Puck Battles: A Complete Sports Romance Series

by Kristen Echo

  She turned and ran.

  Chapter 4

  The alarm sounded, and she silenced it. The few hours of sleep she’d managed had been filled with dreams. Only they weren’t her usual ones. There were no explosions, no flashes of light followed by screams, and no haunting blue eyes reaching for her from beyond the grave. Instead, there was a calm darkness to her slumber.

  These dreams had involved a pair of dark, teasing eyes. Joe invaded her psyche. They’d connected in the ways she wouldn’t let herself do in reality. Her hands had gripped his thick messy hair, tugging on the ends. She’d rubbed her nose over the soft bristles on his jaw before capturing his mouth. She’d let loose on those luscious lips. Hailey hadn’t held back, moving his fingers so they’d press against her clit until her eyes crossed. She’d woken up panting more than once because dreams of that wicked mouth had been on repeat.

  Hailey shifted under the covers, recalling the decadence of the dreams. Her eyes fluttered shut as she imagined living out her dreams. Wrapping her hand around Joe’s thick cock, pumping the base as she licked along the shaft. She’d stared into his eyes as she sucked him into her mouth. Giving pleasure shouldn’t have made her wake up wet. Her hands worked their way south between her legs, discovering her folds weren’t wet, they were soaked. She wished she could taste him, tease, lick and suck every inch of his manhood until his eyes rolled back in his head.

  She imagined all those glorious hard inches stuffed in her mouth as two of her fingers pressed against her clit. Instincts took over, and she used her moisture to massage her pleasure center. Faster and faster while her mind finished the dream of making Joe Larson explode onto her tongue. When he pulled her hair and slammed into the back of her throat, the intensity of the moment sent her over and she came. Her body shook. A tear slipped down her cheek. She pulled her hand away from her legs and wiped her wet fingers on her camo green sheets.

  Tears were pointless. Hailey hadn’t cried in months. Not since the injury. Yet, there she was lying in her bed sobbing. She rolled over and buried her face in the pillows. She’d had plenty of orgasms since Ryan died, but this was the first one she’d given herself where he hadn’t been the leading man. Her stomach roiled, and she felt ill. Guilt overwhelmed her. “I’m sorry,” she whispered into her empty room.

  After wiping her eyes, she kicked off the covers and made the decision to put her plan into action. She showered, letting the tension ease from her shoulders. The uneasiness in her stomach subsided after several minutes under the hot water. Unfortunately, the sense of betrayal and guilt didn’t go away as quickly.

  She stared at the dark circles in her reflection and applied concealer. Hiding the sadness was easier than dealing with it. She dressed in jeans, a long-sleeve army issued shirt and a sweater. Being outside in Spring meant layering properly. Spending the day with Renee could take her anywhere and she had to be prepared. She pulled on a pair of wool socks and grabbed her phone.

  Hailey had an appointment with her therapist, but she canceled. Talking about her feelings was bullshit and didn’t help. She needed concrete tasks. Goals and accomplishments. Tangible things to keep her busy and stop her from focusing on the loss. She looked down at her mangled foot and cringed. She’d nearly perfected her walk, and no longer had a limp, but the missing two toes left a gap in her sock and a constant itch in the area. The scars went halfway up her calf, but she’d been lucky to keep her big toe.

  Most days she didn’t feel lucky. That negative thinking had to stop. “You’re alive. Be grateful. Be active and make a difference.” She spoke her words out loud to give them more weight. Another one of her therapist’s suggestions. “You’re allowed to have fun.” It sounded hollow.

  “You’re allowed to have fun. You’re allowed to live. This is so stupid,” she said and flopped onto her bed.

  She stared at the ceiling and concentrated on her breathing. Deep breaths in and out. “You need to get out of bed and get out of this house. You need to find those missing teens. You need to get laid,” she added and then laughed. “You need to stop talking to yourself and roll with the punches.”

