Page 17 of Die for You

“What better way could we ensure your protection?” Knox croons.

Her gaze hoods with skepticism. “And what would you want in exchange?”

“You,” Damien says simply.

For a second, I actually believe she’s going to accept our offer. Let us into her life. Let us help her. She shouldn’t have to face this asshole alone.

But she shakes her head, grabbing her empty plate as she stands. “Thanks for dinner. But no, I’m fine. I don’t need bodyguards, and I certainly don’t need roommates. Consider your debt paid.”

“Aurora—” Damien barks, but she doesn’t stop as she heads for the back of the room to discard her plate and leave the building.

“She’s stubborn.” Knox leans back with a grin. He likes a challenge.

“We’ll give her two minutes.” Damien’s dark gaze trails after her. “Then we’ll follow her.”

Even if Aurora wants to deflect and pretend like she doesn’t need help, we’ll protect her from the shadows. She’s ours now.

“Threestalkers,” Juliet grumbles. “And I thought one stalker was a bit much.”

Chapter 7

Damien

In frontof the music building, I do a double-take when I spot a guy nearly my height lingering a few feet away, perched on the brick half-wall bordering the sidewalk.

No way is that former NHL star of the Titans, Jeremiah Crowder. Holy shit. The dude’s a legend. The whole damn state had a meltdown when he was forced into early retirement. The news wanted to convince us that he left voluntarily, but he made it clear on social media that he didn’t want to leave the league. Not sure what actually happened, but it’s a damn disgrace that someone with his level of skill on the ice got forced out.

Don’t want to be a fucking fanboy, but I can’t stop my feet from heading in his direction. He straightens from the wall when he sees me coming like he’s not sure if I want to shake his hand or punch him in the face.

I jut my hand out. “Damien Rockefeller. You’re Jeremiah Crowder, right?”

He shakes my hand, grip firm. “That’s me. Nice to meet you, bud. You play?”

“Yep.” I nod to the ice rink in the distance. “I play for the Devils.”

“Sweet. Great team.”

“Surprised to see you on campus. You joining the team?”

He cracks a smile. “Nah, I’m retired. Just waiting for my girlfriend. She’s a student. Maybe you know her.”

I shrug. “It’s a big school.”

Fuck, I hope she’s not one of the puck bunnies I’ve shared with Knox and Finn in the past couple of years. That’ll be awkward as hell when she shows up.

“This is her.” Jeremiah digs his phone out from his back pocket and shows me his lock screen.

And there she fucking is.

A delicate blonde in a long cardigan, sleeves pulled past her wrists, curtain of hair half-shielding her angelic face. Delicately pointed chin, button nose, high cheekbones. Fierce brown eyes tamed, wary, broken.

Aurora.

What the fuck? Blood boils in my veins, warming my face. She said she didn’t have a fucking boyfriend.

She fucking lied.

Not only does she have a boyfriend, but he’s one of Titans’ most famous former players. How the hell do I compete with that?