Page 21

CHAPTER 21

ZAIDEN

T he door crashed against its frame, rattling the glass. Coach Palmer's eyes snapped up from his desk. "What do you want?"

"You don't want to see the evidence first?" I smirked, leaning back against the wall.

He shook his head. "No, tell me what you want and get out."

I leaned in close. "Stay away from Ariella." Anger coated each syllable. "Her name. Never leaves your lips after practice. This office? She's never alone in here with you again." I paused, letting the silence stretch between us. "And if I catch even a whisper of you threatening her scholarship or her place on the team—" My lips curled into a cold smile. "Those videos? They'll go viral faster than you can say 'disgusting coach.'"

"Anything else?" A vein pulsed in his forehead, his words coming out in sharp, clipped tones.

"Ariella no longer steps foot in this locker room. Going forward, you'll ensure she has a place in the hockey locker room."

"How the fuck am I supposed to do that?" He narrowed his eyes. "I have no control over the other locker rooms and?—"

"I don't give a fuck how you do it," I hissed, cutting him off. "But you are going to do it."

His upper lip twitched, exposing a flash of teeth as his jaw clenched tight. "Is that it?"

I shook my head. "No, the same goes for Journey and Mila. You don't touch them again, but they can stay in this locker room." Kacie's face flashed in my mind as I spoke Journey and Mila's names. My throat tightened. But when I thought of Ariella, my fists clenched, a familiar mixture of desire and hatred flooding through me.

"Fine," he gritted out through snarled teeth. "Now, please leave, and don't ever come into this office again."

I smirked. "You're not really in a position to throw around orders. So I'll tell you what, I'm going to leave, but if I find out that you look in Ariella's direction, your job will be the last thing you're worried about losing."

I jerked open the office door, stepped out into the football locker room, and slammed the door behind me.

My gaze scanned the locker room as I strolled through, looking for Ariella, but thankfully, she wasn't there. I wasn't in the mood to hear her bullshit because even though she had no idea what I'd just done, she was going to be angry, but my intentions weren't exactly heroic either. They were selfish and malicious. Ariella was mine to ruin.

Exiting the locker room, I strolled through the hall toward the exit. My ears perked up at the sound of small footsteps echoing behind me, and I inwardly groaned, but I didn't bother stopping.

"What the fuck, Zaiden?" Ariella's words cracked. Rolling my eyes, I ignored her as I continued toward the exit. "Seriously, Zaiden?"

I gritted my teeth, shoulders tensing as her voice carried down the hall. She shoved her small hands into my back, pushing me forward.

I whirled around, and she stumbled. My hand shot out, finding her throat, shoving her back until she hit the wall. Hard. "Don't." My fingers tightened. "Ever." Her pulse raced beneath my palm. "Do that." Her eyes widened. "Again." I released my grip, letting my arm fall to my side.

"Oh, so you're allowed to do whatever the fuck you want, and I'm supposed to sit back and take it?" Her lip curled up. "Fuck you," she spat out.

"You might want to scurry home before that pretty little mouth writes a check your ass can't cash." I spun around to leave.

"Taking my virginity wasn't enough for you," she shouted. "You needed to take my scholarship away, too?"

Virginity?

Shes a virgin?

Wait, she actually thought we had sex?

I stopped slowly, turning back to her. "You were a virgin?"

Ariella's eyes narrowed, a mixture of disbelief and anger flickering across her face as she crossed her arms over her chest. "There was nothing," she said slowly, each word dripping with sarcasm, "that gave that away?"

I huffed out a heavy sigh. "You're not going to lose your scholarship or your spot on the team." I shook my head. "You're not losing anything but your locker." Her brows pulled together. "You'll have a locker in the hockey locker room by your next practice, so you'll never have to change in front of that pervert again."

Her head recoiled. "You were protecting me?" She shook her head like she was confused. "Why would you do that?"

I stepped forward, invading her personal space. My mouth dropped to hers, hovering over it so she could feel my words. "Because you are mine, princess. My property. If anyone touches you, I will kill them."

My hand wrapped around her throat, holding her in place. My gaze fell to her lips, breath catching in my throat as an overwhelming urge to kiss her surged through me, threatening to overpower every other sense and rational thought, but kissing her wasn't part of the plan. It was far too intimate, too dangerous of a line to cross.

