Chapter 14 Alex
FOURTEEN
ALEX
One minute, I’m enjoying the party, waiting for Lainey to come back, then the next minute, I’m overcome by anger. My cup drops from my hand and spills on my shoes when I hear that idiot running his mouth. A dangerous, icy chill spreads through me.
Mike doesn’t finish his next sentence before my fist smashes into his jaw with so much force he stumbles back. I want to break every bone in his body for what he said about Lainey.
He still thinks he has any right to challenge me over my girl?
Fuck no.
I should’ve laid him out like this the first time I caught him messing with Lainey on the quad.
Two of my boys flank me as my chest heaves, fury burning in my veins.
“Shut your goddamn mouth, Rivers,” I grit out. “You’re out of fucking line.”
Clenching my jaw, I grip the collar of his Heston U hoodie. The expression on his face is fucking ugly. It’s the look of a loser who would never deserve someone like her.
He’ll never have her, either. She’s mine. Even if she wasn’t, I wouldn't let him near her.
With a furious yell, I punch him again. I never lose control of myself, not on the ice or off it.
I’ll fucking kill him for what he said. Who the hell does he think he is? He has no right to say that shit about her. No one does.
If I haven’t made that crystal fucking clear, now it should be.
Theo grabs my arm when I pull it back for another hit and two other guys help him pull me off. Mike’s face is swollen and red, the corner of his mouth bleeding.
“As much as I’m enjoying watching you pound his ass, that’s enough.
I’m not letting you risk your future. Lainey wouldn’t want that either.
” Theo squeezes my shoulder in support and pats it when I drop my arm in acceptance.
He glares at Mike. “Get the fuck out. You’d better hope we never hear you talking shit about my sister ever again. ”
I rake a hand through my hair, picturing my girl’s sweet smile to calm me down.
Shit. Where is she? I scan the party, moving from room to room while the guys take care of kicking that dickhead Rivers and his friends out.
“Hey.” I snag Easton by the arm. “Where’s Lainey?”
He shakes his head. “Haven’t seen her, man. She was in the kitchen right before the fight broke out, but she’s gone now.”
“Fuck.” I blow out a breath.
I send her a text to check on her, but she doesn’t respond. Agitated worry creates a weight in my stomach. Raking a hand through my hair, I step out on the porch to call her. The first try rings once before it drops. Frowning, I call her back. This time it goes right to voicemail.
Things were so perfect upstairs in my room when it was just the two of us. I wish we were back there now.
Theo’s sprawled in the cushy chair in the corner with a girl perched on the arm rest when I come back inside.
“Can you call Lainey? I’m only getting her voicemail.”
“She left?”
“Yeah, I can’t find her. Easton said she’s gone.”
He mutters to himself, then digs his phone from his pocket, smirking at the girl he’s flirting with when the movement jostles her. “Don’t worry. She hates too much attention. She probably ran home because she’s embarrassed. It’s what she does when she wants to shut out the world.”
I ball my fist and grip my phone harder when he shakes his head. “I’ll go find her.”
If she heard Mike and me fighting, it must have upset her. I hate the thought of that asshole making her cry. I clench my jaw and start for the door.
“She’s fine,” Theo calls after me.
I frown. “You’re seriously not worried about her?”
He shrugs. “Just let her be for tonight. If you get in her face when she wants to be left alone, it only makes it ten times worse. Trust me. She likes to work shit out on her own.”
The last thing I want to do is stress her out more or hurt her feelings worse.
Theo levels me with a knowing look. He can read me better than anyone. I trust him. Even though everything in me wants to track her down and hold her.
I lift my hands. “Fine. I’ll wait until tomorrow and give her time to herself. But first thing in the morning, I’m going to find her and make sure she’s okay.”
“You do you, man.”
“I will.”
Not in the mood to party without my girl, I head upstairs. She still won’t answer when I try to call again. Sighing, I start sending texts. I have no idea if she’s reading them or not, but they’re the only thing keeping me from going out of my mind.
Alex
I’m sorry about tonight, sweetheart.
Alex
You freaked me out when you left by yourself. Are you okay?
Alex
Talk to me. Please?
Alex
If you’re mad about me punching Mike, he deserved it. I won’t let anyone say anything like that about you. He’s a fucking douchebag.
Alex
What do you want for breakfast? I’m coming over first thing in the morning.
The urge to go after her doesn’t leave me all night. I toss and turn, waking up more than once to send her another message when a new important thought pops into my head.
In the morning, I stare blearily at the event reminder on my phone I set two weeks ago for Lainey’s benefit dance tonight.
I’ve forgotten all about the deal I proposed right around the minute I kissed her. We’re long past faking it now.