Buried Alive

by Brown, Stacey Marie

  Though Shaun was here, I couldn’t seem to relax with Rhys’s presence hovering behind me. My heart beat like baby birds smacking around my stomach learning to fly. My nerves huddled in my throat, as if I were the unsuspecting girl in some horror movie stupidly searching the house with a butter knife while everyone screamed at me to get out. To run.

  Why didn’t I listen? What made me stay?

  “All right, that’s it for me. This old man is hitting the hay.” Shaun stood, stretching his arms in the air. “Training early, Rhys. Dr. Morris wants you to start stretching your leg tomorrow.”

  “Yes, Dad,” Rhys said dryly, but I got the impression there was more truth to that label than not.

  “Hannah.” Shaun nodded at me as he walked to the door. “Night, you two.”

  “You’re leaving?” Don’t leave me. Stay. Be our buffer.

  Shaun’s eyes flicked to Rhys. “Yeah, it’s past my bedtime.”

  “Oh,” I replied, rising, fear sloshing around in my gut, watching him close the door, leaving us alone together. “I-I should probably go too. It’s getting late.”

  Rhys stared at me, sitting up. “Aren’t you going to help put me to bed? Tuck me in?”

  “Not my job. I can call someone for that though.” I collected the empty dishes, placing them back on the cart.

  “I’m sure you can bend the description of your job. Whatever happened to the guest comes first? Service with a smile?”

  “How about service with a punch to the gut?”

  “Kinky.” He winked. “Speaking of service…” A roguish grin curled up around his eyes. “Isn’t it my turn since you brought dinner?”

  My mouth dropped open. “I knew it would eventually come back and bite me in the ass.”

  “That can be part of showing my gratitude.”

  “You are relentless, aren’t you?”

  “That’s what they tell me.”

  I made a half moan, half laugh. I needed to stop walking into his setups.

  “Siena wrote it. I didn’t.”

  “Sure.” He wiggled to the edge of the sofa. “Come on, it’s been a shitty day. Talk to me.”

  “Why?” I folded my arms but remained standing. “I mean why was it a shitty day?”

  “I let someone get to me.” He huffed, looking past me at the TV. “He knows exactly what buttons to press. I was close to losing it, which would have put me in serious hot water with the officials.”

  “Ah.” I leaned my thigh against the armrest. “Another snowboarder then.”

  He nodded, reclining into the cushions. “Anger always causes me to make the worst choices.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like going to visit my family. Never a wise idea.”

  “Your parents?” I sat on the arm of the couch, my heart picking up pace.

  “Mother.” He folded his arms, a faraway look in his eyes. “Father lives in Florida.”

  “Oh.”

  He shook his head then clapped a hand on my leg, his fingers squeezing my thigh, rushing blood through my veins. Then I realized he was using me as a lever to lift himself up. Still, my teeth ground as I tried not to react to the violent way my body answered his touch. I could feel my cheeks turn warm and feel my heartbeat speed up.

  He hopped, grabbing his crutches, seemingly oblivious to the electric shock zapping through my body.

  “Uh, I’ll see you tomorrow.” I vaulted up, almost knocking him over. My hands automatically reached out to steady him, clasping the sides of his stomach, his torso clenching under my palms. Jesus, his body was unfair. “You going to be okay?” I looked up to find him staring at me. His nostrils flared.

  “Yeah.”

  So many things about him unnerved me, but when those black eyes locked on me, it was as though nothing else existed.

  Struggling to swallow back the panic lumping in my throat, I let go, stepping back. “Okay…well…I’ll get this tomorrow.” I pointed to the cart, needing to break the contact with him. I couldn’t be in this room any longer.

  “Night.” I hustled out the door, not waiting for his reply.

  Damn. This was not good.

  This was the exact opposite of good.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Rhys

  Training and working out were second nature to me; I’d done it since I was young. But physical therapy? Fuck! It was a bitch. A mean, torturous, cruel one.

  Sweat poured down my temples and back as my grunts echoed through the workout room.

