I have an eight o’clock class, but I’m dragging my feet to leave Ash’s house. I’m sitting on the bed while he’s packing his bag. The team flies to Toronto tonight for a game tomorrow afternoon. Two days apart shouldn’t seem so long, but I’m already dreading it.
“Are you working tonight?” he asks.
“Yep.”
He goes over to his dresser and pulls out a book and tosses it to me. “Can you give that to Liza for me?”
I stare down at the Sudoku puzzle book. “How did you know she’s back at the hospital?”
“She started following me on Instagram.”
Laughing, I nod. “I’ll give it to her. It’s sweet of you.”
He lifts his brows and gives me a sexy smirk. “You’re off Thursday night when I get back though, right?”
He zips up the bag and tosses it by the door.
“Mhmmm.” I move to my knees and grab the front of his shirt.
“Good. That means you can be waiting right here when I get back.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
He lunges for me, kissing me hard and taking us back down on the bed. His phone vibrates in his front pocket.
“Do you need to get that?”
He shakes his head and keeps kissing me, but when his phone doesn’t stop, he finally pulls back.
“What’s up?” he answers, not moving off me.
He kisses me while he listens to whoever is on the other line, pulling back to say, “Shit, man. I’m sorry. I need to drop Bridget off at her car. I don’t think I have time. Did you try Jack?”
“I can call Everly or grab an Uber,” I whisper.
He shakes his head at me. “All right. Yeah. Sounds good.”
When he hangs up, I ask, “Who was that?”
“Maverick. He was hoping to catch a ride. His father-in-law is in town and borrowed his SUV. I didn’t catch all the details. He’s calling Jack.”
I glance at the time. “If you go now, you can pick him up.”
“I’m not leaving and making you catch an Uber.”
“I will be fine. Go. Seriously.” I wiggle out from underneath him and stand.
He gets to his feet slowly. “Okay, but under one condition.”
“No. Absolutely not.” I start to walk away but Ash grabs my hand and keeps me from fleeing.
He’s holding back laughter in front of his shiny silver Mercedes G-Wagon.
“I’m not driving that.”
“Why not? It’s a nice vehicle.”
“Exactly.”
“You’ll be fine.” He forces the key fob into my hand. “It’s just a car.”
A very expensive car. It doesn’t feel as “him” as his truck, but it’s gorgeous and has AK53 on the plates. And did I mention it’s expensive?
“Come on. It’ll be totally painless.”
“I’m gonna throw up,” I say as he opens the driver’s door for me. It still smells like new.
“Don’t do that.” He kisses me. “I gotta go. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
He jogs back to his truck, calling over his shoulder, “Try not to crash it.”
“Ha ha,” I mutter to myself.
For the first few miles, I go so slow that if the police were following me, they’d probably pull me over for driving too far under the speed limit. Eventually, though, I start to relax. The roads are quiet and the sun is shining.
My phone rings, Ash’s face filling the screen. I accept the call and put it on speaker.
“Better be important, Kelly. I’m focusing here.”
His deep chuckle relaxes me a fraction more. “How’s the car?”
“Good, I guess. It’s your car.”
“I don’t drive it that often. I like my truck better.”
“Yeah, don’t think I didn’t notice the odometer has less than ten thousand miles.”
“Well then, do me a favor and enjoy it instead of driving it like a grandma.”
“How do you—” I glance up into the rearview mirror. Ash waves from behind the wheel of his truck. Maverick is in the passenger seat.
“I drove ten minutes in the opposite direction and still caught up to you. You won’t hurt it. And if you do, just don’t hurt yourself, okay? Mav says hey. Gotta go. See you tomorrow night.” He signals and exits toward the arena.
I don’t speed up that much, but I do decide to stop for coffee near my old apartment. I park the SUV and head inside.
I haven’t been back since I moved in with Everly and Grace, but I recognize the same baristas behind the counter. I order my coffee and a scone, then head back outside. I stop beside his SUV and snap a selfie. I send it to Ash, who hearts it immediately, then sends a pic of him with the team jet in the background. Show-off.
