Page 34

emma

. . .

“Do you plan to tell your parents?” Sam whispers next to me, and I look over to where her gaze is on my mom, who is being thoroughly entertained by Carter and Leif, before glancing at my dad who is in an intense conversation with Reign about their favorite professional hockey teams. At least twice a year my parents visit campus and my mom usually brings a feast of food with them.

So much that she insisted I invite Riley and Reign our freshman year and now that has morphed into Sam and the hockey guys joining as well.

“I will,” I confirm. “When they’re on their way home.” Riley groans and Sam holds back a laugh.

“I think they’ll notice before that with the way you’re mooning over the tv,” Riley adds, her head nodding to the football game that is streaming on the television in my apartment.

I’ve never watched a football game, let alone a Michigan game since being here.

I ignored my dad’s question earlier about who was playing by collecting jackets and loudly offering to help my mom prep the snacks.

“I’m just not ready to jump into it. They know he broke my heart in high school. I accept Hawke’s version of why he did what he did to protect me, but I feel like my dad’s going to take it personally.”

Sam wraps her arm around my shoulders. “I think they’ll be more upset knowing they’re missing out on an important part of your life.”

“I never thought my dad was going to approve of Reign, especially after our years of pranks and how mean he was when he got hurt, but now they talk on the phone more than my dad and I do.” Riley shudders and I giggle.

“I will tell them. I’m just not sure if we’re ready. Especially after this morning.” I huff and fold my arms across my chest, feeling the anger rise again.

Sam snorts. “Who knew he had it in him. Although it seems the Saints boys tend to lean toward slightly unhinged.”

“You really don’t want to live with him?” Riley’s eyes are intense on me. “I mean no offense but your place is kinda small.”

“Not you too. It may be small, but I can afford it and not have to bust my ass on expensive rent when I don’t have time for a part-time job half the year.

I save all I can in the spring and summer, and it carries me through hockey season,” I explain, the same way I did to Hawke this morning when he blindsided me and demanded I move into his place.

“Let me guess, Mr. Tittiewhipped number two offered to take care of you,” Sam says, reaching for another chicken wing. Riley blushes and grabs for some of the pizza on the table.

“Something like that,” I sigh. If only they knew how the conversation really went.

I did not expect Hawke to attack the minute we woke up this morning.

This past week after our one night away from each other, he’s been demanding I stay at his place.

I don’t mind, and I’ll never admit it now, but I like his bed more and I can study easier there in his apartment without the campus commotion outside in the hallways or the parking lots.

I also don’t mind the many orgasms I receive all week.

Hawke is a man possessed with how often he wants me.

If we aren’t in class, at practice, or sleeping, he is inside me.

His fingers, his tongue, his cock, always there.

So when I woke up again with his head between my thighs, I didn’t question it until he leaned back on his knees, hands pinning me to the bed and said I was moving in.

“You’re moving in here today. After the game we can go to your place to get your things, but I need you here. Tonight. Every night.”

My eyes widen and my heart beats wildly. “Hawke, that's something we should talk about. I can't just up and move. I have a lease.”

He plunges two fingers inside my core and my eyes roll back. “I'll worry about your lease. Just say yes, Em, and we don’t have to pretend that you don’t want this too.”

My body starts to respond to him, lust building in my belly, and I want the release he can give me.

It gets harder to concentrate on what he’s saying the more my body chases my orgasm and that’s when I realize what he’s doing.

Grunting, I push myself up in bed, his glistening fingers falling out of my pussy.

“You can’t distract me with orgasms to get what you want, Hawke.”

“Fine, Emmarys, how about we make a bet.” He reaches out, grabbing my ankle and pulling me down the bed.

My eyes widen and my hands clench into fists. “A bet? Seriously.”

He nods his golden head, like it absolutely makes sense to take this huge step in our relationship and make it a bet. “Deadly serious. I need you here. You’ve been here all week and haven't complained once, so I don’t see what the big deal is. We both want this.”

“I’ve been here all week because you sound like you need me here,” I retort.

He smirks, laughing darkly. “You can tell yourself that but you can’t lie to me, Em. You’re more relaxed here. You have time to take care of yourself here with the quiet and me taking care of you.”

“I don’t need you to take care of me, Hawke.”

“I love taking care of you, Em. I’m not complaining, I’m stating a fact.

I’ll take care of getting your lease broken and you can keep the rest of what you saved for rent and use it for something else you want.

” He shrugs like money just grows on trees and I realize that for him, it does.

Hawke grew up wealthy, and now he’s a millionaire in his own right with his inheritance.

Money has just always been there for him.

Even knowing he’s offering, I still feel an icky sludge move through my chest. What if the press or his fans think I’m only with him because of the fame and money?

“We’ve barely been dating a few months, Hawke. This is too soon,” I murmur, fighting to hold in the shakiness of my voice.

