18. Adrianna
Adrianna
My blaring alarm wakes me up. I go to turn it off but can't move. I am lying on my side, but Luka's whole body is draped over me. I feel like I am in a sauna. I reach out and slam my hand on my phone.
"Just lay with me for a couple more minutes." Luka's arm tightens around me.
"Don't you have to get up and go do your pregame stuff?"
He groans and rolls off of me. "Yeah. I need to meet Romeo with a package first." He pulls his phone out and looks down at it.
Typing something out, he sets it back down.
"I am going to get us breakfast while you get ready for work.
I will be right back." He leans over and kisses me.
Before I can say anything about not wanting food, he has his clothes thrown on and is heading out the bedroom door.
I scramble over to my side table and grab my phone.
Me:
You are going to a hockey game with me tonight.
Penelope:
Oh am I. Why would I do that?
Me:
Because I said so. You got me into this mess. You need to come with me.
Penelope:
The mess of a super sexy hockey player wanting to have sex with you and take you to all his games...yeah sounds like a mess.
Me:
The mess that I don't know what I am doing and I care about him more than I should and I am afraid of doing something to mess it up...yeah that mess.
Penelope:
Well when you put it that way...I will be there. Pick you up before the game?
Me:
Yeah.
I just finished doing my hair and getting dressed when Luka came back. "Food is here."
I step into the kitchen and Luka stands there staring at me. "What?" I spin around to see what he is staring at. Looking down at my body to make sure my shirt is fully tucked into my skirt and all the buttons are done up.
He doesn't say anything as he covers the distance of my kitchen in four steps, taking my face in his hand; he buries his hand in my hair and kisses me until I am breathless.
Pulling back, he smiles at me. "You look beautiful, Adrianna."
"Thanks." I flatten out my skirt even though there is nothing wrong with it. He has made me super flustered. "Did you bring more food from Gretchen?"
"Actually, I just got muffins and coffee from Perk It Up. I need to have a large lunch before the game. You said the other day that you don't like eating a big breakfast before work." He walks over and grabs the coffee cup for me. I can't believe he remembered me saying that.
"You were gone for a long time for just grabbing muffins. How was Augie?"
"Well, I had to wait for Romeo and CeCe to show up, and then CeCe wouldn't shut up about seeing you and Penelope at the restaurant. I feel kinda left out that everyone has met her but me and the two seconds at the coffee shop doesn't count."
"She said she would come to the game tonight." I take a bite of the banana muffin and take a big swig of coffee. Thankful for the caffeine hit that will come soon.
"Speaking of the game tonight, I asked Romeo to grab something for me, but I am supposed to tell you it was actually CeCe who picked them out." He hands me a white box with a red bow on it.
"What is this?" I set the box on the counter and stare at it.
"I got you something." He slides the box towards me.
"I don't need you buying me things, Luka. You already got me a jersey. I don't need anything else."
"I wanted to buy it for you." He taps on the top of the box. "Please open it."
"Okay, but I want you to know that I don't need you to buy me things. I want to be with you because I like you, not because of your money." I know he told me that everyone in his past only wanted him for what he could give them. I don't want him to think of me that way.
"I know, Baby. Open it." He slides it against my hand and I pull off the ribbon. Sliding the top of the box off, my eyes widen as I pull out the most beautiful Black and Red shoe.
"That way, you can match in your jersey.
Here," He picks up the box and walks us over to the table, pulling out the chair.
"Let me make sure I got the right size." I sit down and he takes off the boots I was already wearing.
Sliding off my socks and placing the high heel shoe on my feet.
He rubs circles around my ankle, and I don't know if I have ever been turned on trying on shoes, but here we are.
I just want to drag him back to the bedroom.
He puts on the other shoe and helps me stand. "They feel okay?"
"They feel perfect. Thank you, Luka. Penelope laughed at me for wearing heels to your game the other night. I thought I was doing something wrong."
"You looked sexy as hell in those heels. You wear whatever you are comfortable in, Baby." He kisses me and helps me back into my boots. "I won't be able to see you before the game. Are you okay getting to the arena, or do you want to ride with one of my brothers?"
"I am going to ride with Penelope. Are we sitting with your family again?"
