Page 28 of Daring the Defender

“Nope. This is just a pre-breakfast snack.” Axel sets his bowl down and walks over. “I’ve got a free period this morning, and I figured you may want a little tour of campus.” He nudges me and says with an overexaggerated Texan drawl, “And try the best bacon and egg biscuits north of the Mason-Dixon line.”

All I feel like doing is crawling back in bed, finding my phone, and calling David to take it all back, but over my brother’s shoulder, Reid’s gaze meets mine, eyebrow lifted in a challenge.

Right.

I wanted something new, some adventure, and although I’m pretty sure coffee with my brother doesn’t count, I can genuinely say it’s something I’ve never done before.

“Holy cow.”I cover my mouth while chewing the steaming bite of buttery goodness. “That’s amazing”

“Almost as good as Mom’s, right?”

“Never,” I narrow my eyes, “ever,tell her that. She’d cry worse than when you decided to move two thousand miles away.” I take another bite. “But yes.”

I’d given him a story on the way over about how, for a minute, I got cold feet and was planning on going back home, but that after sleeping on it, I’d calmed down. For some reason, I don’t tell him about David. Probably because he’d pull out the champagne to celebrate and that’s not exactly how I feel.

“So why’d you do the one-eighty?” He crushes the wrapper of his first biscuit into a ball and reaches for the second.

I’m just thankful my brother is focused on his food and not the heat I feel creeping up my neck. He can’t know about Reid’s encouragement or he’ll pack my bags himself and drive me directly to the airport.

“I admit that I was overwhelmed, and look, I really like Nadia, but–”

“Oh, you don’t have to tell me. Taking you to the Badger Den first off was a terrible idea. That was way out of your comfort zone.” I want to argue that and tell him I was fine, but we both know it’s a lie. I almost ran away,again.“Nadia is a piece of work.” He stares dreamily at the biscuit, the piercing in his eyebrow glinting in the overhead light. I’m pretty sure the glassy eyed gaze is about his girlfriend. “Fuck, I love her.”

Seeing my brother like this is surreal. He’s always been so wild, rushing from one high to the next. Onegirlto the next. I never thought I’d see him fall so hard. It makes me question what I have with David even more, because that stupid look on my brother’s face? I’ve never once seen David look at me like that. “You really do, don’t you?”

“She’s the fucking best.” He shoves the rest of the sandwich into his mouth, chewing slowly before he speaks again. “But look, Nadia hasn’t had it easy. She acts all tough on the outside, and she is a badass, but she’s been through a lot this past year.”He licks his thumb. “You can talk to her, is all I’m saying. Twyler, too. She’s cool.”

Sure, both girls are nice, and with the comment about not being able to talk about things for legal reasons, I definitely get the vibe Nadia has been through something complicated, but have either of them called off an engagement? Have they threatened to throw everything away and disappoint their family? I don’t know, but there’s someone that has come close, but I don’t think Axel is including Reid in approved friends.

After piling up his trash, he checks the time. “I’ve gotta head to class. Do you need directions back to the house?”

“No, I’ve got the address in my phone, but I think I’ll stay here for a little bit. It’s nice.”

And warm. It’s so freaking cold outside. Just the thought of venturing out again makes me want to cry.

Axel pulls on his extremely warm looking hockey jacket. “You’ve got my number. And Nadia’s and Twy’s. You can call Reese too if you need him.”

“I’ll be fine. Go learn something smart.” I shoo him off and he exits, leaving with a cold gust of air coming in through the open door.

First order of business? Warmer clothes.

I’m googling the nearest clothing store when a shadow falls over the table. I look up and my heart jolts. “Oh!” I gasp, looking up at Reid, “you startled me.”

“In the zone?” he asks, setting a full cup of coffee on the table. He’s so tall, big, his shoulders filling out the team jacket that matches my brothers. There’s a number 8 patch on the arm, and the name ‘Wilder’ is stitched over the badger logo on his chest. I’m jealous for a moment, this camaraderie of belonging. I’ve never had that before. He pulls the black beanie off his head and runs his hand through his dark hair, leaving it in loose waves.

I don’t know why I’m noticing these things about him, or why my skin heats every time I look at him. Probably because the first time I met him, I climbed in his lap like a maniac and kissed him.

“I guess you could call it that.” I flash him the screen. “I need to get some clothes. I’m woefully underprepared for this weather and some of us aren’t comfortable freezing our arms and legs off.”

“I won’t apologize for running hot,” he says with a quirk of his lip, “or for being hot.” Without asking permission he sits across from me. “Where are you looking?”

“I don’t know. It looks like there’s a shop on campus.” I glance up. “Do they have clothes?”

“They do, but it’s Wittmore centric, fan stuff mostly. Although they do have sweatshirts and hats.”

“I really think I need a heavier coat and a few sweaters.” I stick out my foot, revealing the ballet flat. “And shoes. My toes are freezing.”

He grabs my foot and pulls it into his lap. The move knocks me off kilter, and I swiftly shove my skirt under my thighs to avoid exposing myself further. Then he runs a warm thumb over the top of my foot and I freeze. “What are you doing?” I whisper, way too aware of the rough skin of his thumb touching me.

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