  “Two more.” Shaun crouched down next to the leg machine. My muscles shook as I slowly pushed out the weight. The weak tendons around my knee threatened to buckle.

  It had been a bad two days. If I wasn’t at the gym or physical therapy, I was in the sauna or the masseuse’s chair. Under normal circumstances it would have been amazing, but when you’re hurt, it’s anything but. The guy working on my back and shoulders disliked how tense I was on the side where I landed, and took his wrath out on me. There were several times I had to fold my lips to keep from calling him a few choice names.

  Shaun made me watch the videos of my ski runs over and over again to get me back on my board this weekend with the doctor’s approval. The finals were coming, and I needed to be in my best possible form.

  The two days flew by, but I was keenly aware Hannah had been in none of them. I saw evidence of her—the food cart appeared or was gone—but she didn’t stay. It bothered me more than it should have that I noticed…and cared. This was so unlike me. Normally I barely registered the girls passing through my bedroom.

  Hannah Jennings was a conundrum I couldn’t figure out. Where every other girl reveled in my being a celebrity, fluffing out their feathers when going out on the town with me, Hannah couldn’t get away from me fast enough. The moment we were alone, she acted like I kidnapped her and she was trying to flee, except for that instant when I touched her to get up from the sofa. Shit. I felt the charge between us. The minuscule gasp of air she sucked in, the heat storming up my arm, then heading straight for my dick. It completely unhinged me. My need for her overwhelmed me.

  Now the girl would not get out of my head. I even dreamed about her. She was always there on the edges, always right out of my grasp. She intertwined herself in my nightmares too, waking me in the middle of the night drenched in sweat.

  “Rhys, focus!” Shaun nudged my arm, racing my brain back to the present. “Last one.”

  “Ahhh.” I ground my teeth, stretching my wobbling leg, trying to hold the weight.

  “Okay. Done.”

  I dropped the weight, shifting from the machine, and toweled myself off.

  “Good job. Your leg is doing better than I hoped.” Shaun stood, patting my back. “I think you’ll be on the half-pipe in no time.”

  I made a derisive snort into the towel.

  “You’ve worked hard this week. Take tonight off; let out some steam.” Shaun pitched me a water bottle. “You need to. I want you healthy but also in the right mind frame. We both know how you get when you don’t have some fun too.”

  Dark. Violent.

  “The bar’s having an event for you guys. Live music and all.”

  “Are you now my social adviser?” I gulped down the entire bottle then wiped my mouth.

  “Merely looking out for you, son.”

  “Thanks, Cruise Director. But I can figure out my own extracurricular activities.”

  Shaun snorted then chucked his empty bottle in the trash.

  “Wait.” I peered up at him. “Why are you trying to get rid of me tonight?”

  “I’m not. Stay in and be a hermit.”

  I jerked at the accusation. My father came to mind.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that.” Shaun shook his head, a frown crumpling his brow. “You’re twenty-one, Rhys. You’ve already been through things people twice your age will never experience. You work extremely hard. If going out and finding some girl will unwind you, then do it. Or go to the bar, have a few drinks.”


  “Come with me.”

  “We’re not even going to get into the fact you only hang out with an old man, but I am actually going out too. A bunch of the other coaches are getting together.”

  Ah…he didn’t want to leave me alone. He knew how the demons haunted me when I was by myself.

  “I’m fine. You can leave me unsupervised.”

  His eyebrows twitched.

  “It was one time... okay, maybe two.”

  “Five. Five times you’ve destroyed a hotel room.”

  “What does it matter to you? I pay for the repairs.”

  Shaun rolled his eyes back, shaking his head. “I couldn’t give a damn about the rooms. I care about you. I don’t want you to suffer like that.”

  I scoffed, glancing away.

  “Just promise me you’ll try and get out, have some laughs, find a girl.”

  I nodded but didn’t say anything. Finding a certain girl was all that sounded intriguing. But maybe I should let her go. Maybe it was why she kept her distance…she could sense the trouble brewing inside me. I mean, why would I bring someone into my mess? My fucked-up past. My rage.

