Chapter 7 – Victoria
seven
Victoria
I watch him walk away from me for the first time. The first couple of times it was me walking away from him, wishing he would chase me, but coming to the conclusion that it was never going to happen.
I should just tuck it away as the best night of my life and end it there. The whole game my eyes were on him behind the bench. Yelling at guys to skate harder or let’s fucking go we got this. Either way, my eyes could never leave him. Never.
Was I expecting to see him here tonight? No. I didn’t think he would come, to be honest. Did my breathing stop the minute he barked out that guy’s name? Yes, it did and then I was shaking from the inside out.
He was dressed the same way he was during the game, minus the tie.
The top two buttons of his shirt were open and when he turned, even just a bit, I saw a hint of his ink and my mouth watered to taste him again.
My hands itched to touch him, my body that for the past five months has been dormant was now wide awake, as if it knew he was near.
I look down at my white sneakers and turn away from him.
The minute I start to get farther away from him, the back of my neck burns as if someone is staring at me.
I can feel eyes on me and when I look back over my shoulder, I catch his for just a second before he turns away.
He leans his arms on the bar as two guys are around him, the three of them talking about something.
I’m not even watching where I’m going when I bump into a hard body.
Looking up, I see one of my brother’s teammates, Woods. “Oh my gosh,” I say. “I’m so sorry.”
A smile fills his face. “If I get run over by a beautiful woman,” he leans in, “I’ll take the hit.”
I can’t help but laugh at him. “I’ve never heard that one before,” I joke with him, and he puts his hands in his suit pockets.
“I just made that up on the spot.”
“Somehow,” I chuckle, “I don’t believe you.”
He puts his hand to his heart. “I’m wounded.”
“No, he’s not,” Jaxon booms into the conversation. “He’s not any of that.” He pushes his shoulder. “He doesn’t get wounded.” He side-eyes him. “You know this is my sister, right?” The guy’s mouth drops open. “Yeah, exactly. So take all that fake shit away from her.”
“I’m—” He extends his hand for me to shake and Jaxon slaps it away.
“She’s touch her and die,” Jaxon warns and Woods just laughs at him.
“I’m also known as Tori,” I tell him. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Don’t engage with him,” Jaxon groans. “He’s going to think you’re interested in him and then he’ll be all over me, asking about you.
My team is not your personal dating app,” he says, holding out his hand in a circle.
My eyes roam, following his hand when I see those green-brown eyes looking my way again.
The breath hitches in my chest, but I quickly look away from Zane and pretend I’m really into this conversation with Woods when not ten seconds ago, I was.
I mean, I wasn’t really buying the shit he was saying, but it did make me laugh that he made so much of an effort.
“Tori,” he says my name and I wait for my body to react to it the way it did when Zane said my name.
I’m waiting and waiting and waiting and nothing.
Not a fucking thing is happening. “I look forward to seeing you again sometime soon.” I roll my lips when he looks directly at Jaxon as he says it. “When this Neanderthal isn’t around.”
“You don’t even know what that word means.” Jaxon laughs. “Now go away.” He grabs my hand and turns, dragging me with him. I hold up my other hand, waving at Woods, who just shakes his head and laughs at him before he turns and walks away.
“Why are you dragging me?” I rip my hand from his. “I wasn’t going to do anything with him.”
“Well, I was making sure,” Jaxon mumbles, getting to the table where Ariella is sitting with Lexi and Kylie. “I told you that she would be trouble,” he grumbles, pulling out the empty chair beside Ariella.
“What trouble? I accidentally bumped into him,” I tell Jaxon and take the seat beside him, where I have a side view of the bar and where Zane is. “I was being polite.”
“With who?” Ariella asks, her eyes going big.
“Woods,” Jaxon snaps and she does a weird face.
“He’s so nice, but such a whore.” I roll my eyes when she says that. “He’s literally making sure he gets it all out of his system before he meets the one.” She holds up her hands when I’m about to say something. “That is literally what he told me to my face.” She points to herself.
“Well, I wish him well in his endeavors,” I deadpan and then reach for one of the bottles of water that are in the middle of the table.
“Jaxon, I’m not interested in dating anyone you work with.
” I unscrew the cap of the bottle while my head yells liar.
I mean, technically, I don’t think they actually work with each other.
“It’s like I’m on vacation and just checking out the view.
” Ariella closes her eyes and tries not to laugh, and so do Lexi and Kylie, who just nod.
“Except you aren’t on vacation and the view is not as good without a good margarita in your hand,” Kylie advises and then smiles big when she looks over at the door, seeing Knox come in, followed by Kirby.
“Everything is always better on vacation,” Lexi states, “until reality hits you.”
“I don’t even know what we are talking about right now,” I admit, holding up my hands.
“I bumped into a guy, I said sorry, and then this one went all Kung Fu Panda on the poor guy.” I look at Jaxon, who rolls his eyes at my description of him.
“I would like to get my footing under me in LA before I start to date.” I swallow down and push away from the table.
“Now, if it’s okay with you,” I glare at Jaxon, “I’m going to go to the bathroom.
” Ariella bites her lower lip, trying not to laugh.
“Is that okay? Should you escort me there also?”
“Don’t have to,” he says, crossing his hands in front of him. “Woods now knows you are my sister, and he’ll pass along the message.” He grabs his own water bottle from the middle of the table. “My work here is done.”
“How am I supposed to be living my best life if you are there with a fire hose?” I cock my hip to the side.
“Who has a hose?” Kirby asks, pulling up an empty chair and sitting next to Lexi. He leans over and kisses her neck.
“Woods was coming onto my sister,” Jaxon explains, and I shake my head.
