16. Killian
Killian
I t’s past ten p.m. when Dad and my brothers drop me off at my dorm, and I shut the door behind me before Dad can say anything. I’m still pissed at the things Dad said, and I don’t spare them a second glance as I stomp inside my building.
The common area near the main entrance is packed, and two guys I’ve had a few classes with turn to me and congratulate me on our win. I force myself to smile and thank them, then take the staircase to the second floor because I can’t wait extra seconds for the elevator.
As soon as I get to my room, I switch the lights on and kick my shoes off. I throw my suit jacket on the pile of laundry I’ve got in the corner, and then collapse into my bed.
It’s a good thing that I don’t have a roommate this semester, because as rare as it is, my social battery’s all run out.
Then I remember that I have an unread message from Maddox, which I saw right as we were done with dinner. I delayed reading it then, mostly to avoid accidentally showing Maddox how I am when irritated.
Maddox: How’s dinner?
I blink at the message, and my fingers hover over my screen. Swallowing, I go for the truth .
Me: Fucking horrible. My dad’s a piece of work. My brothers tried to fix it but it was too late, and now I’m pissed off on top of being fucking exhausted.
So much for not showing Maddox how I am when I’m in a bad mood. God, he must find it off-putting—even I don’t like myself when I’m cranky. I scramble to send another message.
Me: BUT!!! I am back in my room now so all is good ;)
Me: How did your night go?
Maddox: It was good. Sorry your dinner sucked after that incredible win. Any way I can help?
Me: Yeah. Come see me.
I grin at my phone. Knowing Maddox, he’ll probably just brush my message off.
It’s impressive how my mood soars now that I’m talking to him, though.
My chest still feels tight, my shoulder’s sore, and I just want to curl up and sleep, but I don’t want to stop talking to Maddox.
He single-handedly refueled my battery through a few text messages.
Maddox doesn’t reply for a good five minutes, and I assume he’s gone to sleep.
Sighing, I put my phone to the side and close my eyes.
I’m too tired to even change my clothes or shut off the lights—and when someone knocks on my door, I try not to be annoyed by it.
It’s probably a guy from the team asking if I want to go celebrate.
“Come in,” I call out.
The door opens slowly, and as soon as I see who it is, my heart jumps to my throat.
“Maddox!” I sit up so quickly that I get a head rush. Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, a wide smile spreads across my face.
He’s still in my jersey, a detail that makes me way too damn giddy. I swear my chest vibrates. Maddox gives me a slight smile and steps in, closing the door quietly behind him.
“I was hanging out in Nick and Caleb’s room,” he explains. “Rhys was there too… They were actually wondering if you were back already.”
“Oh. Did they know you were coming here? ”
“Only Rhys.”
Maddox glances around my room. Since I don’t have a roommate, I convinced the dorm manager to remove the second set of furniture, but the room’s still nowhere near as spacious as Maddox’s.
It’s also not as neat—if I had known he was coming, I would have at least picked my laundry up off the floor.
My room’s a mess, with random shit lying around such as a worn football and a baseball bat.
There are even at least two pucks hiding in here somewhere.
He brings his attention back to me and smiles. “Rhys told me what room you were in. Funny how he knew I was going to ask.”
“Yeah, he’s pretty intuitive. He always seems to know what’s going on with everyone around him, which is one reason he’s a great captain.”
He hums, then looks me over from head to toe. “Are you all right?”
“Uh-huh.”
My voice comes out low and monotone, which is probably why Maddox frowns and gives me an unconvinced look. He mumbles, “You should rest. I just wanted to check on you, but I’ll go now.”
Maddox makes a move to head right out, even if it’s barely been a minute since he’s gotten here. As soon as he reaches for the doorknob, my chest clenches. All the stress of this very miserable night takes over, makes me forget myself, and I lose the few inhibitions still in me.
“Don’t go,” I blurt out.
Maddox cocks his head at me.
God, I’m being so uncool right now—but I don’t want him to leave. I’m not sure how to put that into words, though, and I can only hold his gaze. I slacken my shoulders and sigh. “Sorry. I’m just—shit, Maddox. Stay. Please.”
Maddox’s lips part, and he blinks his huge eyes at me. For a while, he does nothing other than stand there.
After what seems like forever, Maddox pushes himself away from the door and approaches me.
I instinctively widen my legs and he steps right between them, and it’s just like how we were in his dorm room.
I tip my chin up and give him a questioning look, forcing a smile that takes way too much effort.
He reaches out and holds me, his palms against my cheeks. I instantly melt into his touch. A soft sigh escapes me, and I close my eyes as he shifts his hold a bit to massage my temples. Maddox stays quiet, just gently eases the tension out of me, and it works.
My heart won’t be able to take this, and it’s funny how something so incredibly simple can be this soothing. He even lets me lean down and press my forehead against his stomach. When my head hits his shirt, his movements falter for just a moment before he threads his fingers through my hair.
I needed this. I really, really needed this. The turmoil in my head that’s been haunting me all night comes to a lull, and my eyes flutter half-closed.
Maddox places a hand against the back of my head, holding me in place, and I inhale his intoxicating, sweet smell.
I like this side of him. It’s not an overstatement to say that he might just be my angel.
I’m not sure how long we’re in this position. I almost drift off to sleep from how relaxing it is, and when I put a hand on his hip, he doesn’t tell me off for it. The feel of my jersey’s familiar, but there’s nothing familiar at all with what’s going on right now.
It takes me a moment to realize he’s talking to me.
