I was barely able to stop myself from climbing the fence and smashing Aiden’s face to the ground during practice.
He dared touch her.
He put his fucking hands on her.
The corner of his lips curls in a smirk. “It didn’t fail after all.”
I grab his arm — the same fucking arm he had around her shoulder — and twist it. “Do you want a cast?”
“Captain…” Cole approaches slowly. “We can talk it out. No need to break things....or bones.”
“Tell. Me,” I growl in my cousin’s poker face. “What the fuck were you doing?”
He remains silent, meeting my stare with one of his own. My hold tightens around his already twisted arm. I’m going to fucking break it and to hell if Jonathan makes me his slave.
I am, anyway.
Xander kicks Aiden’s leg. “Whatever it is, tell him, you little shit.”
“He’ll really break your arm,” Cole hisses.
Aiden’s expression doesn’t change no matter how much pressure I apply. The fucking psycho has become abnormally resistant to pain since that incident nine years ago.
“Yo, King.” Ronan stares at him with bugged eyes. “Mais tu es fous ou quoi? Do you want your arm broken?”
He doesn’t. But if a broken arm gets him what he wants, he wouldn’t mind.
“Who told you to keep your conversation with my father a secret?” Aiden finally speaks.
“Go near Astrid again, and I’ll fucking kill you.”
“Tell me the secret.”
“Pass.”
He smiles in a taunting way. “If you don’t give me what I want. I won’t give you what you want, either. Guess what, Lev. The game always starts with two kings on the chessboard.”
“One to nil, Aiden!” Ronan shouts, then says, “Ouch,” when Cole smacks the back of his head.
I smile and push Aiden against the locker with a shove.
I can punch him to death and cut him limb from limb, but physical strength doesn’t work on this little shit.
He said it himself, Smarter, not stronger.
To win, I have to play his way.
“So this is a game, huh?” I ask.
“Sure is.” He smirks, dusting his jacket.
“Very well. I’m making my first move today. Meet me in the car park.”
“Make it count, Lev.” With one last taunting smirk, he disappears behind the door.
I face the rest of the team and speak in my most authoritative tone, “If anyone goes near Astrid, they’ll have a personal problem with me. Do I need to repeat myself?”
“No, Captain.”
“Make that apply to the entire school.”
“Yes, captain.”
I throw a hand dismissing them and everyone goes back to their tasks.
All except for one.
Daniel glares at me and pushes my shoulder on his way out. “I don’t take orders from a coward captain.”
I grind my teeth, but I let it go. It’s not my midfielder speaking, it’s Astrid’s best friend.
After changing my clothes, I stop in front of the locker room with my back against the wall.
I might put up the facade, but I’m feeling too much chaos, it’s beginning to numb me.
I tried drowning in alcohol, but that shit’s never good. Not to mention that Coach will have my arse if I come to practice with a hangover.
Smoking is also off the table after the last erotic smoke I had with Astrid.
So I spent the entire night in a room I haven’t visited for years.
A room that’s changed fucking everything
The look on Astrid’s face when I told her we’re nothing still cuts through me like fucking knives.
Jonathan had to screw up my life in a completely different way.
I need time to figure this whole shitty situation out, but that doesn’t mean anyone can have Astrid.
Not Aiden.
Not Zachariah.
No. Fucking. One.
Chris trudges in the opposite direction towards Coach Larson’s office. I watch him from behind, tilting my head and narrowing my eyes.
I’ll deal with his drunken arse later. He’s off the team until he shows up without hangovers or as high as a kite.
Once I arrive at the car park, I spot Dan driving out. Alone.
Astrid must’ve gone home first.
She’s strong. She fucking has to be.
Because since the eye-opening chat with Jonathan, I’m starting to think I’m broken beyond repair.
“Interesting location for a battle.” Aiden’s mocking tone reaches me first before he slides against his car that’s parked opposite mine.
I throw my bag in the backseat and lean against the driver door, facing him and crossing my arms over my chest.
“What do you want Aiden?”
“Simple. Tell me what Father told you that you became so volatile.”
“Why do you want to know?”
“No one keeps me in the dark,” he shrugs.
“Seriously? You’re bringing out your guns for something as insignificant as this?”
“Insignificant battles win the war.” He pauses. “Now tell me what I need to know.”
“No.”
“I’m going after Astrid, then. Careful King, your own queen will bring you to your knees.”
My jerk reaction is to punch him in the face.
I don’t.
I should’ve known that Aiden will pine for my weakness. But the thing with Jonathan is none of his fucking business and it’ll remain that way.
“I look forward to spending more time with Clifford. Maybe I should join her and Sterling in bowling?”
“You do that.”
His narrows his eyes. “If you’re testing my bluff, then it’s your loss. You know I will do it.”
“I’m sure you will.” I nod in the opposite direction where a tall blonde walks in the direction of a small green car with her friend. “In exchange, I’ll have a go at Ice Princess.”
His smirk falls and his shoulders crowd with tension.
“I heard she can be fun and not so icy underneath the exterior.”
His right eye twitches.
Checkmate.
I slam my shoulder into his. “Stay the fuck away from Astrid.”
I climb into my car as he continues staring at her with darkened, angry eyes.
I don’t trust Aiden, but I trust whatever fucked up fixation he has on that girl since the first time he saw her last year.
She’s the same girl he’s been stalking on Instagram like a stage five creeper.
Now that Aiden’s taken care of, it’s time I focus on more pressing matters.
Like Jonathan and his fucking secret from hell.
43
Astrid
If life punches you, punch right back.
* * *
A week passes and life goes on.
I guess.
I’ve been focusing on my therapy with Dr Edmonds. We even have two sessions in the same week now.
I still can't remember but talking to the doctor helps. I get to focus on something that’s not the arsehole who shall not be named.
Since the day he pretended he doesn't even know me, he has erased me from his existence. When he walks by me, he doesn’t spare me a glance.