Chapter Seven
Arianna
Five Days Later
This week has been both incredible and uncomfortable.
Only uncomfortable because they have all fucked me at least once a day for five days straight.
They’re unrelenting in the way they rail me into whatever surface they have me on.
They limit how often they pair up because I am more likely to get triggered that way.
After I woke up that first night of sex and sobbed myself into a migraine, they have been more careful not to make me pass out from coming so much.
We are learning from one another through fucking, and I couldn’t be happier at how it is all working out.
The closer we get to Toledo, the more nervous I become.
The guys get time on the ice tonight, thankfully, so I can see the rink without anyone outside who will support me.
I’m not a religious person, but I think God protected me that night.
I think there are plans for me in this world that require me to survive.
I have to think I was meant to live. Dom had everyone sit, and he said a prayer for not only me, but everyone.
Here I am again, staring at the Titans Hockey Rink building.
My own personal hell. Part of me will always be connected to this place because I don’t know how to let go.
Jovian and Elijah hold my hand as we walk inside.
Everyone else walks ahead of us, but behind us are Hunter, Connor, Kip, Mateo, Mom, and Ray.
We get past the door, and a familiar voice makes a smile spread across my face.
“Well, look who came crawling back to us,” Tate says.
I turn to look and see Tate, Beckett, Logan, and Jaxon standing outside the door leading into the rink.
I let go of Jovian and Elijah to go to them.
Tate picks me up in a tight hug and spins me around before setting me down.
I’ve been texting with them all week, so they know about my relationship with the guys.
I get passed around between the four and given hugs and kisses on the top of my head.
“Fuck, we missed you, girl!” Beckett says, pulling away to hold my face.
“I didn’t think I’d see y’all until tomorrow,” I say.
“And let you go in there alone?” Logan asks. “Fuck no. Also, we wanted to meet these amazing men you keep talking about.”
“This is Jovian, Elijah, Kip, Connor, Hunter, and Mateo,” I say. “Also, my stepfather and assistant coach, Ray, and my mom, Diane.”
“It’s good to meet you guys,” Jaxon says as they all exchange handshakes.
“I’m going to go ahead and warn you…” I say. “Fuck…”
“Let’s go to the locker room and talk,” Jovian says softly.
“Come on,” Beckett says, squeezing my shoulder.
We walk to the visiting team's locker room, and most of the guys are dressed already, but a few are still dressing. We wait until they are gone before I sit down with my friends as my partners get dressed.
“I lied to you guys,” I say quietly.
“About what?” Tate asks.
“I know who hurt me,” I say. “I’m telling you because the whole team knows… and the detective. You are not allowed to react or even mention anything. It is absolutely a threat to my life, so I need you to just be calm. Please.”
“We won’t say anything, Ari. I promise,” Logan says. They’re sitting on the bench across from me, and the others are giving me space to talk to them.
“I remember everything. I know who hurt me. I didn’t see their faces, but I know…” I say. “Saturday… Two men in devil masks dropped a package off at the house containing my finger bone.”
“What the fuck?!” Beckett says.
“They’re stalking me… I don’t know why or how, but they knew where and when to show up,” I say. “The detectives are trying to find something solid, so no one has to know I remember.”
“Who is it?” Tate asks. “It’s someone on the team, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” I whisper. “I think Sutter and Landry covered for them.”
“Who, Ari? Who hurt you?” Logan asks softly.
“Conrad and Ethan,” I say quietly. “That day… I walked into the locker room and found them raping some girl… I went straight to Sutter and Landry. They said they’d talk to them and told me to go do inventory…
I thought I was alone… Hours went by before I went back to my office, and they came in to talk to me about what I saw…
Ethan gave me water from the cooler… I don’t know why I drank it, but I did. ”
I am sniffling and crying, but stop talking to just breathe for a second. “I ran when I realized what was happening, and they knew I ratted on them… I tried to cross the rink, but they got me. I didn’t see their faces, but I know. I know it was them. I was high, and the masks looked so real, but…”
“Son of a bitch.” Jaxon sighs.
“I’m only telling you because the team is going to be around me all of the time, no matter who it is. Without proof, they could hurt me again. Conrad’s father is the chief of police, so… the state detectives are working on it.” I sniffle.
