Don't Let Me Down

by Kelsie Rae

“I see what you’re doing,” he murmurs. “I’m asking if you want to shower with me.” “No, you’re pushing me away.” A sour taste floods my mouth, and I grit out, “No offense, but I don’t owe you anything. We aren’t exactly friends, Professor.” “You’re right. I’m nothing more than a dick to you.” He steps away, but I grab his arm and pull him back. “That isn’t true.” “Then what am I?” he demands.

😭😭

“I’m apologizing because I don’t like the idea of my friends being mad at me, and somehow, during all of this, I’ve started to look at you like you’re my…”––I clear my throat––“friend.”

Awww

He steps closer and touches my cheek, tilting my head up until our eyes meet. “I’m not like him. I’m not going to push you, especially when you don’t owe me anything. I thought you knew me better.” “I do,” I start. He nods. “I’m here. I’m here in whatever way you need me to be.”

He’s the best 😍😢

“Thank you.” I gulp. “But as long as we both agree there isn’t a relationship on the table, I want you to know I look at this”––I wag my finger between us––“like it’s a two-way street, so I’m here too. To give whatever you need. Even if it’s more than a few solid orgasms. Even if it means opening up to you a little more.” “Like actual friends?” he clarifies. “Not just fuck buddies?”

😍😍

“You’re a good friend, Henry.” His chest rumbles with amusement against my back. When he shifts onto his side, he pulls me into his chest. “You’re a good friend too, Mia.”

🤣

“Pixie’s gone,” Uncle Fen chokes out.

😭💔

“Mia, what’s wrong?” Henry demands, turning me around and making me face him. I shake my head against his hard chest, unable to think the words let alone speak them out loud. “Tell me, Mia, or I swear to God I’ll rip this place apart until I find out––” “Pixie’s gone.” His hands freeze against my back. “What do you mean gone?” “She’s gone, Henry. She died.” Another sob breaks free, and my chest heaves. “She’s gone, and I didn’t get to say goodbye. And I know she’s just a dog, and I know she was old and she wasn’t going to live forever, but it fucking sucks, Henry. Why does everyone leave? Why does everyone have to die?” He squeezes me tighter, then guides me down the small hallway toward the exit. “Come on.” I shake my head and try to shrug out of his hold. “I have to work, I have to––” His grip tightens. “I’ll take care of it.”

😭💔

“Sh... ” He rubs his hand up and down my back. “What can I do? Can I drive you somewhere? Fly you to wherever she is? How can I fix this?”

Awww he’s just no perfect!

Like the current girl I’m seeing. Did you really have to walk out of my apartment naked after giving me a hard-on in nothing but a towel? Mia I mean, I didn’t HAVE to, but I thought it was a nice touch.

🤣🤣 yes!

I’ve fallen for this girl. She doesn’t know it––she can’t know it––not until she’s ready, but it’s true. I need to move slowly enough for her insecurities to finally dissipate so she can let me in fully. So she can acknowledge her own feelings and accept this is it for us. She’s mine. And I’m hers.

💕💕

“Humor me, Mia,” Henry replies. “I like taking care of my…” he hesitates, the same cocky smirk wreaking havoc on my insides, “friends.”

😏😍

“Hey,” he murmurs. The softness in his voice cuts through my obsessive thoughts like a knife. He lifts his hand and taps his finger against my temple while balancing Nala in his other arm. “I can see you overthinking things. Don’t. I’m a patient guy.” A patient guy? What does he even mean? Does he expect an invitation next time? Should I give him one? What’s he waiting for? Our arrangement to change? To shift into something else? It can’t. I won’t let it. I can’t let it. “Mia,” he soothes, grasping my chin and tilting my head until our eyes lock. “I’m not worth your patience,” I whisper. “I disagree.” He smiles again, and this time, it’s almost real as he lets my chin go. “Have fun with your friends, okay?”

Mia just accept that you like him already!

“Stick close to us,” Colt tells me. “We’ll make sure Shorty doesn’t come near you.”

😍 yes screw that guy!

“Did my buddy Darryl come say hi?” Mother. Fucker. Facing him again, I march closer to the edge of the ice and grit out, “What do you think?” Shorty’s mouth lifts. “I’ll take it as a yes.”

I hate him 🤢

“Henry,” I whisper. Hell, it’s not even a whisper. It’s a breath. A plea. He bends down, closing the distance between us, but he doesn’t look at me. No, he’s too busy staring at my ex behind me as his hands find my waist, and he tugs me into him. “Henry, wai––” His mouth is on mine, swallowing my plea. And the kiss? It’s predatory. Dominating. And wreaks of alpha pheromones so potent, my core clenches, and I grasp onto his suit to keep from crumbling.

