Page 4

The home that my supposed fake girlfriend resides in is fucking ridiculous. Home decor everywhere – on the walls, the couch, the table, the kitchen counters. This shit is out of control. And Crew lives here with them?

“Hey guys,” Sydney smiles. She opened the door for us, and I’m the last one in because I drove alone. It’s my escape plan in case I need to rush out. Sydney leads us to the open living room with the tall ceilings. I don’t feel too big for a house for once.

“Where’s Crew?” Wyatt asks.

“He’s gonna be here soon,” Sydney says, glancing at Matt with hatred. A look I know too well. Sydney didn’t care for me when she realized that kissing me at a party two years ago meant absolutely nothing to me. Talk about a puck bunny not willing to fuck. She’s kissed a few of us here. I guess she’s trying to find Prince Charming on the team.

I try to find where the bedrooms are so that I can get to Madison.

As I’m looking around, the front door opens, and Madison walks through. I study her body language because I can immediately tell she’s in a good mood. Her hair is down, she’s smiling, and she’s looking behind her. She has no idea I’m here. She’s laughing and comfortable with whoever she’s talking to. Crew fucking Nixon walks in behind her with the same attitude. They’re holding grocery bags and helping each other with a case of beer. She’s holding one end while he holds the other. What kind of domestic shit is this? I glance at Matt who is fuming as much as I am. His eyes flick to mine, his jaw clenched. I walk over to her and grab the box of beers from them. I can’t stand to witness this. She says to Crew, “Yeah, right. Your mom loves me. She’d never say that.”

“You’re right,” Crew beams back at her.

I drop the beer aggressively on the counter, cutting off the conversation.

Crew shakes his head, greeting the other guys.

Madison digs in the bags.

Crew points over at her. “Maddie, start those pizza bites.”

She clicks her tongue when I turn to her. Maddie? The friendly basis is on my nerves right now. I don’t believe men and women can be friends. Fuck no. He’s always going to be waiting for a piece of her. “Yes,” she replies. I hate that she’s obeying his command. What the fuck? She turns to me with her gentle expression. Crew clearly makes her happy. “Go enjoy the game, Greyson. I’ll be right there.”

“I can help,” I offer.

She shakes her head. “It’s okay. Go enjoy the game.”

I don’t move an inch as I watch her work around the kitchen, doing absolutely everything to serve us food. Sydney’s not even in here to help. I get the idea Madison likes this kind of shit.

“You do this often?” I ask.

“I wish. My mom always hosted, and I had fun helping with the snacks. It’s in my nature, I guess.”

When she slides the pizza bites into the oven, I slide around the counter to meet her. The oven door closes, and I almost scare her.

I don’t touch her, but my presence forces her to the corner. She grips the counter, nervous as she looks up at me.

“I don’t bite,” I whisper.

She presses her lips together, raising her eyebrows. “That’s not what I saw last night.”

I smirk because she’s right. I do bite. But not her. I lean down so only she can hear me. “Why am I your boyfriend when you could’ve asked Nixon to do it?”

She snickers. “Crew? He’s like my brother.”

“Well,” I step back. “Your brother wants to fuck you.”

Her posture slouches as she rolls her eyes. “That’s disgusting. Don’t ever say that again.”

I grind my teeth, wondering how the fuck I lost her right there when all I’m doing is trying to help. “You could’ve asked him to do it.”

She walks away from me, searching in the cupboard. “No,” she says, pulling out a few serving sized bowls. “He’s no Greyson Cress.”

I lean my ass into the corner she was just leaning against and watch her. I can’t figure her out. “And what’s so special about me?” I question, needing to get to the bottom of this. I push off the counter to help her. I take a bag of chips and pour it into a bowl. I grab another bag and pour the contents out. She only answers with a raised eyebrow, like she doesn’t have any words to explain why.

“Meet in your room in twenty?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “No way, I can’t miss the game.”

“You watch hockey?” I laugh, amused.

She stops in her tracks. “You don’t know anything about me, do you?” She puts her hands on her hips and cocks her head at me. When she throws a chip in her mouth, I hear the crunch and watch her eat. She grabs another one, so I gently grab her elbow and eat it from her fingers. Her brows furrow.

“I could give you a tip or two on the ice,” she offers as I chew the chip.

“Really?” I grab a chip and feed her. She laughs, hitting my hand away. “And what would that be?” I throw the chip in my mouth.

