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Summer

A lice looks up from the couch when I come through the door. “Hey.”

My head is still a mess, but at least the stranger was an asshole, so things felt a little more normal than they did when he seemed to be… understanding.

“Hi.” I smile, walking to the fridge.

“How was the gym?” she asks.

“Fine. Max is a dick,” I say, taking a deep drink of water, the cold soothing my sob-ravaged throat.

Alice snorts, turning the television off. “Then why do you keep going back?”

“It’s safer than running,” I reply. The truth in the statement sends a pang of sadness through me. My solace has been stolen from me by some psycho.

“So we’re not running anymore?” Alice asks.

I lift an eyebrow. “We?”

“Yes, I live vicariously through you. You run, so I do, too.”

I roll my eyes. “Well, we still run at the gym.”

“Gross, I hate that. Go get dressed. We’re going to be late.”

I wave in acknowledgment and hurry to my room to shower and change. When I return to the living room, Connor and Alice are arguing about something that happened on the show. Connor has become nearly as obsessed as Alice with the vampire drama. The moment I enter the room, he stops mid-conversation and stands up, smiling brightly at me.

“Hi, gorgeous.”

“Hi, big guy.”

Connor kisses me hard before handing me a cup of coffee.

“I missed you,” I say, taking my coffee and kissing him again.

"Not as much as I missed you,” he murmurs against my lips.

“Late,” Alice grumbles from the open door.

I grin and take Connor’s hand. Alice’s mood lightens when we leave the building, and she takes a long sip of her coffee.

“How did people live before coffee?” she asks with a small sigh.

“I’m excited to see you in my jersey at the game tomorrow,” Connor says, wrapping his arm around me, his big hand resting on my hip as we walk.

I smile. “I’m going to cheer so loud for you.”

“You sure you don’t want to be a cheerleader?” he asks humor in his voice.

“Pretty sure, big guy.”

He chuckles, and we stop at the door to Adze Hall. He kisses me deeply, and I bite his lip, eliciting a deep moan from him. “Get to class, succubus.”

I smile against his lips and pull back. “See you later, big guy.”

As we head toward our first class, I link my arm through Alice’s.

“He has been insufferable since you told him you love him.”

I laugh. “Well, how could I not, Al? He’s just so…”

“Connor.” Alice chuckles.

I nod, squeezing her arm.

“You’re gross now.”

I nuzzle into Alice in a way that is so unfamiliar to me but also feels good. It feels warm and happy.

Alice bats me away playfully. “You’re so mushy. Like a ripe, mushy banana.”

“Please, you’re obsessed with me.”

Alice scoffs as we drop into our seats.

The campus is abuzz with people excitedly chatting about the game as we join the steady stream headed toward the stadium. Many of the students are wearing Connor’s number, but knowing that I am the only one wearing one of his actual jerseys fills me with fizzy excitement.

“Zach’s number?” I ask, glancing at the jersey Alice is wearing.

Alice smiles at me, the picture of innocence. “Huh?”

“You are so bad.” I shake my head and laugh softly.

Ashley runs up to us, her hair in a high ponytail and proudly wearing her cheer uniform. She smiles brightly. “You know, no one has ever turned us down before. Are you sure we can’t change your mind?” she asks.

I shake my head. “I think we’re more spectators. Thank you, though.”

“Summer! Alice!” Brett calls, weaving through the crowd of people outside the stadium.

Alice turns to greet Brett, and Ashley’s face goes white, her eyes flashing.

“You okay, Ash–”

“You’re wearing Zach’s number?” she asks Alice, an edge to her voice.

Alice glances at Ashley over her shoulder, reaching back to stroke the number. “Oh, yeah. Need to support my Zachy Wacky.”

Ashley’s eyes flash again, and the smile she forces onto her face looks almost scary. “Well. Go, Knights,” she hisses through her teeth before turning and stalking inside.

Brett walks around to stand beside me, watching after Ashley. “What was that about?”

I glance at him. “Nothing. Just Alice being annoying.”

“Ah, so the usual,” he says with a laugh.

Alice’s smirk of satisfaction remains firmly in place as we head inside. We’ve been given fieldside seats, and the game starts with a bang. The Morningstars dominate on the field, and Connor winks at me when he scores the first point of the game. I pull my lower lip between my teeth, knowing how that powerful body moves and feels when he focuses it on me.

“Fuck, just marry him already,” Alice groans when I blow him a kiss.

Ashley throws scathing glances at us every time Alice shouts for her Zachy baby bear , and I can feel the anger in the look. Every time Zach looks our way, Alice blows him a kiss. Zach flips her off each time before glancing at Ashley worriedly. I fucking hope Alice knows what she’s doing because Ashley is seething. One thing I know for certain, you don’t want to piss off a Valkyrie.

The opposing team pushes hard, closing the gap in the score, and the game goes into overtime. Zane scores the final point, and the team piles on him. The Avalon students rush onto the field, and Connor finds me immediately, the crowd parting easily for him. He pulls his helmet off and wraps an arm around my hips, lifting me easily.

I wrap my arms and legs around him. “Congratulations, big guy!”

He smiles brightly and kisses me deeply, high on the victory. I cup his cheeks, running my fingers up through his sweaty hair. Rafe calls his name, and he reluctantly lowers my feet to the ground.

“You coming to the party?” he asks.

“If you’re going.”

“I’m the captain, babe. I have to go,” he says with a charming grin.

“Let’s go then.”

“I’m just going to go shower.”

“Okay, I’ll meet you there?”

“You’re not going to wait on me?” Connor pouts.

I roll my eyes. “I’ll wait then.” Connor’s kiss is hard and quick before he heads into the locker room with the team.

Alice, Brett, and I wait outside the stadium, but I can tell they are eager to get to the party, so I tell them to go ahead. Alice practically dances away, talking to Brett about her next shifter victim. No sooner have they left than I feel an unnatural wind ruffling my hair. The stranger materializes in front of me.

I lean back against the wall, putting a little more distance between us. “Hi,” I say a little shortly. I am still unhappy with how he left last time, though I’m not as pissed as I was earlier. I’m not sure why I’m so forgiving when it comes to him. Usually, I have very little tolerance for assholish behavior.

He reaches forward, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear again, acting like nothing happened. “Behave this weekend.” His voice brushes past my ears in that whispery way that makes tingles erupt down my spine. “I’ll be gone.”

“Gone?” Why does that make my stomach tug in disappointment?

His chuckle is edged as if he knows. “Just for the weekend, little fae.”

I look away, tugging at the edge of Connor’s jersey.

“He’s a lucky boy,” he says, and I feel his gaze drift down my body.

“Friends,” I say, crossing my arms.

He leans in, pressing his lips to my forehead. “Behave.”

I place my hand on his arm, ready to push him away. His muscles flex beneath my palm, and I exhale at the feeling.

He pulls back, looking down at me. “No messes, promise me.”

I look up at him. “I don’t make messes, Stranger. They just seem to find me.”

“Little liar,” he scoffs, but I hear the smirk in his voice. “Goodbye, little fae.” He breaks the spell, leaving my hand hovering where I was touching his arm. I frown and drop it to my side, making a mental note to keep firmer boundaries.