Chapter 8 #2
I flipped him off and grinned at the sound of his heavy laughter as I slid into my joggers and shoved my feet into my running shoes. My cane was sitting in my stall where it always was, and I shoved my phone into my pocket, figuring I’d order the ride after Vanya was on his way.
“You can walk me out,” I told him.
I heard him jump up. “Yes. Okay.”
Fuck, why was he so eager? Why did I feel so eager?
I did my best to control my breathing as I gathered my bag, my cane, and patted my pocket to make sure my phone was still secure. The cleaning crew would take care of the rest, and tomorrow, when I came in for practice, everything would be in all the right places.
I would give the cleaning team credit for knowing how we all needed to function.
“Alright,” I said, flicking my cane out. I tapped the tip three times near the edge of the bench—my weird little ritual, but it was one I wasn’t giving up anytime soon. I felt Vanya’s presence more than I could smell or hear him. There was a warmth radiating off him.
He had a soothing aura in ways I’d never experienced before.
“You have ride home?” he asked as I passed out the door and held it for him.
My cane tip hit the wall to orient me, and then I led the way down the hall toward the exit where I would eventually catch my ride. “Yeah, I’m good.”
I got lost in the swish-swish-tap of my cane, and the soft plodding of Vanya’s steps that matched my own. It was an odd sort of comfort. A silence I didn’t feel compelled to fill. Every so often, I’d sway into him, and he’d sway back as though I’d done it on purpose.
I didn’t feel the need to correct him.
“You’re busy tonight?”
I frowned as we neared the exit. Was he…fishing? “Uh, apart from gulping down a protein shake and passing out, you mean?”
He snorted softly. “Here, I can get the door. I’m gentleman.”
“Sure,” I said, and he filled the space between us with a booming laugh.
The door opened with a loud creak, and I took in a deep breath of the cold night air.
It was hell on my wet hair, and I’d forgotten my toque, of course, so I pulled my hoodie up over my head, then tried to orient myself.
There was a small post, and my cane swept out until I felt it, and then I pointed my body toward the curb. “Anyway, my car should be here soon.”
“Oh, is here. I see it,” Vanya said. Then he froze. “Wait…”
I was already feeling a rush of panic. My ride couldn’t be here because I hadn’t ordered a car yet. “Is it…is it him again?” Something inside me told me this was wrong. That something was off.
He was too quiet, and then he stepped in close, and his arm curled around my waist. “It’s him.”
I swallowed heavily. “Vanya?”
“Yes?”
“Can you do me a favor?”
“Anything,” he said very softly.
I shifted over until my elbow bumped him. “Don’t leave me alone.”
His hand moved to my cheek and curled around the edge of my jaw. “Never, pretty goalie. He will never get near you again.”
My heart was hammering in my throat so thick and so hard, I felt like I was going to choke on it. I couldn’t believe Hunter was trying this for the second night in a row. Something was seriously fucking wrong with him.
This was straight up serial killer behavior, and I did not want to become one of his victims.
I felt sick to my stomach, and unable to help myself, I swayed toward Vanya, who caught me in a firm grip.
“Micah,” Vanya said quietly, “why won’t you go to police? This is unsafe.”
I shook my head. “You have your car, right?”
“I do.”
“Can you take me—”
“Yes,” he said, cutting me off. “I take you anywhere you want to go.”
“Thank you.” I bowed my head. “We can talk about it once I can get the fuck away from him, okay? I—god. I can’t take this anymore.”
Vanya’s hand moved into my hair, gripping it tightly. It stung, but it was also grounding, and I let out a soft moan. How did any kind of pain create such pleasure? I didn’t know what to do with myself.
Or with him.
But we couldn’t do this here, as much as I did want Vanya to stake his claim on me right in front of Hunter. It wasn’t going to stop him. Vanya was right. I couldn’t keep going like this.
Something had to be done.
I pulled away slightly, until his hand fell away. “I feel like I’m gonna fall on my face. Can you guide me?”
“Anything you need,” he said, like it was the most solemn vow he’d ever taken. His muscles were tense under my grasp, and I could feel him roll his shoulders back like he was puffing his chest out. I fought the urge to touch him and see for myself. “I’m not far. Come. I—oh.”
