Chapter 16
Axel
Decker had invited the team over for our first team party, and Luca was lingering out on the porch. “Are you sure you want me to go with you? Aren’t you afraid of what your friends will think?”
“Of course, I want you to go. Why wouldn’t I?”
Looking down at his jeans and T-shirt. “It’s not really my thing.”
Stepping closer, I ran my palms over his shoulders. “You already know some of them from the bar. They like you.”
“That’s different. I was the server, not the one sitting at the table rubbing shoulders with athletes who make a hundred million dollars. I have nothing in common with them.”
I leaned in. “You’re right,” I whispered. “I should have known better. You’re entirely too well-educated to go in there and hold conversations with a bunch of guys who probably never finished college.”
Luca bit his lip. “That’s not been a problem with you.”
“No, because I’m British.”
He laughed. “Pompous Brit.”
I watched as he rolled his shoulders and bounced on the balls of his feet. “You have nothing to worry about. No one is going to ask you to play hockey. Promise.” I took his hand and opened the door, but he pulled me back.
“You’re not worried they might think you’re…and if I’m with you….well, you know,” he pointed back and forth between us, the vein in his neck pulsing away. “You know, that we’re…” he puffed out his cheeks and blew out a mint-scented breath. “Whatever we are.”
“What we are is late. And I don’t do late. You’re giving those bozo’s entirely too much credit.”
Luca took another deep breath and released it.
Leaning in, I grazed my cheek along his.
“My sexuality is no secret to anyone, so who I’m fucking is of no consequence.
And Luca, we’re not fucking. Yet. So relax.
” I didn’t give him time to think as I walked us through the doorway.
Following the noise, I headed to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator door, and pulled out two beers.
Tucking them under my arm, I handed him one, then popped the cap off.
“Here, drink this and relax.” Luca complied as I opened my bottle. “Better?”
He huffed out a breath. “It’s your funeral, Hughes. Lead the way.”
Leaning in, I popped a very noisy kiss on his cheek before heading out the back door to where the rest of my teammates had congregated.
Decker looked up from the smoking grill. “There he is. And with Luca.”
Lifting my bottle, I raised my middle finger at him. “Hello, assholes.”
Kozlov strolled up, carrying a bottle of vodka. “Who gave you that shit, Luca?”
“Um, Axel?” he laughed.
Kozlov snorted, took Luca’s beer, and handed it to me.
“This is the good stuff,” he said, handing an empty shot glass to him.
“Russian vodka is the best,” Kozlov said as he filled Luca’s.
Luca held it, wide-eyed as Kozlov raised his glass.
“To your health,” Koz said, taking the shot.
“Especially if you are friends with that guy.”
Luca’s face broke into a smile after he downed the vodka. Wrapping his arm over Luca’s shoulders, he tugged him away. “Come on, I want to introduce you to Mrs. Kozlov.”
Sipping my beer, I watched my teammate snatch up my boyfriend. “Well,” Decker said smugly as he flipped burgers. “Looks like that worked out well.”
Giving details about my life wasn’t something I’d done. I kept to myself, lived my life how the fuck I wanted, and answered to no one. But my new life here seemed to be taking a turn for the better. And Decker was my friend. “Yeah, we’re working on it.”
Decker nudged me. “He’s good for you. You seem less tense.” He pointed to the buns with his flipper. “Open those, will ya? But clean your hands.”
I put my beer down and took a hand wipe before opening the package. As I held each bun, I glanced at Luca, talking with Kozlov. “He deserves the world. And good friends.”
Decker looked over at him. “He fits right in. Good choice, Hughes. I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say you’re gonna have your best season to date.”
He held a burger out for me to bun. “Why would you say that out loud? You know the hockey gods are always listening. You remember what happened in Germany.”
Decker chuckled as he picked up another burger. “Fuck that shit. That was Munson’s fault. It doesn’t count until we go to practice.”
“Whatever,” I said, drinking my beer.
He nudged my shoulder. “It’s nice to see you smile, Axel.”
“It’s nice to be happy.”
We Uber’d back to my apartment at the end of the evening. Luca was all smiles and relaxed. He was too tipsy to drive, and I needed to make sure he didn’t get sick. So I got him out of the car and hauled him upstairs.
“Let’s get you some water and pain reliever.”
“Oh, posh,” he said, waving his hand as I helped him to the sofa. “Nothing hurts.”
“It’s for later, lightweight. You don’t drink much, do you?”
He snorted. “Nope. Too expensive.”
“How about something to eat? It will help soak up the rest of both of your beers.”
Luca had managed to eat two burgers after his vodka shots, but with his low tolerance to alcohol, it hadn’t been enough when he had a couple of beers later in the evening.
“No,” he sighed, falling over on the sofa. “I think I’ll just rest here until I go home.”
“Yeah, okay,” I said, taking his keys from the table. He knew I wasn’t allowing him to go home. “You just rest while I get you some water.”
Luca’s eyes closed. “Thanks, babe. You’re the best.”
I doubted he knew what he was saying, but that one little word buried itself into my heart.
When I returned to him a bit later with a bottle of water and two pain relievers, it was too late.
He’d passed out. I sat down on the edge of the sofa next to him and took the time to really look at him.
There was a small scar on his forehead above his left eye that I itched to touch. But I didn’t want to wake him.
I collected an extra blanket and gathered two pillows before returning to him. Removing his shoes, I shifted him to his left side, then tucked the throw pillows behind him. When he was situated, I draped the soft blanket over him.
Lowering the temperature in the room, I found a trash can to place beside him. It was unlikely he’d be sick, but better safe than sorry.
Stretching out on the other sofa, I was unable to sleep. I watched Luca as the soft hum of the air conditioning and the rain falling on the terrace finally lulled me to sleep.
I wasn’t sure of the time when my brain registered him whimpering. Throwing off the blanket, I got on my knees to wake him. “Luca. You’re dreaming. It’s okay.”
My mistake was wiping the hair out of his face. His eyes popped open as the terror sent him crab walking across the sofa, as far away from me as possible. “Don’t touch me, asshole,” he cried.
Shocked, I backed away as quickly as I could, knocking the table over.
It wasn’t me he was seeing, but I gave him space.
He squinted as he looked around the room, his breath rushing in and out of his chest. When his eyes focused on me, realization set in as to where he was.
Should I speak, or wait for him to acknowledge me?
It was the most agonizing minute of my life, watching the terror in his eyes, knowing there was nothing I could do.
“Axel?” he breathed out. When the tears streamed down his face, I had my answer.
“Yeah, love,” I said, bounding to him. Gathering him in my arms, I held him tightly as I brushed the hair from his face. I kissed his forehead as he clung to me, gripping my shirt in his hands. He couldn’t get close enough. “It’s me. You’re okay. I’m here. I’m never letting you go.”