Chapter 27
TWENTY-SEVEN
ISLA
In the empty arena, we sit in the penalty box, looking out at the ice. I didn’t know where we’d go or if we’d just ride around, but when Hendrix pulled into the parking lot, I somehow wasn’t surprised.
“The arena is the place I feel mostly valued.” His voice is low and pained. “I don’t have family I spend holidays with or a section of loved ones who watch my games. But when I’m here … the NEU fans love me. At least, they love the idea of me.”
Hendrix leans forward against his knees, gazing out onto the ice.
“You have so many people who love you, Isla. And not just fans, but friends and family. You have everything I’ve never had, and I guess I convinced myself that I didn’t belong in your world.
And that there wasn’t room for me.” His hands clasp together.
“I don’t know how to be the guy you deserve, and I’ll probably fuck it up.
I know I will. But I’m going to ask you to give me a chance anyway. ”
Finally, he looks at me. “I accepted my reality a long time ago, and I never really cared to demand more out of life than what I’d been given.
My mom chose drugs over me and Lilly. Reality.
My dad gave a drug dealer permission to kill me because I came between him and his business.
Reality. My sister is gone, and I have to accept that I may never see her again.
Reality.” His voice grows thick with raw emotion, and I wait to see if he’ll push through or hide again.
“But then you came along, and I suddenly don’t want to just accept that reality. I want more.”
Slowly, his hand lifts, and he cups my cheek. “I want you, Isla. I know I don’t deserve you. I know you’re way out of my league. But I promise, if you give me a chance … I’ll work my ass off to make you happy.”
Tears fill my eyes, and I turn sideways in my seat, pressing my forehead to his. “I’m not out of your league, Hendrix.” I sniffle. “And … I want you too.”
“You are, but it’s okay,” he murmurs. “Before I say anything else, I need to tell you something. And I just hope that it doesn’t scare you away, but I can’t keep it from you anymore, Isla. If you’re going to give me a chance, you deserve to know everything.”
My heart rate picks up. I’m scared that whatever he’s about to say is going to pop this sweet bubble we’re in.
“When I followed you into that closet, I knew why you were in there,” he whispers, keeping his forehead against mine.
“I had known that douchebag was your dad because I had him for a coach. I watched him walk in and not even look at you, and I wanted to fucking kill him right there. I almost walked up and punched him, but then I saw you rush away, and I knew I needed to help you. I had seen the panic on your face, and I fucking hated it.”
His words hit me like a freight train, but once they sink in, I sit here … stunned. I think back to when we had sex for the first time, and I confessed to him that was why I was in the closet to begin with. He didn’t give me a single clue that he knew.
“You … you knew?” I finally choke out the words. “You’ve known the whole time?”
“Yes, Isla,” he says quickly, reading me like a book and knowing that I’m about to run away. “But just listen to me, okay? I wanted to tell you. I wanted to tell you so fucking bad.”
Blood rushes to my head, prickling my scalp and making my cheeks burn as I pull away from him and stand up.
Hendrix stands, catching my hand in his before I can leave the penalty box. He pulls my body closer, turning me toward him.
“I am so fucking sorry, Isla. I wish I’d told you sooner, but I’m telling you now, okay?”
The desperation in his voice should rattle me, but the feeling of betrayal fuels me to continue pulling away.
Disappointment spreads through my body like wildfire.
Every time I fall a little deeper, it seems like he just hurts me again. And intentional or not, it really sucks.
“Goddamn it, Hendrix.” The words come out somewhere between a hiss and a sob. “Why in the hell should I fully trust you when, yet again, you lied to me?”
“I didn’t lie, Isla. I just wasn’t forthcoming, and that was wrong. I fucking know it was.”
“So then, answer my question. Why should I trust you?”
His eyes sweep over my entire face like he’s searching for something, though I have no idea what it is. Suddenly, his lips part, eyes narrowing the slightest bit in seriousness.
“Because I fucking love you, all right?” he yells frantically. “Because I love you more than I’ve ever loved anything in my entire life. And that’s got to count for something, right?”
As much as I hate it, his confession roots my feet to the floor, and tears blur my vision. He kept something from me, sure, but he also just told me the truth. That he’s in love with me.