  Another big breath and she climbed out of bed. Hailey packed her backpack and left it by the door. She sent a text to Caroline and Sylvie, her bosses, and let them know of her plans to follow a group of young homeless kids hoping to find the missing teens. Their responses were quick, advising against it. She assured them she had things covered. Her confidence wasn’t foolhardy, she was prepared for anything.

  As she climbed the stairs, a renewed energy coursed through her veins. She hadn’t felt that excited in a long while. A sense of rightness washed over her. Whatever lay ahead, she was on the right path.

  “Good morning, Hailey. You’re up later than usual,” her father waved but didn’t look up from his newspaper. He was one of the few people she knew who still ordered the paper version instead of reading the news online.

  “Hungry?” Her mother stood by the stove, stirring something that smelled heavenly.

  Her stomach growled. “Morning. Whatever you’re cooking sounds great. I’m starved.” She sat next to her father and leaned closer to get a view of the paper. “Anything exciting happening in the world?”

  He snapped the paper wider, and she saw he was reading the sports pages. Her parents weren’t sports fans. “If your sister insists on dating that man, then I plan to follow the team’s progression. Spencer Northcote’s offered tickets since we first went running together, shortly after we moved here. I might have to take him up on the offer one of these days. Though it all seems like a waste of time and money if you ask me. Money that would be better spent on national defense.”

  Colonel Rylen believed the military was under funded. Hailey agreed, but she also thought sports had their place in the world. Seeing how fans admired Joe and the way his stories captivated their attention brought a new level of respect towards hockey. Though she couldn’t share that with her father.

  “Cameron seemed nice and April is cute a button. As long as Meagan is happy, I think he’s a keeper.”

  “Their team won last night. He’ll be heading on the road again soon. Only a few more games left in the regular season according to this report. They are number one as of now.”

  “Yeah. It seems like they have a real shot at bringing home the Cup.” At least according to Joe. Hailey knew next to nothing about hockey, but she’d learned a lot the other night. “That would be great for the city. With all the doom and gloom everywhere, we could use some good news.”

  “Food will be ready in five,” her mother announced, taking the seat opposite her.

  Her father closed the paper and set it on the table. “What the country needs is greater military presence. Stiffer crime laws would nip these growing rates in the bud. There’s simply not enough enforcement and penalties.” He turned and faced her. Light brown eyes assessed her. She nodded in response as he cleared his throat.

  “We need more soldiers like you.” He smiled. “I’ll be happy when you’re back on duty. This job you’ve taken until they clear you isn’t good for you.”

  She’d been putting off telling him that his dream of her being a soldier again would never happen. She’d been placed on medical leave until the end of her contract. They knew that much. Once it ended, she was out. The forces didn’t want her back in the trenches and she had no plans to re-muster into an office setting where she’d see no action. Her skills would be better used elsewhere. This new job couldn’t have been more perfect for her mental and physical healing.

  “I disagree. This job is putting all my skills to work and I’m making progress. At least I think I am. Our motto’s always been leave no one behind, but the city has left these teenagers behind. They may have run away, jumped in the river, or they may have been taken. Regardless, they deserve to be found. The work we’re doing is needed.”

  “The police said they’ll drag the river once the ice breaks. As sad as it will be, I’m certain the answers are there. You’r
e on a wild goose chase, honey.” He picked up his cup of coffee and sipped it.

  Hailey stood and poured a cup for herself, adding cream and a splash of water before taking her first sip. It burned her throat. She set the cup down on the counter. “I know suicide rates are sky high. There very well could be a few bodies in the river, but the evidence doesn’t support your theory. There have been numerous sightings and I believe—”

  The Colonel screeched his chair back and stood. “It’s irrelevant.” He walked towards her and refilled his cup. “I’m done discussing it. You should resign immediately. You already have a career. Have you signed your new contract? I haven’t heard you talk about what your plans are once they clear you from the medical leave.”

