hold and escort him and his friends out the door.
“Let’s disappear before the police arrive. We don’t need this negative publicity.” Dash gestures toward the back door. “Now.”
A dozen or so Icehawks hurry toward the door. Drakos is last. He glances around the room, spots me, and hesitates. His scowl deepens, making it crystal clear he’s unhappy to see me.
“What the fuck are you doing here? Did you follow me?” He’s angry and perches his hands on his hips, taking on a belligerent posture I rarely see from him. Distrust shines in his eyes.
“Maybe. Maybe not.” I’m not giving him any further information.
“Don’t write about this. Hell, I’ll pay you to keep your mouth shut.”
“I don’t plan on it.” I immediately regret my words because this is exactly the kind of scandal Charles wants and will blow out of proportion. I don’t understand why I’m agreeing to stay quiet. Am I trying to impress this asshole?
“I don’t know if I can trust you.”
I shrug. “You don’t have much of a choice.”
He scowls and rushes after his teammates.
I watch them go before finding a seat at the bar and ordering a beer.
I want the team long gone before I return to the hotel.
Taking my time, I finish my beer, pay the tab, and wander across the street into the hotel lobby.
Once inside, I note that no one I know is in the lobby.
I take the elevator to my room and write up my story for tomorrow.
It’s exactly the kind of content Charles hates, full of facts about the upcoming matchup and speculation on what it’ll take for the Icehawks to win.
I don’t include the incident in the bar.
I send the article to Charles, knowing he’s going to pop a cork when he reads it. With immense satisfaction and trepidation, I turn off my phone after a brief call to Noah. I’m off the clock, after all.
Instead of imagining Charles blowing up my phone, I fall asleep fantasizing about Drakos, which is the last thing I should be doing. We came so close tonight. I should be grateful to Koko for unwittingly saving me from the biggest mistake of my life.
Only I’m not grateful. I’m disappointed.