Chapter 28 Hawk #2
I try to remember if I ever knew him in school. But I barely remembered him when he started talking to me at the apartment building. He was a cute boy who seemed interested in me. The first boy who ever approached me and seemed to like me.
He didn’t look at me like I was an ant or a have-not. He saw me.
Fuck, I fell into the same trap with Chase. Am I doing the same thing with the Devil’s trio?
They paid attention to me, and I just let them in. Okay, that’s not entirely true.
They came at me hard, but I didn’t exactly cave to them. Not at first, but they made it so hard to ignore them.
“Sorry, she checks out sometimes.” Mia’s words bring me back to the present.
“Sure, it’s not a problem.” Jackson meets my eyes. “There are few people who actually know Evan.”
Yes, and they’re all on the ice right now and not able to claim me in front of him. But I belong to them in ways I’ve never belonged to anyone else. Chase knows about my needing silence, but only because I told him.
Damon takes care of me in a way I haven’t been in years. He makes sure all my needs are met. I lift my gaze and see him on the ice. My heart thumps hard.
Cam knows what it means to be lonely. He balances the other two out.
Hawk is passionate, and when I needed him, he was there. No questions asked.
I feel like they all get part of me and want all of me.
But they haven’t said they love me. They want me and want to keep me for now, but will they ever be able to love me? Is that possible? Because I’m losing my heart to each of them.
For a while, Mia and Jackson trade stats back and forth. He thinks she’s really impressive with the knowledge she’s gained, and she preens. At least, he says that. He could be trying to charm her. As Mia flirts with him without trying to push him on me again, I start to relax.
I focus on the guys skating around their competition like the opposite team is standing still. I try to figure out more about the game and ignore Mia and Jackson.
But my mind keeps spinning. I should be engaging with him while I’m safe.
Is there a way to find out if he’s my creepy texter? The fact he’s shown up at a football game and now the hockey game definitely points in his direction. So maybe that’s the way to out him.
“Don’t you have a scrimmage today?” I ask, interrupting whatever they were talking about.
Mia looks at me curiously.
Jackson smirks and runs his hand through his dark hair. “Nah, it’s a bye week for us. There’s an odd number of teams in the league.”
Okay, that’s a good reason. He said he was checking out the competition. “Didn’t you guys already play Deimos?”
“You should know, pretty girl, you were here.”
My heart stops for a second. He was here and I didn’t know it. How vulnerable was I? I was with Chase the whole time, but did I go to the bathroom alone? Fuck, I’m here. I was safe. I push aside the fear trying to drag me under. “Then why are you here?”
“We play the Coyotes next week. Coach encourages us to go to games when we can.” That’s the opposing team. Jackson’s smile is a little tighter. “Besides, I wanted to see if Mia was here again. I haven’t heard from her since the football game last week.”
Mia smiles. “Like I said, her boyfriend’s being a dick. She’s had a rough week.”
“It’s not a problem. They’re good questions. She’s looking out for her friend.” His eyes sparkle with mischief when he catches mine. “Evan has always kept me on my toes. I thought I lost her.”
Those words. Fuck, is he toying with me? Making me sound like the crazy one? Maybe he just wants to punish me for disappearing on him after he kissed me.
The buzzer sounds, and I look out as the teams leave the ice. Damon hangs back, skating slow circles around the rink. My heart buzzes when he meets my gaze. Let me take care of you.
“That’s weird.” Jackson nods toward the ice. “Usually the coach would call in everyone so they can clean the ice.”
“Damon’s going to go pro.” Mia sighs as she watches him skate. “There aren’t many who do. But he’s definitely going to draw attention when he goes to college. He’s the real deal.”
“He’s okay.” Jackson scoffs. “If you like a wealthy kid making it. He had all the best equipment and daddy to pay for extra training.”
“You’re the underdog story then?” Mia asks, curling her hair around her finger.
“I got into a great program because I earned it, not because daddy paid for my spot.” There’s bitterness in Jackson’s tone.
I swallow. What will he do when he knows Damon’s claimed me? What will he do to Damon? I’d like to believe nothing. But then I’m there in that moment with Jackson kissing me while I couldn’t do anything. There’s something dangerous about Jackson.
And if he’s really watching me like his texts said, then he probably knows about the guys already.
“Hey, Evan.” Cam drops into the seat next to me. He nods to Mia and Jackson.
I glance at the ice, and Damon has disappeared. Cam runs a hand through his wet hair.
“Checking out your competition?” Cam asks Jackson. “The Coyotes were okay, but they’re too weak to play against us.”
Jackson laughs. “I doubt we’ll have any issues then.”
Cam puts his arm on the armrest between us and presses it against me. He’s so warm. I didn’t realize how cold I’d gotten. I want to lean into him but don’t want to antagonize Jackson.
I’ve seen flickers of the predator. They’re brief and I’m not sure he meant for me to see them.
“Did you like the game, goody?” Cam asks. “Did you see the goal I made?”
I smile softly. “Yeah.”
He puffs up his chest, and I want to laugh. His brown eyes sparkle and his arm brushes against my side.
He helps thaw the ice inside me.
“You going to play in college, Cam?” Jackson draws our attention.
“Maybe. It’s not my long-term goal, but it might be interesting.” Cam glances over his shoulder. I follow his gaze to see Hawk heading our way. The tightness in my chest vanishes. One-on-one Jackson might have a chance, but not two on one.
“We’re working on homework with Hawk and Damon this afternoon,” Mia explains to Jackson like he asked. “Cam is just a bonus.”
“Did you hear that, goody? I’m a bonus?” Cam sounds amused. “Evan is tutoring me. Maybe I should come along and get ahead on my studying with the schedule she’s set out for me.” He meets Jackson’s gaze. “She’s a hard taskmaster, but I like it.”
Hawk sits behind me. “Annie.”
My cheeks heat remembering him fucking me against the wall yesterday like he couldn’t wait to get inside me. My body warms, but I’m careful not to look at him.
“What’s up, Jackson? Didn’t have anything better to do on a Saturday morning than to come and talk to my girl?” Hawk leans back in the chair like he doesn’t have a care in the world.
“Your girl?” Jackson looks at Mia.
“News to me.” Mia looks at me.
“He’s teasing.” I don’t need Mia telling Chase I’m with Hawk before we can get through tonight.
“You don’t have girls at your school, Jackson?” Cam asks.
“Not like Mia here,” Jackson says, but his eyes are on me.
A cold chill runs along my spine.
“You should come to the party tonight.” Mia straightens. “It’s a small get-together. It’d be nice to have a date with me. Evan is going to be with her ex all night.”
Jackson’s face flashes with anger before it’s gone again. It’s so quick, I might have imagined it.
“Yeah, maybe. I still have your number.” He smiles and begins to rise. “Just don’t block me.” He winks at her, but his gaze goes to mine.
She laughs. “Trust me I won’t.”
Jackson nods to the guys. He focuses those intense dark eyes on me. “I’ll be seeing you, pretty girl.”
He heads down the aisle as Damon comes my way from the opposite direction.
“Did he say anything?” Cam asks.
Mia looks confused.
“Just some things that sounded like the texts, but nothing concrete.”
Hawk turns to Mia. “We’ll see you at Damon’s house. We have Annie.”
I stand and Damon closes in on me. He pulls me into his arms and glares at Mia. I don’t care. I’m safe here. I breathe him in and let him hold me.
“I’ll see you at the house then.” Mia leaves.
“Come on, little devil. You ride with me.”