Page 71 of Breakaway Hearts

Scares me more than anything

The asshole says nothing. He walks a couple of steps behind me and occasionally whistles, but otherwise acts like he doesn’t even know me. Which, I know, is the vibe I was giving off, because I was pissed at him, but his silence is pissing me off more now. Because I either need to be the one who starts a conversation, or I have to walk home with nothing but the voices in my head. I can live with my ‘I told you so’s, but that guy tonight’s confusion when I freaked out, combined with the laughter that sets my hairs on end…I want to shake them off me, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop the shaking. I just fucking hope Owen didn’t notice it.

“What were you even doing there?” I give in after what feels like an eternity, but we’re not even halfway there.

“Sending Evan off.”

I hear the relief in his voice as he catches up to me.

Owen rides the elevator up with me, then waits a few steps back while I unlock the door and turn off the alarm. He keeps going on about some movie’s historical inaccuracies as if he doesn’t notice, but he’s purposely giving me space, showing me he isn’t trying to come in.

“I’m home safe,” I tell him, leaning on the doorframe, my hand on the door, ready to close it. Which I should, but I’m lingering.

“Thank you for humoring me. I’ll sleep much better now.”

He looks like he wants to kiss me. His entire body is itching to take those steps, but he stays firmly planted a few feet away, his hands in fists like he’s stopping himself from doing something. And even with one hand on the door and the other still holding my pepper spray, I’m afraid I would let him. That we could pick up where that guy and I left off. I don’t think Owen would have tried to get me upstairs. I think he would stop if I asked him to, no matter how far I let things get…but that scares me more than anything. Because on some level, I trust him not to hurt me. Not to do anything I don’t want. And that’s dangerous.

I’m not afraid of strangers. Walking home alone would have been fine. I’d have my guard up, ready to fight back if anyone came close. We’re all told not to take candy or anything from a stranger, because you don’t know what’s in it. You have no reason to trust them.

Guys like Owen are way scarier. Because you do trust them. You take what they give you. And they can put anything in it.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Owen

All this chemistry

“Go Steele!” I yell while Colt does a wolf whistle as our former teammate makes an amazing save on the screen in Slapshots. We would have been kicked out an hour ago if every other patron wasn’t just as enthusiastic.

“Speaking of goalies…” Mike starts.

“We weren’t.” I know exactly where this is going, and I’m not interested.

“Lacey!” We cheer again when she shows up on the screen, doing nothing more than cheering on her husband, but I don’t think I’ve seen her since their wedding.

“We should do a road trip to Montreal,” I say before Mike can start again.

“So rookies can drink?” Miles asks.

“To watch Steele live.” I don’t mention the seeing Lacey part, but it’ll be a selling point when I invite Savannah.

Miles is telling us about a restaurant in Montreal that literally just serves Poutine, or as he calls it, ‘fries with all kinds of toppings,’ when Jason walks in. I almost fall off my seat when I see Madison is with him. She’s wearing a black skirt, a blue top, and a look that says she’s not afraid to cut a bitch. I should probably be afraid of her. I should keep my distance and let her be.

But I’ve never been good at should.

“I didn’t know you came here, Mad,” I say when she walks up.

“I go everywhere mad,” she tells me, entirely unimpressed, but Miles thinks she’s hilarious and bursts out laughing. “We’re heading home, Jay’s just getting food.”

“Glad you didn’t wait in the car.”

“Didn’t want him to get distracted.”

She’s avoiding eye contact, a challenge I could probably win, but I just want to make sure she’s okay after last night. I move closer, but I guess I’m not being subtle, because, “I’m fine,” she snaps under her breath without looking at me.

I’ll take it.

Astrid comes by and tells Madison how much she enjoyed her last article, which loosens her up, especially when some of the guys join in.