It really was. The guy is a legend for a reason.
“Quinn! That was the best I’ve seen you play. Keep it up.” He points to my grinning friend before his eyes drop to me. “Sava, I should punish you for putting yourself in danger like that but all I want to do is kiss you right now! Twenty-one out of twenty-one shots blocked this period! Twenty-fucking-one!” Coach shakes his head good-naturedly. “Now, you best get out of my sight before I change my mind about punishing you and get a full checkup done.”
“I’m going, Coach, I’m going,” I tell him, slipping my pads off.
“Good work!” He claps, gives a few more inspiring lines before leaving us to it.
“Please close your ears when we see Electra because I’m sure she’ll have a few colorful words for me.”
I chuckle, putting on my shoes. “What did you actually do?”
“Apparently, pissed her off.”
“Well, that’s nothing new.”
“Oh, shut up. As if Aurora wasn’t handing you your ass after that injury. Speaking of which…you seemed to forget to tell me you were seeing her.” He narrows his eyes on me.
“It’s complicated.” The understatement of the century.
“So, you’re not dating?”
“I don’t know what we are. But she’s mine. They both are.”
“Best things always are,” Exton says, nodding at the door. “Ready to go?”
I nod and follow him out the room, dread filling my gut. I didn’t see Aurora or Emett when the game ended. I turned and their spots were empty.
Did I scare her after all? I knew better than to just throw it out like that. I should’ve waited. I should’ve eased her into that idea but then I just needed to say it. The words were suffocating me, begging to be let out. I needed her to know…to be one hundred percent certain of the fact that my heart is hers.
A ball of light hurls herself at me, nearly tackling me to the ground. “You’re okay. You’re okay. You did so good! YouWON! And you’re okay!” The words rush out of her in one breath as if she needs to hear them herself to believe them.
Aurora. My Aurora. I inhale her in, the honey chamomile scent soothing over every hurt and fear.
I drop everything and wind my arms around her. She’s here. She didn’t run.
“Complicated, my ass,” Exton murmurs, leaving us alone.
“You’re here,” I whisper into her hair.
“I’m here.”
“I thought I sent you running again,” I admit, and feel her head shake.
“You did. You sent me running straight to you. You never gave me a choice, have you, Severin Minaev? They all think you’re such a good boy, but they don’t know that devious mind like I do. They don’t see the darkness that ensnarled me and refused to leave.”
A slow smile curls my lips. “Say it, Aurora.”
“I love you, my bloody vampire.”
Aurora parks the truck and turns off the ignition, but when I go to open my door, I notice she’s not doing the same.
No, she’s sitting frozen, like a statue. Her eyes fixed on the looming, red lights that read,Emergency.
“Lychik?” I ask, cautiously.
Her throat bobs. “I don’t like hospitals. After my surgery…” Her fingers graze alongside the thin scar hidden beneath her shirt. “I don’t like hospitals.”
Of course she doesn’t. I let out a silent curse. I should’ve known better.