“I’m so sorry, Arianna,” Tate says, swiping away an angry tear before pulling me up to hug me. The others surround me in a hug and hold me as I cry. The others are with us now, but give us space.
“Let’s get this over with,” I say. “Let’s go to the rink.”
“They are here. First-line is supposed to have a practice tonight.”
“Fuck.” I sigh.
“We will sit with you,” Tate says.
“I have to actually do my job,” I say.
“It’s not the same here without you, but… It’s so good to see you happy. The way they look at you… It’s adorable and violent all at once,” Beckett says.
“Violent?” I ask.
“How gingerly you sat down on that bench is very telling, Ari,” Logan says.
“Shut up.” I laugh and cover my flushed cheeks.
“Aww. Look. Our little Ari is blushing,” Tate says, poking my side. I punch him in the arm, and he wraps me in a hug before tickling me more. I wiggle away from him as I laugh and go to Kip.
“Don’t come to me, I’ll hold you down and let them tickle you.” Kip laughs.
“I’ll save you,” Connor says.
“No, the fuck you won’t,” I cackle. “You’ll just bend me over something.”
“She’s right.” Jovian chuckles and wraps his arm around my waist.
“I appreciate that you six are taking care of her, but if you hurt her…” Tate says. “Understand there isn’t a rock in hell that will hide you from us.”
“Be nice.” I frown at Tate.
“Oh, baby. That was nice.” Beckett laughs. “He was going to pull the whole protective dad stunt and sit in the parking lot cleaning a shotgun.”
“You’re all crazy.” I laugh.
“Ready?” Elijah asks, and I sigh.
“No,” I admit. “But let’s go.”
As we walk out of the locker room, I am surprised to find the entire team is waiting for us.
They are lined along the walls outside of the team entrance to the rink, and they have a mix of emotions on their faces.
Jovian and Elijah hold onto me as we get closer, but nothing stops the flood of tears when I step past the door and see the ice.
“I can’t.” I whimper when I try to turn. Jovian and Elijah tug me along with them.
“You’ve got this, baby,” Jovian encourages sweetly. By the time I get to the entrance to the ice I took that night, I am sobbing. The team goes out to the ice and spreads out. Jovian, Elijah, Kip, Connor, Hunter, and Mateo kiss me before going out to the center where Tate is standing.
Tate comes over and takes my hands as Beckett and Jaxon hold my shoulders. Logan has his hands on my waist, and I step onto the ice.
Each step I take, a memory stabs through me.
I am hysterical, but I don’t stop. Ray and Mom are standing with the guys at the center, where I was found bleeding, naked, and unconscious several hours after the attack.
By the time I get there, I can hardly breathe.
Ray takes me from my friends, and we stand in the spot where I was found as my friends, family, team, and partners surround us.
Mom rubs my back as Ray presses his forehead to mine while holding my face as I desperately try to calm down.
“Arianna, you are so damn strong,” Ray says softly.
“You survived, you fought, and you never gave up. They may have stolen something from you that day, but you have gained so much since then. You built yourself back up, and I am so damn proud of you for standing here today. I wish every day that your father could be here to see the beautiful woman you have become.”
“Ray, you are my dad,” I say tearfully. “You never left my side while I was in a coma… You and Mom fed me, brushed my hair, bathed me… I woke up and was angry to be alive. Angry that I survived just to feel so fucking useless… but seeing you smile when you saw me awake. Watching you stay positive no matter how mean I got… I fought because you gave me the strength to fight. I didn’t do that, Ray.
You did. No matter how many times I fell, it was you who told me to get up and try again.
Most importantly… You let me feel every fucking second of what happened to me.
You held me up while I cried, but you still made me get out of that fucking chair and walk.
Ray, you might not be my biological father, but you are my dad, and you always will be.
Dads take care of their little girls, and you took care of me when I didn’t even want to be alive. ”
“I love you so much, Ari,” Ray says tearfully as he squeezes me in a tight hug.
“Goddamn it. Now I’m crying,” Dom says, wiping his face. I can’t help but laugh, dragging Ray into laughter with me.
“Watching you go from mostly dead to standing here in this rink to face your trauma… I am so proud of you, Ari,” Ray says.
“Dom, thank you for this,” I say.