Chapter 3 A DEAL WITH THE HOCKEY CAPTAIN

CHAPTER THREE

RILEY MOORE

The moment his lips touched mine, I froze, and every logically thinking part of my brain stopped working. His lips were soft from being adequately moisturized, and his slow, intentional pace almost made me forget that this was all a facade and that we weren't actually a couple.

I found myself melting like butter into the kiss, a soft, satisfied sigh leaving my lips involuntarily. I had lost myself, forgetting where I was and why I was kissing him in the first place.

The shrill sound of the bell ringing brought me back to my senses, and I found myself jerking away from him so fast that I almost fell. He was quick to react, holding me by the waist and pulling me back into place until I was steady enough to stand without his support.

I could hear the hollering from some of the students, especially the members of the hockey team. I ignored them, my gaze fixed on the one person who mattered to me, Brian.

“So you see, my girlfriend wrote those love letters to me. Someone obviously stole them and did this to embarrass her,” Jaxon explained with a smirk.

Brian nodded, his face completely unreadable. I couldn't tell if he was angry, jealous, or sad. There was nothing that gave away his emotions.

“I need to head to class,” I finally said, breaking the tense silence as I walked away from the dispersing crowd before I did something else I was going to regret.

“Wait up, Riley.” Jaxon called out, coming after me.

I didn't slow down after he called out to me. If anything, I increased my pace, hoping he wouldn't catch up with me.

Contrary to what I had said, I wasn't heading to class. I was heading to the parking lot. I needed time to think about everything because right now, my head was an absolute mess.

Jaxon caught up with me the moment I reached my car. “I asked you to wait for me.” He held my shoulders, turning me around so that I was facing him.

“Leave me alone,” I yelled, clenching my fists.

The realization that I hadn't only hurt Brian by kissing his enemy but had actually enjoyed it was suddenly hitting me. I knew for a fact that my relationship with him would never remain the same again. This was probably the worst betrayal ever.

“Is this how you thank me for saving your ass back there?” The infuriating smirk I had always known Jaxon for covered his face again, and I felt the sudden urge to wipe it off with a punch.

Taking a deep breath to calm myself down, I closed my eyes. “I need to be alone. I need to think.”

Jaxon didn't attempt to leave. His feet stayed rooted until I finally gave him the attention he wanted.

“What do you want again?”

“To be with my girlfriend, obviously.”

I glared at him, convinced he was mocking me. “I don't have time for this. I know everything is a joke to you, you cocky bastard, but now isn't the time.”

“Who said I was joking?”

There was no trace of humor on his face. He looked very serious, which was a stark contrast to the unserious person I thought I knew.

“You do know that I just announced to the whole school that you're my girlfriend, right?”

With every passing second, his presence frustrated me more than ever before.

“Yes, so?”

He sighed, a hint of annoyance and frustration on his face. “Well, we have to keep up with our lie now, or everyone will know who the letter was really for.”

My eyes widened as I finally understood. The thought hadn't even crossed my mind, but now that it had, it didn't feel good.

“We have to pretend to be a couple for as long as we can. Then we can fake a breakup, but that can only happen when we've managed to convince everyone that this is real and they've moved on from this drama.”

I felt a sudden headache approaching and rubbed my forehead. Now that I thought about it clearly, the whole school knowing I was in love with my stepbrother didn't seem as bad as having to put up with Jaxon for heaven knows how long.

“This is a nightmare. I should have just told them the truth.”

Jaxon chuckled, leaning against my car. “Trust me, you would rather be stuck with me than have the whole school knowing you're a freak who's in love with her brother.”

“Stepbrother,” I corrected.

He shrugged, pulling out a packet of cigarettes from his side pocket. “Same difference. It's still creepy as fuck, especially since you grew up together and he's in love with your best friend.”

I watched the veins on his muscular arms bulge as he made an attempt to light the cigarette. I was enchanted by the way he moved so effortlessly. I had to admit that the jerk was hot.

“Stop ogling me, Riley. I'm all yours for the next few months.” He winked, taking a puff and blowing the smoke out while chuckling.

My face heated up quickly, and I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind to divert the topic from my obvious attraction to him. “I don't like people smoking around me. It's disgusting.”

I expected him to mock me for my statement or at least probe me for an explanation for my clear hatred of smoking, but to my surprise, he put the cigarette out immediately and threw it away.

“I'm sorry. I should have asked if you're comfortable with it before lighting it.”

My mouth fell open in shock. Not only was he considerate, but he was also genuinely remorseful.

It was a side of him I had never seen or heard about. Although we had never been close and had only spoken a few times before now, I had heard countless terrible stories about him from Brian. I thought he was nothing but a selfish, entitled prick, but after the move he had just pulled, I found myself questioning everything I knew about him.

“Why did you help me?” I broke the silence, asking the question that had been on my mind.

“Honestly, I have no idea,” he responded. “I saw a damsel in distress and, like the gentleman I am, I came to her aid.”

I rolled my eyes, irritation creeping back into me. He was unpredictable.

“I'm being serious, Jaxon. We're not friends, and you know it. Hell, we've only exchanged a few words before now, and they weren't exactly pleasant. I know you, and I know you don't help people.” I added air quotes to my last two words, and he chuckled.

“Don't think too much, Princess.” He laughed.

“Don't call me that.” I gritted my teeth as I spoke.

Somehow, in the few minutes I had spent getting to know Jaxon, he had managed to get on my last nerve more than anyone had ever done in my entire life.

“Whatever you say.” His eyes met mine, a challenging smirk on his face as he added, “Princess.”

When I huffed and stomped my left foot on the ground, he burst into rounds of laughter, clutching his stomach and hitting my car softly.

Despite myself, I felt the tension in my body easing, and I even cracked a small smile.

“You're so cute.” He wiped a lone tear that had appeared in his eye from laughing too much.

“On a serious note, why did you help me? I can't think of a reason you would help me, of all people.”

Every trace of humor drained from his face. “What if I simply did it to piss Brian off?”

“If you really wanted to piss him off, you would have gone after his girlfriend, not his sister.”

He didn't respond. He only pulled out the page of my diary from his pocket and handed it to me.

“You should keep things that are meant to be secret safe. You don't know who's out there, waiting for the right moment to hurt you.”

Slowly, I took it, crumpling it in my hand and looking away in shame. “It was in my room. I have no idea who could have taken it out.”

“I understand. You don't have to explain. Just…” He hesitated. “Be careful. We both know this madness isn't over. Heaven knows what else was written that could be used against you later.”

I knew he was right, and that was one of my biggest fears. My diary contained some of my biggest secrets, truths that could ruin people's lives if they leaked.

“Where did you find the original?” I lifted the now-crumpled ball of paper.

“I was in the boys' locker room when I came in early for practice this morning. I was the first person to arrive for practice. I have no idea how it got there.”

I could tell he was sincere by the look on his face, which made things even more complicated and confusing. It just didn't make sense.

“I have to head to my next class. I already missed the first one. See you later, girlfriend.”

He was already walking away when I called out to him.

“Jaxon?”

He turned around. “What?”

“No touching. No catching feelings. As soon as this dies down, we go back to being strangers.”

I didn't need to say more. He understood every word.

He nodded. “And, Riley?”

“Yes?”

“When the time is right, I'll tell you why I helped you and ask for a favor. Make sure you'll be ready because it wouldn't be an easy one.”