Chapter 11
Knox
I’d just thrown my shirt on, grabbed my wallet and phone from my locker. Shoving my wallet into my back pocket, I quickly checked to see if Lorelai had responded to my message. Dylan had muttered something about her not feeling well. When I told him we should hurry, he said Aurora told him Lorelai was in bed and wanted to be alone. Worried, I sent her a message before I got in the shower.
She hadn’t even read my message, so I locked my locker and turned in time to see Dylan slip out of the change room without me. I’d figured the least he could do is drop me at my place if Lorelai wasn’t feeling well. Yet, something wasn’t sitting right with me. The moment the call came in, Dylan started acting strange. What went from a relaxed conversation turned into a race to get ready and leave. Dylan also went from being in a fabulous mood after the win to being agitated and stressed.
I glanced over at the guys and shrugged.
“Fucker didn’t even say goodbye,” Clay added.
“Yeah, thought we were going out to have a celebratory beer, at least that was what he’d said earlier,” Lucas added.
“I’ll find out,” I said, taking off out of the changing room after him.
I took off down the hall, jogging to catch up to him, but he didn’t slow down.
“Hey, wait up, would you?”
“Yeah, sorry,” he said, taking a shortcut to the far side of the arena where we’d parked. He shoved the door open and headed toward his car. “I thought you were going to get a ride with Clay or Lucas.”
“Nah, man, thought I’d go with you. I want to check on Lorelai, make sure she’s okay.”
“Aurora said she isn’t well, man. She told me that Lorelai said she didn’t want to see anyone.”
“I’m not just anyone. I want to make sure she is fine.”
“I know and I get that, I do, but you should respect her wishes, man.” Dylan hit the button on his key fob, unlocking his door. “You don’t want to get her pissed off, do you?”
In my mind, her being pissed off with me because I wanted to check in on her when she was sick was nothing to worry about. I was worried about my girl.
“Would you stay away from Aurora if she asked?”
When Dylan didn’t immediately answer me, I knew something was up, and I didn’t like it. He’d been acting oddly ever since that phone call had come in. I’d been with this guy through thick and thin and I knew when he wasn’t being himself. This wasn’t himself.
“Most definitely,” he said, glancing my way before he climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
“Bullshit!” I said, pulling the passenger door open and climbing in. “What’s really going on? Don’t fucking lie either,” I said, putting my seat belt on as Dylan sped out of the parking garage.
“I knew I shouldn’t have said anything. I should have just slipped out while you were in the shower and let you fend for yourself.”
Now I knew something was wrong. We never left one another to fend for ourselves. I’d had his back with all the shit that Dylan went through with his ex when he’d started dating Aurora. Never once did I ever think about leaving him to fend for himself.
“Just tell me.”
Dylan pulled around a corner and stopped the car in front of the Vancouver Police Department, killing the engine, then looked over at me.
“Look, don’t make a big deal out of this, but some fan attacked Lorelai after the game. Aurora got involved, and the girl who assaulted Lorelai is now pressing charges against Aurora.”
“What the fuck. Let’s go,” I immediately said, pulling at my seat belt. I’d climbed out of the car and was halfway up the stairs to the front door of the detachment when Dylan grabbed my arm.
“Look, man. She asked me not to tell you. You can’t go storming in there like this.”
“I can and I will. I want to make sure she is okay.”
“Okay, well, just take a breath for a moment. Let me go in first.”
I nodded, allowing Dylan to go ahead of me. We stopped at the front desk, and Dylan was quickly directed to the room where Aurora was while I was told I could head down the hall to my right to see Lorelai.
As I made my way down the hall, I saw Lorelai curled up on a bench, the familiar colors of the Dominator’s jersey alerting me it was her. I was just about to her when she looked up.
“What…what are you doing here?” she muttered, standing.
Her hair was dishevelled, she looked exhausted, and there were bruises forming on her cheek from where the girl had hit her.
Without a word, I took a step forward and pulled her against me. I was ready for backlash, for her being angry, yet she didn’t move, and then I felt her slowly wrap her arms around me, gently sobbing into my chest.
She pulled away to wipe the tears from her face and that was when I placed my forefinger under her chin, lifting it so I could look at the bruises on her tear-stained face.
“What the fuck happened to you?” I said, gently running my thumb over the bruise on her cheek. “I’m the one supposed to be full of bruises, not you,” I said, meeting her eyes.
“It was awful. This girl just attacked me out of nowhere. She claimed I stole you from her,” she said as I checked her face over for other signs of bruising.
“These damn fans,” I muttered. “Some of these girls get seriously unhinged.”
“It was the girl from the restaurant, the one who stopped you for your autograph.”
Anger and irritation built inside of me at what she’d just told me, but I kept my composure. When I was satisfied she had no more bruises, I pulled my cell phone from my back pocket.
“What are you doing?” Lorelai questioned.