  If any sense of decency or a sliver of a nice guy existed in me, I needed to leave Hannah alone.

  As far as I knew, I didn’t have either.

  “What do you want?” the large man behind the bar grumbled at me.

  “Beer.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, we got those. What kind?” His irritation showed by the scowl on his face, his head snapping around the commotion swarming Big Horn’s. Even walking over, I wondered why I was here, but Shaun was right, I needed to get out. Have fun. I used to have and be fun. I also used to have a lot of friends. Now most were acquaintances who simply became my best friend when I was having a party. The girls always showed up, of course. In fact, some were already trying to make their way to me.

  “Péché Mortel.”

  The bartender nodded, dug into the fridge, and popped off the lid. I laid down some bills then took my beer to the end of the bar. The place burst at the seams, live music crashing from a small stage, and the small dance floor already packed.

  “Hey. You’re Rhys Axton, right?” A redhead wormed into the spot next to my stool, a seductive smile lightly touching her glossy lips. “I’m a big fan.”

  “Really?” I sucked down a gulp of beer.

  “A big fan.”

  I stared at her, taking her in. She was beautiful. Redheads were among my favorites. The cliché that they were firecrackers in bed was true for me. But for some reason, I felt no desire to do the tedious practice of small talk and flirting that would lead to sex.

  “You look as if you might need a friend?” She moved in closer to me, pressing her hands against my chest. I snatched them up, placing them back at her sides.

  “Not tonight.”

  Her lids lowered. “What?”

  What part didn’t she understand? “Not. Tonight,” I said slower.

  “You’re kidding me, right? Riding Rhys…the guy with his own hashtag is turning me down?”

  I downed half my beer. Crap. She was one of those. The kind who didn’t handle rejection. Some women would pout and simper, some would get embarrassed, but others would get pissed, like I had no right to not want sex with them.

  “This bar is full of guys who would love to take you out back.”

  Anger turned her cheeks nearly the same color as her hair. “Fuck you! How dare you!” She gripped her drink, tilting it.

  My hand quickly pinned her wrist to the bar. “I’d think twice about doing that.”

  “Hung like a horse? You sure you didn’t write those tweets yourself?” She snarled, looking me up and down. “I’m team Jesper anyway, asshole.” She ripped away from my grip and stormed off.

  Sighing, I finished my beer and motioned for another one. Why did I come again? Waiting for my drink, my gaze went back out on the floor, landing on a figure, my body stiffening. Of course.

  “Speak of the devil,” I mumbled to myself, spotting Jesper and his minions out on the dance floor. I knew every one of them and how faithful they were when you are doing well. A beer landed in front of me, and I took a drink. Jesper’s gaze was locked on someone. He leaned over to his friend, whispering something. His friend laughed, clinking his bottle to Jesper’s. Jesper prowled through the crowd, his eye on his target. He slid up behind two girls dancing; the girl whose back was to me was petite with long, flowing, wavy, dark hair, a seriously nice ass... Holy shit.

  In an instant, my body recognized her before my eyes did.

  Hannah.

  Every nerve went on alert as my gaze followed every move Jesper made. He was definitely flirting, but he looked to be talking more with her pretty friend. Then he smiled and went back to his group. My shoulders sagged in relief.

  People knew of my reputation because I was up front about what I wanted. I had no secrets about my character. Jesper was sneakier. I had seen him play girlfriends behind their backs, getting both in bed without the other knowing it. He loved the thrill of it. Getting away with it.

  And both those girls were right up his alley.

  The music shifted, a sexy song vibrating through the speakers. The girls started to move. Okay, all I saw was Hannah. Her hips swayed, shifting seductively to the music.

  My entire body went rigid, my cock swelling with every flick of her hips.

  Fuck...

