Page 15 of Your Biggest Downfall (Ravens Hockey #3)

nova

We pulled up to the bar, and it was absolutely packed.

The place had a slightly rundown appearance, with faded paint and a few cracks in the neon sign that flickered intermittently.

Despite its condition, the bar was practically pulsing with energy, the bass of the music thumping so loudly you could feel it in your chest even though we hadn’t exited the car fully.

A burly security guy stood at the entrance, checking ID’s with a no-nonsense expression, while a bouncer managed the restless crowd.

The line to get in snaked down the block, filled with women in tiny outfits, their laughter and chatter blending into the night air. The sidewalk was crowded, people buzzing with anticipation, as everyone waited for their turn to enter the buzzing hotspot.

Luna pulled out her phone and dialed someone as we thanked the driver and got out on the sidewalk.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Just give me a sec,” she replied, shaking me off as she focused on her phone.

I watched as our rideshare car pulled away, leaving us standing on the curb across the street from the bar. The night was just beginning.

“Hey, baby. I’m here, but the line is too long for us,” Luna said into the phone. She’d put on her sexy kitten voice for whoever it was, which clued me in that it was some dude. “Yeah. You can get me and Nove?”

She paused as I scrunched my eyebrows in her direction.

“Cool. See you soon, baby.” There was another moment of silence. “I miss you too.”

She hung up.

“What the fuck?” I practically screeched at her and grabbed her arm.

“It pays to have four guys fuck you at once. They were all so shocked that now they’re all texting me... all the fucking time.”

“You called someone on the team?” I asked.

“Yeah. Austin’s friend, Jeremy.”

Wait. I’d never asked her who she was with that night, and I’d been far too drunk to tell. “You fucked Jeremy?”

“Well.” She shrugged as she linked her arm with mine and we crossed the street. “He fucked my mouth.”

“Luna Pierson,” I screamed, and she let out a huge laugh as we approached the door.

I stopped her. She hesitated.

“You could have called your man,” Luna suggested, but I shook my head.

“No, it’s not that.” I closed my eyes briefly. “I don’t want to drink a lot tonight. I want an escape, but not like that. I want to remember everything and celebrate a great run with the team.”

“With Austin,” Luna added.

I couldn’t even lie to her. “Yeah, I guess.”

The corners of her lips curled into a smile. “Okay. I’ll make sure you don’t have more than two drinks tonight. I promise.”

“Thank you,” I said as we continued walking to the door.

The bouncer stood at the door, his imposing figure scanning ID’s with a practiced efficiency. Jeremy leaned in and whispered something in his ear. When the bouncer waved us forward, a collective groan rose.

Jeremy turned and waved, his voice cutting through the noise. “Don’t worry, everyone. You’ll all get a chance to see the losing hockey team inside,” he said jokingly.

Luna giggled, her amusement lightening the tension, and the bouncer smirked before stepping aside to let us in.

As soon as we crossed the threshold, a sensory explosion engulfed us.

The bar was packed to the brim. Bodies pressed close together, moving and swaying in time with the beat of the music that reverberated through the walls.

Colorful lights danced from every corner, casting vivid hues of red, blue, and green across the crowd. The strobe lights flickered in sync with the music, creating a disorienting yet exhilarating atmosphere. The air was thick with the mingled scents of sweat, perfume, and alcohol.

We navigated through the dense throng of people, each step a challenge as we squeezed past groups animatedly talking and laughing. It was a cacophony of sounds—the deep bass of the music intermingling with the roar of conversations, occasional bursts of laughter, and the clinking of glasses.

We managed to get over to where the hockey players had posted up, and Luna said something to Jeremy, but I wasn’t paying attention. I was scanning the crowd to find Austin, but I didn’t see him. I pushed away from Luna a bit to look through the group of gathered men and women, but still nothing.

“Do you want to get a drink?”

“Get me a seltzer, and I’ll stay here,” I told her.

She narrowed her eyes at me, but Dirks, the goalie, chimed in.

“I’ll walk with you to the bar.”

Luna blushed as she grabbed Dirks’s hand, and he led her toward the bar.

I wondered if he was part of her five-some the other day.

The thought lingered in my mind, making me question the dynamics of their interaction.

As I watched them disappear into the crowd, a mix of curiosity and unease settled over me.

Luna had always been more adventurous than me, but sometimes I worried about how far she’d go to find that thrill.

