21. Aiden
Chapter twenty-one
Aiden
I watch Aurora shuffle back to her room, shoulders slumped like she’s carrying the weight of the world. It’s been days since her parents left, but the funk lingers like a bad smell. I get it - dealing with parents’ expectations is a special kind of hell. But at least her folks give a damn. That’s more than I can say for my old man.
If I’m being honest , I don’t know what to say to her or how to bridge the gap.
I was meant for action, not kumbayaing sitting around holding hands—talking about my feelings. And if I’m being realistic, I’ve never even seen their family fight. Sure, they’ve had disagreements, but nothing like what I’m used to with my old man.
I gotta admit though, it’s pretty fucking intense. Jax is usually all jokes and easy smiles, but this…this is like watching a different person emerge. It’s a bit unsettling, seeing him ready to go toe to toe with his own parents, for Aurora’s sake.
A side of Jax I’ve only seen glimpses of before, usually when some asshole at a bar gets too handsy with Aurora or when her ex used to pull his shit. But this? The way he stood up to his folks, voice low and dangerous, eyes blazing.
That’s next level shit.
Not that I don’t get it. Family’s complicated. But watching Jax go full protective mode over Aurora, it’s... well, it’s something. Can’t decide if it’s admirable or fucking insane. Maybe both.
Either way, it’s clear Jax isn’t messing around when it comes to his sister. And that... I don’t know. Makes me wonder how far he’d go if push came to shove.
Jax filled me in on what went down after I took Aurora home. And apparently, he tore into them for bringing up her ex and saying they actually felt bad for the fucking asshole.
That’s some ride-or-die shit right there.
I join Jax in watching the Michigan vs Boston game
“You know,” I start, taking a seat, and leaning back on the couch,
“I don’t feel bad for that fucker Turner at all.” Jax shoots an eyebrow.
“Yeah? You never said anything.”
I snort. “ Wasn’t my place. But to be honest, I was happy when they split. It confirmed I wasn’t wrong about at least one thing in my life, even if it did come at her expense.”
Shitty way to feel, but that guy’s a douch.
“How’s she doing?”.
“About as well as can be expected, I guess…still acting all sensitive—typical female crap.”
“Wow still not talking huh?” I keep my voice low so Aurora doesn’t think we’re talking shit about her.
Jax glances, shaking his head. “Barely. It’s like living with a ghost.”
“Christ that bad, huh?”
I nod, thinking about how quiet she was on the ride home. “Well, I figured I’d try giving her time, you know? Took the long way back, hoping she’d open up a bit.”
“And did she?”
“Nope. Just thanks and locked herself in her room.”
“That good, huh?” Jax quips.
I did have a chance to see her parents the day they left. Her mom even went as far as to apologize to me, as if, but Aurora wasn’t having any of it. She just kept her door shut. I didn’t blame her I probably wouldv’e done the same thing. But I have to admit, seeing her mom tear up sucked. Women crying is a sore spot for me, even when they deserve it.
“Dude” Jax says, breaking the silence, “I just don’t know what the hell they were thinking. They knew she didn’t want to talk about that guy, but my mom kept pushing as usual.”
I nod “I get it. I’m put in the same funk after dealing with my old man. I know that shit all too well. But your folks can’t even compare. Even if that shit was a trainwreck, it’s nothing like my dad’s bullshit. At least your parents give a damn. Love? A word that’s not even in my dad’s vocabulary.”
“What?” Jax says.
I run a hand through my hair, not used to opening up like this. “Look, your parents blindsided her, basically hinting the breakup was her fault. That’s fucked up, and your mother should’ve known better.”
This silent treatment’s dragging on, and I’m actually missing our stupid fights. Who’d have thought I’d want Aurora bitching at me about eggs or laundry? But damn, I’d take that over this quiet any day. I know it’s not much interaction, but for the sake of keeping things on the down low , I’ll take what I can get.
“What do you do?” Jax asks, his eyes searching mine. “After your dad... you know. How do you bounce back?”
I shrug. “Take it out on the ice. Skate till my legs give out, shoot pucks till I can’t feel my arms. It helps.”
He turnes to look at the TV, but I could tell he wasn’t really seeing it. I know how much Jax values family.
“I’m trying to give her space, but... but I don’t know how to reach her,” Jax adds.
“They don’t get what they did wrong?” I probe, trying to understand.
“They have an idea, but they don’t know everything. And it’s not my place.”
“Good,” I nod. “I’d be pissed if you’d spilled Aurora’s business. Hell, even I don’t know the whole story.”
“Look, you can’t fix this for them. They’ve gotta sort their shit out themselves. But I’ve got an idea that might help Aurora blow off some steam.”
“Yeah? What’s that?”
I smirk, already picturing Aurora’s reaction. “Ever heard of a rage room?”
T he air’s thick with tension, adrenaline, and that fucking sweet release you only get from breaking shit. I swing the bat, grinning like a madman as glass shatters.
This is almost as good as fucking. I glance over, catching Aurora slamming her bat into a flatscreen. She hasn’t said a word since we got here, just methodically picking her targets.
When I first mentioned the rage room, she looked at me like I was nuts. It’s new, but I found one nearby that won’t scare the shit out of her. Jax gave me shit for keeping this place a secret when I told him about it.
“Why’re you stopping?” Aurora asks. I focus on her, standing next to the busted TV. I can’t see her face behind the gear, but her voice gives her away. “You done?”
I want to keep going, but we’re running low on stuff to smash. I want her to work out her shit. “Yeah,” I grunt, eyeing the sledgehammer. “Can’t overdo it. Coach’ll have my ass if I sprain something.”
