Page 84 of The Puck Player

Aubree and I have stayed at his house every night since it happened, more for his peace of mind than ours, with me sleeping on the sofa of course. He’s been hovering over her like a hawk, and I can’t say I blame him. Every time I look at her, I remember that feeling of coming out of the locker room and finding her gone. I think it will haunt me forever, but thankfully my girl is resilient.

We talked about what happened, what he said, what he almost did, and though I know it’s affected her, she is coping with it well. I think it’s helped spending so much time with her dad, the two of them now closer than ever. Plus, our presence here has meant all the guys and the girls have been piling in and out all week.

Evie, Maddie, and Hallie have been drowning in their guilt at leaving her alone, not that Aubree was letting them. She scolded them all for even thinking about it, but I can tell the whole thing has solidified a true friendship between them. As for me, well, as always, the guys have been here to have my back. Nova and Jake have been getting all my and Aubree’s work from our classes, Daemon has been cooking for us, and Archer’s always ensuring we’ve all got something to laugh about. It’s been nice, but it’s the dark horse that is Josh Peters that has my full gratitude, even if we haven’t talked about what happened.

I know what he saw that day, even if Coach already had Aubree covered up by the time he entered the room, it doesn’t take a genius to work out what was happening. Something that made him stray from that usual code of conduct of his and calling in reinforcements. It was only after it all went down, thatI remembered him being on his phone the whole time while we were searching for Aubree, and now I know why.

Elle King. A name that is only uttered in fear and wonder these days, a name infamous on the elite scene of New York, even from her small town of Black Hallows. There are whispers about what happened to her, about what she did to those who wronged her, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that three days after she appeared in Bree’s childhood home, it was reported that Ben killed himself. I wish I could feel some remorse for him, some regret, but the image of him prepped and ready to rape my girl will be burned into my brain for eternity.

When the two police officers turned up at the house to take our statements, and returned a few days later to notify us of Ben’s death, I knew it was no accident, and it wasn’t just from the way the officers looked scared shitless to be handling the situation. No, it was everything, from the discreet way the doctors checked us over, the lawyers that turned up and made everyone present that night sign an NDA, and the lack of emotion from Elle and the two men at her side, as if the whole thing wasn’t even a blip on their radar.

Not that I’m surprised. I mean, hell, I’m friends with members of a secret society, I’m richer than God, I know a whole lot about how money and power intertwine. I just wish it didn’t have to touch my girl.

Aubree cried when she found out about Ben, her dad holding her in his arms, consoling her, but I know it wasn’t tears of sadness, but rather relief. She was finally free of him. Calls and messages flooded her phone in condolence, people from her past offering their heartfelt sympathies, but I’ve been fielding them all, especially the ones from fucking Valerie.

Now as I lead Aubree back to her apartment, I can’t help but feel different somehow, changed. A few months ago the only important thing in my life was hockey, it was the only thing I waspassionate about, but now? Now I have something worth more than every penny in my bank, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Of course, I’ve employed three extra security guards to man the building, and have doubled the amount of security cameras before I even considered letting her return home. Something she said was ridiculous, since Ben is no longer a threat, but I’ll never take her safety for granted again.

We push into her apartment, dumping her bags by the door, not surprised to find Evie and Jake already there. “You’re home,” Evie sings, jumping off the sofa and rushing to pull my girl into her arms for a bone-crushing hug.

Maddie and Hallie are also here, with Nova and Josh lingering near the kitchen, where Archer is watching Daemon cook.

When Aubree pulls back, she looks at them all in disbelief. “What are you guys doing here?” she asks, accepting more hugs from the girls, and Maddie laughs.

“Did you really think we’d let you come home without a little housewarming?” she replies, tossing her a little wink before smiling at me knowingly, and when Aubree turns to me, her eyes are glistening with tears.

“This was all you, wasn’t it?” she asks, and I shrug noncommittally, but then she closes the distance between us, throwing her arms around me and slamming her lips to mine. She kisses me fiercely, like I am the answer to all of her prayers, before she pulls back and gasps, “I love you, Alexander.”

My eyes widen, not just at her words, but with the audience she chose to say them in front of, because yes there have been some admissions between us, but those three little words have never quite escaped before.

“You love me?” I ask, and she nods without regret, but I’m already dipping down and picking her up, pushing her againstthe back of her front door. “Well it’s about fucking time, Trouble.” I kiss her again, stealing all the air from her lungs, and the guys behind us start to holler. “I fucking love you, Aubree Callows, from the moment I saw you I knew it, and I’m glad you finally caught on.”

She laughs, kissing me again, before Archer calls from the kitchen, “Group orgy anyone?” His question has us pulling apart, turning to look at him, but he only shrugs. “What? We all know it would be hot as fuck,” is all he adds, and Daemon shakes his head at his boyfriend in amusement.

“Just keep your dick in your pants for once,” Nova scolds him, passing us both a beer, before taking a seat and pulling Maddie into his lap.

She smiles at him lovingly, while Josh glares at him like a moody wanker, but moves to take a spot beside Hallie, who smirks at him, as if she knows exactly what he’s thinking. Evie returns to her spot next to Jake, leaving room for Aubree and me too, and we join all of them round the coffee table to enjoy a drink.

Amongst all the chaos we managed to bag another win, which means tomorrow night we will play for the title of the Frozen Four, and no matter if we win or lose, I know we will do it as a team.

We spend the rest of the day hanging with our friends, eating, drinking, and just enjoying each other’s company, and by the time they all leave it’s nightfall. Evie even dragged Jake back to my house, so Aubree and I could have the apartment alone, and as I lock the door behind them and turn to find my girl watching me with a smile, a warm feeling spreads through my chest.

“Go and get ready for bed, I’ll clean up,” I tell her, shooing her into the bedroom, before making quick work of clearing away all the trash and plates.

I load the dishwasher, take out the trash, and wipe down all the surfaces, before grabbing us some water for bed, locking the door, and then turning out all the lights. Only then do I make my way to her room, pausing at the threshold when I find Aubree sitting in the middle of her bed, wearing nothing but my jersey.

“Well someone looks like they are looking for trouble,” I muse, leaning on the doorframe, and my girl smiles, crossing one of her long, thick legs over the other.

“I am trouble,” she replies, toying with the hem of my jersey, and lifting it just enough so I can see that there is nothing underneath.

“Oh you fucking are,” I grunt, moving off the frame and making my way over to the end of her bed, my eyes trailing over her perfect form. “What do you want, love?” I ask, flicking my eyes to her now, searching her stare.

Between everything that happened with Ben and staying at her dad’s house, we haven’t touched one another since the night before the hockey game. I didn’t want to pressure her, or make her feel uncomfortable in any way, not after what he almost did to her. I know shit like that can mess a person up, and even though he’s gone now, the memory of what he did isn’t. Not for either of us.

At my question Aubree pushes up onto her knees, until she is right in front of me, her hands gently cupping my cheeks. “I want us, Alexander, I want you and me, and everything we have.”

Her words make that feeling in my chest even stronger, and I lower my forehead to hers. “You already have it, baby, I promise.”

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