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“You’re not really giving me any reason why you’re scared. Did I freak you out at the club? I mean, I know that I can be a bit protective, so I get where Kaden is coming from. If that was too much, I apologize. But you have to tell me these things.” Luc didn’t like thinking something was secretly bothering her.
“No.” She shook her head again. “That’s not it. I told you, I don’t know what it was.”
Luc was pretty sure he had her figured out. “It was that scuffle at practice, wasn’t it?”
Kassie’s silence said more than she knew.
“Kaden misread the situation and reacted. I can’t blame him.”
“I don’t care why. It just bothers me that I was the reason. This is your career, and I don’t want to put that in jeopardy.”
“Sweets, like I said, it was miscommunication. That particular fan was holding a sign that she made for me.”
Kassie nodded slowly. “I know. I saw she was holding a sign. But I told you I don’t c—”
“Kass, just hear me out. I didn’t see the sign right away, because I don’t spend my time looking at the fans. My attention is on the ice. Sam grabbed me and showed me the sign she was holding. It said, ‘Marcella please take a selfie with me—I just finished my last chemo treatment—I’m cancer free!’ Was I supposed to ignore her? She was just a kid.” Luc choked up at the thought of her. That girl was so young, and to go through an ordeal like cancer and chemo, he’d only done what anyone would do. “I helped her celebrate her good news and posed for a selfie, and even tossed a puck over the glass to her and her friends. Kaden saw that and lost his mind. He didn’t know the situation, because I know your brother, and he would’ve done the same thing.”
Luc was well aware that her expression hadn’t changed during the explanation.
“Luc—”
“Kass, if that hurt you, then I apologize. I would never do anything to hurt you. Had you asked, I would’ve explained this to you earlier and maybe avoided all this. But you didn’t see that side of it. I know how things can look sometimes—”
“Can I say something now?” Kassie smirked. “The fangirls don’t bother me. That’s a sweet story, and I’m glad you do that for your fans. I think I just got cold feet. I’ve been burned once before by an athlete, and the familiar fear got the best of me. And before you ask again, no, I do not want to talk about that.”
Her fears were real, no matter what she admitted. And he knew one way to show her that he only wanted her, and show everyone else that she was his, too.
“There are always going to be puck bunnies and fangirls wearing my jersey and chanting my name. You just need to trust that the only girl I want is you. I’ll fight for you. And I don’t like to lose.”
Kassie pushed away her half-eaten breakfast. “Fight for me? You mean on the ice?”
“On and off. When I decide it’s time to fight for what I want, I won’t be deterred.” And he knew the perfect thing. “Look, if you need me to prove to you that you are my one and only, I’ll do just that.”
“No, I don’t need you to prove anything,” she protested. “If anyone should be apologizing, it’s me.”
“Too late.” Luc grinned. This girl had his heart, and she didn’t even know it.
***
CHAPTER THIRTY
Kassie
The thought of Luc fighting for her warmed her chest, and some other parts. Kassie was attracted to the whole bad boy thing he had going on, and his “no one can tell me what to do” attitude. Fighting for her honor was even sexier.
Her stomach growled. Maybe pushing breakfast away was too hasty a decision. She timidly pulled her plate back into place and finished her waffle while mulling over his words.
After she cleaned her plate, Kassie sat back and sipped at her coffee. “So, you’re going to fight for me?” Saying the words left a bit of heat on her lips, or maybe it was just the hot coffee.
“Damn straight.” Luc smirked. “That includes accompanying you to dinner tonight, with my arm wrapped around you and pleading my case to your mother.”
“I’m not sure that’s necessary.” Her mom already knew how she felt about Luc, and had agreed that Kaden needed to stop his silliness and take a big step back.
Luc shook his head in disagreement. “Doesn’t matter. It’s my duty as your boyfriend to charm your mom and express my intentions.”
“Your intentions? That sounds old fashioned.” She imagined an old television show where her date would have to pass her dad’s test before the boy could take her out for the evening. But this was reality. Her dad was no longer here, and she was all grown up.
“Trust me, sweets.”