Aurora giggles, and I lean in without thinking. My eyes follow her as she picks up the sledgehammer. Fuck me, the way she lifts it is hot as hell. I have to look away when she starts on the plates.
Her hits are precise like each plate personally pissed her off. With every smash, I can see the weight lifting off her. Her eyes are bright, grin wild, and I get it. I feel myself tensing and relaxing with her until, suddenly, it all stops. Our eyes lock over the mess of broken shit, and I know we understand each other in a way words can’t touch. This isn’t just about breaking stuff; it’s about taking back control.
I walk over, feeling the room heat up. I take the sledgehammer, setting it aside. The air’s electric as she keeps her eyes on me. Standing here, surrounded by the remains of our rage, I have a moment of clarity. I want her. More than that, I want her to want me.
“How are you feeling?” I ask, my voice softer than its ever come out. Aurora shivers, and I put my hand on her hip.
“Better?” She nods, letting me lead her out. We strip off our gear in silence.
On the drive back, she’s quiet, and I let her be. I know how it feels after your first time here.
Finally, she speaks. “Thanks... for tonight.”
“Anytime,” I grunt, eyes on the road. “Say the word if you wanna go back. Good for working out feelings and shit.”
She giggles, and fuck if that sound doesn’t make me smile.
“Is that where you always disappear to? To work out feelings and shit ?”
I could brush her off, but we’ve had a moment. I’m not gonna be a dick now. “Yeah,” I admit. It doesn’t hurt as much as I thought it would.
“After you talk with your dad?” Damn, how’d she figure that out?
“We don’t have to talk about it. she adds”
I glance at her. Aurora’s looking out the window, but I can see she’s still down. I grit my teeth. Why’s this so fucking hard?
“Yeah,” I finally say. “He calls after games, gives me shit when he thinks I didn’t play right.”
“But you’ve won every game.”
I shrug, trying to look like I don’t give a fuck. “Doesn’t matter if he thinks I fucked up somehow.” Saying it out loud feels like taking a puck to the face. “He’s got these expectations. If I don’t meet ’em exactly, I’ve failed.”
Aurora’s quiet, but I feel her eyes on me. Then her hand’s on mine on the gearshift. I look down for a sec.
“Has it always been like this?” she asks softly.
I let out a harsh laugh. “Since I could hold a fucking stick. Hockey’s all he cares about. Hell, it’s the only thing he’s ever paid for.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, he wouldn’t buy me new shoes when mine had holes, but he’d drop a grand on new skates in a heartbeat. As long as I was winning, that is.”
Aurora squeezes my hand. “That’s fucked up, Aiden.”
“Yeah, well. That’s dear old dad for you. Neglectful as hell unless it involves ice time.”
“Did he ever...” she trails off, but I know what she’s asking.
“Hit me? Nah. But words can leave bruises too, you know? Every game, every practice, it’s always ‘not good enough, Aiden’ or you’re embarrassing me out there’.” Aurora’s quiet for a moment.
“You know that’s not true, right? You’re an amazing player.”
I grunt, not sure how to handle the compliment. “Tell that to him. Nothing’s ever enough.”
“Well, I think you’re enough,” she says firmly. “More than enough.”
“Thanks for telling me, “She says softly. Her lips turn up a bit. “I’m here if you need to talk. Or if you need a rage room buddy.”
“Yeah?” I smile a little. When she nods, I turn my hand over, lacing our fingers. “It’s a date then.”
Her eyes go wide, but she grips my hand tighter. There’s a lot I want to say, but I keep my mouth shut as we pull up to the house. Jax’s car’s gone. I hate letting go of her hand, even to get out.
We walk up quietly. She’s the perfect height for me to breathe in her scent as she unlocks the door. I follow her in, close.
“Jax is out tonight,” I say, keeping my voice low. The quiet house has me feeling like speaking too loudly will break whatever’s happening. Aurora looks up at me, eyes like melted chocolate. When she licks her lips, my eyes follow.
“I know. He told me he’d be back tomorrow—“
I cut her off with my mouth. She freezes, and for a second, I think I’ve fucked up again.
I start to pull back, ready to apologize, but then her arms are around me, pulling me in. My eyes close as my back slams into the wall, and I can’t help the groan that escapes me. Fuck, I’m gonna taste her again.
“Eager much?” I manage to quip between kisses.
“Shut up,” she mumbles against my lips, nipping lightly.
“Make me,” I challenge, smirking.
She does just that, her tongue sliding against mine in a way that makes me forget my own damn name. “Damn, Aurora. Where’d you learn to kiss like that?” She giggles a breathy sound that goes straight to my cock.
My hands find her plush hips, pulling her flush against me.
The world narrows down to just us - the softness of her lips, and the heat of her body against mine.
I capture her lips again, pouring every ounce of pent-up want into her. Aurora matches me beat for beat, giving me as good as she gets.
I break away, breathing hard. My forehead rests against hers as I try to steady myself. “Christ, Aurora,” I murmur, voice rough. “You’re something else, you know that?”
She looks up at me, eyes bright and cheeks flushed. “Good something or bad something?”
“Definitely good,” I say, yanking her hair at the nape into a ponytail, “Dangerously good.”
Her lips quirk into a small smile. “Dangerous, huh? Scared, Aiden?”
I chuckle low in my throat. “Terrified,” I admit, surprising myself with the honesty. “But in the best way possible.”
She runs her fingers along my jawline, sending shivers down my spine. “Me too,” she whispers.
Everything else fades away. It’s just Aurora’s lips on mine and her arms wrapped around on my neck.
As I lose myself in Aurora’s kiss, a nagging voice in the back of my head reminds me of all the ways this can go wrong. But for once in my life, I decide to silence that voice and live in this moment.