Page 28 of Jockstraps & Newspapers

The Darling sister with dangerous eyes dropped her sunglasses cooly onto her face and strutted away.

Cassie turned as tense as stone in his grip.

Elliot waited just long enough for Lyra to be out of ear shot before turning Cassie around.

He expected there to be rage but he was confronted with heart stopping hurt in her eyes.

She didn't even peak up into his, merely keeping her gaze down on his hooves.

Unfortunately, his knot hadn't taken the hint and his pants were more tented than ever.

As much as the heat burned through his organs and turned his esophagus to crispy bacon, he wanted nothing to do with his cock.

Knot be damned, the way she swallowed audibly made his heart sink. "Baby, look at me?"

She shook her head. He brought a hand to her chin, lifting it with two fingers. Her waterline glistening, she stared up at him in defeat. With a croak, she finally spoke, "Do you like her?"

"What? Baby, no," he breathed, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "I don't even know her."

"With Lyra, you don't have to, she's just that…she's just that good," she sighed, trying to look away but Elliot kept her head in the game. He wasn't letting his girl wallow in self-pity.

"Hey," he whispered, catching her gaze once more. "Why would I want her when I have you?"

She didn't answer, merely looking down between them. Fucking knot! Traitor! How dare you do this to me! After all the fucking I've done, you go and do this? He lifted her chin again. "That's not for her."

Cassie didn't answer again. Whatever the damage was with Lyra, it was deep.

He could see the wound as if it were physically on her skin, jagged edges and down to the bone.

Cassie was never speechless. She was never without fight or spark.

Whatever happened cut her down and left her mind in shambles.

She wouldn't be able to play if Lyra was on the other team, she'd psych herself out.

Not on my watch, coach, put me in. Elliot was going to get to the bottom of that, and if he could, heal his girl from the inside out.

But first, he needed to rip her out of the dark place.

Leaning forward, he kissed her forehead. Her body melted toward his. Fingers tenderly pressed against his sweaty chest, she leaned into him. His voice was raspy as he ripped the words out of his tight chest. "Who's my girl?"

Cassie fought from smiling but the giddy twist of her lips won in the end. "I—" her voice caught in her throat, "Elliot, it's not…"

"Who's my girl," he repeated, a cheeky grin curling on his lips as he stared down at her. "Who keeps me in check? Who keeps me humble? Who makes sure I take care of my siblings and gets me out of my head? Huh? Who is the only person this knot is for?"

She tried to look away, but her gaze kept returning to his face.

He beamed brighter as she shoved him lightly.

She wasn't answering, but that cute blush that burned her freckled cheeks was back with a vengeance.

He waited, watching her dab her eyes to keep her eyeliner from spilling.

She looked so pretty, even when she was ready to cry.

So, he asked one last time, "Cassiopeia, who's my girl?"

"I'm your girl," she whimpered, pouted hard.

"And who’s this knot for?" He cocked a cheeky brow.

"Me," she sputtered into a weak laugh.

"Good, remember that this knot is for you, and only you." He cupped her face and pulled her in for a kiss deep enough it could sink the arena. She crumpled a chunk of his damp fur in her hand as their lips crashed together.

With a giggle, she pulled away, "Elliot, you’re so sweaty, you need a shower."

"Only because you giggled," he teased, stealing another kiss.

She rolled her eyes, batting him away. He took her by the hand, guiding her down the stands and into the locker room.

Most of the team had showered, a portion already gone.

He waved to the few still lingering as he gathered up his bag and headed for the showers.

The soft murmurs of people talking and Toad's speaker playing tunes filled the steamy room.

He cranked on the faucet and stripped down to just his hoof-flops and jumped inside.

Scrubbing was nice, feeling the grime and sweat washed away.

Elliot sank back against the stone half-wall and soaked in the warmth.

His muscles melted away and he was a bundle of wet fluff and bones.

After properly soaking and squeegeeing the water off himself, he stepped out and dried off.

Elliot found a pair of his nice slacks, a black button down and a belt inside his bag as well as clean boxers.

He walked with his boxers on, thankfully his knot softened and cock easily convinced to lay down against his right leg.

Elliot found the lockers empty minus Toad.

Cassie and he were talking about the article on Stevie when he stepped out.

Toad sighed, "Yeah, he's always been very grabby.

Once he snatched up the bottom of my tail and wouldn't let go till I begged, thankfully Elliot came into the locker room at the time with Coach and Stevie let go. "

"Oh jeez," Cassie wheezed.

"It's a power trip for him, you know, guys got a mad ego on him and doesn't care who he hurts so long as he gets what he wants—oh, hey Elle! You nice and squeaky clean?"

"Yeah," Elliot laughed softly, ruffling his damp head. "Much better than grass in my ears."

"Sorry about that tackle, you know how it is.

" Toad fake jabbed at him. Elliot gave him the same back, bouncing toward him with his fists up.

They knocked knuckles a few times before they roared with more laughter.

Toad smacked him on the horns and got him tenderly in the chest twice before snorting, "Alrighty-o, you two love birds have fun, I'm gonna hit the hay.