Haha yes Henry 😍

“I’m finished being patient. We will continue this discussion after the game.” “No,” I breathe out. “We won’t.” “Yes, we will. No more running, Mia.”

🔥🥵

“Times up, Mia,” Shorty growls from behind me.

🤬🤬

“You were right.” He squeezes my neck and presses his forehead to mine with such bruising force I swear I can feel my skull pulsing. “In the bar. When you said I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize my career. You were right.” He squeezes tighter, and my fear catapults into full-blown panic.

Omg you psycho I hope Henry gets you!

“If you ever fuck with my career again, I’ll kill you.” He shoves me back to the ground, and my body slams against the pavement with such a bruising force, I feel like I’ve been tackled by a linebacker. My shoulder and back take the brunt of the hit as the air whooshes from my lungs, and I choke on oxygen, attempting to catch my breath. The back of my head hurts. I must’ve hit it against the pavement when he threw me to the ground like I was a freaking ragdoll. But there’s no blood. Only a goose egg the size of my fist.

Poor Mia 😢

Carefully, I twist her to face me and examine the damage more closely. Yeah. Those are definitely bruises. One on the right side of her neck. Four on the left. Rage explodes in my chest, and I drop my hand from her chin, flexing it at my side as I try to control the violence barreling through me and licking at my soul. “Who did this to you?” I growl, desperate for confirmation before I put his body in the ground.

🔥😭💕 he could not be any more perfect!

Her numb gaze locks on me, but her bottom lip trembles. “I need to shower his touch off of me.” “What else did he do?” I seethe. My teeth gnash together. The last of my restraint slowly slips away as all the possibilities of what might have happened while I was sitting on my ass in her hotel room filter through me. “If he––”

😭🤬

“I want to shower. You should go.” “I’m not leaving you, Mia.”

😍😭

With a dark laugh, I growl, “You’re mine, Mia. You might not want to admit it to yourself, but it doesn’t change the truth.” I wrap my arms around her middle and hold her gaze in the mirror’s foggy reflection. “No one touches what’s mine.”

Yes! Now go f up shorty!

Resting my chin on her shoulder, I slowly sway us back and forth. “I’m never gonna hurt you, Mia.”

😭😭

“I’m sorry I broke our rules.” I place another kiss on her bare shoulder. “I’m sorry I made our rules in the first place when I’ve wanted you from the beginning.” My lips brush against where her shoulder and neck meet. “I’m sorry I didn’t step in when you were dating Shorty the first time. I’m sorry I didn’t claim you the way I wanted to in the beginning.” I place another kiss on the bruises marring her throat. “But I’m not sorry for claiming you. For pursuing you.” I kiss her jaw. “For showing Shorty, and the rest of the world, you’re mine. Because you are mine, Mia. For as long as you’ll have me.”

I love this so much! 😍😭

“I want you. Mia Rutherford. The sassy brat who crawled her way under my skin whom I refuse to let go.”

💕💕

“Did you hear me?” I press. “There’s only one you, Brat. I’m not letting you go.” “Promise you won’t let me down,” she whispers. I twist her around and clutch her cheeks, rubbing my thumbs along the moisture and smudged makeup making her look beautiful and broken and mine. All mine. “Not a fucking chance.”

😭💕

“Buchanans toe the line, son,” he continues. “We’re willing to toe it for you.” My heart rate spikes, but I don’t let him see my surprise as my gaze finds his. “What are you saying?” “You have your parents’ support, Henry. No matter what.”

Awwww glad he didn’t make this an issue!

know you’re not a child anymore, Henry. You haven’t been for a long time. But I’m proud of you.

🥹🥹

“Promise you won’t hate me after,” he demands. “Why would I hate you?” “Promise me.” I try to step back, but he holds me in place. “Henry, you’re freaking me out.” “Mia,” he warns. “Okay, I promise.” “Promise me you’ll never be alone, either.” His eyes meet mine. “Not inside the arena. Not outside of the arena. Not when taking Nala on walks. Nowhere. Not until he’s back on a plane headed home.”

He’s going to f shorty up for sure! Can’t wait!

“I need each of you to beat the shit out of Shorty during tonight’s game.” Theo cocks his head. “What?” “Every time you wind up in the penalty box because of Shorty, I’ll give you a ten thousand dollar bonus.”

Yes! I don’t condone violence but he’s the worst sort of human!

“I want him to hurt,” I clarify. “If he looks like a dumbass while he’s hurting, more power to you, but I don’t want him walking off the ice tonight. I want him limping. Or leaving on a stretcher.” Again, they exchange looks. “Why?” Colt pushes. “I mean, yeah, he’s an ass, but his shit with Mia’s in the past.”

