“Shit,” Ashton grumbles and rolls off me.
I inhale sharply and roll onto my side, dragging my leg over his. “Do you need to go check on him?”
“He decided to come in without knocking!” Ashton’s breathing hard, trying to catch his breath.
Sweat trickles on my forehead. “We could just ignore it?” It’s not like we haven’t been interrupted before, this isn’t anything new. Locking the bedroom door, however, should be an automatic by now.
Ashton glances at me and shakes his head. “I can’t. Tonight was…” The words hang in the air.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask, offering to listen.
“You know I can’t.” Ashton’s gaze winces, like he’s thinking over the night’s events.
I run my fingers over his chest to try to settle him down. “You know nothing between Liam and I?—”
“I know,” Ashton says and sighs. “He just made me see red when I came in, expecting to get some rest, and then you’re on my bed with him.”
“It’s Liam,” I say, smiling. “Come on.”
“Yeah, well, we were just friends once too.”
I pinch him on the arm for that comment.
“Ow.” He grimaces, and I roll my eyes.
There’s no way I hurt him, other than perhaps his pride. “You and I are more than friends.” I climb onto him, straddling his hips, staring down at him. My hair curtains around us, the world disappearing. “Don’t even suggest that I would do anything with Liam again.”
“Fine,” Ashton says and sighs. His hands find my hips, his fingers dancing over my skin. “What are you doing here tonight? What are you both doing here?”
“I was worried when you called and I couldn’t quite understand your message. I tried calling Dad, but he practically hung up on me. So, I convinced Liam to drive us here so I could make sure you were safe.”
“Us? Are Harper and Zeke here too?”
I shake my head and drop a kiss on his lips. He doesn’t kiss me back. His body is tense.
“No, she’s still at home, asleep. Why do you have that look on your face?”
Four
Luca
I can’t sleep. Between witnessing my best friend and little sister fornicating like wild beasts and the pain throbbing in my chest like nothing I’ve ever felt before, I’m not even tired.
The assault leaves me with fresh bruises, my skin marked by those damn brass knuckles, and when I take a deep breath, it stabs viciously within me. I’ve had my ass beaten enough times on the ice to leave welts, but they’re nothing close to the sensation I feel now.
But I’m always wearing protective gear when I’m playing hockey.
Can’t say I was lucky enough to suit up before getting my ass beaten tonight.
I grumble as I climb out of bed, an uncomfortable feat that drags me out of my room.
The house is dark, but there’s always someone awake, keeping watch over the compound.
I barely spoke two words to my father when I came home. I blasted him with my middle finger and stormed to my room.
It’s like reliving my childhood or, rather, my teenager years all over again.
I head down the stairs. If Harper were here, I’d have climbed into her bed. At least her warmth might have brought me comfort to dull the throbbing sensations in my chest.