Page 40 of The Puck Player

The clothes sent by Alexander’s mother are now all hung pristinely in my closet, the note tucked away in my drawer, but the other gift, the one that would definitely piss Ben off, is still shoved beneath my desk, where I tossed it in anger a few weeksago. I haven’t been able to bring myself to look at it, not even after I came to understand why Alexander sent it, but if Ben looks and sees who it’s from, he will hit the roof.

I gently move towards my desk, pushing some clean laundry off the chair and on top of the box under the guise of me tidying up a little, all the while checking the rest of my room to ensure there is nothing else to annoy him, before moving to clean my vanity.

“How’s work?” I ask, desperate to fill the awkward silence, feeling him still watching me, and when I meet his stare he shrugs.

“Same as always, but I don’t want to talk about work, Bree, I want to talk about us.” His words have the breath catching in the back of my throat, as I force myself to take a seat. “We’ve been together for three years now,” he starts slowly, looking at me expectantly, and I brace myself for whatever he is about to say. “And we both know that the ring on your finger was to please your grandmother, so I finally think it’s time we take the next step,” he confirms, and I can feel my heart in the back of my throat.

What do I even say?

Alexander once told me a ring is just a ring, and he was right. When I truly sit back and think about it, I’m not keeping my purity for me, I’m keeping it out of some twisted sense of familiarity. My views are different now from when I was fourteen, and what felt like a solid idea at the time, now feels a little lacking in purpose for me. I also think, if I am being honest with myself, that maybe it also became a bit of a shield too, something to protect me from Ben’s expectations and needs, but after kissing Alexander I realize Ben isn’t the problem, I am.

The love I thought we had doesn’t exist, and I’m not sure where that leaves us.

I open my mouth to respond, but it’s as if Ben has direct access to my thoughts, because he jumps off the bed and drops to his knees at my feet. “I know things have been hard, Bree, and I haven’t been there for you as much as I should, but this distance is killing me.” His words are paired with his hands sliding up my thighs, and I will myself to feel something, anything, but nothing comes. “But we are made for each other, you and I, and I won’t let anything get in our way.” This time, instead of waiting for a response, he reaches up and pulls me toward him, silencing me with a kiss.

A kiss that doesn’t make my heart beat faster or chill me to the bone. No, it’s just a regular, normal kiss that I’ve had a hundred times before, and my heart sinks back into my stomach.

When he pulls back, he smiles, none the wiser to the awful thoughts inside of my traitorous head. “Now, why don’t we get you dressed,” he whispers, tugging on the knot of my robe until it comes undone, and I quickly grip it in my hands.

“Ben, what are you doing?” I ask in a panic, and his answering smirk has me on edge.

“Come on, Bree, don’t be shy, it’s all going to be mine one day.” His voice is assured and smooth as he pulls the fabric from my hands, slowly sliding it off my shoulder until my lace underwear is on display. “And I am so fucking blessed,” he adds with a groan, letting his eyes feast on my naked skin until it breaks out in goosebumps.

“I’ll get dressed,” I rush out, gently pushing him away from me, before rising to my feet and quickly grabbing my dress. I don’t meet his stare as I pull it over my head and move to grab my shoes, not feeling comfortable until I am completely covered, and only then do I turn back to him again. “Let’s go eat.”

Without waiting for his refusal I leave the room and he eventually follows. I call goodbye to Evie, who looks at me with a solemn smile as she emerges from her room, and then Benand I make our way to a restaurant downtown. I spend the next two hours trying to convince him to skip the party and just hang out back at the apartment instead, but apparently he wants to meet more of my friends. I don’t know why, since the last time he was here he acted like a total asshole, but that’s how we find ourselves slowly making our way to Hockey Row.

It’s almost ten by the time we arrive and the party is heaving with people, which is good because maybe I can avoid the Flyers entirely.

Ben throws his arm around my shoulder in a way that’s so unlike him, as I lead him up the pathway. “So whose party is this anyway?” he asks, his eyes scanning everyone we pass with masked annoyance, and I pretend I haven’t heard him as we push our way inside.

“Bree!” Maddie shouts as soon as she sees me, waving me into the kitchen, and Ben pushes us in her direction before I can even refuse.

Nova is there with his arms around her of course, and Josh and Hallie are beside them, with Jake and Evie on one side, and Daemon and Archer on the other, but that isn’t where my stare lands. No, instead it lands on the goalie who is now glaring at me with a look of disapproval.

So much for avoiding the Flyers.

The tension is clear as day as we reach the island, and it isn’t lost on anyone. Obviously Evie, Jake, Archer, and Daemon were all there for that awful dinner, and I’m sure it was passed between the others afterward. Embarrassment and awkwardness clings to me like a second skin, as all of them just stare between us, with Alexander awaiting whatever is going to happen next.

“Pastor, wasn’t expecting to see you here tonight,” Alexander finally drawls, looking at him with nothing but contempt, butBen only smirks, tightening his hold around me and I will myself not to react.

“Just came for some one on one time with my girl,” he replies smoothly, emphasizing the last two words, as he pulls me against him even more, and Alexander’s jaw tightens in response.

I can tell he is pissed off, but only because I have come to know him so well. To everyone else he appears calm and uncaring, especially as he pulls out his phone and taps away on it, and I feel my own vibrate against me, before he brings his stare back to us.

“Hmm, well I’m not a very good host since I am fresh out of holy water,” he taunts, and I bite my lip to keep myself from smiling. “But how about a drink? I just made a fresh batch of cocktails,” he adds with a smirk, flicking his eyes between mine, and Ben’s hold on me.

“Sure, a cocktail sounds great to get us in the mood, doesn’t it, babe?” he purrs, nuzzling into me, and I feel his smirk against my cheek before he focuses back on Alexander. “What is it?” he asks, as Alexander reaches for a jug on the counter, pouring the contents into two glasses, pushing them across to us.

I snatch mine up before he even responds, needing the liquid courage to deal with my current situation, but almost choke, as he replies, “It’s tequila, lime juice, and a splash of pink lemonade,” he starts, his stare now fixated on me. “I call it theTroublemaker.” Neither of us gets a chance to respond, before he pushes away from where he is standing and rounds the island toward us, stopping firm at my side and dropping his head. “I knew that dress would look stunning on you, love,” he announces loud enough for them all to hear, and I feel the blush creeping up my neck, as Ben’s hold on me flexes in anger. Alexander only pulls back and smiles, not caring about the bombhe just tossed between us, as he moves away. “Now if you’ll excuse me.”

All of us watch him leave, the deep thump of the music the only sound between us, and I can’t do anything but knock back the drink in my hand, praying it will make me forget the shit show that I know tonight will be.

Have you ever met someone so fucking full of shit, that even though they haven’t done anything to you, you still want to smash your fist into their face? Well, that’s exactly how I feel about the fucking pastor, especially as I watch his hands roam all over Aubree. He’s a fucking twat, who no doubt has a tiny dick given the energy he gives off, and the only person who doesn’t seem to understand that is her. What the fuck she sees in him I will never know, but if I have to watch him kiss her one more time, I am going to go upstairs, find my very expensive revolver, and blow my fucking brains out.

“You okay there, brother?” Nova asks, only a slight edge of amusement in his voice, and I knock back more of my drink so I don’t have to tell him to fuck off.

“No, he looks like he is about to perish from his jealousy,” Archer muses, swirling his own drink with a smile, and I cut him a deathly glare.

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