  The timing would never be right to break his heart. “Dad sit down. We should talk,” she said, taking the seat next to her mother and kicking the chair across from her out with the toes on her good foot.

  He patted her hand and sat in the chair she’d pushed out for him. Her mother stared at her, waiting patiently for her explanation. Her dark brown hair was tied back in a low chignon. “What’s this about?”

  Hailey exhaled and straightened her spine. “I’m out of the army.” The gasps that followed were exactly the reaction she’d expected and had been trying to avoid. She held up her hands to silence them. “They won’t ever let me into battle again. I got my report back from the doctors and it’s a done deal. According to them, I’m disabled and incapable of defending our country.”

  Her father jumped to his feet, outraged. “We can appeal. You’re a damn fine soldier. We—”

  “It’s done. Dad, you’re not listening. My time in the military is over and I’m moving on.”

  “Sweetheart, what are you going to do?” Her mother appeared more surprised than distraught. She took her hand and squeezed.

  The warmth spread through Hailey, giving her the courage to tell them everything. “I applied to the city police and I’m on their wait list. Until then, this investigative work will look good on my resume. Plus, I will be helping my community.” She didn’t want to get into the details of the case because she figured they’d worry. Her mother worried too much all ready.

  “This is outrageous. I don’t understand.” Her father paced the kitchen like a caged animal.

  “Sit down my love. Hailey needs our support. How are you holding up since you found out? Have you spoken with your therapist about all this? I worry about your mental state.”

  “Me too, but I’m fine. I mean, I’m not happy about it. Devastated would be more fitting, or at least that’s how I felt a few weeks ago when I got the report.”

  “How long have you known?” The fury in her father was boiling over.

  “The day I went out with Richard and Mellie. I planned to tell you sooner, but I had to wrap my head around it first. Don’t be too mad. I’ve come to terms with their decision, and I get it. They want perfection. The old me. In their eyes, I’m no longer the perfect soldier, but I’m not useless. My skills are transferable. When I spoke with the city, as long as I can pass their physical tests, I’m a great candidate. I did the trial run, and I aced it.”

  “You’re still perfect in my eyes. This country is indebted to you and if you’re ready to move on, then I support your decision one hundred percent. Though, I don’t like you becoming a police officer. Leaving one dangerous mission for another doesn’t sit well with me.” Her voice wavered and cracked.

  Within an instant, her father kneeled at her mother’s side. “This is unacceptable. I don’t understand how you can sit here and tell me this. Why?”

  Hailey shook her head. Once she’d heard their decision, she was done with the army. She didn’t want to be around people who considered her less somehow because of her injury. Missing two toes was nothing. She was still living and breathing. “They don’t want me, dad. I’m not begging anyone to take me. It’s their loss. If this city won’t hire me another one will. I’m confident I’ll be able to secure a position within the coming months.”

  “You’re talking nonsense. This is a military family. Always has been and always will be.” His hands shook as he stared at her.

  “There is no one left serving,” she barked. Her father had retired, her brother was dead, and she’d been forced out.

  “I’ll talk to—”

  “No. I don’t want you to speak with anyone. It’s over. Screw the army!” She didn’t mean that. Her pride for her country ran deep. She would have continued serving if it hadn’t been for her foot. She loved her country as much as her father.

  “Get out! You’re a disgrace! Get out of my house!” His face had reddened with anger as he pointed towards the door.

  “No! You don’t have to leave. He doesn’t mean that!” Her mother rose to her feet as her eyes filled with tears. “Hailey, reconsider… like your father said, you could appeal.” Even her voice had risen a few octaves.

  Hailey stood and smiled sadly. This reaction she’d expected. Army all the way. “I can’t, Mom.”

  “Get out!” Her father repeated.

  “Don’t worry, I’m gone! I’ll be out of your hair shortly. I knew this would be your reaction, but I hoped for better!” Her anger spiked at their unwillingness to accept her.

  Her mother’s face dropped to her hands, but she said nothing.