“Calling my lawyer.”
“What for?”
“Representation. You need someone who won’t stop, and who will make sure you get what you deserve.”
She pulled at my hand, trying to stop me. “Please don’t do this.”
I looked down at her as if she were crazy. “Look, this girl could have hurt you way worse. There is no telling what she might do next. The last thing I need to be worried about is you being attacked again when I’m on the road. I want to make sure these charges stick, and the only way to do it is to get my lawyer involved. Besides, Dylan wanted me to call anyway, for Aurora.”
“This is why I didn’t want you here,” Lorelai murmured, just as the team’s lawyer answered his phone.
* * *
We walked into the girls’ condo almost three hours later. Dylan and Aurora headed to bed, while I followed Lorelai into the living room. She hadn’t spoken a word to me since I’d placed the call to the lawyer and he’d arrived at the station. The entire ride home, she sat in the back of Dylan’s car, with me beside her, looking out the window, ignoring me, as if I weren’t even there. I’d be damned if she was going to be pissed at me over this. I’d also be dammed if we went to bed angry at one another.
“You seriously don’t know how to take a hint, do you?” she said, flopping down into the chair in the corner.
I looked over at her. The bruise on her face had turned into various shades of purple, and it was now swelling bad enough that soon her entire eye would be closed. She needed an ice pack.
Ignoring her accusation, I got up off the couch and left the room, returning with an icepack I’d found in the freezer and held it out for her to take.
“What is that for?” she asked, looking at the ice pack in my hand.
“The bruise on your cheek.”
“It doesn’t need ice,” she bit back, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
I looked at her; she knew better than this.
“Are you really going to argue with someone who might know about these types of things? How many black eyes, swollen cheeks and lips do you think I’ve had?”
“Why should I care?” She shoved my hand away and glared at me.
I was feeling beyond frustrated now. I did not know why she was acting out toward me, but I was tired of the attitude she’d been giving me when all I wanted to do was help.
“Look, you can be mad at me all you want, but you need ice. Your eye is going to swell shut by morning if you don’t get the swelling down. Now take the damn icepack.”
I dropped the pack in her lap and made my way over to the couch where I lay down, adjusting a pillow behind my head.
“It doesn’t need ice,” she muttered under her breath.
I ignored her. I would not continue this with her. We sat in silence for a bit when finally, out of the corner of my eye, I saw her pick up the ice pack and place it on her cheek while she glared in my direction.
“Problem?” I questioned, crossing one leg over the other.
“You think you know what’s good for me?”
I closed my eyes, irritated as hell at her. “Are you looking for a fight, because I can give you one!”
“Nope, I’m just keeping our relationship in check here,” she gritted.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“No, by all means, say what you are going to say. Lay it all out on the table.”
I knew she was angry at me for stepping in and calling the team’s lawyer, but it needed to be done. If she was pissed, I wanted to hear her say it. Not hide it from me. I knew that dating me would come with risks; however, I’d never dreamt it would have been like this.
I’d seen some crazy things with other players and their wives. That was why most of the guys never brought their wives to any games, aside from home games. For this to have happened at a home game was going to bring a whole new warning to the players on the team.
I’d felt so powerless when Dylan told me. I hadn’t been there to protect her, which was all I wanted to do. So, since I hadn’t been able to do it when it happened, I protected her the only way I knew I could.
“Well?” I asked. “Are you going to lay it all out or what?” I sat up, resting my forearms on my knees, waiting for her to talk to me.
Lorelai let out what sounded like a sigh mixed with a whimper, and I glanced over to see her sitting there with her eyes closed, holding her head.
“What is it?” I questioned, watching her.
“My head is pounding,” she sobbed, placing her head in her hands.
Without another word from her, I got up, walked over to her, and picked her up out of the chair.
“What are you doing?” She frowned, holding onto my shoulder.
“I don’t want to hear any more. You need to get some rest.”
I turned and carried her down the hall to her room and gently placed her down on the bed and then made my way back to the kitchen. Moments later, I returned with a glass of water and two headache pills and handed them to her. She didn’t fight me this time; she took the pills and a sip of water and then lay back in the bed.
I sat down on the edge of her bed and carefully removed her shoes, then unbuttoned her pants.
“What are you doing now?” she questioned, looking at me.
“Getting you ready for bed. Now lift,” I instructed.
She lifted her butt off the bed while I slid her pants down and removed them, placing them in a pile on the floor. She sat up, reached behind her, and undid her bra.
“Could you get me a T-shirt from the top drawer?” she asked.
I did as she asked and waited while she changed into it, handing me the shirt and bra she’d had on. She slipped under the covers and rested her head on the pillow while I covered her.
“Night,” I said, shutting off her bedside light and placing a kiss on her cheek. I made my way over to the door of her room and had just opened it.
“Where are you going?” I heard her quietly ask.
