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Sometimes he could be exasperating on so many levels. “It’s not tension, and you know it.”
“Then what is it you want?”
“I wanted you to tone down the party because if anyone has authority and gets what he wants, it’s you, and you could shut this down if you wanted to.” He could probably commit murder and convince his team members to help him hide the body. Not trying to compare Axel to a murderer, but he did have a magnetic pull over his team. They’d do anything for him.
“I could do it in a heartbeat,” he agreed. “But like I asked earlier…” His voice lowered an octave. “What will you do for me?”
“Axel…” I sighed in frustration. “We have to be up in a few hours. Please.”
He stared down at me and set the bottle of Dom down on a side table beside us. “Damn, I like it when you say please.” Pulling out his phone, he clicked a few times, cutting off the music.
There were shouts, groans, and “What the fucks?” thrown out before Axel twisted his head, pocketing his phone and facing the puzzled faces. “Party’s over. We have an early morning.” Glancing around the room, he added as an afterthought, “I don’t want to have to call Coach. He would be pissed.”
Surprised but not surprised, I wasn’t going to question how he was the one who seemed to be in charge of the music or how it seemed to grow louder when I’d texted him earlier. He’d clearly manipulated me into coming over here. He was certainly in charge of this after-party. But now, he was shutting it down because I said ‘please.’
Axel grabbed the champagne bottle. “Come on, Hardcore.” He nodded to the door. “You wanted peace and quiet, then that’s what you shall receive.”
I fought an internal eye roll. “Where are we going?”
“I’m gonna walk you to your room like a gentleman.” With his other hand at my lower back, he reached out and hooked the handle with his other, opening the door for me. I passed through before him and took the three or four steps to my room.
Unlocking the door, I glanced over my shoulder. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He smiled but didn’t budge as I felt the heat of his presence at my back.
“Well, goodnight,” I said awkwardly, stepping inside the room, and as I turned to close the door, I realized he was trailing behind me. “What—?”
He slid an arm around my waist and pulled me into the bathroom, closing the door behind us. “Are you crazy?” I whispered in the pitch-blackness, anxious my roommate would hear us and see us together. More anxious that this brick wall of every girl’s dreams had his thick arm around me and had locked the bathroom door.
“Shh. Relax,” he said softly, slowly sliding his arm off me. Suddenly, soft light flooded the bathroom. “I wanted to share one celebration drink with you. That’s all. Think of it as your repayment for having me shut down the party.”
I watched him skeptically, and he held out the bottle. “Come on, now. It would make my night if you would share this moment with me.”
Sighing, I reached out and took it. “Just one drink.”
“Just one drink,” he echoed. “It will help you fall asleep.”
I took a sip. “I hope I can fall asleep, no thanks to you,” I mumbled. “I’ll probably fall asleep an hour before the flight, and then I won’t wake up in time and miss it anyway.”
He laughed and tweaked my nose. “Nah, I’ll make sure you wake up in time.”
“You’re one to talk. You’ve been partying all evening.”
“I’ll wake up in time,” he said casually and tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. “And I got your back, Hardcore. I’ll make sure you make that flight, too.”
“Thanks.” I took another sip and felt myself starting to relax around him. “Congratulations,” I said quietly. I’d seen all of his games this season, and he’d truly played his best game tonight.
“Thank you.”
“You were amazing tonight, Mr. MVP.”
His mouth turned up before he tipped the bottle to his lips, taking a swig. “I hoped I impressed you.”
I pffted and took the bottle. He was so full of shit. “Please. You have so many fans I bet you can’t even keep count.”
“I do, don’t I?” He had that easy grin on his face and pulled the bottle out of my hand, setting it aside. Leaning into me, his smile eased, almost turning into a frown. “But lately, your opinion of me is the only one that seems to matter. Why is that?”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t believe you.”
