8. Aiden
Chapter eight
Aiden
A nger’s an old friend of mine. It’s been riding shotgun my whole life, always ready to take the wheel. But this? This white-hot rage burning through my veins as I watch some random fucker put his hands on Aurora? This is new. It’s not just anger - it’s protective, possessive, and fucking terrifying. Because if there’s one thing I know, caring about people only leads to pain.
I don’t know what has come over me, but something about the way Aurora looks when she stands in front of that guy lights me up like a damn firework. He’s some mousy-looking dude, but his hold on her is deceptively strong, and I can tell it’s unwanted. The ease with which Aurora melts into my arms is a testament to that. I don’t usually make it my business to jump into other people’s shit, but she’s different.
Is that just because she’s Jax’s sister?
That’s the question that plagues me now. It has me frozen in place, feeling the weight of her solid and in my arms. I squeeze her waist without thinking, but nothing in me wants to pull away. Not now that I have her pressed against me, her side moving in tandem with mine with each breath. I need to know what the fuck is going on.
“Aurora, what the fuck is going on?”
The words come out harsher than I intend, but I can’t help it. I’m used to looking out for myself, for the team on the ice. But this?
This is different.
Personal.
And it scares the shit out of me.
Usually I keep people at arm’s length, but Aurora? She’s always had a way of slipping past my defenses without even trying. And now, with her pressed against me, trembling like a leaf, all I want to do is shield her from the world.
It’s fucked up, really. I’m not the guy who comforts people. I’m the guy who throws punches first and asks questions never. But here I am, trying to find the right words, hoping I don’t fuck this up.
Aurora stiffens and shifts as if to move away, but I don’t loosen my hold. It’s a dick move, but I know if I let her walk away this time, I’ll never understand. And at the end of the day, we live together. Hell, we’re friends, and for a brief moment years ago, in a situation that eerily mirrored this one, we were a little more. It doesn’t mean she has to divulge all of her secrets to me, but damn it, for some reason, I have to help her. It’s a foreign emotion, and if anyone asks, I’ll deny the fuck out of it, but here we are.
“Did that guy hurt you?” I can’t help the soft growl that coats my words. The thought of anyone hurting her—
“No,” she whispers, not sounding quite like herself. As much as she occasionally annoys me, I hate that she sounds this way: meek and so unlike her normally cheery bratty self.
I like the push and pull that goes on between us. I don’t want her to be some simpering shell of herself who never pushes back. She’s a little shit sometimes, but fuck if I don’t like it. “No, he never hurt me. I don’t even know him besides his name. He just came up to me randomly and asked me out…I think.”
“You think?”
Aurora looks up at me for a moment, her eyes like twin pools that I want to dive into. I shake the sentiment away. I’m supposed to be getting answers, not thinking about how beautiful she is. She’s always been a good-looking girl, but now is the least appropriate time for me to be focusing on that. Jax would fuck me up if he knew I was perving on his one and only sister.
“Yes,” she replies, pulling my attention away from my thoughts. “I just didn’t expect him to remind me so much of…” She trails off, and I know exactly who she’s talking about.
“That fucking guy,” I say, sighing when Aurora nods.
The memory of that prom night comes flooding back, and with it, a surge of emotions I’m not equipped to handle. Anger at the asshole who hurt her. Pride in how she bounced back.
I run a hand over my face as I think about what to say. I’m not the type of person who’s good at this emotional shit. Breakups are a fact of life, but I know I have to look at this a different way. I’ve never been engaged or even close to it, so for all I know, it’s normal to be affected even months after.
I told her to stay away from that asshole the first time he pulled that shit at their senior prom. The dick stood her up and then got pissy that instead of being dateless and upset, she showed up on my arm, smiling like he didn’t fucking exist.
I run a hand over my face, buying time as I try to sort through this emotional clusterfuck. Give me a hockey stick and a clear shot at the goal, and I’m golden. But comforting a woman? Dealing with feelings? I’m in way over my fucking head.
Fuck if I didn’t enjoy the frown on that fucker’s face though. Jax called me a petty bitch when I told him, but revenge is something that makes my dick hard. Especially when it’s well-deserved.
I would have thrown it in that asshole’s face that Aurora had gotten more than just a kiss from me, but that felt like a line too far. Not because I gave a shit about his reaction, but because it would have affected her. Never mind Jax’s reaction.
When Aurora tried to stumble out excuses to stay quiet the next morning, I put her mind at ease and said we wouldn’t mention it. Now, I kind of wish I had been the type of asshole to go back on my word. Turner seems the type to not let anyone else play with his toys.
“Listen,” I bite out, hoping to hell I say this shit right. “I get that you’re hurt, but don’t give that fucker any more power over you.”
Aurora frowns. “What do you mean?”
I scowl and look away. Words are fucking hard, and I’m not any good at them, yet here I am, locked in an empty room with a damn near crying woman as I try to comfort her. If my father could see me now, he’d probably beat my ass for being weak.
“I mean, he’s out there somewhere living it up because he gives zero fucks about anyone else but himself.”
Aurora sniffles and I almost lose it. “So, I should just not give a fuck too? I don’t know if I can do that.”
“You don’t have to be as shitty as him, but you can’t let him affect you when he clearly doesn’t care.” This shit is hard, and I’m not sure I’m getting my point across in the right way. “You’re way too good to be worried about some dumbass guy who couldn’t stand up to someone his own size.”