He cups my face, looking down at me before backing me up until my back hits the plexiglass.
“I wanted to tell you, I just didn’t know how.” His eyes fill with tears. “I was scared of losing you before I even got a true chance to make you mine. So, being the selfish motherfucker I am, I kept it inside, telling myself I’d give you the truth when the right time came.”
His thumb swipes away a tear of mine, and he kisses my forehead. “I’m sorry, Isla. But I’m telling you, no more secrets. No more sabotaging. No more fucking up.”
Sniffling, I stare up at him when he pulls back. Tears stream down my cheeks, and my lips quiver. “Do you promise?”
Sliding one hand into the back of my hair, he nods.
“Good,” I squeak. “Because I love you too, Hendrix Hunt. And I can’t keep letting you rip my heart into pieces over and over.”
“You won’t have to, I swear on my own life—” He stops, his brows pulling together. “You love me?”
Nodding, I slide my hands around his waist. “Yeah. I do. So, stop fucking up, okay?”
Instantly, his hand pulls back gently on my hair, angling my chin up, and his lips crash to mine. His arm loops around me, lifting my body up. I wrap my legs around his waist, never pulling my lips away from his.
His erection grows harder, grazing my ass, and I grind my body against it, making myself whimper with need.
“I need to feel you right now,” I breathe out against his mouth.
What better place than right here, at the stadium, somewhere so sacred to both of us? With the lights off and no one around to judge us, he grunts in agreement, his cock steel now.
Setting me down gently, he tugs at my dress, but before he can get it down, I grab his belt and begin undoing his pants.
Keeping my eyes on his, I watch his pupils dilate as I unbutton his pants and push them down over his waist to set his cock free. I’ve yet to taste him, and I’m not leaving here until I do.
With my body up against the wall, I sink to my knees and pull him closer. The second I open my mouth and flick my tongue to the tip of his cock, his right hand smacks up against the plexiglass, and something between a growl and a whimper slips from his lips.
“Fuck, baby,” he huffs out desperately. “I’ve thought about this moment so many times. I can’t believe it’s about to come true.”
Keeping my eyes on his, I open wider, this time taking more of him into my mouth before slowly pulling back.
I don’t need to hold his dick straight out because he’s so hard that it does it all on its own.
I angle my head down slightly, spitting down onto his length before dragging my tongue from the base to the tip.
Reaching the head, I put my mouth around it, swirling my tongue and relishing in the sounds slipping from his throat.
With the need to drive him wild, I take him into my mouth again, but now, deeper. Opening my throat wide, I grip his legs and make my body rock back and forth, pushing him further each time.
“That’s it, baby,” he grunts. “Every inch.”
I moan against him before grabbing his free hand and bringing it to the back of my head, wanting him to take what he needs from me.
When he realizes what I want, he growls a slew of inaudible sounds before roughly tangling a hand into my hair.
He thrusts my head back and forth, harder and faster onto his length.
His cock hits the back of my throat, and I gag.
But before he can take mercy on me, I bring him deeper again, this time holding him there for a few seconds.
“Fuuuck,” he cries out. “Tell me, baby, are you going to let me claim your tight throat as my own?” he grunts. “Are you going to let me come in that perfect mouth?”
Not answering, I stare up at him and nod subtly, and his jaw tenses.
“Fuck yeah, you are. You’re so good to me, baby. So fucking good.”
He thrusts in and out, staring down at me. Within seconds, his movements become jerky, and the salty taste hits my tongue while I practically pant in need against him.
I do something I’ve never done before. I swallow him down. Every single drop. And when his body stops quivering, I pull back and stand. Ready for more. And I know that’s what I’m going to get when he flips my body around and pushes me against the plexiglass.
HENDRIX
With her dress lifted up, I groan when I see she’s bare underneath and push her cheek to the plexiglass, sliding my dick into her soaked heat.
In the quiet, dim arena, her moan is fucking loud, and I love it.
She may have just sucked my dick and made me see fucking stars, but my cock is still hard and ready to feel her pussy wrapped around it.
My hips slap against her ass as I thrust deeper inside of her, making a whimper rip from her throat.
