Page 46 of Jockstraps & Newspapers

“I’m so sorry, Cassie. I wasn’t...I couldn’t tell you and I …

if I tell you, you have to swear that it stays here, with us.

If you talk about it with anyone, it will get you hurt and I can’t have that.

So, I’d rather keep you in the dark than see you hurt.

Swear it, baby, or else this conversation stops here.

” His face was so serious. It reminded her of the night in front of the shop.

There was a dark fury in his expression.

It stung to see him so hurt. So unlike himself.

The pen nearly toppled from her fingers as she handed all the papers and pen back to Lyra.

“I swear,” she breathed.

Elliot took the pen from Lyra and quickly signed the papers.

Then, with a heavy sigh, he rubbed his face.

They’d gotten all dressed up for the junket.

After the game she brought him his pressed suit, his tie, and they looked delicious on him.

Smoke gray and silver with hints of purple and gold in the handkerchief, but Elliot showed the exhaustion finally. His hands fell to his side.

“My father, when Rex got sick, took an opportunity with a local shop. It wasn’t to just be a mechanic, but to help strip and sell parts illegally.

The money was good, because the chop shop ran like a dream.

Soon, he started to take over more of the business.

The old man, his boss, was getting older and wanted a fresh face to take over his empire.

My father wasn’t from any family, wasn’t from any money, and was clearly hungry.

He wouldn’t fumble the legacy. Soon, before we knew it, my father was in charge of it all.

From the chop shop to the goods, the services, and the money.

He took over collecting debts from the old man, and that’s when I realized he was in deep.

He hadn’t told my Ma yet, she thought he was just the shop manager.

So, when he came home, bloody and in need of stitches, I was the one patching him up in the garage, when she wasn’t home or at night classes.

He put her through healer’s school, put me and my brothers through school, got Rex’s medicine, all of it.

And as much as I was thankful he did it for us, I also wished he’d found another way.

..because I saw how it changed him. He became a man I never wanted to be and I didn’t want to lie to my Ma anymore.

But Pops was in too deep and there was no coming up for air.

” Elliot tugged his tie off and stuffed it into his pockets.

“Wait, so...your dad’s like...a mob boss? Is that what you’re telling me?” Cass blinked rapidly, being hit with an absurd amount of information all at once.

“Yes, and Jessie is the heir to the empire, basically. My pops only deals in cars, parts, and pain really. The reason Jessie got stabbed was the brother of a man he collected a debt from was mad.” Elliot scraped his fingers through the hair on top of his head.

“And Stevie…likely my pops had the boys grab the car, grab Stevie, and much worse. That’s why my brothers were on the sideline tonight, to ensure they had an alibi, just in case.

And now...and now I need to go talk to him. ”

“Elliot,” Cass exhaled, grabbing a hold of his arm before he could take off. He handed the papers back to Lyra. “You don’t have to go talk to him tonight.”

Elliot stared at her. There was something soft, desperate, and needy in his stare.

As if he was asking her to demand he stay.

Asking that she make the decision for him, so he didn’t have to do it.

She smiled, tugging him close. She rubbed his bicep tenderly.

“It’s been a long day, a lot has happened.

We should go home, get some rest. You can talk to him tomorrow. ”

He sagged in her hands, enveloping her in his arms. She rubbed his back.

Glancing at Lyra, she found her sister already filing the papers away in her purse.

Lyra spared her an appreciative smile. With a loving pat to her arm, Lyra sauntered out of the room.

The silence charm dropped and the sound of fans out in the arena still celebrating trickled in.

They stayed there for a long time, just enjoying the tender feeling of the other person’s arms.

“Cassie, I’m sorry, I should have told you earlier.” He pulled back finally, kissing her cheek before he stood up straight. She was still enveloped in his arms.

“No...no you shouldn’t have,” she giggled with embarrassment. “I wasn’t ready before. I would have absolutely done something stupid with that information. But I’m glad you trust me enough now to tell me.”

He pressed a kiss to her brow, lingering against her forehead for an eternity before pulling away. “Thank you, baby.”

“I love you too much to break your trust like that. Plus, Mr. Pearson spoke about picking my battles, and Lily told me I needed to even the playing field—” His lips crashed on hers suddenly.

She squeaked in surprise as he backed her into one of the benches.

They went toppling down, her back against a wide leather bench, him clambering over her.

He tossed her legs around his waist before scooping her face up in his palms. Like she was oxygen and he was suffocating, he kissed her like there was no tomorrow.

Their tongues danced, teeth clashing as he moaned into her mouth.

“Say it again,” he panted, pulling back.

“Even the playing field?” She gasped for air, laughing nervously.

“No,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “You love me?”

“I love you,” she confessed, tugging him in for another kiss. The muffled sounds of fireworks and people cheering were nothing to the sounds of him whimpering her name as he kissed all over her face.

