Page 57 of Shockproof

We take the nearest elevator with a small group of other people. I keep my arm wound tightly around her, and my stare continuously sweeping the scene until the very second the doors close. In spite of the fact, I didn’t see something, I felt it.

Someone was watching us.

And it’ll be their funeral if they try to fucking follow.

By the time we reach the box level, it’s just us and one other couple on the floor. One of the strolling ushers checks our tickets prior to pointing us to a section near the closest set of stairs. We happen to sneak inside the area mere moments just before the puck officially drops. Arley rushes to the edge, forgetting all about me, her manners, or the fact we’re sharing the space with my family. She simply plants her palms on the edge, sores to the tips of her bright green Converse, and leans towards the game like a hockey themed version of that scene fromThe Titanic.

Rather than resist admiring the view or ruin the opening moment of her first in person hockey game, I hang back. Fold my arms across my chest. Try to keep my eyes not on her round ass begging for my dick to dive between it but the way she’s grinning. And yelling. And enthusiastically shouting as if they’re on TV instead of down below.

“Her first time?” Dad cautiously asks from the seat closest to the buffet stretch.

I answer him in the form of an amused nod.

It isn’t until the first whistle is blown that she spins back on her heels to face the group she blatantly ignored. “Sorry!” Her fingers fly to shield her face. “I got too excited!”

“It’s quite alright, sweetheart,” my stepmom lovingly reassures. “The whole thing was really cute!”

“Thanks, Linda.” Arley crosses over to hug her. “Good to see you!”

While the two of them engage in a greeting, my dad and I clasp hands into a hug doing the same, “Good to see you, Dad.”

“Good to see you, champ.” The pull back allows us to meet eyes. “Everything okay? It’s not like you to be late.”

“Yeah, we were jus’ uh…sort of…um…” my face briefly cringes during a poor attempt to find the right words, “lost track of time.”

“That’s what we call it too, ya know.” His wink occurs prior to maneuvering himself over to hug Arley presenting me the chance to embrace Linda. “Get over here, girly. You know the drill.”

He warmly squeezes her, and I give the same affection to the woman who’s never forced herself into a role she already knows is filled. “So happy you’re in one piece, champ.”

“Eh, I might be missin’ a couple chunks here or there, but nothin’ worth worryin’ ya over.”

She pulls away and gives me a playful swat to the stomach.

“Why are you abusin’ my littlemijo?” my ma’s voice unexpectedly interjects prompting me to whirl around towards the door. “And does he deserve more abuse? Because he will never be too old or too big to be over my knee.”

“Ma?!” Even louder and more rambunctious greetings escape as I dart over to her. “What are you doin’ here?!”

“I was invited.”

Hugging the woman who is just under five feet tall isn’t done gently.

Or carefully.

People mistake her tiny size for being delicate all the time.

Watching her put them in their place is still one of my favorite things to see.

“Hi, Ma!” my girlfriend squeaks and rushes our way to takeover hugging duties. “I didn’t know I’d get to see you tonight!”

“Neither did I,” I casually retort in tandem with giving them space.

“I’m in town for a few days,” she announces after they part, “and Ace invited me to join y’all.”

The smile that finds its way to my lips is wide and proud.

Sure.

Having me kidnapped tore their marriage apart but getting me returned gave them a chance to do something most split couples don’t get to.

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