Page 41

I come home from classes all day today, even though I’m so tired from yesterday and my ass kind of hurts. I shut the front door behind me, kicking off my shoes as Dad stretches.

“I’m gonna take a nap,” he says, already heading toward his room. “You doing school stuff?”

“Yeah,” I lie. “Gotta work on my project still.”

He just grunts in response before disappearing down the hall.

I exhale, climbing the stairs to my room. The second I step inside, I lock the door. Shower first. Then I can pretend to be productive.

The hot water loosens my muscles, washing away the long day. I take my time, fingers dragging through my hair as steam curls around me. When I step out, I grab a towel, tucking it around myself before pushing the bathroom door open—

And freeze.

Eli.

Stretched out on my bed, one arm behind his head, the other flipping a red mask between his fingers.

I arch a brow. “You sneaking into my room now?”

He grins, slow and lazy. “Didn’t sneak in. Just found a way in.”

“Which is literally the definition of sneaking in.”

He lifts the mask, covering the top half of his face. “Miss me?”

I lock the door behind me. “You know FaceTime exists, right? Texting? Phone calls.”

His lips twitch as I cross the room, stopping at the edge of the bed. His gaze flicks down my towel, but he stays put, mask still in place.

“I wanted to see you,” he says, voice lower now. “In person.”

My heart trips over itself.

I reach out, fingers curling around the edge of the mask, and lift it away. His eyes are on me, dark and unreadable.

“Better,” I whisper.

He answers by grabbing my waist, pulling me down on top of him.

I straddle him instinctively, my hands landing on his chest. “Where’s Caleb?”

“Reaper bullshit I don’t care about,” he murmurs, sliding his hands up my thighs. “You don’t have to think about him right now. It’s just me.”

He groans as he shifts beneath me. I lean back. “Is your shoulder still sore?”

“I’m fine.”

I don’t believe him, but before I can say anything, his fingers curl into my towel—

And it’s gone.

I gasp, but his mouth is already on mine, swallowing whatever protest I might’ve had. His grip tightens, pulling me against him as heat coils low in my stomach.

I bite his lip.

He exhales sharply, hands tightening. “You trying to start something?”

I grin. “Maybe.”

Eli’s hands slide over my bare skin, slow, teasing. His fingers press into my hips like he’s holding himself back.

I shift against him, watching his jaw tighten. “You sure your shoulder’s fine?”

He exhales through his nose. “I’ll survive.”

“You could just admit you want me to baby you.”

He huffs a laugh. “Yeah? You offering?”

“Maybe.” I lean in, lips brushing his. “If you’re good.”

He doesn’t wait. He flips me onto my back so fast I barely have time to breathe before his mouth is on my throat. Heat pools deep in my stomach as his lips trail lower.

“Eli—”

“Shh.” He glances at my door. “Your dad’s home, remember?”

Oh. Right.

His mouth moves lower, his breath warm against my skin. I bite my lip, arching into him as he grips my thighs, dragging them apart.

“Better keep quiet, Sienna.” His voice is all rough edges. “Think you can do that?”

I don’t get a chance to answer before his mouth is on me.

A gasp slips out, and I slap a hand over my mouth. Eli hums against my skin, clearly amused. His grip tightens, holding me in place as he takes his time.

I fist the sheets, every muscle tightening as his tongue moves, relentless and perfect. My head tips back, eyes squeezing shut.

I have to smother a moan against my pillow.

Eli chuckles against me. “That’s it.” His voice is thick, wrecked. “Stay quiet for me, baby.”

My toes curl, body locking up as the tension snaps. The room blurs as I shudder beneath him, my fingers gripping his hair like he’s my only anchor.

He doesn’t let up right away, pressing one last lingering kiss against my thigh before finally looking up. His lips are swollen, eyes dark with need.

He smirks, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “You’re so fucking hot.” He doesn’t waste a single second. He sinks into me, and I claw at my sheets, trying to hold myself together before I moan for the entire neighborhood to hear.

He starts thrusting hard against me. “I love your pretty fucking pussy, Sie. God, it’s so fucking pretty.” He’s glancing down between my legs, watching as he fucks me.

He starts rubbing circles on my clit. My orgasm is already right there, so he rubs hard and fast.

He pulls out and comes all over my tits.

I use my finger to wipe some off and suck it off.

His eyes are dark as he watches me. “You are fucking everything, Sienna.”

I finish typing the last sentence of my case study, giving a small sigh of relief as I hit “submit.” Case Study: The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Adult Relationships . Done. This is 30 percent of my grade, and there’s no way I’m missing it. I take a sip of my Diet Coke and glance at the clock.

