Chapter 18 #2
He chuckles. “Pain you to say that, eh? I’ve played just as many games as Andre, thank you.
” I guess. Andre’s played more, and he played last night, but sure, whatever you say, Landon.
Though I will say—to myself!—he’s gotten a lot better.
Andre is probably training with him. “He can’t wait for this to be over so he can marry Oli. ”
“How’s the wedding planning going?” Alyssa asks. “Already got my dress and Lianna’s picked out.”
“And I bet you look stunning.” Landon kisses the back of her hand.
“I’m trying to eat.” I gag.
“Fudge off, Grey.” Alyssa glares at me.
“They’re excited,” Landon laughs. “Most of the guys are happy for them. There’s still some weird tension with some, but fu—” Landon looks at Lianna. “Fudge them anyway.”
“Has anyone given them a hard time?” Rule number one of being a public figure: never read the comments sections. I don’t have any social media, but even I know this.
Landon shakes his head. “You know. The usual homophobic sofa warriors who scream from their couch as if they could play better than we can. They aren’t paying attention to the noise.”
“Not too much on the sofa warriors.” I laugh. “That shit is stressful to watch.”
“You said a bad.” Lianna glares.
“Sorry, sweet pea.” I finish up my steak, and Felix pushes his food around his plate.
I got him to relax a little earlier, tucked up in bed in my arms while we watched a couple of movies from the watch list he has in his journal.
“You okay?” I ask him quietly. He looks up, nodding, with a tiny smile.
I know he’s shaken up, but I meant what I said. I’m not letting a thing happen to him.
“I’m okay.”
He gets up to clean the empty dishes, but I stop him. “It’s okay. Sit.” I take my empty plate and grab Landon’s, and Alyssa stands with hers. Lianna is still eating.
“Hey, can you come outside with me? I have some of that stuff for you?” she says, and I look back at Felix as I nod.
“So, how much did this cost me?” I ask, following her out to her car. Not that I care how much it cost. I’m limping some, but a lot of the tightness is gone today. Every day he makes me rest, alternating an ice pack with my knee propped up, then some heat and usually a soak with salts.
“Better not ask those questions.” She grins.
“You asked me to take your credit card and go to a craft store and said money wasn’t an issue.
Believe me, I spent it like it wasn’t one.
” She laughs. “By the way, you bought Lianna a new easel and markers.” I would gladly have bought anything for her anyway.
“So,” she says as soon as we get to her trunk.
“What’s going on? Spill.” She opens the trunk, grabbing the bag.
“Spill what?”
“Don’t you dare. I’m not dumb. Something’s going on. You didn’t stop staring at him during dinner. And why does he look so sad? What did you do to that poor boy?” She shoves my shoulder.
“First of all, screw you, I didn’t do anything to him. Well . . .” I smirk then straighten my face. “I mean . . .”
Her mouth drops open. “Gross.”
“You asked!”
She folds her arms over her chest, leaning against the car. “Come on, Grey. Spill.”
I don’t know how much to say. He’s technically on my payroll, so it’s not like she can fire him.
I already made it clear to him that no matter what, his job is safe.
He could decide he doesn’t want me tomorrow and he’d still have a job and a safe place to live.
I’ve made this clear. “Um, I found out something about Felix’s situation. ”
“Is it that you have a big fat crush on him?” She pokes my stomach. “Felix and Grey, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S—”
“He’s running from an abusive relationship.”
Her face falls. “What?”
I sigh, combing my hand through my hair.
It’s all catching up to me now. I’ve never been in a situation like this.
All I know is that whatever I need to do to protect him, it’s done.
It’s only been a few months, but these last few months have touched me in a way I’ve never felt before.
“His ex is a cop. He’s come to my house two times now, and I think he’s following us.
This morning, he showed up again and had pictures of us downtown.
They were taken from far away, but still . . .”
“What the hell! Are you sure?”
I nod, folding my arms over my chest and leaning against her car. “The first week he was here was a bit rough. I was awful to him. Lashing out. I went too far one time.”
“Greyson!”
“I know. I know. I caught him in my office and snapped at him. I felt like shit about it. I apologized. We had some drinks that night, and he got so damn drunk. I helped him to bed and undressed him, and there were bruises along his ribs.” I take a breath. “And his hips. Like fingerprints.”
Her face falls and she shakes her head. “Oh my god! Why didn’t you tell me?”
“When you brought him here you said he needs this too. What did you mean?”
She folds her arms over her chest, leaning against her car next to me.
“I mean, he didn’t want to speak much on the phone.
The last time I called him he was in a hurry.
He sounded scared.” She puts her hair up.
“I didn’t think it was like that, but I’m not sure what I thought.
I could tell he really wanted this opportunity, though. ”
“This morning his ex came back. He’s been a bit shaken since.”
She watches me for a moment. “And you’re protecting him out of the kindness of your heart?” Her brow rises.
“You know if someone was in trouble I’d help them.”