“He was, in fact, not coming onto me.” I then look at Knox, who pulls out the chair beside me, and then moves it closer to Kylie. “How did you feel when you found out Knox was dating your sister?” I look at Kirby.
“He isn’t Woods, so I don’t think we are comparing apples to apples here,” Kirby reasons, putting his hands on the arms of the chair. “If he was, I would kick his ass.”
“I would take that ass-kicking,” Knox declares, “every day of the week and twice on Sunday if it ends with me going home with Kylie.”
“Well, this is fun,” I say sarcastically.
“I’ll be back. I’m going to go off and elope with Woods.
” I put my hand on my heart. “Sorry you can’t be there.
” I laugh as I walk to the back of the restaurant and spot the bathrooms, with a door that leads to an exit.
I shake my head and exhale before pushing out of the door and stepping out into the cool air.
The metal door slams behind me. I look up at the sky then look around to see that there is a gate that lets me out, I think, to the parking lot.
I’m walking to it when the door opens and Zane steps out.
“Victoria,” he says my name.
“Don’t let the door close,” I warn and he turns around to stop the door from slamming shut, but he doesn’t catch it in time.
“What the hell are you doing out here?” He stares at me as I walk back to the door.
“I needed some air,” I tell him, “and thought this would be a good idea and it was, at the time.” I fold my arms over my chest. “Now it’s not such a great idea,” I mumble as he looks down at me. “Don’t look at me like that.” His eyebrows shoot up.
“Like what?” he asks as he turns me until my back is against the outside brick wall.
“Yeah, like that,” I say when he steps into my space. I can’t even say what I want to say because all words have evaporated from my mouth.
His scent rushes all over me, the musk from his cologne—or maybe it’s his body wash—brings back memories of me pinned under him, my limbs wrapped around him, no space between us. “You shouldn’t be out here by yourself, Victoria.” His hand grips my hip. “I shouldn’t be out here.”
“We’ll agree on that one.” I look up at him as his eyes stare into mine. “Zane,” I say his name in a whisper and my hands go up to touch his chest.
“Don’t say my name like that, Victoria.” His teeth are clenched as he says it.
“Like what?” I ask him, and that is the last thing I say because his lips are on mine.
My mouth opens for his tongue. His hand on my hip moves up to my side, and he picks me up, my legs wrapping around him as my arms encircle his neck.
My hand now cups the top of his head, anchoring him to me, as his tongue slides into my mouth and my back arches into him.
The kiss is just how I remembered it was but, no that’s not right; it’s fucking better than I remembered.
He pushes my back into the wall as he kisses the ever-loving shit out of me.
His beard stings my lips, but it just makes me want to kiss him longer.
“Fuck,” he growls after a couple of minutes, pulling away from me, but I bring his lips back to mine, making sure the kiss lasts longer.
My tongue slides back into his mouth, dancing with his.
I want to rip his clothes off him right here in this alley.
I want him to rip my clothes off me, and then I want him to fuck me against this wall.
Both of us are lost in the kiss until we hear voices and a car alarm.
The sounds make him rip his lips away from mine.
We both look to the side where the gate is, as he moves to put his back toward the gate and shield me from anyone’s view.
“We can’t do this,” he states, holding my sides as my legs unwrap from his waist and he sets me down on my feet. My hands grip the lapels of his jacket until I feel like my knees won’t give out on me. “We shouldn’t have done that.”
I put my hand on the side of my lips, still feeling his kiss lingering on me. “Why not?” I ask him, my stomach getting tight.
“For a whole fucking bunch of reasons.” He steps away from me and runs his hands into his hair, moving it to the side.
“Okay,” I fold my arms over my chest, “name one.”
“Okay.” He puts his hands on his hips, and it just makes the buttons of his shirt look like they are holding on by a thread, getting ready to pop off. “Our age.”
“Hard pass, next.” I shake my head. “We did things that night and your age wasn’t a factor in it. Unless you took a pill to do all those things to me.”
His eyes go into slits. “You fucking know I didn’t,” he hisses. “I’m not talking about my age. I’m talking about your age and me being old enough—”
“If you say my father, I’m going to vomit on your shoes.” I hold up my hand to stop him from saying another fucking word.
“How old are you?” he asks me and I look up at him, into his eyes.
“One hundred.” I don’t skip a beat. “Does that make you feel better?”
“Victoria,” he hisses out my name and unlike when anyone else says my name, with him, it sends warmth through my body, regardless of the tone of this conversation.
I step into him, my hands moving up his chest and resting on his pecs. “Yes?” I whisper.
“We can’t do this,” he repeats and takes a step back, my hands falling from his chest. “I’m sorry.”
“Me too,” I tell him, my heart sinking as I nod at him, “more than you will ever know.” I look down once more and then I walk toward the gate that leads to the parking lot. I don’t bother looking over at him to see if he’s looking at me, because I can feel his eyes on me.
I walk around the building and I’m about to head back into the restaurant when I see a cab driving down the street. I hold up my hand and the driver pulls over at the curb. I get in and give him my address before I pull out my phone, texting Jaxon and Ariella.
Me:
Feeling a bit queasy, just got into a cab. Sorry for leaving.
Ariella answers me right away, no doubt she has her phone right next to her, in case her parents text her about Jagger.
Ariella:
Oh no, hope you feel better. Text me when you get home.
I look out the window and into the darkness of the night as the car zigzags its way through the Saturday night traffic. I take out my credit card, tapping it on the reader, before I step out and head to the front door.
Me:
I’m home.
I send out the text and step into the house, thinking to myself that for the third time, he’s let me walk away from him.