  “I won’t let you talk that way about this country and disrespect our soldiers. I didn’t raise you to be a quitter. Return when you’ve come to your senses, Hailey.” Her father’s eyebrows caressed his hairline.

  “Not going to happen,” she spat back.

  He shook his fist and kicked a chair across the room. It collided with the wall, causing a loud bang. “Leave. You’re no longer welcome!” His voice boomed through the house.

  She stepped away before she said more things she’d regret. Reasoning with him would be pointless. “Fine,” she yelled back. “You want me gone. I’m gone!”

  Them booting her out benefited her though it struck like a blow to her chest. This hadn’t been how she saw it going down, but the outcome was inevitable. Until she found those kids, living on the streets would become her life. She wouldn’t tell her parents of her plans because they didn’t care.

  As she neared the door, she looked over her shoulder at her folks. “I’m sorry to disappoint you both. I’ll show myself out.” The stare down between her and her father ended when she turned and walk away.

  They never replied or asked her to stay. Hailey ventured downstairs to her room and grabbed the bag she’d already packed. When she returned upstairs less than a minute later, her parents were gone. They hadn’t waited to see her off and wish her well. Figured.

  She donned her coat, stuffed warm mittens into her pockets and squared her shoulders. She wasn’t looking forward to what came next. Being homeless hopefully wouldn’t last too long. The spring made it tolerable, weather-wise, but it still sucked. If not for the case, she’d have found an apartment. It’s not like she had no money. She’d been looking for a place, but there was little vacant. The good places all had waiting lists, and she’d added her name. Buying a condo was next on her list if something didn’t open soon.

  Hailey checked her phone. One missed call from her sister and one from her therapist. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with either. That drama would have to wait for another day. Explaining her mistakes was not on her to do list today. She opened the front door to leave and standing on her parent’s stoop was none other than Joe Larson, looking hotter than ever in worn jeans and a black leather jacket.

  Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. The shock lingered as she closed the door. This wasn’t a coincidence.

  His lips thinned, and his cheeks had a tint of redness to them. He had his arms by his side as if he wasn’t sure if he was coming or going. When their eyes met, a shiver raced down her spine. He looked sexier than ever with the sun at his back. Her blood was still pumping faster from the fight with her parents, and now temptation greeted her. She licke
d her lips and smiled. He’d be the perfect outlet for the energy coursing through her.

  Chapter 5

  Seeing him provoked a purely sexual response. All the dreams and the desires flooded her senses. “How did you find me?” Hailey was a private person, and she had shared no personal details with Joe, other than her first name.

  A sheepish look crossed his features; a look she imagined he rarely gave. “Small world. It turns out your sister is dating my best friend. I asked him for your number and he shot me down, but he gave me your last name. There aren’t too many Rylen’s listed. This is the second house I’ve tried. Hi.”

  Damn Cameron Smith. Why did he have to be a hockey player? Hailey narrowed her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. Even though she admired his resourcefulness, it bugged her that he’d shown up uninvited. “What do you want?”

  He stepped closer and shoved his hands in his pockets. “To see you; obviously,” he said and rolled his eyes.

  They stood on the stoop staring at each other for several minutes, neither giving an inch. The attraction flowed between them like a current. If she reached out, she might get burned. If she did nothing, her parents might poke their heads to see if she’d left and she wasn’t ready to face them yet.

  “So… my stunning personality caused you to become a stalker. Oh wait, it’s not my personality you want.” In his presence, everything else faded until he became her only focus.

  “What’s with the bag?” The subject change was a common avoidance tactic.

  “Answer my question and maybe I’ll answer yours. Why do you want to see me so badly you’d invade people’s privacy to get here?”

  His fingers scrubbed the dusting of hair that lined his chin. It wasn’t a beard, but more than a five o’clock shadow. It suited him, making him appear rugged with a wild side. “You make it seem worse than it is. I feel like we started off on the wrong foot or something, and I can’t get you out of my head. Last night didn’t end as I’d hoped.”