Page 59 of Rivals

“Save the expletives for the game, Conrad,” Coach Silver interjects.

“Sorry, Coach,” I mumble as my team skates over. The buzzer goes off and our game is about to start. We do our team cheer before skating out to the blue line.

“So you said bring my jersey, and he took it as an opportunity to brand you with his?” Leah snickers next to me.

“He’s dead to me,” I fire back, before the other team’s players skate over to start the game. The moment my number is called by the announcer, the name Riley Thorn soon follows. The entire arena goes crazy, cheering and whistling; it’s an over-the-top circus. In the center of all the chaos is the ring leader himself, looking proud. His eyes burn hotter than the center of a flame, tracking all over my body wearing his jersey, his gold chain up, around his jaw, the little gold number clasped in his teeth.

Pushing all thoughts of Reign aside, I bend at the waist, ready for the face off. I’m here to play hockey. He is no longer my problem. I just need to survive. The puck drops and bounces before I slap it back to our defense player and the game begins.

“The deal doesn’t count anymore, Thorn. You didn’t bring me my jersey,” I call to Reign while he stands outside my dorm door. He had disappeared after the game was over and I half expected him to be waiting at the arena still.

At the sound of my voice, he pushes off the door and holds up a plastic shopping bag. “You said your jersey, and technically anything mine is yours so it counts. Besides, I brought ice cream and more pain relievers.”

Ugh I hate how my heart melts a little at hearing ice cream. Now is not the time to back down. Pushing my shoulders back, I move to the door and unlock it. Reign follows me inside. I expect a mess from how fast I left, but Reign somehow found time to clean. And there on the couch is my real jersey, folded up.

“Start talking.” I turn to him, with my arms crossed over my chest, protectively guarding my soft areas.

Reign raises his brow and puts the carton of ice cream in the freezer. Finally, he comes to stand in front of me. “Or, how about you take a pill, grab a hot shower, and get cozy and I’ll bring you ice cream in bed.”

I hate how much he knows me, how amazing that sounds, and if the image of him being grinded on by another girl wasn’t stuck in my head, I would give in and enjoy it. “Your five minutes already started.” I hold up my phone, showing him the timer.

Reign sighs and runs his hands through his hair. “Babe, just let me take care of you.”

“I don’t need you to take care of me, Reign. I needed you not to break my heart,” I fire back at him, watching as his eyes tighten.

“I didn’t break your perfect fucking heart,” he growls, sauntering closer.

I scoff. “Right, you were doing it to protect me.”

“You hit your head. You fell into the boards and almost didn’t get up right away. The week before your entire side was bruised. How could I let that go? You were hurt because of me several times. I wasn’t going to let her get away with it. I didn’t let any of them get away with it.”

“You could have told me your plan. You could have trusted me to be in on it, rather than walk around, being humiliated, watching her get close to you, touch you. You let me believe the worst was happening and it hurt me, Reign. It hurt me more than that check to the boards,” I argue back. I wish it could be as easy as he thinks to let it go.

“I didn’t want you to feel responsible. I knew I was going to destroy them and I didn’t want my darkness to touch you. I’m sorry I hurt you, that I did any of those things in front of you. It had to be believable, but I should have been more careful of your feelings.”

“You’d do it again though, wouldn’t you?” I question and watch his head hang down.

“Yes.”

“Then you aren’t really sorry. Why bother wasting your breath,” I chastise him. “Just leave Reign.”

“Babe, I would do it a hundred times over to prove that no one can fuck with you and get away with it. I’m sorry I hurt you. That is all I care about. And I will spend the rest of my life apologizing. I’m never letting you go. I love you, Riley.” Reign reaches for me, cradling my face in his hands.

My phone beeps in my hand and Reign steps back, his shoulders sagging. “Don’t forget to take a pill. I got salted caramel and fudge ice cream. Your favorite,” he says before gently kissing my forehead. I’m stunned. Too emotional to think. When he had said it before, it seemed like the heat of the moment. Now he’s saying it on a regular day and he wasn’t drinking. Reign loves me. I am totally screwed.

Reign

Part of playing the long game is learning to take hits and losses. Riley is working her hardest to lose me by pushing me away and I am taking the hits one at a time. But I’m not giving up. When I left her dorm that night, I had meant everything I said. I love her. I could have pushed harder, I could have worked my way inside her room and blurred her lines, but it wasn’t what she needed. She is scared and even though she knows I meant well, my best intentions didn’t go over so well. Riley was hurt and embarrassed. Now we’re at a stalemate. She’ll let me be close but not too close. I’ll see her out at a party, but she won’t talk to me, dance with me, or leave with me. It sounds like a losing battle, except she still takes the latte I order for her every morning. She hasn’t changed her class schedule, even though we’re now in a new semester, and she has attended more of my home games. Granted her whole team is there, but I’ll take what I can get.

I’m dying without her. I miss having access to her mind, her heart and her body. I need to hold her hand and have her look at me with those melty eyes, when they go soft for me because I made her feel something good. It’s been a month since I blew the prank wide open and proved why no one should mess with her. It worked and I spend considerably less time at the rink these days. They’re scared. Everyone now knows the lengths I will go to in order to protect my girl.

Now after a full month of chasing after her, I’m still not giving up, but fuck if I’m not ready to play dirty. Winter break starts tomorrow and right after the holiday we’re heading to Michigan. Riley may not be aware of it, but she’s coming with me. We’ll be on campus together next fall, living our dreams and planning for an even better future. Her dad is on board. My parents know what the stakes are. All Riley has to do is sit back, smile, play hockey like the star athlete she is, and I’ll take care of everything else.

“Are you ready for the weekend?” my dad asks, breaking me out of my thoughts. I glance at him and the smug smile he’s trying to hold in.

My brow quirks up. “I’m all set. This meeting can either go well or tank, depending on how well your end of the bargain has held up.”

“Reign.” My mom sighs my name before sliding her stern gaze to my father. “Honey. You both are fighting the same battle. I don’t know why you’re still knocking heads over nothing.”

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