Chapter 9 #2
I don’t recall any mention of divorce or previous marriages among his family members. “Listen, you can’t tell anyone. You promised.”
“You have my word. It’ll go with me to the grave.”
“Good, because I’m going to need your help.”
We finish our private chat before we head the rest of the way to the arena. We’re not as early as we had intended. My fault, but I’m glad that I finally have someone else to confide in.
We grab our seats, and the Narwhals are already on the ice warming up.
I’m buried in the crowd, and while I’m not sure Luca sees me, I did text him that I’d be at his game tonight.
Turns out, I might actually be enjoying hockey. Not that I have the slightest clue what’s happening, but watching Luca play and seeing him win has been a highlight of my week.
He’s been hot on the ice and he doesn’t disappoint, scoring two of the four goals tonight.
He does end up in the penalty box twice, but neither fight he started. Which at least I feel better about, considering what happened between him and Ashton a couple of days ago.
The bruise isn’t nearly as noticeable on his face, and his split lip has already healed.
Unlike last time when we waited by our seats, this time, we wait outside the team’s locker room, at his insistence.
Kensley keeps me company, and since they had a big win, I imagine they’ll want to celebrate and blow off some steam at their afterparty at the house.
The door swings open, and Chase and Liam exit the locker room.
I recognize both of them from the party, and though I know Liam lives with Luca, I hardly ever see him around the house. He’s always out, doing whatever it is that he does.
The couple of times I’ve seen him, he’s dropping in, grabbing something from his room and then jetting out.
“Hey, Liam,” I say, giving a nod.
Next semester, he’s going to be one of our housemates, though if it’s anything like this semester has been, he’ll barely be around.
Luca never mentioned Liam having a girlfriend, but he must if he’s always sleeping elsewhere every night.
Right?
“You’re Luca’s fiancée,” Chase says, walking over toward me.
Apparently, the guy’s heard the news. It was bound to get out eventually, especially with the living arrangements for next semester.
“That’s right,” I say, standing straighter, trying not to feel intimidated by two very good-looking hockey players who are several inches taller than I am.
“Did he knock you up?” Chase asks, glancing me over from head to toe, but his eyes linger a few moments on my stomach.
The locker room door swings open, and Luca steps out, showered and dressed.
Luca is glowing, absolutely radiant after tonight’s game, but that quickly turns to a fiery heat as he glares at Chase and then Liam.
“Are they giving you a hard time?” Luca scowls and hurries over to sling an arm around my shoulder.
I keep forgetting whether this is the real Luca or him pretending to be in love with me. The lines seem really blurry as of late.
“They’re just asking about our engagement,” I say, forcing a smile, trying to ease the tension.
I still don’t know what ticked Luca off to get into a fight with Ashton. The last thing I want is for Luca to go head-on brawling with his other teammates. Not only is it terrible for team morale, but I don’t want anything to happen to Luca.
He doesn’t need to fight for me.
“They’re just jealous.” Luca snarls at them and then spins around, his mouth capturing mine, closing the distance in haste, kissing me.
His leg slides between my thighs, nudging them apart as he pins me against the wall, and for a moment, I wonder how far he wants this to go between us, with his teammates watching.
It definitely feels like it’s for show.
I lean into the kiss, parting my lips, letting him take the lead but hungrily desiring him. Need quickly takes hold, my fingers clawing at his shirt, his back, as he lifts me against him and I wrap my legs around him.
I could gladly fuck him if it would shut them all up.
We part for a brief second, catching air, our foreheads leaning against one another. Then again, I have quite a bit of doubt if this is all an act, because he’s convinced even me.
I can feel his desire poking me, and my own insides are throbbing for more.
“Get a room,” Liam groans and smacks his buddy Chase on the shoulder. “Let’s go back to my place, celebrate the win.”
“I think I’m just going to call it a night,” Kensley says.
I untangle from Luca’s embrace, my legs wobbly as he holds me steady against the wall, his hands firmly planted on my hips.
“Are you sure?” I ask. “We should hang out more.”
Kensley smiles and stares at Luca. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t want to watch the two of you make out all night or fuck on the couch.”
“We didn’t—” I frown, not understanding her judgment. We were very careful to go upstairs at the last party and keep everything private, between just the two of us.
“It’s okay, I don’t mind dropping you off at home,” Luca offers.