🥵😍

“Shorty hurt Mia—badly—after the last game when we were in Ohio,” I snap. “Mia told the girls to keep you in the dark so it wouldn’t distract you from any upcoming games. After seeing the bruises, I decided to be patient and take matters into my own hands when the opportunity arose. Tonight is that opportunity.”

“We’ll take care of it,” Colt interrupts. “Yeah,” Theo agrees. “No one touches Mia.”

😍😍😢

“And it isn’t because one cheated on her or broke her heart or some shit,” Colt explains. “Okay, it’s true, the asshole cheated on her,” Theo grumbles. “But he also liked to use her as a punching bag,” Colt says. Greer pushes to his feet. His hands fisted at his sides. “Who is he?” Mortinson joins him. “And how do we get our hands on him?” With a grin, Theo lifts his hands from his sides. “It’s our lucky day, gentlemen. He’s gonna be on the ice tonight.” “Let’s fuck him up,” Beck spits, and the rest of the team rumbles their agreement. “Yeah.” Theo nods. “That’s exactly what we’re gonna do because when we played the Tumblers in Ohio, Mia’s ex cornered her––again––and hurt her right under our noses.”

Yes! 😍😭

“Win or lose, we’re gonna show him how we protect our own. The only number we care about tonight is the one on the back of Ackerman’s jersey. Twenty-one. Let’s make him bleed.”

😏😏

Pissed-off gladiators with their gazes directed at me. “Is there a problem, gentlemen?” I ask. Colt tilts my chin up with his gloved hand, forcing me to look at him. Shying away from him, I swat at his hand, but he doesn’t let me go.

😍🥹

Colt drops his hand. “I’ve lost family, Mia. And so help me, if I ever lose you––if Ash, Blake, or Kate ever loses you––we’ll never forgive ourselves. And I’ll never forgive you for being too stubborn to ask for our help when you needed it most.”

💔😭

“Good. Enjoy the game. It’s gonna be a hell of a ride.” With a wink, Theo heads onto the ice with a hockey stick in one hand, his expression unreadable, and his best friend by his side.

😏🤣

When the whistle blows, Colt slaps the puck to Theo, beelines it to Shorty, and slams into him. The loud crack of Shorty’s helmet hitting the glass reverberates throughout the arena.

Haha yes!

I flinch, turning to the opposite side of the rink where Theo has Shorty pinned against the glass. He’s snarling something at the defenseman, and the referee blows his whistle.

😏💕

Shorty rushes toward him, but Theo and Colt body slam the dude again from opposite sides. Only this time, Theo hits high, and Colt stays low, causing Shorty to nearly flip over Colt’s back. Theo throws his gloves off and starts punching Shorty near the blue line. Within seconds, the rest of the Lions join them despite the shrill whistles blown by the referees. Together, they create a barrier around the fight, preventing any of Shorty’s teammates from jumping in and defending him.

💕💕

blood soaks the front of Shorty’s jersey as it flows down his face from his nose.

Good! Jerk!

the entire Lions line is shoved into the penalty box across from me, leaving my jaw nearly unhinged.

🤣🤣 I mean how does the whole team get put in the sin bin though!

Beating the shit out of Shorty until he looks ready to piss himself anytime someone skates close to him.

Fuck you, Shorty.

My thoughts exactly Mia!

“You have no idea who you’re dealing with, Shorty. Fucking with any girl is a mistake, but fucking with mine?” A smirk tugs at me. “It’s suicidal. You will take the rest of the season to enroll in anger management courses. You will also see a therapist for whatever mommy issues you have bottled up inside of you. If you fulfill your commitment, there’s a team in Manitoba willing to give you a spot on their roster next season. If you don’t?” I shrug. “Well, I don’t give a shit.” I push myself away from the edge of the desk.

😍😏🔥

Like a rabid dog, he lunges for me, but I dodge his flimsy attack and cock my arm back, my muscles coiling with anticipation. My knuckles land along the bridge of his nose. He screams as I register the crunch of his nose breaking, and blood pours from it once again.

😍

“Follow her on social media again?” I grab both sides of the chair he’s sitting in, caging him. “I’ll end your entire career. Look at her again? I’ll take everything you’ve ever cared about. Touch her again?” Grabbing the fabric of his jersey, I yank him to his feet, bringing us nose to bloodied nose. “I’ll fucking kill you. That’s a promise, Shorty.” When I let him go, he collapses back into his chair, and I slap my hand against his shoulder to prove my point. “Better wash up. Post-game interviews are starting soon.”

Omg this man! I love him 😍

“You should see the other guy.” “Henry,” I warn. “I needed to make something clear.” “To whom?” I ask. His jaw flexes. “You know who.”

😭😍