His eyes flick all over my face, reading me, trying to find my weak point. “We’ve been together for four years, Emmarys. Nothing is too soon.”

I scoff and push at him, rolling off the bed and grabbing my discarded t-shirt. “We haven't been together for four years. I don’t want to rely on you that way, Hawke. If anyone ? —”

“I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks or says, Em. Not our friends, our families, your ex-boyfriend or your hockey team,” he growls. I watch as he slides his sweatpants on and stalks toward me.

Hawke’s fingers clench around my jaw, tilting my head up to look at him. “You have been the only woman for me since the moment I saw you. I’ve loved you ever since. To me that means taking care of you, living with you, and holding you every night.”

“Why are you so adamant about this? Why would you bring up my team and Jax?” My voice hardens and my chest aches for what he might reveal.

“He took it upon himself to warn me off of you because of shit the girls have been talking. I could care less what he says. I want to know why you didn’t tell me.”

My shoulders drop and tears spring to my eyes. “Because it doesn’t matter what they think. A few of the girls were saying shit and I took care of it. That was the day I found you in the parking lot. Since then, no one on the team has given me any grief.”

“The day you claimed me?” His grin widens and he leans down softly kissing my lips. I manage to nod my head.

“It was time to show them that you are mine.”

Hawke groans and his forehead falls to my shoulder. “You can’t say shit like that to me, Em. I won’t survive it if you leave me. Take the bet.”

“What are the stakes?” My voice is quiet, my head spinning. Could I really do this?

“Give it three months. To the end of this year. If you win and it goes bad, I’ll pay the fee to get your apartment back. I’ll also spend more nights there,” he tells me, standing back up to his full height, hands on my hips.

“And if you win?” I question, my arms crossing over my chest.

Hawke’s eyes gleam. His fingers brush the hair over my shoulder and he lightly touches my neck. “Then you stay here where you belong, and…you have to get some ink on that skin.”

I can’t believe that asshole bet a tattoo.

The worst part is that I’m actually considering taking his stupid bet.

Right after Hawke laid down the terms, he showered and had to head out for the team warmups before his game.

It's another away game this weekend, but this time an overnight is not needed.

So here I am, a love sick fool, secretly watching my boyfriend play football on the tv in my small apartment where my family and friends are cooped up.

“I mean his place is bigger,” Riley mumbles, and I shoot a glare her way.

His place is bigger, nicer, and totally my dream place to finish college at, but I won’t say it out loud.

I’ve just become more comfortable dating Hawke publicly and now he’s pushing to move in together.

I don’t know why I’m so against him wanting to take care of me.

He assures me he wants to. Why can’t I make myself comfortable accepting it?

“Ah, Emms.” Sam’s face turns worried and I follow her line of sight to the tv where they’re showing Hawke, only my boyfriend is lying on the ground.

“No!” I rush over and grab the remote, upping the volume to hear what they’re saying.

“All I can say is that Sheppard was not expecting this hit. His offensive line was lined up, taking blocks but you can see right here…”

A yellow circle appears around one of the defensemen. “Watch as Newbury steps out of the play. It's almost like he deliberately let the guy through to get to Sheppard.”

I watch in horror as the rest of the play happens and see the minute Hawke turns, realizing what is happening, and tries to take as much of the hit with his body as he can before falling to ground and risking a head injury. We all gasp though when we see the way his knee hits the ground.

Tears cloud my vision as I watch more medical personnel approach the field as they try to get Hawke to sit up. At one point he glances at a camera and I swear I see him say my name. My heart thuds painfully, just wanting to see him move. Sam and Riley are right next to me, holding my hands.

“Sheppard is getting up. This is delayed,” Carter says suddenly, concentrating on his phone, and for some reason I know he’s getting the info from Isla.

My dad glances at me and his brow is raised. “Sheppard? As in Hawke Sheppard?”

“Your high school boyfriend,” my mom adds, turning to face me, and I see her gaze zero in on how tightly I’m holding onto my friends.

“We’ve been seeing each other. It's new, but he’s my boyfriend again,” I tell them both, but my attention keeps coming back to the television. Finally, Hawke stands and puts some pressure on his leg. The crowd goes crazy while he limps off the field and over to a medical cart.

“Anything new?” Reign turns to Carter who shakes his head, fingers flying over his phone. I take a few deep breaths and my mom calmly walks over to me, wrapping me in a hug.

“I’m confused,” my dad continues. “Isn’t he the same guy who broke your heart and you swore you hated?”

A laugh escapes my lips and my mom turns to my dad frowning. “Daniel. Now is not the time.”

He throws up his hands, shaking his head, and watches the tv.

We all are glued to the screen for the next two plays before the crowd roars to life again, and we see Hawke making his way back out to his team.

My heart clenches and I hold my breath. He makes a play and another one.

To everyone else he looks like he’s just getting back into the swing of things, but I notice the way he guards his knee, hobbling slightly after each play.

“Mom. Dad. I need to tell you something.”