Chapter 15
Layla
MOMMA BEAR
how’s the game going sweetie?
LAYLA
good! IceHawks are up 3-1
MOMMA BEAR
and how are the girls?
LAYLA
well!
MOMMA BEAR
and you?
are you feeling okay? Not tired or anything?
LAYLA
I’m good Mom
more than good
I promise x
Ican’t tear my gaze away as Kieran bows his head to whisper something in the rival player’s ear, the very one he slammed into the boards in front of us, nearly giving me a heart attack.
The tension radiating off Kieran is like nothing I’ve ever seen before, the energy so palpable I can sense it from my seat. I know hockey fans love violence, but I can’t shake off this horrid feeling in my gut that it’s more than just the standard game fights.
Something is wrong.
Bella whistles low. “Fucking Montgomery.”
“Who is he?”
Cindy grunts. “The smallest man who ever lived.”
Emmy leans forward on my lap, her hands pressed to the glass as if she can’t get close enough.
She just keeps repeating Daddy, over and over.
Her little excited squeals join the cheers of the crowd anytime Kieran moves into her line of sight.
And when he sits on the bench, she jumps up and down so much it’s a challenge just to hold her.
Watching Kieran in his element has left me stricken. He was born to be a hockey player. Anyone watching could see that. The way he moves is so languid, like skating comes as natural as walking. That’s all I could focus on before the altercation.
Bella leans into my side from the left, her hand deep in a popcorn bucket. “That was the player trying to take Grayson’s position on the team.”
Cindy joins in on my right. “He’s as dirty as they come, but he’s sneaky about it. Very selective with his words so the refs don’t hear his taunts, and his plays are just on the cusp, making it so he technically didn’t do anything.”
My nose wrinkles as my eyes track him and the death glare he’s sending Kieran in the penalty box. “What a creep.”
“No wonder he’s going after Kieran tonight, he’s on fire,” Bella notes.
“Maybe it’s because he’s trying to impress a certain someone tonight,” Cindy adds with a wink.
“Yeah.” I heft Emmy up higher, letting her stand on my legs despite knowing I’ll have bruises from it later. “Emmy.”
Bella rolls her eyes as Cindy snorts. “Keep telling yourself that.”
Blowing out a breath, I lower my voice so the little ears in front of me don’t hear, even though she’s not paying me a lick of attention. “I’ve told you girls he’s not interested. He just likes to flirt with me since I’m probably the only woman who’s said no to him.”
Bella hums under her breath, watching Grayson as he flies down the ice. Cindy smiles to herself. “Whatever you say, Layla.”
The sudden gasps filling the arena has my head snapping back to the ice. Kieran’s back out, and he’s not alone. He and Montogomery are locked together, pushing one another with their helmets.
“What the…” I trail off.
Grayson skates over and O’Connor launches from his spot on the bench, his fists curling in anticipation.
Montgomery pulls back, his eyes sliding to the side and landing on me. Something flashes in them, a knowing look before he turns to Kieran with such a grin full of spite I shiver in disgust.
His lips move, and whatever he says has Kieran’s face contorting in fury.
If I thought he looked angry before, it is nothing compared to now.
In a split second, Kieran’s gloves are off and he’s throwing punch after punch at Montgomery. It’s as if a torrent of anger has been unleashed. He’s nothing short of feral.
The crowd loses their ever-loving minds, their chants rising to a fever height. Bella and Cindy gasp, jumping to their feet, but I’m frozen in my seat until Carlton and Allie spring into action behind me. “Emmy, honey, look at me,” Allie coaxes.
Quickly snapping out of my shock, I spin Emmy to face her behind me, keeping my hand on the back of her head. She doesn’t need to see this. Hell, even I’m struggling to watch the violence occurring. My stomach won’t stop rolling.
My heart is in my throat as Montgomery whips off his helmet and swings back at Kieran, but he’s at least faster. He has Montgomery on the ground in the blink of an eye and his fists don’t stop swinging.
I should be worried for the other player, we should be asking why Kieran isn’t stopping, but what I want to know is if Kieran is okay. I want to know what made him snap, what put the utter devastation on his face as he cries out in pain.
“What the fuck did Chase say to him?” Cindy spits.
“Kieran never loses it like this,” Bella murmurs, and all that little tidbit does is make my heart pound furiously.
IceHawks swarm in and Grayson is the one to pry Kieran off Montgomery. The referees get between them, though his gaze stays fixed on Montgomery. Blood slowly pours down his face.
Kieran points at him and roars, “Don’t you ever fucking talk about her again!”