"Yes, is that okay? I will move you anywhere you want to go, Baby."
"No, I liked sitting with them. They made it fun."
"Well, my parents will also be there tonight.
Don't stand around Ma if we are losing." He pulls out his phone and types in some things.
My phone buzzes. "Those are your tickets.
They are yours for every home game. If you want tickets to an away game, let me know.
I already talked to Madison and got you three tickets to the game in North Carolina. Let me know if you need the jet."
He stands and makes his way over to his coffee like he didn't just announce that he has more money than sense.
"Luka..." He lifts the hand, not holding the coffee, and raises a finger at me.
"I need to know you are safe. I don't want you traveling commercially. Please let me do this."
"Fine. But, I need to make sure Coleman will let me go."
"I am sure he will." He walks over and kisses me. "See you tonight, Baby." He grabs his duffle bag from the floor and walks out.
"Holy shit, you look hot!" Penelope pulls up to the sidewalk where I have been waiting for her. Freezing my ass off. I jump into her car and run my hands in front of the heater. "When did you have time to buy new shoes? Didn't you have a showing today?" She pulls away from the curb.
"Three showings today. Luka bought them for me." She slams on the brakes, and the car behind us lays on its horn.
"He bought you shoes?"
"Yeah. Said they would match the jersey." I raise my shoulder like it's no big deal that he is the first guy ever to buy me anything, let alone my favorite thing.
"You are so screwed." She doesn't let me reply. She simply reaches over and turns up the music, laughing at me.
We make our way to our seats. I am thankful we got here earlier than we did the other day. There aren't as many people sitting in their seats yet. It's easy to see the pack of Rizzoli's in their rows right in front of the glass.
"It is like a whole gang." Penelope leans over and whispers in my ear.
"Yeah, but they aren't so bad."
"Are any of them single?" She winks at me and I laugh.
"No, and I wouldn't even try. All those women would gut you.
" She laughs at me, but I don't even think I am joking.
I introduced Penelope to Romeo and Luka's parents since she hadn't met them yet.
A few minutes before the guys come out to warm up, my phone rings.
I look down to see Luka's name and smile.
"Hey. Aren't you supposed to be getting in the right headspace?" I press the phone against my ear, and my hand presses against the other one. It is already getting loud in here.
"Are you here?" Jake's voice comes over the line and seems tense.
"I am. What is the matter?"
"Madison is coming to get you." The line goes dead before I can say anything else.
"What is the matter?" Penelope looks at me as I stare at the phone.
"I don't know. Jake said he needed to see me. That Madison was coming to get me." All of a sudden, Madison comes running out of the side tunnel and makes her way over to us.
"I need you to come with me, " she says in between breaths, pointing to me. I start making my way out of the row, but before I can walk off with her, Liam grabs my elbow.
"I am coming with you."
"Why?" I stare up at him.
"Just in case." I am not sure what he means, but I don't have time to argue because Madison nods at him and pulls me down the last couple of steps and toward the tunnel.
"Keep your eyes trained on me or Liam, okay?" Madison says as she opens a door and I have no clue what she is talking about.
The hallway fills with sounds of yelling and cheering, and then all I see are half-naked men. My eyes widen, and I remember what Madison says, so I grip Liam's arm and bury my head into it. Making sure not to make any eye contact with anyone. Finally, we stop walking, and I can hear him.
"I need to fucking go." I hear Luka scream and my eyes shoot open.
"She is on her way, Man. I called her. She is good." Jake is pushing him up against the set of lockers.
"You called her?" I heard Luka raise his voice at Skee the other night, but this is something else.
"Luka." Liam's voice booms through the room and everyone goes quiet. As if they are just now realizing we are standing here, in the middle of the locker room, and they are all naked.
Luka's eyes find his and then snap down to me, with my head still buried against his arm.
"Gattina." He says it with such reverence that I don't even want to yell at him for saying it.
He says it like a prayer, and I choke back the tears when I am ripped away from Liam and into Luka's arms. He starts carrying me away.
Before I bury my face into his shoulder, I see Jake hand something to Liam.
Luka doesn't stop, doesn't say anything until we are shut inside what looks to be a small office. "You are okay?" He sets me on the desk and runs his hands over my face and neck.