After we drop Kensley off at her dorm, Luca and I drive back to his place. I appreciate the stillness and that it’s just the two of us for a few brief moments of peace and quiet before we step foot into his place.
I know the team is celebrating and I’m happy for them; they deserve the win and Luca is the reason for it, but I still miss just the little quiet moments between the two of us.
“What are you doing for Thanksgiving?” Luca asks as he pulls up to his building. “It’s right around the corner.”
He’s clearly coming off the adrenaline high as he drives me back to his place for the afterparty. I feel his energy sizzling, and I reach for his hand, wanting to be his rock. “Can I just stay in the dorms and hide from the world?”
“What about Zeke?”
A heavy sigh finds my lips. “I don’t think my parents are going to be happy with me when I show up for Thanksgiving. I know they’re going to try to talk me out of marrying you, moving in together next semester, all of it.”
He nods slowly and parks the car but leaves it running. I unbuckle, ready to get out, but he hasn’t shut off the engine.
The conversation clearly isn’t over for him.
He unbuckles his seatbelt and turns to face me.
“I could come with you,” he says.
I open my mouth, considering his suggestion, and then shut it.
“What’s that look?” Luca asks, staring at me curiously. He reaches out, his hand grazing my cheek.
“What about your family and your parents? Do you think Dante is going to be okay with you missing Thanksgiving?”
Luca shrugs and glances at the house. “I missed it last year. Didn’t kill him.”
“Too bad,” I quip and wince. “Sorry.”
“Don’t ever apologize for being honest with me. That’s all I’d ever ask of you,” Luca says.
I know he’s right. I haven’t always been honest with him. I hid Zeke from him, but at the time, we weren’t dating and there hadn’t been a good time to reveal that I had a son. I have no intention of hiding anything from him ever again.
“So, Thanksgiving at my parents’ house?” Just saying it aloud brings nausea to my lips.
“If we’re both invited,” Luca says. “I go where you go.”
Reaching for his hand, I take it in mine. “You don’t have to suffer with me, because it will be impossible to get through the meal without fighting.”
Luca reaches for me, pulling me closer. “I’m not going to let you go through that alone. We’re in this together. Please don’t ever forget that.”
I dread when the fourth Thursday of November rolls around.
Thanksgiving.
Luca agreed to come with me, so we could commiserate in hell together.
While my parents aren’t mafia, they’re also not the least bit quiet about their opinions. Growing up, I never thought it could be a bad trait until I got pregnant at fifteen.
Then the parents all my friends loved, who saw them as their own mom and dad, had felt as though they’d turned on me.
They wanted me to take care of my little problem, so it wouldn’t affect my future.
My body, my choice, I had told them.
I hadn’t wanted to go through with the pregnancy, but I’d been rebelling, and whatever they wanted, I did the opposite.
Maybe they’d known all along, and it had been some reverse psychology crap they pulled on me.
Turns out, pregnancy was a bitch that I didn’t see coming, and raising a baby, that was even harder.
But they supported whatever decision I made.
I still believe I made the right decision, even though it’s been difficult for everyone. Zeke is amazing. I just wish I spent more time with him, and it seems my wish is being granted.
Whether I’m ready for it or not.
Food is on the table, my grandmother’s china, and real silverware beside our plates. It’s the only time we’re allowed to use the special dishes; otherwise, they’re kept neatly tucked away on the top shelf, out of reach.
Zeke gets a plastic plate, which is wise considering he likes to drop his plate on the floor. Most of the time, I just feed him in the highchair when I’m with him, or in the case of at someone’s home who has a carpeted dining room, then I hand feed him, which he detests.
“Thank you for including me tonight,” Luca says, smiling as he tries to break the tension.
We’ve barely been here for twenty minutes, the food already prepared. We probably should have arrived earlier, but I honestly didn’t want to.
I was trembling and crying, having a panic attack. Luca managed to calm me down, in strangely much the same manner as his mother had done the first time we’d gone to lunch together.
“Well, it was our daughter who invited you.” Dad glares at Luca.
“Dad, I wanted you to get to know Luca.” I reach for Luca’s hand, giving it a squeeze. “He’s important to me. I would hope that you’d take the time to get to know someone who means that much to me.”
“I know all I need to,” Dad says. “He’s interested in only one thing with my daughter!”
Catrina clears her throat and glares at her husband. “Oh, settle down, Jack. Like we weren’t madly in love when we first met.”
“We didn’t get hitched after a month.”