I stayed put, and a few of the guys came up and talked to me, but their words were lost on me. My focus was entirely on finding Austin. I surveyed the sea of faces, all the people laughing and chatting, but he was nowhere to be seen. I probably looked frantic, but I didn’t care.

I had sacrificed so much to be here tonight.

I missed seeing my mother and hadn’t picked up Iris.

The guilt of that decision gnawed at me, but I pushed it aside.

Being here for Austin felt crucial, like a lifeline I couldn’t let slip away.

I needed to see him, to be with him, to remind him he wasn’t alone in his struggles.

The urgency of that need pressed down on me, making the chaotic scene around me blur into insignificance.

I forced myself to stay calm, taking deep breaths and continuing to scan the crowd. I couldn’t let my sacrifice be in vain. I had to find him. As I stood there, my heart pounding and my eyes darting around, Jeremy came up to me.

“He’s in the back bathroom,” he said, his voice cutting through my frantic thoughts. “He’ll be out soon.”

I breathed a sigh of relief, the tension in my chest easing a bit. “Wait, how did you know I was... ?”

Jeremy laughed. “You’re so fucking obvious.”

I nodded gratefully at Jeremy, feeling a wave of gratitude for his timely reassurance.

I looked toward the bar, and Luna had wrapped her hands around Dirks. I glanced at Jeremy, who was looking at them. “They aren’t coming back for a while. Maybe you should go join them.”

Jeremy huffed and took a sip of his beer.

I nudged him in the shoulder. “You’re so fucking obvious,” I repeated, and he laughed.

Jeremy turned around, and I noticed Austin walking toward us.

My breath caught as I took him in: a plain black shirt clung to his broad shoulders, and his jeans fit just right.

His curly blonde hair was styled, except for the rebellious strand falling onto his forehead.

His piercing blue eyes locked with mine, and a slow smile spread on his face.

The air thickened with each deliberate step he took, muscles moving under his shirt, his stride confident. The noise of the bar faded away, and it felt like he could see right through me. My pulse quickened, the electric tension between us undeniable.

The moment felt like it was moving in slow motion until Jeremy cut in. “She was looking desperately for you, lover boy.”

With that, Jeremy left, and I wanted so badly to stick my tongue out at him or give him the middle finger.

“So.” His familiar deep voice cut through the noises of the bar. “You were looking for me.”

I turned around. “I mean, obviously, because you invited me here.”

He brought his hand up and brushed a curl off my face. “You look good, Supernova. I like when you don’t cover your tattoos.”

He ran his eyes down my body and paused right in the middle, where I’d tucked the necklace into my cleavage. His gaze lingered there for a few moments too long.

Everything melted around me. It was as if it was just us and a spotlight was shining from above.

“You do, too,” I whispered, breaking the tension between us.

The smile stayed plastered on his face, but he’d been drinking. I could tell by the way his eyes were glazed. He looked the same but a little different. He looked lighter.

Luna came back over with Dirks wrapped around her. “Oops, I totally forgot your drink. Let me go get you one.”

“I, uh . . .” I glanced back at Austin.

“We can get one together,” Austin finally cut in.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Luna asked.

“Totally. I’m with Austin,” I whispered so he didn’t hear.

“Okay. If you need me, I’ll be at the bar with the boys.”

I nodded and Austin reached out as he walked toward me.

The moment his hand touched mine, a jolt of electricity shot through me.

His grip was firm yet gentle, his fingers warm and reassuring.

It felt like he was anchoring me to him.

The sensation of his skin against mine sent a flutter through my chest, and I sucked in a sharp breath.

As we wound our way through the crowd, his hand never left mine. It was a simple gesture, but it made me feel incredibly wanted and secure.

We reached the bar, and I ordered a drink.

Just as I was about to say something, a guy came up to Austin and tapped him on the shoulder.

Austin turned around, his hand reluctantly slipping from mine.

The brief contact had been enough to light a fire within me, and even though his attention was momentarily elsewhere, the warmth of his touch lingered, leaving me yearning for more.

“After tonight’s loss . . . a little bump . . . fuck . . .”

I couldn’t quite make out the guy’s words, but I didn’t recognize him from work.

When the bartender set my drink down, I grabbed my can and slid around Austin. His hand went to my lower back, pulling me possessively to his side.

Austin looked between the guy and me. “Wanna learn how I like to escape in the offseason?” he asked.

My brows furrowed in confusion. “I don’t get it?”