The girls are having the time of their lives. Seeing Maya smiling and laughing while she dances with her friends makes me want to be by her side. It’s a challenge to remain at the bar watching over them to guard them from douchebags and creeps, but I lean on my elbows and stay rooted to my spot.
They draw attention from guys. How could they not? They’re beautiful and radiate confidence with their dancing.
There are a few times I have to get up, giving anyone that looks at Maya and her friends too long a glare that says if they touch her, they’ll answer to me.
When I’m satisfied they’re safe for the moment, I turn back to the bar for a refill on my water. The bartender is chatting with me when I spot someone coming up to order a drink in my peripheral vision.
The blood in my veins rages to life in a violent boil at the sight of Wiener. What the hell is he doing here? It’s almost two hours from Elmwood.
That’s far to go for a night out, and too close to Heston Lake for my comfort after the shit he pulled a couple of months ago.
He’s with a girl and he’s spotted Maya.
If he looks at her again, we’re going to have a huge fucking problem.
The conversation with Maya about how things ended between them before she started college runs through my head. My hand balls into a fist and I temper the urge to go over there and knock him the fuck out.
Swallowing hard, I concentrate on the memory of Dad’s voice to calm down. I don’t need an assault charge on my record or I can kiss my NHL dreams goodbye.
I eye his arm. It’s no longer in a thick cast, now resting against his chest in a sling. Seems like he’s playing it up for the girl he’s here with.
There’s an open tab on my phone’s browser that I refresh every day to check if he’s still benched with his injury.
If this asshole wasn’t still on the IR list, I’d wipe the ice with him. The severe penalty for fighting in an NCAA game and any game suspensions after would be worth it to make him pay for everything he’s done to Maya.
Anger burns through my veins when he says something to his date after their drinks are delivered, then weaves through the dance floor in Maya’s direction.
Oh, hell no.
I push off the bar and stalk after him with purposeful strides. Just before he reaches her and her friends, I shoulder him aside.
Maya stops dancing, staring warily at her ex. Reagan shifts closer to her with a pissed off expression and holds her hand.
“Boyfriend,” the redhead I haven’t met greets.
“Uh, friend?” I return.
She grins and gives me a thumbs up.
Maya tears her attention from Wiener. “Sorry, I should’ve said earlier. Corinne, Easton. Easton, this is Corinne.”
Wiener clears his throat. Maya rolls her eyes, flapping a hand at him.
“That’s Johnny. He’s just leaving, right?” There’s a hard edge to her voice that makes me proud.
He smirks. “Relax, I only came over to say hi when I saw you were here.” He points to the bar where the girl he left sits. “I’m on a date.”
“Congratulations.”
When he doesn’t immediately move on, I pull Maya into my arms and give her a quick kiss. “Have a good time. You know where I am if you need me.” Turning on my heel, I level Wiener with a glare. “Follow me, or I’ll drag you there.”
He narrows his eyes. “You’re the guy who answered her phone. Shit, you were at that bar in Heston Lake, too. The guy she left with.”
“Yeah, I’m her boyfriend,” I grit out.
Wiener tucks his good hand in his pockets and steps past me. He looks back at Maya and I clench my jaw as a wave of possessiveness crashes over me. He will never touch her again.
I fist the collar of his shirt and force him to walk away. Once we’re back at the bar a few spots down from his date, I don’t release him right away, leaning closer.
“It’s my name she screams. At games and all night long.”
He lurches out of my grasp. “That’s because she’s nothing more than a nasty little puck slut. Does she still suck cock like shit?”
My vision swims and I need to breathe harshly for a moment to control myself so I don’t kill him on the spot. My hands flex and I jerk my head.
“You’re something else, Wiener.”
He frowns. “It’s Werner.”
“No, I had it right, dickhead.” I get in his face. “I’m only going to say this once, so listen closely because I’m dead fucking serious.”
He leans against the bar with a punchable arrogant expression, gesturing for me to go on. I grab his sling and twist just enough to make my warning clear. His face pales and he tries to move back, but I won’t let him.
“Never break into Maya’s apartment again.”
“I didn’t break in, I had the key from that ugly plastic flower pot where she keeps the spare.” He tries to play it smug again, but it doesn’t quite land when I tighten my grip.
I’m about to deck him because I can’t keep my anger in check anymore. He fucking deserves it.
Maya stops me by slipping right between us to flag down the bartender. She spares Wiener the briefest glance, flipping him off, then ignoring his existence while his gaze bores into her.
“Four waters, please!”
The anger swallowing me whole calms down. I huff out a ragged laugh, sliding an arm around her waist. She amazes me.
She downs her water first, then beams at me before giving me a sweet kiss. I try to extend it, wanting to rub it in Wiener’s face. She breaks away with a sly little smirk.
Turning to him, she props her hands on his hips. “Easton’s dick is bigger than yours. Oh, and I told your date everything you did to me.”
He gapes, looking in the direction Maya indicates with her thumb. The girl has joined Maya’s friends. All of them look our way and give Wiener the finger.
A deep laugh tears from me. I’m proud of her and so fucking in love.
“Bye forever, you pathetic asshole. Hope I never see your face again.” With a bright smile, Maya leaves us.
I’m thoroughly enjoying the way his smugness has been obliterated by my girl.
I stop him before he storms off, lowering my voice seriously. “Key or not, campus security keeps logs of every car and has extensive surveillance cameras in place around the grounds. She reported the incident, and they have your plates and description.” I drop my attention to his sling, a threat creeping into my tone. “Stay the fuck away from Maya.”
Lip curling, he mutters under his breath and leaves the club. I don’t relax, not until I know he’s gone.
Blowing out a breath, I take up my post as the girls’ bodyguard again.
When the girls are ready to leave two hours later, we squeeze into my car and I make sure they all get home safe.
After dropping off Wiener’s date at a townhouse off-campus in Heston Lake, I take Reagan home. She makes her way into the apartment building singing the last song that was on the radio. When Hana gets out, Corinne joins her. They both take off their heels and the pair of them hook arms, leaning on each other for support while they walk gingerly up the path to their dorms.
Then it’s just me and Maya in the peacefulness of my car, the music station she picked playing low in the background.
I reach across the console to tuck a hand between her thighs. “Ready to go home, baby?”
She gives me a soft smile, fighting to keep her eyes open. “Yeah. Take me home.”
Easy. That’s wherever she is.