I stiffened as he took an aborted step toward the curb. “What?”
“He turn the headlights on. I—” His words were cut off when the SUV’s engine started. I didn’t want to believe Hunter would be foolish enough to try anything like running us over, but I also didn’t trust that he wouldn’t.
His behavior was escalating.
“He’s angry.”
I swallowed thickly. “Can you see him?”
“Yes,” Vanya said darkly. “He’s watching. His face look very blank. I know guys like that. Dangerous guys.”
“Fuck,” I whispered.
“It’s okay. Hang on. I will try something.” He detached himself from my grasp, but before I could panic, I felt him turn, and then his hands were on my shoulders, moving to cup around the sides of my neck. My fingernails dug into the rubber of my cane handle. “Okay?” he asked softly.
“What are you doing?”
“Blocking view. He can’t see your face now. He will think your big Russian boyfriend will punch him in the face until he looks like bowl of dal tadka if he tries anything.”
I burst into laughter. I couldn’t help it. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Mm, but it helps, yes? He cannot see you? Now he can think you’re kissing me.” I felt him lean in, felt his breath on my cheeks. He smelled minty—the harsh kind of mints, like Altoids.
It was oddly calming.
“Vanya,” I whispered. “You know this is a bad idea.”
“Yes, but is also very good idea,” Vanya murmured. “But do not worry. We won’t kiss. Just let him think so.”
I didn’t want that. I wanted the real fucking thing, but before I could tell him that, I heard tires on the pavement. They were moving slowly.
Very, very slowly.
Vanya leaned in until our foreheads were touching, and he was shifting us in a slow half circle. I realized he was still trying to hide our faces. One of his hands moved into my hair, and I groaned softly, my arms going firmly around him.
Fuck, I loved that he was so big. So…thick, like a wall of muscle, but soft in the most unexpected places. He was fleshy over his ribs, and he was also not wearing anything except a thin long-sleeve Henley. My fingers played over the little waffled texture.
“What color is your shirt?”
He snorted a quiet laugh. “Blue. Everyone say it bring out my eyes.”
“I bet it does.” I’d heard that phrase before, but I had no idea what it could possibly mean. The concept of sight had always confused me at best, but sometimes there were things I wanted to understand. “What kind of blue are they? Like the sky? Like the ocean?”
“Like…like summer storm. Cloudy. Sort of grey,” he murmured. His forehead was still on mine, and he was rocking it back and forth. I’d lost track of the SUV. Was it still there?
Was Hunter still watching?
“Like the wind right before it rains? That smell?” I asked.
“Yes. I think is a good metaphor.” His fingers in my hair softened to a gentle stroke, then trailed down the back of my neck. “I think…” He moved back. “Yes, he’s gone.”
My entire body sagged forward, and all the breath left my lungs. I might have collapsed, except Vanya was still holding me upright.
“Come on. My car right over to the left.” He started to tug me, but I froze.
“If he’s gone, I can call a ride…”
“Mm, no. Not this time. He didn’t get message last night, and if he comes back, I don’t want you to be alone. I promise I know you can handle yourself. I have seen you fight. You are very vicious. But I don’t trust a man who does something like this.”
I let out a heavy breath. The truth was, I wanted him to stay. I didn’t want to be alone. Last night was hard enough, and right now, I didn’t want to fight this battle on my own. I couldn’t ask him for more than this evening, but for the moment, I let myself lean into my tender, vulnerable spots.
“Thank you.”
His hands spasmed on my waist, and then he let go and tapped his elbow against my arm.
I took it, and my knees managed to stay strong enough to get me across the parking lot and into his car.
It was an SUV too, but not as massive as Hunter’s.
The seats were comfortable, and it smelled like new vinyl.
“I’ll put my address in my GPS,” I told him when he was in the car. It started with a low rumble, and then the silence was filled with the slowed-down voice on my phone. Taking a breath, I turned to face him. “Do you mind if I just…sit here quiet for a bit?”
“Just rest,” he told me. “I will get you home safe.”
If I was wrong, I would have only myself to blame, but in that moment, I trusted him with everything I was.