“You need to be more patient.”

I bite a chip and throw it back in the bowl. I reach for her because I want to tickle her. But Crew comes around the corner as soon as I step towards her. She giggles, running away. He glances at her and then at me. By the looks on his face, he doesn’t approve.

“They’re almost done,” Madison says, not noticing his aloofness as she points at the oven.

He grabs a few bowls and says, “You’re about to miss the start.”

She grabs two bowls, looking over at me. “I’ll be right back.”

I guess I’m staying for the pizza bites in the oven. She walks over to the living room. Her ass sways when she walks, and her long blonde hair is resting on her back. I wonder what the fuck Matt is thinking right now. He’s got me and Crew to worry about. Good for that fucker. I need to get Madison alone in her bedroom at some point to really get him going. Maybe after first period.

Madison walks back into the kitchen and checks the oven.

I grab her shoulders from behind. “I need to talk to you in private. Which door is your bedroom? I’ll meet you there after first period.”

“Up the stairs, first door on the right.”

I pat her shoulders, relieved there wasn’t any resistance from her. She’s in an awfully good mood, and I hate knowing it’s because of Nixon.

I sit on the couch, off in my own corner while the guys snack on the chips and pizza bites. The game starts, and Madison comes running into the room. She glances at the couch, looking for a seat. She chooses Crew, but I don’t care. Sydney is on the other side of her.

“Go, Ryan! Woo!” Madison shouts. I didn’t know she was that into the game that she knows the players by their first name. But when I finally look at the screen, I see Wilder on a jersey, and I feel like a fucking idiot for not knowing that’s her brother. Shit, I start thinking about my last four years on the team. We played together for three of those years. I’m fucking stupid. Ryan Wilder is the China Wall. Goaltender for the NHL Seven Devils. My teeth grind as I look over at Madison. I should’ve put that together sooner. I’m fucking with Ryan’s little sister? Matt has been fucking with Ryan’s little sister? Shit, once he gets a whiff of what’s going on back on campus, he’s not going to like any of this shit.

The game plays, but I scroll on my phone, uninterested in all the tips the guys are taking from it. I’d rather dissect the play on my own rather than a group setting. I don’t care about socializing. Speaking it aloud doesn’t help me learn.

When the first period ends, Madison leaps off the couch and heads towards the stairs. Most of the guys turn their heads to watch her. I count to three slowly and then I head after her.

I knock on the first door on the right. The knob twists and the door opens.

“Come in,” Madison says, walking back to her bed.

I close the door behind me and take a look around. Her room isn’t like the rest of the house. It’s much more comfortable and down to earth, not so perfect.

“What did you want to talk about?” Her eyes fill with curiosity as she sits on her bed. I like giving her the anticipation. She’s waiting patiently as I survey her room. I didn’t ever consider that I would be in her bedroom, invading her space. My eyes halt at the stuffed animal sitting on top of her white dresser. Hell, I recognize this fucking thing. I grab it, recalling Matt and his dumb little gifts he’d show off to the guys that he bought for her.

“You like this thing?” I ask, wondering why she would have anything from Matt sitting around her room.

“Not really, no,” she admits as I toss it to her.

“I know who got it for you,” I remark while she stares at it. “So, what I need to talk to you about.”

Her eyes are hopeful as she puts the stuffed animal to the side. Her blue eyes are beautiful. She’s still in a good mood, and I’m probably about to ruin it.

I say, “I need to know what it is that you are trying to do exactly.”

Her eyebrows furrow in confusion, so I have to just spit it out.

“Are you trying to get back at Matt or get back with Matt?” I ask, staring at the ground. I can’t even look at her face because I never thought I’d have to have a real conversation with her. I thought it would be simple, but the more my thoughts spiral, the more I understand that there’s a clear difference between making Matt belligerent and making her more desirable to him. I want to play the most hostile game there is but not without her compliance.

When I glance at her, she’s chewing on her bottom lip and clutching at the monkey. Then a tear drops and my heart sinks. I freeze, not knowing what to fucking do. I hate when people cry, and I can thank my dad for that trait. I never had a mother around in my younger years, and my dad never let me shed a tear. So, seeing Madison cry after a stupid question, triggers something deep within me, but I hold back my words. I need her to stop. It’s not like she’s hyperventilating yet, but I can’t let it get to that.

