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Finding the rink empty, I turned and headed for my dad’s office. I walked down the hall outside the locker rooms, hearing the ruckus from the team changing, even outside. Those guys couldn’t do anything quietly. I hurried to my dad’s office, knocking briefly before pushing the door open.
It was dark, but the joining room—which was more of a hallway that led through to a private bathroom and shower—was lit up like a Christmas tree. There was no end to the perks that Hade Harbor High could bestow upon its superstar coach...except for a decent salary, it seemed.
I’d wait for my dad in here. It was safer than the hallway outside where the players would soon pass through. Now that Cayden West was in the mix, I was even less inclined to run into them.
The door to the private bathroom was open, and a sudden movement caught my eye.Wait, is someone in there?I was about to throw my hand up and yell at my dad for not remembering to close the door when the shadow drifted past the opening again, forming into a person. It wasn’t my dad.
Cayden stood in front of the small bathroom mirror, steam curling off his gleaming skin. His torso was bare, and only a white towel swathed his hips. He was staring at his reflection, and his look of concentration gave me a chance to take in the sinfully hot picture he made. Last night hadn’t allowed much time to stare. I might hate the guy already, but I couldn’t deny he was beautiful to watch.
What I hadn’t expected was the extent of the damage. Turned out, I’d only seen a glimpse of it last night. The truth was so much worse.
Bruises clustered along one side of his ribcage, with crisscrossed welts overlaying the purple and blue. He had tattoos working down his arms, a couple of them, but I wasn’t close enough to make them out. Most noticeable of all were the thick scars high up on his shoulders and arms, the type that looked like bad stitches made it worse. A mess of white scar tissue sat low on one side, woven into the fabric of his skin. Was it letters? I could make out a few shapes that looked like letters:w-o-r. The other letter was out of sight. I tilted my head for a better view.
Had I drifted closer?Crap. I only realized I was approaching the room when the water bottle, stuck in the side pocket of my backpack, clicked against the door.
Cayden froze. He hadn’t been moving much before, but at the sound, an eerie stillness filled his tall frame. His eyes shot to mine in the mirror.
“I-I’m looking for my dad,” I said lamely.
He was tense, his hands curled into fists on the countertop.
“I–are you okay?” I heard myself say. “Your back…”
I hadn’t known it was possible for someone to get so still. A darkness entered his eyes that made me drop his gaze. Blue wrath and the promise of future pain was held in that look.
He didn’t like me snooping on him.
He didn’t like being seen.
“Anyway, I’ll just wait for him outside,” I babbled as I backed away.
Cayden had straightened up, and as I made it to the door, he half turned, his eyes tracking my every movement.
I really did feel like a bug under the microscope then.
With a stumble and heat flooding my cheeks, I spun around and ran from the office. I didn’t stop until I got back to the truck.
* * *
I hid in my room until dinner. The drive home had been tense, though my dad hadn’t seemed to notice. I’d shuffled down and tried to become invisible in the backseat, but regardless, I’d felt Cayden’s attention on me.
He was here again, next door, and this time, he’d be scarier than ever. I could feel it. There had been nothing teasing or light in his eyes when he’d caught me looking at his back and seeing that awful scar. Now, I was really on his shit list.
I paced my room, biting my nails, until my mom yelled for me to come to dinner. I left the room cautiously. No sounds greeted me. Maybe Cayden was already in the kitchen. I ran past the spare room and arrived in the kitchen, breathless.
Cayden straightened up from the dishwasher, having just put a bowl in. My mom stood at the sink and dried her hands, smiling at me.
“Great, you’re here. Let’s eat.”
“Good day at school?” my dad asked his go-to question to kick off dinner conversation.
Tonight, I could barely tear my eyes away from Cayden. Everyone acted like it was totally normal that he was here. A stranger, in our house, sitting at the dinner table. He watched me with a dark gaze.
“It was fine. Normal,” I muttered, dropping Cayden’s hot look and staring at my plate.
“Well, normal is good. Lily is a straight-A student,” my mom bragged to Cayden.
“Is that right? Well done, senior year is hard.”