“What was that?” I mumble.
“I asked how your shoulder is.”
“My shoulder’s perfectly fine.”
“That was a nasty accident.”
“Nah.”
Maddox stops stroking my hair. Damn it. I didn’t think my stubbornness through, because he pushes me away and peers down at me. Maddox ignores me when I make a disgruntled sound and try to pull him back, my grip tightening against his hip.
He jabs at my sore shoulder, right where the bruise is .
“Ow!” I yell and let go of him, clutching my shoulder. I was wrong. No, don’t let that pretty face and those gentle touches fool you—he’s the devil. “What was that for!?”
“Perfectly fine, you say?”
I pout at him and my shoulder throbs with a dull pain. “You’d really hurt me to prove a point?”
“Seemed like the quickest way to make you stop lying. Take your shirt off.”
I smirk. “Wow, bossy. You that eager to see my body?”
He gives me a look that tells me he’s not messing around, so I snicker and loosen my tie. I try to hide the way I wince when I unbutton my shirt, and when I finally get it off, Maddox’s eyes widen when they snap to my shoulder.
“Are you kidding me?” His voice gets all high-pitched, and his jaw drops. So fucking adorable. “How can you even move with this thing?”
I shrug, not really seeing the big deal. There’s a large, purplish bruise running from the top of my shoulder to my right bicep. It’s still swollen even though I iced it right after the game, but honestly, I’m just glad I didn’t break any bones or get a concussion. This really is nothing.
If he thinks this looks bad, it’ll look even worse in the morning once it darkens.
Maddox takes a slight step back to take in the rest of me. Aside from my shoulder, I have a few other unsightly injuries on me—there’s another bruise right below my left elbow, and one more on my ribcage.
“They’re really not too bad.” Pointing at my elbow, I say, “This one’s a few days old and I’m not sure how I got it.
” I point at my ribcage. “This one’s from practice…
Walters and I got a little heated when we were doing blocking drills.
Thank god Coach didn’t see the way he drove a puck right at me.
He told us to take it down a notch so we wouldn’t injure ourselves in practices, and—”
My words get cut off because Maddox puts his hand on my uninjured shoulder, forcing me to lean away.
His touch makes my skin tingle, and I forget whatever it is I was saying as I obediently sit back, my hands flat on the bed behind me.
Maddox gazes over my body with a frown, then his attention settles on the tattooed serpent on my hip.
“Why a serpent?” he asks.
“Uh?” I blink. His words reach my ears, but I can’t think right, not with his fingers on my bare skin.
I shift in my seat, attempting to get my cock to calm down.
Maddox raises his eyebrows at me, and I swallow, telling myself to get it the fuck together.
“It was the mascot of my junior hockey team. Me and some of the guys got them together.”
His hand trails down my chest, and I hiss in a breath. He stops right above the bruise on my ribcage, testing the surrounding area with a light touch.
Telling my rapidly beating heart to calm down, I focus on him—he’s biting his lower lip, and there’s a dusting of pink across his cheeks that doesn’t go unnoticed.
And just when I thought he was done, Maddox lays his palm flat on my chest and lets out a soft exhale.
“You’re a mess,” he murmurs.
In an attempt to calm myself, I let a beat of silence pass. It does nothing.
“Listen.” I hate how my voice betrays me, coming out breathless. “You’re going to have to stop because I’m not strong enough for this.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You can’t touch me like that because my dick’s getting ideas.”
Maddox huffs out a surprised laugh, but he doesn’t let go of me. He actually trails his hand upward until he’s holding my cheek, and his mouth quirks to the side. “I’m barely touching you.”
And that’s what’s wrong, isn’t it? He’s barely even touching me, and I’m losing my mind.
The urge to grip his wrists, to get him to hold me even more—it’s absurdly strong. I really don’t understand what it is with Maddox, but he’s just that intoxicating to me. His presence has already turned my night around. Everything about him ignites me, fuels my energy but also soothes me.
And with that realization, I don’t want the night to end.
“Hey,” I breathe. “Can you stay longer, please?”
“Why?”
“Because you quiet down my thoughts.”
Maddox scoffs, though he’s smiling. “What, you want me to cuddle you to sleep or something?”
“Actually, yeah, I’d love that.”
He stills, his eyes widening. “Do you just say anything that’s on your mind?”
“Yeah.” I grin. “What’s the point of beating around the bush?”
I can practically hear the cogs turning in his head. He’s calculating, because that’s what he does. Maddox isn’t one to jump into things, even if I really, really wish he’d made an exception with me.
When he gives me a slight nod, I let out a relieved exhale. It’s quickly replaced by confusion when he steps away, and I frown at him as he heads to my door.
He switches the lights off, and, oh, okay . Great idea. What a goddamn genius, really.
I can barely make out his silhouette when he walks back to the bed, kicking his shoes off.
“Scoot over,” he mumbles, and I’m much too eager to obey. I collapse against my pillow, and he yelps when I pull his wrist, taking him down with me. Laughing, I wrap my arms around him as tightly as I can and bury my face in his neck. Maddox squeaks in surprise.
“Thank you,” I groan against his neck. “This is all I needed.”
“You’re ridiculous.” That would sting if he weren’t letting me hug him so tightly.
He settles against me, weaving a hand through my hair. I inhale his scent, shift a bit to press my cheek against his chest, and listen to his heart—which, by the way, is beating as fast as mine despite his calm exterior.
And, just that easily, I forget about my sore shoulder, and I don’t even remember what I was upset about all night.