She squeezes my arm. “I know. I know you would. I was just teasing you.”
It’s been a while since I’ve felt like this, and as scary as it is, I trust him. I think I do, at least. I can’t see him hurting me like the other men I’ve been with. “I like him, Aly.”
“Believe me, we all saw the constant longing during dinner, Grey. I think the entire state of Oregon knows you like him.” She swoons and sighs batting her lashes dramatically.
“Fuck off.”
She pats my arm. “A crush looks good on you.”
“I don’t know what’s going on.”
“But . . . you like what’s going on?” she asks.
I think for a moment. These last few months have been amazing, and it’s because of him. “I’m just. . . I mean we—”
“Oh my god! You’ve kissed him!” She slaps my chest.
“Shut up.”
“Aw look at you, all blushing and shit. Adorable.”
“I hate you. I want you to know that.” She pinches me, and I slap her hand away. “I like him, alright. I like him a lot, and I don’t know how to get him out of this. I just know that I’m going to.” That man will have to go through me, injured or not.
I’ve had a career as a defenseman. It’s what I do. I defend what’s mine.
And maybe one day Felix could be mine.
“Well, I’m happy for you. I am. I love this. You just seem healthier.” She squeezes my arm.
“I’m sorry. For everything. I haven’t been myself.”
She surprises me with a tight hug. “I know you Grey. Better than anyone. Who you’ve been since your accident hasn’t been the real you. You went through something really hard. I hate that your hockey career is over. I know how much hockey means to you.”
Damn her! I blink fast, ignoring the heat building in my eyes, and I hug her tighter. “Thank you for not giving up on me.”
“Never.” She pulls back, smiling up at me, her eyes glazed. A mirror of our mother’s. “Now, let’s go see how our sexy men are doing.”
“And just like that I hate you again.”
I walk back in behind Alyssa with the bag. Landon is holding Lianna in his arms. “Oh, hey.” He smiles at her. “Should probably get going. I want to sleep as much as possible. Three more games. Make or break.”
“We’re going,” I say softly, and Landon and Alyssa freeze. “To the last round of home games.”
“Really?”
I nod. “I told Atlas I’d wear his jersey.” Alyssa laughs. “Felix is going to wear mine.”
“I bet he is,” she whispers.
Sisters. “Thanks for coming.”
With them out the door, I bolt all the locks then cover the windows with curtains. “I really like your family.”
I smile. “I kind of like them too.” Even Landon, I think, not that I’ll admit that to him.
“Are you okay with going to the games when they get back? With everything with your ex—”
“I want to go. I have to stop living like this. I know I can’t avoid it forever. I need to deal with it eventually, or else he’s going to keep coming back. He knows I’m here, I know he does, and I won’t be free until I face it. I’m just not ready yet.”
“Whatever you want to do, I’m here.” I cup his face.
Felix nods, looking at the bag. “What’s that?”
I smile, setting the bag down on the kitchen table.
“You said your journal was almost full.” I pull out the blue bullet journal.
“I also got you some different colored pens, some bleed-proof highlighters. Stickers. Alyssa said I needed washi tape? Had no clue what that was, but she was pretty adamant that you need it.”
Felix’s eyes light up on the journal. “Wow this is . . . wow.”
“Too much?”
He shakes his head. “This is really sweet.”
“I figure your new life needs a new journal.” He sets the book down to hold my hands, and I dare a little, pulling him against my body. “I mean it. This is your new life. No one is going to tell you how to live it, what to do. Nothing. You are in control.”
He runs his hands down the center of my chest then snakes them around my waist. “I don’t feel in control when you’re around.” But he smiles.
I lift his hand to my lips to kiss his knuckles. “I mean it Felix. No one will hurt you inside this home. If I have to prove it to you every day, I will. No one is going to hurt you here. I can be a real stubborn prick sometimes, but I will never, ever lay a hand on you. Ever.”
My eyes track the motion of his Adam’s apple. “What happens if he comes back?”
“I’ll tell him to fuck off. It’s not like he can tell someone I abducted you. He can’t force you to do anything.”
There’s something I’ve wanted to ask him. Felix touches my face with a smile, his fingers scratching through my beard. “I like your hair like this,” he says.
“It’s usually how I keep it. I just haven’t felt like cutting it in a while.”
“I like it.” He plays with the shorter locks. “It’s soft.” I’m not sure what we’re doing, but I know I want it to grow. I want him here with me.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Yeah.”
“Oli and Andre are getting married next month. Would you like to be my plus one?” Two weeks alone exploring whatever this is between us sounds like heaven. No Steven, no worries, just us and whatever is growing here between us.
His smile fills my chest with light. His brown eyes sparkle at me. I remember the timid guy he was those first few weeks, and I like that he’s more vocal now. Playful. Not afraid to ask for things and put me in my place when I’m stubborn. And damn am I stubborn. “That sounds like heaven.”
I have to agree.