I stepped back as I released her. "And I didn't take your virginity."

"What? But, I saw?—"

"What you saw was you riding my lap. You were coming all over my pants." Her eyes widened. "My pants were still on."

"Then why did you?—"

A loud pop from the distance startled her, cutting off her words and drawing both of our attention in the opposite direction.

"What the fuck was that?" A voice boomed from near the hockey locker room exit.

Ariella's whisper trembled in the sudden silence. "What was that?"

I opened my mouth to reassure her, to brush it off as nothing, but the words died in my throat as the air shattered around us.

Then— Pop. Pop. Pop.

Three more shots. My heart raced.

The sounds ricocheted off the walls, each one a hammering blow of realization, each stripping away another layer of denial until nothing was left but the raw, ugly truth.

Another pop. Screams erupted.

"It's a gun," I mumbled.

The world moved in slow motion as chaos broke out around us. Students were screaming and running as I stood frozen, my eyes darting around, trying to comprehend what was happening.

"Zaid." I whipped around. "Let's go." Hawk's voice cracked, his eyes wide and darting.

My muscles tensed, adrenaline coursing through my veins. Despite the chill of fear, sweat beaded on my forehead. Each pop of gunfire echoed through the halls over the panicked screams.

My gaze flashed back to Ariella, who was still frozen in place, exactly like she had been before the second pop sounded. "Come on, Ariella. We need to go." She didn't move. My jaw clenched. "Ariella," I shouted to get her attention."

Nothing.

I turned to leave her, but stopped halfway after two more pops sounded. "Fuck." My body moved to protect Ariella before my mind could object, years of instinct overriding a year of cultivated hatred.

Even if I did hate her, I didn't want her to die because then I wouldn't be able to torture her, or at least that was what I was telling myself.

"Ariella, we need to go." Ariella's jaw hung slack, her gaze fixed on the open hallway that curved, hiding whoever was causing the chaos. Her chest barely moved, as if she'd forgotten how to breathe.

We didn't have time for this. With every wasted moment, the shooter was getting closer, and before long, we'd be in his sight.

"Zaiden," Hawk shouted again. "Now!"

Leaning forward, I threw her over my shoulder and bolted for the open door where Hawk was still standing. I wasn't typically the type to run from danger, but I wasn't stupid enough to think I had a chance against an automatic rifle head on.

I stepped through the doorway into one of the locker rooms. The air hung heavy with the lingering scent of sweat and cheap body spray. Metal lockers lined the walls, their red paint chipped and worn from years of use.

My gaze darted around the room. It wasn't safe here. We were too exposed. "Storage closet," I ordered Hawk, his girlfriend Abby, who was part of the figure skating team, and Trey.

Abby ran for the door to the closet, her blonde hair bouncing with each step, and quickly walked inside. I followed her, finding a table in the back corner with a few boxes to one side to drop Ariella's ass on. I twisted to walk away, but the minute that door closed and we were covered in darkness, Ariella came back to life, her hands curled into my clothes. Her grip was unwavering, stopping me from moving.

"T—turn on the lights," she cried out.

I squeezed my eyes shut and bit down on my bottom lip to keep from cursing out loud. She was terrified of the dark. In the pitch black, Ariella's fingernails dug into my arm. Her breath came in short, ragged gasps, each exhale a soft whimper.

I wrapped my hands around her waist to calm her, letting her know she wasn't alone. "Ariella, there's a shooter out there. We can't turn on the lights," I whispered, keeping my tone low and calm.

"I want out," she raised her voice with each word. "Let me out," Ariella pleaded, her voice cracking. The raw fear in her tone made my chest tighten.

She was so scared of the dark that she'd rather take her chances with an active shooter. She shifted her weight to slide off the table, but I pinned my hips to the table between her thighs, giving her no room to move. "I can't let you go. You put us all in danger by leaving now."

"Shut her the fuck up," Trey whisper-yelled. "She's going to get us all shot."

The air was thick with tension, fear, and desperation that clung to us like a second skin.

"Ariella, please," I said, sliding my hands around her face and pressing my thumb to her chin. "I need you to calm down."