“That’s a good question,” she says, her voice deepening as she wipes her tears away. “So, um–“ she chuckles. “Honestly, Greyson. I don’t think Matt even cares.”

I scoff at that bullshit. It’s written all over his face. I bet he fucking cries at night. “He cares,” I assure her.

“It doesn’t seem like it,” she whimpers. “And it makes it hurt so much more.”

Her nose turns red as she sniffles. More tears fall down her cheek. If we were on a touching basis, I would fucking lick them off her cheek and fuck her until she’s crying my name.

“So, you want him back?” I inhale, feeling my fists ball. I need to calm it down, but I fucking hate Matt.

“No,” she says, but even the tone of her voice sounds like a fucking lie. She backpedals. “God, more than anything, Greyson, I wish he didn’t make the video.”

I nod sarcastically as I slowly say, “But he did, so…”

“So,” she begins, and I’m losing all patience. Does she or doesn’t she want him back? It’s a simple fucking question that she’s overthinking. “I want to make him jealous. Yeah, I want to make him feel the way I do.”

I grin because I’m right there with her. Make Matthew Pearson feel the same way he’s made us feel.

She continues, “That’s why I need you to kiss me.”

I run my hands through my hair and sigh.

“Come on, Greyson. Like you haven’t kissed a thousand girls.” She doesn’t say it in a flirty way, but in a tone like I’m expected to just kiss her. Like why wouldn’t I kiss her? Especially because I do it all the time. But no, it’s not that simple. She continues, “I’m no one special. This is all going to be a waste if you won’t touch me.”

“Is that what you want?” I mutter.

She hesitates as I stare at her.

“You want my hands all over you, Maddie?” I ask.

She freezes, inhaling. Her body language shifts, and I know my words have made her uncomfortable. I don’t stop because if words can turn her on, why the hell would I stop?

“You want me to kiss you, huh? Like I do all the other girls?”

She says, “You’ve never called me Maddie before.”

“And you don’t call me Grey.”

She smiles, trying to hide it. “I’m not like those other girls.”

“Bull shit. That’s what they all they say.”

She shrugs like she can admit that was cliché of her.

“And if you kiss me, won’t you be?” I smile because of what I just did there. Her body language changes again, and this time I know I’ve offended her.

“That’s beside the point.”

I tilt my head back and say, “Aw, this is why you chose me and not Nixon.”

“No,” she says. “I chose you because Matt hates you. He would respect Crew. They’re friends. There would be no jealousy.”

I chuckle. “You’re little domestic thing, going shopping with Nixon. It was enough to make Matt jealous.”

“Well, I’ve recruited you, Grey,” she says, and I smile when she shortens my name. “You’re already in this.”

I mention, “What do you think Matt is thinking right now that we’re in your room together?”

She smiles. “Probably that I’m your puck bunny.”

I laugh. “Is that right?”

“You’re coming to the party, right?” she asks. When she sees my reluctant expression, she jumps to her feet. “You have to come, Grey. Please.”

She’s begging like I don’t go to those things at my free will.

“That’s cute,” I nod. “That’s real cute, bunny.”

“Don’t call me that,” she scoffs.

“Why not?” My eyes look into hers.

She starts stuttering as I smirk. There’s a faint call of her name in the distance. It’s probably Crew.

“I think the game is back. Let’s go.”

I follow her out the door, checking out her ass as she walks. They look good in those jeans. She sits in the spot that I was sitting in, but I’m ready to get the hell out of here.

“Ace,” I holler. “Knox.”

They both look over at me as I nod my head towards the exit. They both stand up and leave with me to the party.

Ace takes the front seat. “Fuck, I could’ve watched the game. But you boys ready to get fucked up?” He pulls out a bottle of rum and takes a swig. He passes it to Knox in the back seat.

Knox holds up the bottle and says, “To the Seven Devils. They’re gonna win tonight.”

I glance at him in the mirror as he chugs the bottle. “Slow the fuck down, Knox,” I scold. “We have the whole night. Fucking pace yourself.”

“Says the guy who hogs it all.”

I smile because that’s true. He takes another sip and then hands it to me. I put the bottle between my legs, cutting these fuckers off until we reach the party.

“What happened upstairs with Matt’s girl?” Knox asks.

I scoff. “What happened?” I stare at him in the mirror and then look over at Ace. “She’s not Matt’s girl anymore.”