Shit. The game is tonight.

The Ravens vs. Wolverines. It’s all anyone’s been talking about for days, even my dad who’s normally a stone wall of focus. But this game? This one’s big. NHL scouts will be in the stands tonight, watching the guys.

I glance at my closet, searching for something to wear.

I can’t just show up in my boring hoodie this time.

I need to get into the spirit. My eyes land on the Ravens sweatshirt Eli gave me.

His number. I tug it on over my head, the fabric soft and familiar, and for some reason, it calms me. Maybe because it reminds me of him.

Caleb was supposed to bring me his jersey so I could wear it to today’s game, but he had a final touch up for his tattoos early in the morning.

I can’t wait to see what he got done.

I check the time again. Crap. I grab my phone and order an Uber. I need to get to Blackridge.

When I get there, everyone’s hyped, even the concession stands are decorated in Ravens colors. I grab a vuvuzela, the plastic one that’s probably way too loud for the poor people sitting next to me, but whatever. It’s tradition.

I find my seat, and just as I’m about to blow it, a girl with bright neon clothing plops down next to me. She’s got the same excited energy as everyone around here, like she’s been waiting for this game for weeks.

“Big night, huh?” she says, smiling at me.

“Yeah, you could say that. NHL scouts in the house, all the pressure on these guys. Crazy stuff,” I answer, leaning back in my seat.

“Nice sweatshirt by the way,” she says, nodding at my Ravens gear.

I laugh. “Thanks. I’m Coach’s daughter.”

She raises an eyebrow, clearly interested. “Seriously? That’s kinda badass. You must be like, all about the team then?”

I shrug, leaning forward as I tap my feet against the metal bleachers. “Not really. Just here for the show, y’know? My dad’s all over this game.”

She grins. “That’s cool. I’m Maya, by the way.”

“Maya,” I repeat, giving her a nod. “I’m Sienna.”

She studies me for a second, her eyes narrowing. “Sienna, huh? You don’t look like you’re here just for the show.”

I snort. “I’m not here to play cheerleader or anything. Just here to see how the guys handle the pressure.”

She leans back, giving me a sideways glance. “I get that. There’s definitely a lot of pressure on this one, especially with the scouts here. I mean, this could change everything for them.”

“Tell me about it,” I reply, rolling my eyes. “Even my dad’s like a little too excited for my taste. And it’s not like I’m not rooting for them, but... all this hype gets old real quick.”

Maya laughs, and it’s a sound that feels more genuine than most people around here. Just then, another girl and a taller guy come sit next to us. The girl smiles, and the guy doesn’t even glance my way, too busy talking strategy with the other guy beside him. I look at Maya, who’s already noticing.

She leans over and whispers, “Surprise. These two,” she points at the guys, “are my friends. Well, one’s my friend, and the other... well, let’s just say I’m pretty sure they’re too distracted to notice me.”

The girl next to Maya smiles at me. “Hey, I’m Remy and this is Zane,” she says, as her boyfriend, keeps his head down, eyes glued to his phone.

“Zane,” Remy says, nudging him. He looks up and without acknowledging me wraps a hand around her throat and kisses her in an almost obscene way.

I smile as I look away.

“You two stop it,” Maya protests, “Or you will scare away my new friend.”

Friend. I like the sound of having friends at this college.

I scrunch my nose. “Are they always like this?”

Remy giggles, her hands still locked around Zane’s arm, her lips brushing his ear. “What? You don’t like PDA?”

“I’m fine with PDA,” I say with a grin.

Maya laughs, her eyes glinting with amusement. “But it’s too much.”

She looks at me again, as if about to say something, but then her gaze flicks down at the game, and she shuts her mouth. We’re both waiting for the game to start.

I feel the air shift. The stadium’s starting to fill, and the guys are taking their positions on the ice. Everyone’s on edge, quiet now, the buzz still hanging in the air.

“You’re, like, really into this game, huh?” Maya asks, her voice low but definitely not missing the excitement buzzing in her chest.

I nod, keeping my eyes on the ice. I realize I’m sitting at the edge of my seat, leaning forward.

“Yeah. I guess I’m finally buying into the hype. It’s kinda hard not to when you see how hard these guys work.”

“I mean, seriously,” Maya agrees. “They’re grinding. But, like, no pressure, right? Only a bunch of scouts in the crowd, no big deal.” She laughs, but it’s a little tight, like she’s not entirely sure she’s joking.

“Tell me about it,” I say with a snicker.

Remy perks up then, finally pulling her attention away from Zane, who’s still completely absorbed. “I heard you say that you’re the Coach’s daughter, huh? You probably know everything about these guys then, huh?”