God, I like him. I run my finger along the screen. Like maybe love him like him.
“Bridget?”
I slide my phone into my back pocket before looking up. My stomach drops as Gabe comes stalking down the sidewalk. He tears his gaze away from me to stare at the car I’m standing next to. Oh shit. What are the odds he thinks I’m just posing here in front of a nice vehicle or that I won the lottery?
“Gabe,” I say curtly. The only way to flee is to get in the car, but that means stepping closer to him.
He whistles. “Nice ride. Screwing a professional hockey player has its perks.”
I say nothing but my heart races and hands tremble as he takes another step toward me. We might be on a public sidewalk, but we’re alone and I vowed never to be alone with this man again.
I crowd the SUV, staying as far from him as I can while I try to move around to the driver’s side, but Gabe sidesteps to block my path. “What are you doing messing around with that loser, anyway? He’s a talentless hack that should have been traded years ago.”
“Get out of my way. I’m not doing this with you.” Blood roars in my ears and a lump lodges in my throat.
He grabs my forearm. “I could ruin him. You know that, right? One call and he’s gone.”
“Let me go, Gabe.”
His grip tightens. My bones feel like they’re going to crush under his hold.
“Or we could work something out.” His nose grazes my cheek. “Come back to my place and I can fuck you good while your boyfriend is away. Don’t tell me you don’t miss it. We were good together.”
“Not a chance in hell.” I shove at his chest.
He grabs my other arm with the same force, and I drop my coffee on the ground. He jumps back as it splashes at our feet, and I use the distraction to pull away from him.
“Fuck,” he mutters, glancing down at the mess.
I throw open the driver’s door and get inside with my heart racing and hit the locks. With one more glance at him glaring at me through the windshield, I pull away.
“Bridge, you have to tell him.” Ev brings me an ice pack for my arm. I hadn’t even planned on telling them about Gabe, but I was shaking so hard when I got home, it was obvious something was wrong.
Grace nods her agreement.
“No. It will just make things worse.” I know Ash. He’ll want to do something and that something could blow up his career.
“What if Gabe really does try to have him traded?”
“He won’t.” At least I hope not. “He just wants to intimidate me.”
“Have you considered going to the police?” Grace asks.
“So they can ask me a million invasive questions and then give him a slap on the wrist?” I shake my head. “No. I just need to stay away. I was stupid to go back to that coffee shop.”
“You’re allowed to go wherever you want, babe. Gabe doesn’t own this town.”
“It’s scary how far he’s willing to go to get you back,” Grace says, brows furrowed slightly.
“That’s the dumbest part. He doesn’t even want me. Not really.” Maybe he thinks he does, but you don’t treat someone like he did me and truly love them.
Grace stands and comes over to hug me. “I’m glad you’re safe. I have to go to class, but text me if you need anything.”
“Thanks. I’ll be okay.”
When she leaves, Everly comes over and sits next to me on the couch. She leans her head on my shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m okay.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“This isn’t the first time Gabe hurt you, is it?”
My eyes sting and I squeeze them shut so I don’t cry. Nope. He gets no more tears from me. I shake my head. “No.”
“I want to murder him.” She wraps an arm around my middle. “I’m so sorry, babe.”
“He doesn’t get to win.” I swipe at a tear that falls. “I’m not going to let him get to Ash through me.”
“Good.” She sits up and looks out the front window. “Also, can we talk about the fact he let you borrow his G-Wagon?”
I parked the SUV in our driveway. There was no way I was leaving it on the curb.
“I should have taken an Uber.”
“He really likes you.”
“I really like him too.” I sigh. “But I don’t know. Maybe it’d be easier if we—”
“Don’t even say it.” She shakes her head. “Do not let that asshole Gabe win.”
She’s right. Ash hasn’t done anything but make me feel wanted and happy, carefree and hopeful. He wants to be exclusive, wants me to come to games, and to claim me in front of the world. I want all of that and so much more. I see a real future with him. It’s scary and exhilarating. I’m tired of Gabe being the thing getting in the way of my happiness. Not anymore.
I just don’t know how to get what I want and keep Ash safe too.