"Yes, of course. Are you okay? What is the matter?"
"Nothing." He looks at me and I stare at him. That isn't gonna fucking work with me.
"Nothing? We get dragged into a locker room, you are freaking out, Jake handed something to Liam and it's nothing?" He goes to say something and I stop him. "Don't fucking lie to me, Luka. I can handle it."
He tips his head down, his lips grazing the top of my head, and he inhales.
"There was a picture on my cubby when we came back from running drills and tape this evening.
I didn't notice it when I first started getting ready, but it fell out when I went to grab some of my padding.
It was a picture of us when we got back to your apartment last night. "
"Okay," my mind is racing, but I am no stranger to having my photo taken.
"That's okay, Luka. It comes with the territory.
I knew this might happen. It's fine." I run my hands up his arms to try to comfort him.
"Wait. Did you not want anyone to know about us yet?
Are they saying they are going to leak our relationship? We can say we are just friends."
"Absolutely not. You are not just my friend. I don't care who takes pictures of us."
"Okay, fine. It's fine then, Luka. No need to get upset. I don't care. We will be fine. Go out there and get ready. You need to kick ass tonight. I will see you after the game." I jump off the desk and lean up to kiss him.
"You look beautiful, Baby." He says against my lips and kisses me again. "Stay here until I get Liam. I don't want you going back in there around all the guys. I don't like it." I nod because I don't want to go back in there, either. After a minute, Liam comes to get me.
"You good Addy?" He wraps his arm around my shoulder and leads me out of the locker room, avoiding all the guys.
"I am good. I am used to having my picture taken. I am not sure why Luka reacted that way."
"I am not sure." Liam smiles at me, but I feel like he is hiding something.
We are back in the row with his family. I watch as he pulls Callum and Mr. C to the side, peeking as he hands them the photo Jake must have given him.
I only get a quick glance, but it looks like there is a red X mark over my body.
Well, that could be why Luka freaked out.
We are into the 3rd period and the guys are up by two.
Luka hasn't let a single puck past him. Gio and Layla are up against the glass, slamming their hands against it, while Jake skates in front of them, banging on the glass with his stick.
Penelope is jumping up and down next to me with her newly acquired Grady jersey on, and I finally forget about that damn picture.
The refs blow the whistle, and Luka turns, lifts up his helmet, and grabs his water bottle off the net.
He winks at me and I wave to him. He turns back around and the play starts.
I try hard to follow the puck as it comes flying at Luka.
Grady and Jake are slamming some of the guys against the glass, fighting for the puck.
Someone pushes one of the other team's players from behind, and they go crashing into Luka.
Causing him to fall to the side since he was watching Grady and the puck on the other side of the wall.
His head bounces off of the ice and the arena goes silent.
My eyes won't leave his body as Jake and Grady skate over to him.
"That fucker pushed him," Penelope says next to me and I look up at the big screen playing the replay.
Sure enough, one of our players purposely slammed into someone, causing them to crash into Luka.
I can hear Nina screaming next to me and Mia is holding Liam back because he is trying to get out of the row.
"That's the fucking asshole," I yell, pointing at the big screen when the guy that pushed the other player into Luka turns around, and I see the name Tucker written on his back.
Callum looks up at me from the row below us and Matteo grabs my elbow. "What asshole?"
"He slammed into Luka yesterday at practice," I say and CeCe looks up at the screen.
"Yeah, I watched him do it. He said it was a mistake."
Jake has Luka standing and he is shaking his head.
He is pushing against Jake and trying to get back into the net.
"Is he crazy?" I point to Luka and turn toward his family.
"They are just going to let them play?" Luka is talking to a ref and waves his hands around.
The ref skates away and Luka lifts his helmet and turns to us.
I am fine. He mouths and winks at me. The rest of the game went by without any other issues, and they won 3 to 0. The kids run down to the glass and Liam starts down the steps quickly. He gets to the bench before everyone exits the ice.
"You're a fucking dead man." Liam points to Tucker and storms back to us.
Jake and Luka are up by the glass, tapping the kid's hands through the glass.
Luka points to me and waves me down. I shake my head at him and give him the best smile I can right now.
I think if I get too close to him, I will either smack him or grab him and never let him go. And he is a sweaty mess.