Bella sucks in a breath at the same time I do, our shock in sync at the pure venom in his words and the promise in his gaze to hold to his vow.
Allie’s stunned gasp joins ours. “Oh god, Carlton, what did he say to him?”
“I don’t know, dear.”
“He must have said something. Kieran wouldn’t do this unprovoked.”
I turn, catching Carlton stroking Allie’s hand. “I know, dear, it will be all right. Everything will be all right.”
Allie’s face is ashen, her eyes riveted on her boys. It’s evident that Grayson isn’t her only son skating tonight. She loves Kieran with a fierceness that steals my breath, one that I have to physically tear myself away from.
Kieran lifts his head to me, blood dripping down his chin. His eyes trace me frantically, as if he needs to check that I’m okay.
Why the hell is he worried about me? I’m not the one that just got pummeled.
Cindy’s hand snaps out to clasp my forearm. “Oh my sweet Jesus.”
“I think I know what nerve Montgomery hit,” Bella whispers.
Emmy lifts her head then and at the sight of the blood on Kieran’s face, she screams, for the first time tonight not out of excitement. Her hands cling to my shirt with a death grip, tears pouring from her eyes.
Kieran’s face shatters as he takes in her fear.
The ref skates up behind him and ushers him off the ice, but even after Kieran is gone, she continues to scream.
“Emmy, darling, it’s okay. He’s okay, I promise.”
“Take her to see him,” Allie suggests. “She won’t settle until she sees that he’s all right.”
I’m nodding, our thoughts aligned, but for some reason my tongue won’t spit those words out.
It’s a flurry of commotion, Allie packing up her things, her hands shaky until Carlton takes over the task, while Cindy grabs both her bag and mine, Bella wrapping up the coats.
Emmy and I are ushered out of the seats, the fans around us watching like a hawk as we make our way out of the arena.
“Come on, we’ll meet him in the medical room,” Bella says, leading my shell-shocked body.
Cindy and Bella must have done this before because when we reach a hallway with a big burly security guard, all he does is roll his eyes and step aside.
“No need for the verbal assault this time, ladies. Go on through.”
Cindy grins as she struts past him, patting his shoulder. “Good man, Lenord. Very well trained.”
Part of me wants to ask what the hell that was all about and why she and Bella burst into a fit of laughter but Emmy is still clutched in my arms crying her poor little heart out, and I have to admit, my heart isn’t faring much better than hers.
I need to know he’s okay, physically and emotionally.
“Cindy and I will wait here. It’s just through that door,” Bella offers, pointing to the door to my left.
“Thank you!” I call over my shoulder as I push my way through after lightly knocking.
Kieran, lying on a makeshift bed, sits up abruptly, the blood that was dripping down his lip and along his chin now dry, but Emmy’s tears find a new wave at the sight, making his face crumble.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t get her to settle. I thought maybe she needed to see you were all right.”
Kieran shakes his head, waving me off. “No apology necessary.” He blows out a breath to steady himself before he tries to move off the bed. “I’m glad you brought her. Hey, Emmy, sweetie.”
His voice grows tight, his muscles straining. I quickly make my way over, placing my free hand on his thigh to stop him. Even his pants are wet with sweat. “Don’t hurt yourself further,” I whisper.
Emmy clutches her hands to her chest, obviously fighting whether to lunge for him or not.
Kieran holds out his hands, trying to give her a gentle smile, but it doesn’t soften the blood caking his face.
“Come on, sweetie, Daddy’s all right.” He motions for her to move toward him. “I promise, come on.”
Ever so slowly, she tips forward and he jumps at the opportunity, sliding his hands under her arms and gently placing her in his lap. Her eyes stay glued to his face—to the blood.
Peering around the room, my eyes land on a box of Kleenex. I grab a few tissues, flicking on the tap and drowning out Kieran’s soft murmurs trying to reassure her.
“You might be believable if I wipe off the blood,” I tell him, holding up the wet tissues.
His brow quirks. “You want to play nurse with me, sunshine?”
The hurt feelings and tension from last night seem to have entirely evaporated, and a selfish part of me is feeling endlessly giddy over the fact he’s flirting with me again.
Another part is trying to tell me why I feel that way, but I’m choosing to ignore it entirely.
I scoff. “Clearly your head is fine if you’re still trying to flirt with me.”
Kieran places Emmy down beside him gently, her gaze never leaving him as he swings his legs over the bed and parts them, allowing me to move forward.
Now my brow rises.
He winks. “I promise not to bite.”
I fight off a laugh, not even bothering to point out that he’s not allowed to flirt with me while Emmy is here because if it takes his mind off any pain he’s feeling, I’ll happily let it slide.
