Cheering roared through the room. My teammates hooted and hollered while others chanted “Mercer” as if I wanted the guy rubbing up on me and fucking my throat with his tongue. Shoving him from my lap, I stood, my eyes traveling to the man on the floor at my feet. Recognition bloomed—the guy from move-in day.
What’s his name?
I closed my eyes and the badge he wore that day flickered from the back of my mind and I asked, “What the crap, Charlie?”
Reaching out to help him up, I expected an answer. Not being assaulted. Again.
He took my hand, jumping on me as he got on his feet. He turned from python to koala, wrapping his arms and legs around me, his lips reaching for my mouth again. Luckily, I knew his game and avoided him easily. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of several cell phones recording the nonsense.
“Put those away. Now. Don’t make me tell you twice!” I yelled. When the devices got tucked away, I said, “Now get over here and get him off me.”
“He wants you to get him off.”
“Trey!”
“Okay, damn, dude. Take a chill pill.”
Trey and Ethan came to the rescue, prying Charlie’s arms and legs from my body. Once free, I stepped away from the three of them. Charlie was drunker than a skunk, barely able to stand upright between the two hockey players flanking him.
“I told you, you had a puck bunny. Dude’s been asking about you all semester,” Trey said, righting Charlie as he tipped to the side.
“And I told you I didn’t do that. Have you been encouraging this nonsense? Because if so…”
“Fuck off, Mercer. I wouldn’t do that. The guy asked if you’d be here. I told him most likely since you do fucking live here.”
I swore under my breath. I never should’ve moved back in here. My teammates rocked. I loved them.On the ice.Living with them? That was something else entirely. I hadn’t walked in on anyone screwing on the couch, but the parties… this wasn’t the first roof-raiser they’d thrown and it wouldn’t be the last.
“I’m out. I’ll see you guys in the morning at the barn.”
I walked to my bedroom, freaking ecstatic all our rooms had keyed deadbolts on them. I could only imagine what I’d find in my room, in my bed, without those locks. Once inside, I gathered up all my schoolwork, laptop, chargers, and clothes, and packed them in a duffel. I locked the door behind me, then weaved my way through the throng of partygoers to the stairs. Pushing open the door, I sighed.
“Excuse me,” I grumbled, picking my way down the steps pastall the couples too drunk to realize they were putting on a show for anyone who passed by.
Maybe they didn’t care. If things were different…
Stop it! Now. Just stop. Things aren’t different, and they won’t be for a long time. There’s no point speculating, hoping, wishing… whatever. There’ll be time for that after the draft. After a team signs me. That’s the goal. It’s been the goal since I saw my first hockey game. Since I first stepped foot on the ice. I can’t lose sight of it, not when I’m so close.
A couple of flights down, the party fizzled out. My footsteps picked up as I rushed to the lobby. The sound echoed, covering up the party and sex sounds above with each step until only my steps could be heard.
I pulled out my phone to text Alex once I got to the lobby, stopping dead when I saw he’d messaged me already. The smile that bloomed like spring on my face wilted when I opened the link he’d sent.
Dusty
Is there something I need to know? I’m trying very hard not to jump to conclusions.
Ace
Heading your way.
I’ll explain when I get there.
You have nothing to worry about.
There are no conclusions to jump to.
Dusty
See you soon. Drive safe.