Her breathing increased, and her pulse raced under my fingers, but I knew it wasn't my touch that was doing that to her. Her small hands wrapped around my wrist, pulling softly like she was raging a war. She wanted me to let her go, but she also didn't.

"Please turn on the lights."

"Seriously, man," Hawk growled. "Shut your girl up before she gets us all killed."

"Just let me out, I'll run." She started hyperventilating like the loud crying type.

"Shut her up, or I will," Trey hissed. Typically, that comment would make me throat punch him, but I understood. If she didn't shut up, we could all die.

"Fuck," I muttered. I needed to calm her down, but I could only think of one way to do that. Her cries died when my mouth captured hers. Her rigid shoulders softened, her body curving into mine as her lips parted, allowing my tongue to explore hers.

My hand dropped to her ass, and the other hand twisted into her hair as I dominated not only the kiss but her.

I hadn't wanted to kiss her, but now I couldn't stop. My hands roamed over her body, desperate for more contact as I moved on autopilot, pressing closer, craving her warmth.

My body screamed for more, a traitorous hunger I thought I could overpower. I was wrong. Tomorrow, I'd hate myself for this moment of weakness. But right now? Right now, with death potentially seconds away, all that mattered was her warmth, her breath, the familiar curve of her lips against mine.

My tongue stroked along hers as my hand gripped her ass hard, pulling her harder into me. If we were alone right now, I'd fuck her right here on this table, but we weren't, and I couldn't. I pressed my raging hard cock into her, letting her know exactly what I was thinking.

"Are we going to have to listen to you two sucking faces the entire time," Abby groaned, her tone laced with disgust.

"Shut up, Abby," Hawk whisper-hissed. "At least she's quiet."

I pulled out of the kiss and released her, our labored breathing filling the small, quiet air. The taste of her lips lingered, a bittersweet reminder of the past when things were good.

My lips hovered over her as I pushed against her chin, tilting her head up and whispering against her lips. "Ari, I need you to focus on my words, okay?" I kept my tone smooth and calming as I let the heat of my breath fan across her lips. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. They will have to go through me to get to you, but I need you to stay calm, okay?"

My hand dropped to her neck, and my thumb stroked over the pulse point in her throat softly. Her chest stilled, frozen mid-inhale. Against my fingertips, her pulse raced. She was holding her breath. The last thing I needed was her passing out.

"Slow, deep breaths for me, baby." I wrapped my arms around her pulling her into me and sucking in a heavy breath. Her familiar scent hit me like a punch to the gut, memories of that night a year ago flooding back. The last person I'd held like this was her a year ago.

The night Kacie died.

I was a different person then, and she wasn't responsible for my sister's death.

My heart thundered in my chest, each beat a seismic event threatening to give away our location as a loud bang came from right outside the door. Abby squealed but was quickly cut off; I was betting Hawk covered her mouth.

My arms constricted around Ariella, muscles coiling tight enough to tremble. The air caught in my throat, refusing to move as I prayed that whoever it was didn't hear us and Ariella stayed calm.

Time stretched, each second an eternity, as we huddled in our makeshift sanctuary.

In the darkness, my eyes strained uselessly, seeking phantom shapes. The air felt thick, almost suffocating, carrying the sour tang of fear and sweat. Ariella's body trembled against mine, her ragged breath hot and damp on my chest. The gunfire had ceased, leaving behind a ringing silence punctuated by the thundering of my own heartbeat. Every tiny sound—a creak, a whisper of movement—sent icy tendrils of dread down my spine. Was it over, or was the gunman out there, his footsteps masked by the blood rushing in my ears?

I wasn't sure how long we'd been in this closet's darkness, but it felt like an eternity.

"Police!" A deep voice boomed, reverberating through the small space. My knotted muscles uncoiled, leaving behind a dull ache.

"Anyone in here?"

"In here!" Hawk's voice cracked, raw with tension.

The door crashed open. Blinding light cut into the room, searing my dark-adjusted eyes. I winced, tasting copper as I bit my tongue. Hands shot up around me, a forest of trembling limbs. Ariella remained motionless against me, her fingers digging painfully into my sides.

"Everyone okay in here?" The officer's voice was gruff, tinged with barely contained urgency.

"Yeah," Trey said. "We're all good here."

"Let's go," the officer said, gesturing for everyone to follow him.