“I think it’s best if I grab a cab and head home,” I said, not wanting to start any more of a fight with her tonight. Tomorrow, once our heads and hearts had time to clear, we could talk about what happened tonight if she wanted.
I was about to pull her door closed when I heard her call my name.
“What?” I questioned.
“I um…I want you to stay,” she said, rolling over to look in my direction.
I debated for a couple of seconds whether to stay or go, but the look in her eyes decided for me. She needed me, whether she wanted to admit it or not.
“You want me to stay?” I questioned.
“I do,” she whispered, pulling the blankets down on the opposite side of the bed, waiting for me to crawl in.
I shut the door, walked over, slipped out of my jeans, and pulled my shirt off over my head, then crawled into the bed beside her. I’d barely had a moment to get comfortable when she shifted her body against mine.
I wrapped my arm around her waist and pressed a kiss to the side of her neck as I pulled her body tight against mine.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled.
“What are you sorry for?” I questioned, smiling to myself, knowing exactly where this was going.
“I didn’t mean to get upset with you. This girl attacking me wasn’t your fault. You were only trying to help me.”
“I was,” I quietly answered.
She spun onto her other side and moved her body closer to mine.
“Think you could forgive me?” she asked, touching her nose to mine.
I brought my lips to hers, my tongue parting her lips, washing through her mouth. I ran my fingers through her hair as she let out a soft moan.
“I think I can forgive you,” I said as she rested her head on my shoulder.
“Good.”
* * *
I opened my eyes, blinking so they could adjust to the light that was pouring through the partially closed blinds. I shifted in bed, feeling the weight of her body next to mine. It was then I felt her hand slide down my stomach and grab hold of my aching cock.
I chuckled a little and looked over at her sleepy face.
“What are you doing?” I questioned, pushing the hair from her eyes, exposing that horrible bruise.
“This was poking me most of the night,” she said, biting her bottom lip as her cheeks turned a slight shade of pink.
“That’s because it knows it was you,” I said, meeting her lips as she stroked the full length of my cock.
“How are you feeling?” I questioned as I lifted myself up on my forearm as she lay down partially under me.
“Better,” she said, lifting the blankets to reveal her naked body.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I see,” I said, running my hand up her side and cupping her breast, running my thumb over her nipple.
She hissed as I did it again. “I love it when you do that,” she muttered.
“When I do what?” I asked innocently, repeating the action once again.
Her cheeks turned a brighter shade of pink as she met my eyes.
“What do you love?” I questioned again, wanting to hear her say it.
“I love it when you play with my nipples.”
I slid down in the bed and sucked one nipple into my mouth, flicking it with my tongue while my finger and thumb pinched the other at the same time.
“Oh god.” She hissed. “I love that,” she breathed.
I slid my way down farther, throwing the covers over my head, and placed a kiss on her bare belly, then on her hip, then on the top of her upper thigh. Lifting the covers, I poked my head out and looked up at her.
“Ready?” I asked, pushing her leg to the side, opening her to me.
I didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, I slid my tongue through her centre, loving the sound she made as my tongue concentrated on her clit. I felt her fingers slide through my hair as she bucked her hips off the bed a little.
She let out a moan, then stopped.
“Why so quiet? Not enjoying yourself?” I questioned, gripping her hip.
“They will hear,” she whispered, glancing toward the door.
“Fuck, let them hear. They certainly have no shame.” I winked, flicking my tongue over the small bundle of nerves.
She bucked her hips again, inhaling, but still being quiet.
“I can’t hear you,” I said, this time sucking it between my lips.
“Oh god, Knox…” she moaned.
My cock was hard as a rock, and I was doing everything I could to resist burying myself inside of her. I wanted to claim her every way I could think of. I wanted her to know she was mine and that she’d look for no one else.
Her hips rose off the bed, and she let out a loud moan as she fisted my hair. I wasn’t letting her come down. I got on my knees, took hold of her and rolled her over, pulling her back toward me. I ran my cock through her wetness, loving the sound of her moan, and buried myself into her tight pussy.
She stilled, breathing hard, trying to adjust to me being inside of her.
I pulled her back against me, kissing the side of her neck while my fingers played with her nipples. She whimpered as I pinched them a little harder than normal and met my mouth with a hungry kiss, silencing her cries.
“I love feeling you inside of me,” she whispered, interlacing her fingers with mine.
“You do not know how much I love it,” I said, sucking the lobe of her ear into my mouth. Gripping her hips, I thrust deeply into her as she clenched around me. I could feel my orgasm building, the base of my spine getting tighter.
“You ready?” I whispered, thrusting into her again.
“Yes.”
Gripping her hips, I slid myself back and then thrust into her, then holding her in place, I picked up the pace. Sweat poured down my back as the intensity built, and with one last pump, I felt myself tip over the edge at the same time she screamed my name.