Page 12 of Touchdowns and Tinsel

As I step back out into the cold, the implications of my day weigh heavily on me. The prospect of facing Cole again is hanging like a storm cloud over my head. I shake my head, willing myself to focus. I need to get through this day, and then I can escape to the solitude of my room, away from his piercing gaze and the games he plays.

As I drive to the grocery store, my heart races every time I think of the arena where Cole would be sure to be surrounded by friends, adrenaline pumping, and fans roaring. He thrives there, and somewhere deep inside, I know he expects me. I wish I could just blend in with the crowd and disappear, but the thought of being in his line of sight creates a heavy sense of dread mixed with inexplicable anticipation.

Pulling into the parking lot, I take a deep breath and steady myself, reminding myself that I can control this. I’m stronger than the dark euphoria he’s ignited within me—a force of nature in my own right. I’m not just the woman he toys with; I’m a survivor, one who can navigate life’s challenges, however twisted they may become.

As I grab my shopping list and step into the store, I can’t shake the feeling of someone watching me. It’s a sensation that gnawsat my insides, stirring up remnants of doubt and fear. I glance around, my pulse quickening as a disconcerting thought settles into the pit of my stomach. The sense of being trapped isn't only reserved for the confines of my mind; out here, in the light of day, I too might be a target.

I shake my head, forcing myself to think rationally. But the nagging idea won't leave me—I’m living out my own nightmare, and it feels closer than ever. I can’t let him win; I can’t let fear consume me again.

And yet, the perfect storm is brewing.

As I walk through the aisles, I still feel like someone is following me. Each person I pass, every shadow lurking at the edges of my vision, sends a fresh wave of paranoia crashing over me. I push the cart forward, each item I toss inside momentarily distracting me from the cold sweat forming on my brow.

When I finally make it to the checkout, relief washes over me. But as I glance up, my heart drops like a stone. Standing there with an aloof look on his face is Cole, leaning against the counter with an all too casual grin. His presence expands, filling the space and highlighting how small and fragile I feel in comparison.

“Thought I might find you here,” he says, his voice smooth as silk, yet every word drips with something sinister.

Just like that, my plans to avoid him slip away like snow melting beneath a warm sun, and I realize I might be trapped...again.

six

Cole

Ican sense her desire to push me away, but I remain as close to Noelle as possible while we navigate the parking lot toward her car, grocery bags cradled in her arms. She’s caught in a whirlwind of emotions, a palpable tension in her demeanor fueled by the fact that Q hasn’t texted her back. I’ve read all her messages on the app but deliberately left them on read, enjoying the way it fucks with her mind. I hadn’t anticipated just how wound up it would leave her feeling. And yet I find an exhilarating thrill in watching her this way—under my influence, wrapped around my fucking finger, completely unaware of how much I hold her under my spell.

As she unlocks her car and hurriedly places her bags in the trunk, she attempts to slide into the driver’s seat before I can intervene. It’s fine, though; I have no intention of stopping her. I want her to feel my gaze lingering on her, and it seems I've succeeded in making my presence known.

“The game starts in a couple of hours, Noelle. Don’t be fucking late,” I warn her, my voice tinged with an unwitting authority that makes her blue eyes widen with apprehension.

“I don’t know if I can make it tonight, Cole,” she insists, avoiding my eyes as she presses the brake and hits the start button on the dashboard.

“Bullshit. You’ll be there, or I’ll fucking drag you there myself,” I threaten, trying to ignore the way my cock twitches, tightening in my jeans. “You’re the only parent I have left, remember? The least you can do is show the fuck up to support your stepson.” My glare cuts through her evasive demeanor, and I know that my guilt trip will eventually chip away at her walls.

“Fine,” she relents, rolling her eyes. “I’ll be there tonight, Cole. Now can I please get this shit home before it melts?”

I nod, dismissing her with a wave. Nothing more needs to be said. I stand my ground, watching her pull away from the parking lot, her car vanishing into the white blur of the falling snow.

Once she’s gone, I stride across the lot to my own car, settling into the warm seat, where three pairs of curious eyes fixate on me as soon as the door shuts, keeping out the cold.

“Did you find her?” Aiden asks, flashing a charming grin that highlights his boyish features.

“Yeah, she’s headed home now, but she’ll be at the game tonight.” I smirk at Hudson and Ryder in the backseat, who are huddled closely together.

As I drive out of the grocery store and follow the direction Noelle took, I notice Ryder lean forward, poking his head between the two front seats.

“I can’t believe your stepmom is such a freak,” he chuckles, although I can read the underlying torment in his eyes, clearly imagining all the mischief we could indulge in together.

“Yeah, I didn’t expect her to have a kidnapping kink,” I admit, gripping the wheel tightly enough that my knuckles turn white.

A surge of jealousy and resentment courses through me as I think about some random guy playing out her fantasy with her.Despite the frustration she incites and the secrets she keeps from me, the pull I feel toward her remains irresistible—a moth drawn to a flame, an unbreakable magnetic force that can’t be broken... or can it?

We pass by the house to confirm her car is in the driveway, and thankfully, it is. I continue driving, eager to reach the dorms, where I can watch her through my laptop, the overwhelming need to see what she’s up to consuming my every thought.

By the time I log onto my computer and pull up the video feed from Noelle's bedroom, she's walking around in a skimpy bra and thong, perfectly on display for me without even knowing it. The guys huddle around me, watching everything that she does, completely fixated on her, just as much as I am.

"Fuck, what I wouldn't give to bury my face between that fat ass of hers," Hudson growls, watching Noelle bend over to pick the ice cubes I left for her off the floor.

I grin, knowing how much she hates it when I leave ice all around the house for her to find. She has to know it's me. I mean, I'm the one who dubbed her the Ice Queen after my father died. Has she not put it together after these last couple years?

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