"Ariella, you're okay," I whispered, my voice rough and unfamiliar to my own ears. I covered her hands with mine, feeling them tremble where they clutched my shirt. The fabric was damp with sweat. "I'm going to carry you out, but I need you to loosen your grip."

Her fingers uncurled slowly as if each movement caused pain. I scooped her up, cradling her in my arms, her small frame surprisingly heavy with tension. Her shampoo, faint lavender, mingled with the sharper smell of fear-sweat.

Ahead, Hawk moved with careful steps, Abby tucked against him. His shoulders were rigid, muscles coiled beneath his shirt. Trey led the way through the locker room, his sneakers squeaking softly on the tile floor.

The SWAT officer's gear clinked softly as he ushered us forward, the sound countering our ragged breathing.

"Follow the crowd out," the officer ordered, pointing forward.

Trey's head snapped around as he stood momentarily frozen in the doorway, his eyes locking first on Hawk, then me. The muscle in his jaw jumped, his usual easy grin nowhere to be seen. He raised a hand, two fingers jabbing toward Ariella and Abby before pressing against his eyelids. For a heartbeat, his eyes screwed shut, his face contorting as if in pain. When they opened again, the message was clear: Don't let them see.

That moment felt like it was so long when, in fact, it all happened in a matter of seconds.

I tucked Ariella's face into my chest, her warm, rapid breaths seeping through my shirt. We merged into the flow of bodies in the hall, a current of trembling limbs and stifled whimpers. Discarded backpacks and scattered papers littered the floor, abandoned reminders of the ordinary school day that had been violently interrupted.

My peripheral vision blurred, narrowing to a tunnel. Focusing straight ahead took every ounce of willpower, my neck muscles aching with the effort not to turn, not to see. Each step echoed hollowly, the sound ricocheting off the walls. Somewhere ahead, a door banged open, the sudden noise causing a ripple of flinches through the crowd.

Minutes stretched like hours as we stumbled towards the exit. The rhythmic thud of combat boots and the crackle of police radios surrounded us, a cocoon of urgency. A gust of cool air hit my face, we were outside.

The sun's glare was jarring after the dim hallways. I squinted, my eyes watering as they adjusted. Police barricades loomed ahead, their red and blue lights pulsing silently against the day's brightness.

We didn't stop until we reached the parking lot's sun-baked asphalt.

"You're safe," I whispered to Ariella, my voice hoarse. As I eased her down, my arms trembled from exertion and fading adrenaline. Her feet touched the ground, but her fingers remained curled in my shirt as if afraid to let go.

"Fuck," Trey's voice cracked as he spun around. "Do they have the shooter?"

I swallowed hard. "I don't know," I said, the words feeling inadequate on my tongue.

"I counted two," Hawk said.

I knew he was talking about bodies. "Could you tell who it was?" I asked, sliding an arm around Ariella's shoulders.

"Oh my God," she cried out. "Journey and Mila."

"They were male," Hawk said, his tone low and somber. "But I couldn't tell."

My gaze scanned the crowds of students coming out of the school, standing around the parking lot behind the barriers law enforcement set up. Everyone was waiting for someone they cared about to appear.

"We should get out of here," Trey said, his voice tight. He ran a shaky hand through his thick, dark hair, leaving it standing on end. "We can start making calls to check on everyone."

Ariella's hands fluttered over her pockets, her movements jerky and uncoordinated. "I don't have my phone," she mumbled, her voice distant, as if coming from underwater. "I must have left it inside." She shifted her weight, swaying slightly on her feet. Her eyes, wide and unfocused, fixed on the school building behind us.

My hand wrapped around her arm, feeling the goosebumps on her clammy skin. "You can't go get it," I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the lump in my throat.

"I need it," she cried out, her voice rising to a pitch that made my ears ring. Tears spilled down her cheeks. "I need to check on Mila, Journey, and my team." Her chest heaved with each ragged breath. This wasn't about a phone. It was the fear of the day coming to a head.

"We will check on everyone," Trey said. "But right now, we need to get out of here."

"I have Mila and Journey's numbers in my phone," Abby said, reaching into her pocket. "You can call them."

"Call them on the way," Hawk said, ushering us toward our cars.

I knew these next few hours would be the worst as we waited to find out who was injured and who didn't make it out.