She snorts. “I’m more than his size.” Her lips twist up into a parody of a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “He used to always say that anyway.”
Now, I regret listening to Jax years ago when he said I couldn’t throttle the guy. Wherever Turner is, he’d better hope that I don’t one day catch up to him.
“Fuck. Now I hate the guy even more.”
Finally realizing that my hold on Aurora has gone on a beat too long, I slide my arm off her waist and try not to wince at how empty it feels. Somehow, even in that short time, I’ve grown comfortable with the solid weight of her in my arms. How anyone could have let her go after that is beyond me.
I know the type of girl most people assume I like, and sure, my dick gets hard no problem. But there’s something to be said for curves that settle nicely in your hands. Plus, after falling around on ice all fucking day, I want to fall into someone warm, cozy, and perfectly shaped to absorb my bumps.
“You don’t have to hate him. I don’t even think I hate him, to be honest.” Aurora shakes her head, looking sadder than a puppy who’s just been told no. “That’s fucked up of me, right? I should hate him so hard. What’s wrong with me that I don’t?”
“There’s nothing wrong with you,” I insist, even though I think she should hate him. Hell, I hate him enough for both of us, really. “You’re a good person. Good people don’t want to hate anyone.”
“I guess,” she says, looking down and not at me. Well, this will never do, I think to myself.
“No guessing.” I shake my head before my gaze lands on a clock on the wall. I only have so much time before I’m supposed to meet the coach and hopefully get an idea of where I’ll be playing. “Fuck, alright, listen. If you repeat anything I’m about to say to anyone else, I’ll deny the fuck out of it, okay?”
Aurora frowns and cocks her head to the side, looking too fucking adorable to be real. “What are you talking about?”
I stand up straighter and stare down at her. “You are a bad bitch, and you deserve the world. Don’t let some guy make you feel like you don’t. He’s an idiot and will regret letting you go.”
Aurora blinks slowly before she slowly straightens up as well. The shift in her energy is noticeable, and it makes something in me clench. I can’t deny it feels good that she’s open and vulnerable with me, that she feels comfortable enough to do that, but damn, is she even more enticing when she has that air of confidence about her.
“You’re right.”
“Damn right I am,” I reply forcefully. When she smiles, I have to swallow hard.
“I can’t believe you just called me a bad bitch.”
I want to turn away, but I force myself to stay still. This isn’t about me for the moment. It’s about making her feel better. Still, I can’t deny how damn good it feels to have her smiling because of me.
Why the fuck does that turn me on so much? Clearly, I need to get out more or fuck. It’s been months since I last got my dick wet, and it’s fucking up my ability to function normally. That won’t do. I have to be on my A-game for the season.
I know I only have one shot to make this shit work. There are no do-overs, and if I let whatever this shit is between us affect that, I know I’ll regret it.
“Yeah, well…” I trail off, not knowing what to say. This is why I don’t try to cheer people up. Telling my teammates to get their heads in the game is one thing. But whatever this is clearly isn’t something I know how to do.
“So, I guess You’re alright?”
Aurora giggles, the sound drawing my attention, and I know then I need to get the fuck out before I do something unforgivable.
“Thank you, Aiden.” Aurora’s voice is soft, but those damn lips are still turned up in a smile that makes my stomach clench. “I know you’re not big on emotions, but I appreciate you helping me. You’re actually kind of decent when you want to be.”
I snort loudly. “Fuck you, princess. I’m awesome.”
Her smile doesn’t waver. “I suppose you are. You’ve helped me out a few times, and I’m grateful.”
“Right. No need to go overboard with the gratitude,” I say, trying to clear the awkwardness in the air, though it seems to only be coming from my side of things. “Just don’t let any more dumbass guys affect you like that again, and we’re even. I don’t want to have to bail Jax out of jail when he tries to fight people on your behalf again.”
She shakes her head, giggling. “No, we definitely don’t want that. Our parents would probably freak out, and then it would become a huge thing.”
I shrug before jamming my hands in my pockets. “Anyway, I’ve got to go meet with coach, so…good luck, I guess.”
Aurora nods before taking a step towards me. I suck in a silent breath when she draws closer, her warmth bleeding onto my skin. Her gaze shifts, and for a moment, it seems like she’s staring at my lips. That can’t be right, though. Why the hell would she be? When she shifts to the side and reaches out for the door handle, I breathe out relief and disappointment tangling inside me as I move to let her go.
“See you later, Aiden,” she says, her voice light and almost teasing. The door swings open, and she glances back at me one last time, a spark in her eyes that makes my heart pound.
“Yeah, see you, Aurora,” I reply, trying to sound casual, but I’m pretty sure my voice comes out gruff.
Part of me wants to pull her back, to finish whatever the fuck this moment is. But the other part, the part that’s gotten me this far in life, screams at me to avoid the situation like the plague.
I stand there for a moment, staring at the closed door, dealing with a mix of emotions. I’ve got a meeting to get to, a career to focus on, and no time for distractions, no matter how tempting they might be.
But now I know I’m screwed because for the first time in my life, I don’t want to run. I want to stay. As I make my way to the coach’s office, I can’t help but feel the shift between Aurora and me.
And the scariest fucking thing of all, I know I can’t ignore it.