“I love you, too.” He kissed her cheek. “I love you so much, Cassie. I love you so much that I went into heat twice, and I...I...well...”

“No,” she scoffed, looking down, and sure enough, his pants were tented. “Elliot Bonesaw, you’ve got to stop doing that!”

“I can’t help it! Not with you, not when you’re wearing that dress and telling me you love me with that breathy voice and definitely not when my girl is draped across a bench, legs wrapped around me, and dressed in red.

Something instinctual, I guess.” He grinned cheekily, kissing her until there was no air in her lungs.

Cass had to peel him from her. Pushing against his shoulders to keep his focus on her eyes and not on where his mouth could go next. Not like she didn’t want that, but she needed an answer. “Elliot, are you really in heat again?”

“Uh—well, probably not. But I’ve definitely got a knot...if you want it.”

She snorted, rolling her eyes. “What a silly question, Elliot Bonesaw. When have I not wanted your knot?”

He dove in and she let him. She pulled him in, kissing him hungrily.

His hands fumbled with tugging her underwear down, detangling them just long enough to tuck the fabric into his pants pocket.

He barely had his belt undone and pants unzipped before she dove her hands in and grabbed ahold of his cock.

Elliot did, indeed, have a knot. Full and heavy in her hands as she tugged him closer.

This time, she didn’t care if he split her in half or if anyone found them here.

All she wanted was her big hearted, goofy Minotaur and she wanted his knot deep inside her.

Elliot buried himself in her, spreading her wide with little hesitation. A hot, searing stretch filled her core. She yelped his name. He kissed it better, spreading his affection down her throat. “That’s my girl.”

She was goo, limp and warm in his hands as he thrust in her sharply.

Dragging himself back out slowly before ramming deep into her.

Stars filled the backside of her eyelids.

Back arched, mouth hung open, hands clawing up his horns, she was ready to burst already.

Elliot breathed her name in her ear and her toes curled.

His teeth nipped at her jugular and her thighs trembled.

Then he sharply thrust into her one more time, and she was gone.

Cass shattered into a million pieces, her orgasm quieted by massive cracks of fireworks and screaming fans outside the building.

Elliot’s knot snapped into place. Warmth spilled inside her, her body shivering in tempo with Elliot’s.

His hands slapped against the bench above her head and he grunted, “Damn.”

“What?” Her arms fell off the sides of the bench.

“We’ve still gotta limp to the car through all those crowds,” He sank as best he could against her while his knot was still embedded deep inside her.

“Mmm, is my Minotaur tired? Gotta work on your stamina,” she teased, wiggling her shoulders suggestively.

“Oh, if my girl doesn’t think I’m not about to throw her in my bed and give her the back-to-back she complained she didn’t get during my heat, she’s got another thing coming.

I hope your stamina can keep up, baby, because I’m about to breed you all night long.

” He beamed, slipping from her and tucking himself away.

“I was just whining about my tired hooves. My cock’s still got all the stamina in the world. ”

Cass tossed her head back, laughing from deep in the belly despite the ache and stitch in her sides.

Elliot whisked her panties back on her and hoisted her off the bench.

She stumbled like a newborn deer after him as he charged through the building.

It seemed all it took was a word and her boundless energy boyfriend was energized again.

Because he carted her through the locker room, up into the arena, out through the crowds that he practically ignored in an Elliot Bonesaw way where he still waved and gave people a pair of finger guns .

They got to the truck and before they’d even hit the first light, she saw his slacks tent and his cock form against his thigh.

It shouldn’t make butterflies in her belly, but there was something so viciously attractive about a partner who couldn’t hide it.

And, of course, true to his word every time, Elliot ripped her from the truck and tossed her in his bed.

She barely hit the comforter before he was between her legs.

Panties dangling from his horns, most of his clothes haphazardly removed, he was right back where he had been before—driving her into a blissful oblivion, praying her name, and praising his girl for how well she took his cock.

Legs aching, hair a mess, warm cum dribbling out of her, she took his knot twice more that night before the lights went out. .. and her Minotaur finally lost steam.

Cassiopeia Darling wasn’t sure when she passed out, but she knew when she woke up in his arms, tangled in sticky skin and fur, that she’d never want anything else. She’d gotten what she needed...everything she wanted...and she couldn’t be happier.

Had someone told her a few months ago that she’d find her true happiness in the arms of the himbo Minotaur she was tasked to write about for a shot of fame.

..she’d laugh. Cassiopeia would have died cackling at the thought that one day she’d be in love with Elliot Bonesaw.

And yet, here she was, silencing their alarms and snuggling down into his arms, enjoying the scent of the field, sex, and deodorant on him.

There was still a full season to go, and she still had to figure out how they worked logistically, housing or otherwise...but what a wonderful problem to have.