And I missed his teasing, a small voice whispers.
Forcing myself to take a steadying breath, I step forward, trying to rein in the gasp that wants to escape as I stand between Kieran’s legs.
The heat of him burns my skin, the hairs along his legs tickling my waist. Biting my lip, I’m surprised I don’t draw blood as I physically force myself to not moan or shudder.
Averting Kieran’s eyes and the hypnotic nature of them, I concentrate on cleaning the dry blood along his cheeks, chin, and…lips.
With Kieran’s arm firmly around Emmy, keeping her tethered to his side, I lift the Kleenex and gently clasp his chin, surprised to find my hands steady as I ask, “Has someone come to take a look at your injuries?”
“What makes you think I’m injured?”
“The blood is a pretty dead giveaway.”
His voice lowers. “Not my blood.”
“Oh.”
The brush of his stubble along my fingers has a shiver wanting to wrack my body. Lifting another Kleenex to his face, I gently wipe away the blood, all the while ignoring the heat that’s pooling in my lower belly.
I’ve never been in this type of position with a guy before. Have never been between their legs, have never had such a strong, masculine man with his undivided attention on me.
I can feel his eyes trailing along my skin, his gaze like a searing touch.
It’s heady.
It’s…fuck, it’s making me light-headed.
Not lupus, I remind myself. Just a wildly attractive man who I apparently want to kiss.
Shaking myself out of this stupor, all I have to do is look to Emmy and I remember why I’m here and what I’m doing.
I’m the nanny.
And nothing else.
“How’d I do?”
His rough, gravelly voice has my eyes snapping up to his and, damn, was that a mistake.
Sucking in a sharp breath, my body seems to sway forward on its own, sucked in by his eyes—those damn blue eyes that twinkle down at me as if he knows exactly how he affects me.
“Do with what?” I murmur back. “Pummeling him?”
His mischievousness winks out like a flame doused by water. “Oh, I know I did well with that.” His jaw clenches. “Bastard deserved it.”
We fall silent as something passes over his eyes.
Before I can remind myself of how unprofessional it would be, how it would be crossing another line, one that Kieran loves to dance along, I’m blurting out, “What did he say to you?”
“What makes you think he said anything?” His gaze flicks back and forth, searching mine as I remain caught between his legs. “What makes you think I didn’t do it because that’s just what I do?”
I shake my head. “It’s not in your nature, and I know he said something to you because I saw the look on your face.”
“And what was that?”
“One of pain.”
His Adam’s apple bobs.
“What did he say?” I probe again, too far gone to stop asking.
The question hangs between us as something builds, a current of energy that can’t be ignored, a magnet in both our chests that has us leaning toward each other before Kieran shakes his head and pulls away.
“He said nothing.”
I lick my lips. “Right. Sorry I asked. It was unprofessional,” I whisper, unable to hide the hurt in my voice.
Kieran blows out a breath that’s so full of weight his shoulders slump as I pick up another Kleenex and continue cleaning the blood off him. My eyes slide to Emmy, where she’s sucking her thumb and still staring at her dad.
Me too, girl, me too.
I turn his chin to the left, though his eyes remain on me. “Sorry, it’s just…it was deranged and revolting and…” He swallows suddenly before reaching up to clasp my hand, halting my movements. “He spoke about you.”
The words are guttural, as if he’s struggling to get them out.
“Me?” My head rears back. “Why would he talk about me?”
Kieran’s eyes search mine. “He knew he would hit a nerve.”
Silence stretches across the room, along with tension so thick I’m surprised I can still breathe.
“Why am I a nerve to hit?” I ask slowly, not entirely understanding.
“Because you’re—”
“Daddy,” Emmy says softly.
Our conversation halts, entirely forgotten. Kieran smiles down at Emmy like she just hung the moon. She reaches up, placing a hand on his now clean cheek.
“Yes sweetie, I’m Daddy,” Kieran says with such emotion in his voice I move to step back, to give them privacy, but his hand snaps out, clasping mine.
“Kieran—”
“Stay,” he whispers.
The door behind him bursts open and if the uniform is anything to go by, I’m guessing it’s the team doctor. While Kieran’s distracted, I slip out of his hold, my hand tingling from where he held it.
“Ashford,” the woman tsks, disappointed.
“Don’t even start, Stacy. You know damn well he deserved that beating.”
She looks down at Emmy. “Let me guess, this is the one he talked about to provoke you?”
“Yes,” Kieran whispers, but his eyes aren’t on Emmy. They’re on me.