  My eyes were locked on her, her hands running through her hair as she rocked to the music, her pert ass taunting me with each swing. Heads turned to watch her as she let herself feel the beat. Jealousy grabbed me by the neck as dozens of men ogled and licked their lips. She was hot. I’m sure she always had plenty of attention, but I hated watching it as I imagined the salacious thoughts running through their heads as their eyes hungrily consumed her.

  Her palms skimmed down her thighs slowly, her head tilting back.

  Shit.

  My jeans strained painfully against my erection.

  This girl. What the hell was it about her? She could twist me up in seconds.

  The song ended and her head snapped back up, like she woke from a trance. She wiped her brow, said something to her friend, then headed to the bar.

  My feet hit the floor. I wanted to move to her. I had said I would stay away from her. Yeah, that was a total lie.

  Similar to a snake, Jesper slithered through the crowd and slipped in next to her at the bar, his body leaning against hers, grasping his chance to pounce.

  Rage encompassed me. My jaw popped, my hands rolling into fists, my legs planted wide. If he fucking touched her…

  I waited. If she wanted Jesper and not me, she had every right, though my entire being rejected the idea. I wanted her to be mine. I wanted to walk over, punch him out, and take her back to my room. But I could do none of those things. Hannah had full choice... But why him?

  He pressed himself into her, flirting. She smiled up at him, laughing.

  Was she buying his crap? Seriously? I couldn’t stop images of Hannah with Jesper, her head flung back in ecstasy as she rode him.

  Fists tacked to my side, I heaved air into my lungs as my blood boiled with rage. I had to get out of here. I couldn’t watch this or I’d do something stupid. Very stupid. I turned my back, slamming down the last of my beer.

  About to head out the back door, someone brushed past me, freezing me in place. Hannah staggered for the bathroom. My head jerked behind to see if Jesper followed. He wasn’t. Good thing. I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from smashing his face in if he had trailed after her.

  Anger and lust still volleying back and forth, I strode down the hall after the blue-eyed girl to lay in wait, like a wild beast.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Hannah

  “There’s a lot of press here tonight.” An impish grin wobbled on Siena’s face, a light echoing from her eyes. “I wonder what’s going on.”

  A shard of warning pierced my senses. Siena lived to get noticed,
to be “discovered.” She wouldn’t even think before drawing attention to us, while I couldn’t disappear fast enough into the darkness. The gleaming lights of the bar reflected off Big Horn’s, the multicolored lights blooming on the snow in soft pigments lighting a path straight to me. I shuffled back into my hood, but I still felt similar to cellophane, as if the media could see right through me. My lies.

  “Let’s go somewhere else.” I tugged on Siena’s jacket.

  “Are you kidding? This is the place to be, and it’s going off tonight. Come on, it’s Friday night, and we both have it off. Let’s let loose, get tipsy, and dance.” Siena was already shoving her way through the throng of people hanging outside by the fire pits, smoking and getting high.

  “Siena…” My rebuttal nosedived off my lips, splatting on the pavement. She had always been headstrong. So had I once. Then our interests took completely different avenues, and our stubbornness caused us to butt heads when we hit the preteens. At that point, we were no longer on the same page, and our friendship drifted. She was a force. That hadn’t changed. But I certainly had.

  Sighing, I wiggled through the crowd into the pub, finding her already at the bar, signaling to T.J. I peeled off my jacket, the live indie rock band thumping music into my veins. I bobbed my head to the rhythm. The place was packed and heat pulsated off the mass so I had to strip my sweater over my head before I overheated. This left me in a tight V-neck black tank top.

  “Come on, girl!” Siena pushed an extra tall vodka tonic drink and two large shots toward me. My first instinct was to shake my head at the shots, but another part was sick of holding back, always guilty, just getting through another day. For one night, I really wanted to feel free of it all.

  I clinked my first tequila shot with hers before I downed it then shuddered violently as the heat of the liquor passed down my throat. “Ahhh.” I grabbed my vodka and soda, downing enough to get the cheap tequila off my taste buds.

  Siena scanned the room. “Damn, there are a lot of hot men here tonight. Now it’s deciding which one.”