“You take my dick so good, Nineteen,” I hiss into her ear, pressing her harder against the side. “And this pussy is all mine now, isn’t it?”
She cries out, “Yes,” but it’s not clear enough. I need her to tell me for sure.
“Say it, baby,” I growl. “Because I promise, every fucking inch of my cock is yours. Every fucking drop of my cum, you own.”
“Yes,” rushes from her lips. “Every part of me belongs to you now.”
My cock pulsates inside of her, the thought of her being mine making my head whirl and my pulse quicken.
I fuck her like this a little longer before I pull out and spin her around.
Sitting on the bench, I pull her down onto my lap, pushing the fabric of her dress away to give me a clear entrance.
Greedily, she sinks down onto me, crying out with each inch that fills her up.
Her nails dig into my shoulders, and I keep my hands around her waist.
“Fuck me, baby. Make me come,” I growl against her neck.
Her eyes stay locked on mine, and I don’t know what she’s going to do or say. Her hair is fucking wild, just the way I like it. And in her gaze, there’s that bit of unruliness I love about her. The one that no one else knows is there.
“This cock is mine,” she practically growls. “And I’ll let you come when I’m ready to.”
“Take it then. Take what’s yours,” I grit out.
Take it she sure fucking does. Slamming herself onto my dick, she bounces up and down on my lap, owning every fucking inch of me.
I don’t want to come until she tells me it’s time, but Christ almighty … it’s hard not to blow my load right inside of her right now. She looks so good, riding my dick this way, and she feels fucking amazing, all warm and tight around my cock. How the hell am I supposed to hold it inside?
Her mouth opens, and her forehead creases. Her bouncing becomes rocking, and I feel it … she’s about to come.
“Come with me,” she whispers, her gaze growing hazy. “Right … now.”
On command, I come inside of her, digging my fingertips into the fabric of her dress and fighting back a grunt when she cries out, tossing her head back and riding her orgasm out by gently bouncing on my lap.
I pull her forward, burying my face into her neck as the last bit of cum shoots inside of her, filling her full as our movements slow, and we both grow still.
For a few minutes, we just sit here with our bodies against each other, breathing together. Finally, she leans back and looks at me, a little grin tugging at her lips.
“So … public spice seems to be our thing.” She grimaces. “I hope there are no cameras in here.”
“There are,” I muse, loving the instant panic on her face. “But don’t worry; we’ll sneak into the monitor room before we leave and reset them.”
Relaxing, she sighs. “Thank God.”
My eyes roam her beautiful face, a face that has always reminded me of an angel, and run my fingers up and down her back.
“So … if I love you and you love me, wouldn’t that make you my girlfriend?”
She giggles, hooking her arms around my neck. “Well, that depends. Are you asking me to be your girlfriend, Hunt?”
“Yeah, Nineteen.” I nod once. “I am.”
She beams at me, her eyes glimmering before she presses a kiss to my lips. “Well then, I guess I’m saying yes.”
A stupid-ass grin spreads across my entire face, unable to help it.
“So, I did it,” I drawl playfully. “I got the goalie.”
Shrugging, she cocks her head to the side. “Yeah, I guess you did.” Giving me one more kiss, she pulls back. “Now, let’s go reset those cameras before someone finds out.”
When she starts to get up, I tickle her, loving the sounds of her bursting into giggle fits and begging for me to let her go before, finally, I let her stand up, and we both fix our outfits, all while stealing cheesy-ass glances.
I hold my hand out to her, and looking down, she takes it, and we make our way out of the penalty box. A place that is sort of like home to me because I’ve always had so much anger inside that the only way I knew how to deal … was fighting.
Or self-sabotaging.
I’m still going to be Hendrix Hunt, NEU’s most terrifying defenseman. But I don’t want to fight just to fight anymore. And I don’t want to self-sabotage either.
Isla settles me, making me want to be better and reminding me that I have a lot in life to be thankful for.
And in a way, I guess I pull out a side of her that hides in the dark. A side that isn’t so perfect, one that others don’t get to see … and one that I love.
The truth is though, the dark needs the light to show it what it’s missing. And maybe … the light needs the dark too. To hide all the things it doesn’t want the whole world to see.