Chapter 26
Zamir
In the locker room, the whole team is stripping out of our gear to hit the showers. I texted Ellie before the game to meet me outside the locker rooms, also wanting to see if she knew why in the fuck Marcello Barone was sitting next to them. I don’t like the head Don being within ten feet of her… it’s not safe. Plus, he wore the most predator look on his face when he was looking at her; she was too engrossed in the game to be paying attention to him. Him showing any attention to her is plastering a target on her head. If anyone were to see what I did, they would know in a heartbeat that he’s obsessed, and someone could use that for leverage. He’s a powerful man and doesn’t have many weak spots… but he might have one.
Ellie Dixon.
Maybe I’m just being too paranoid and it was all a coincidence that he got the ticket beside them, but I highly doubt it. I know he’s buddy-buddy with the owner and Coach. Not to mention he has his own suite for fucks sake… which is why it’s an even bigger red flag to be sitting beside Bill and Ellie.
Nash is across from me in the locker room, so I question him, “Do you want to come over to my place tonight? Ellie’s out there waiting on me. I’m going to see if she wants to hang out after.” Nash looks like he’s seen a ghost. “What’s wrong, Nash?”
“Nothing is wrong, and no, I’m good. I’m super tired.” That’s all he leaves me with before he’s high-tailing it to the showers. That was weird as fuck, but he truly could be tired… that was his first professional game after all.
Freshly showered, I stroll out of our locker room and turn toward the door that leads to our parking lot. My backpack is on, and my helmet is in my hand. I spot Ellie leaning against the wall with her dad beside her. “Bill, it’s so nice to see you finally showed up to one of my games. I didn’t know what it was going to take, but I’m guessing this one here had something to do with it,” I finish, giving Ellie a pointed look while going in for a hug with her dad. He really has been a huge emotional support for me since being here. Who knew his daughter was a fucking knockout.
“Actually, I was trying to talk him out of forcing me to come, but he wouldn’t stand for it.” I bend to scoop her up into a huge hug, spinning her around for show.
1I put my lips right up to her ear, whispering, “I saw you enjoying yourself in the stands, Shpirt Im;I don’t like liars.” The cussing coming from her proves how much she hates this; I chuckle, sitting her back on her feet. She’s tall for a woman, but I’ve still got a head over her without her platform shoes on.
“I rode with my dad, so make this quick so he can take me to my place,” she says barely above a whisper.
“Bill, I can take her home. You go home and relax.”
“You sure, son? I don’t mind.”
Ellie’s waving her hands in front of both of our faces. “I’m literally right here and my own person. Zamir, you haven’t even asked me if that’s what I wanted to do.”
“Come to my place, Ellie. We can order in and watch some trash TV,” I chuckle, shoving my shoulder into hers but also remembering the filthy shit we did the last time we watched TV.
She grunts out, “Fine, but I’m not staying the night, you fuck.”
“You’re really keeping this playing hard to get facade up, aren’t you?”
“That’s my cue to leave; you two, be safe,” he shouts over his shoulder, heading towards the door. Shit, I wish my dad was as chill as Bill is.
We’re walking out to the team parking lot, and Ellie mutters, “Oh, great, a fucking bike, Zamir, seriously? Are you trying to kill me?”
“What? I brought you a helmet.”
She takes it on a huff but needs my help strapping it up. I also ensure it’s on her properly and turn the Bluetooth on so we can talk to each other while riding.
I get on my bike and pull my arms out of my backpack. “Turn around, Shpirt Im. I need to put the backpack on you so you can hold on.”
I throw my helmet on, and she’s staring at me so hard. I flip my visor down so the mirrored lens is all she sees. I hear her breath hitch through the speaker in my helmet. I have found the one with the mask kink.
She might as well be moaning when I hear her say, “Goddamn. My panties aren’t going to survive this one.” Yep, the bike is one of her weaknesses—perfect. I knew she had to have one. Finally, she turns around, doing what I say. I slide my backpack onto her shoulders.
I hold out my hand and help her on. I start to talk to her through the mic, “Hold on to me, and when we’re stopping, brace yourself on the tank so we don’t bang helmets or crush my nuts. They’re precious, clearly.”
She laughs, and it’s the most mesmerizing thing I’ve heard in a while. Now, I have a new goal anytime I’m around her: get her to laugh as much as possible. She gasps out, “Could you fucking hear my ‘goddamn’ and the little statement after it earlier?” She smacks my chest, and all I give her is a nod of my head. “Fuck. Don’t let that inflate that ego anymore. We won’t be able to fit your fat fucking head through your door.” She snorts, and now we’re both laughing as I pull out onto the street.
All she says is, “Don’t kill me, Z.” And fuck if that doesn’t shoot my heart straight to my asshole.
The only thing I know for a fact when it comes to Ellie, I’ll protect her at all costs.
1.Live For - The Weeknd, Drake