It is Snooze City for me; population, this guy! "

"Have fun, Toad." Cassie shook her head, shoulders trembling lightly. He gave her an affectionate tap on the shoulder cap before he waddled out of the locker room with his speaker still playing. Toad swayed to the beat of his tunes and disappeared into the afternoon light.

Elliot grabbed up his slacks and pulled them up to his hips.

Cassie's heels clicked across the floor as she stopped before him and helped button his shirt down his chest. She left the top three buttons undone and helped tuck the shirt in.

He pulled on his belt before giving her a twirl.

His tail flicked back and forth with happiness as she beamed, "Beautiful. "

"I clean up nice, huh?" he chuckled, bringing the bag to his locker and tucking it away. Elliot missed the pair of flats left at the base of his locker. He shut the doors and held up his keys, "So, reservations huh?"

"Mr. Pearson suggested it to me; it's a nice little restaurant outside of town where they have a dance floor, and the booths are real intimate. Says he does his best interviews there." She held up her purse and pulled out her notebook and pen.

"Oh, wait, so this was a ploy to do more work? Cassie, this was supposed to be fun," he snorted, sauntering up to her.

"We both know I hate fun," she retorted back, glaring at him playfully.

Elliot winked down at her, offering her his arm.

They walked out of the locker room as she situated her purse onto her shoulder again.

The silence was peaceful for a moment. Until a soft sigh passed through her lips, "I'm sorry about Lyra, about earlier. "

"Hey, it's no worries, newsie," he slipped his arm out of hers and snaked it around her waist. The incline was killer on heels, so Elliot purposely took long, slow steps.

"We've talked about your sister's being a hard issue, I just didn't know who she was till I was up there, and it was too late.

I just saw you charging in for the kill and wanted to intercept, you know? "

She leaned into him, exhaling heavily. "And I appreciate you trying to save me. I'm sorry you had to see that. It's not that I don't trust you—I do, it's not you. I want you to understand that it's always Lyra I can't trust."

Elliot closed up the gate behind them and waited for her to adjust her skirt before he asked, "Can I ask what happened?"

Cassie grimaced, fidgeting with the fabric of her dress. It looked like a heavy confession. Before Elliot could tell her that she didn't have to answer, the words tumbled off her lips. "I was sixteen, and at a party. Well, okay it started out with me liking this upperclassman first."

He took a hold of her waist once more, guiding her across the sidewalk while she continued.

Cassie clung her hand to the small of his back, crumpling the fabric in his fist. "I liked this kid named Havoc, Havoc Green, he was this super cool, super suave senior in my literature club.

He kept partnering up with me to do small projects, he invited me out to coffee a few times, and I was wrapped around his little finger like a bungee cord, if he called and said ‘come save my kitten from a tree’ at 3am, I'd show up in my bunny slippers and climb that fucking tree. Okay?"

"Oof, I know that feeling," he nodded with a cringe internally. He had a crush on a cool guy once when he was a teen. It ended in heartache because Elliot only tended to go for bad boys. Blame that on how he was raised.

"Yeah, so, he invited me to this big party for his birthday.

His parents have this huge house, and a bunch of people were coming.

But Lyra saw the text before I did, and she beat me to the party.

I show up and she's already flirting up a storm with him; he was a goner.

I watched him lose all interest in me and before I could claw my pride out from the bottom of the trash can and leave, I found them banging in the bathroom.

Lyra literally hopped off of him, tossed her hair over her shoulder and told me, ' oh, I wouldn't try him, his dick sucks and he's a terrible kisser '.

Then she walked me out of the house and drove us both home.

Havoc never talked to me after that and I've…

I've always had this little knot in my stomach about bringing anyone I'm interested around her because…

why? Why would she do that? She knew I liked him, I talked about him non-stop I feel like.

And then she just stole him for fun? She never explained and I…

I couldn't ask, I just felt so mortified. "

Ouch . Elliot blinked rapidly. As he opened the truck and helped her inside, he couldn't help but stare blankly ahead.

That was a massive wound. No wonder she was touchy and worried.

He tossed himself into the cab, careful of his horns and poking them up into the sunroof.

Cassie buckled up. Elliot cranked on the truck before he found the words to speak. "Sorry, Cassie, that's rough."

"Yeah," she sighed.

"But, uh, I mean you don't really have to worry about her with me. I've kinda got a newsie bias. I just, I dunno, have this thing for fiesty, fun-hating, curly-haired journalists who like taking knots like it's their mission in life." He flashed her a cheeky grin.

She snorted, rolling her eyes. For good measure, she shoved his arm, unable to move him but he couldn't help the tingling her touch left him. "Hush and drive, I had to drop names for this reservation, and I don't wanna lose it."

"You got it," he chortled, tossing the truck into reverse and flying away from the parking lot.

Maybe he couldn't heal that wound. Maybe it was only a Lyra and Cassie thing.

Maybe they needed to work it out and maybe he could help facilitate it, or maybe he just needed to be a sideline cheerleader.

Whatever she needed, he was there. Elliot was in for the long game, he was in this with her and had no intentions of letting his girl go.