by Linda Kage
Desperate to avoid even eye contact with him, I screeched, “Go, go, go!” and shoved the guy back through the opening of the room he’d been exiting because our little collision had happened so quickly that the door hadn’t even had time to close yet.
“What…?” Caught off guard, he tumbled backward into the room with me, and this time we did crash to the floor, a tangle of arms and legs. But at least we landed all the way inside the room, enough so that I could kick my foot out and slam the door behind us. Then I scrambled to my feet, pretty sure I kneed the guy I’d landed on in a couple different places in my hurry to get off him so I could return to the door and flip the lock.
Throughout everything, I heard a girl shriek in surprise, crying, “Wick? What the hell?”
Now that I had a locked portal separating me from Topher, I was able to focus enough to become aware of my surroundings. And the word Wick was the first thing to catch my attention.
I knew of a guy named Wick. He was on the team with Topher. I’d never actually spoken to him before, because he and Topher were mortal enemies, and also because Topher had told me Wick had called me a horse-faced troll once.
I don’t know why. He might’ve only been talking shit about me because I’d been dating his nemesis, or maybe he really did think I was butt ugly, but at the moment I didn’t give a shit what he thought of my appearance. He hated Topher, so he might’ve just become my new best friend.
Whirling around, I latched my gaze onto the guy who was still on the floor, just now sitting up and dusting his hands off on the thighs of his jeans. And yep, he was definitely the Wick I’d pictured.
Topher’s archrival: Wick Webster.
In looks, the guy ranked up there with the four Chrises. He was Pratt, Pine, Evans, and Hemsworth hot. Being one of the team’s safeties, I’d heard he led the entire league with having more interceptions than any other player in the division. This made him stupid hot because his body was in prime physical condition. His pecs and biceps were basically suffocating in the plain black t-shirt he wore.
I wanted to snicker and roll my eyes, tell the douche he needed to lay off the tight shirts, but holy damn, the only reason I could think he had those muscles was because God was apologizing to the rest of us for Webster’s shitty attitude—and I’m guessing he must have a shitty attitude if he could so easily call a complete stranger like me a horse-faced troll—therefore, his torso really should be displayed as fabulously as it was.
But he wasn’t just fit, he had a pretty face to go with the body. Full, plush lips, deep penetrating blue eyes, an angular jaw, and not-super-defined, but pleasantly shaped cheekbones. Then there was his hair. God, his hair was gorgeous. Dark with a dash of lighter streaks, it looked silky and soft enough that I’d admired it from afar more than once. It was just long enough for a girl to grip while he was—
Well…let’s just say it was really, really too bad he was most likely a complete jerk. And besides, no girl would be doing anything with him, anyway; Topher had told me he was gay, so I guess it’d have to be some guy—not a girl—who’d get to discover just how graspable his hair was.
When his gaze connected with mine, recognition flared in his eyes, and we both kind of just froze, as if neither of us was sure what to do next. The girl whose room I assumed this belonged to—since this was a girls-only building—surged up from the bed where she’d been studying.
Pointing at me, she gaped. “You’re Haven Gamble.” She turned to Wick. “Oh my God. She’s Haven Gamble. Why did you just drag Haven Gamble into my room?”
Still on the floor, he looked at her, seemingly a little dazed himself. Then he shook his head. “I didn’t. She dragged me in here.”
The girl shook her head, obviously confused. “But—”
She and I both shrieked when a fist suddenly pounded on the door, and Topher’s muffled voice hollered, “Haven! Dammit, get out here right now.”
I backed away from the portal, shaking my head adamantly, as he jingled the handle.
“Haven!”
I sent the door a mean mug, only to yelp when I backed into the girl. She clutched my arm, and I wasn’t sure if she was seeking safety or trying to give it.
“Who’s that?” she whispered fearfully, gripping me hard.
“My boyfriend,” I uttered, beginning to tremble. Then I shook my head because boyfriend sounded all wrong now. “Ex-boyfriend,” I revised.
The entire door shuddered as Topher manually tried to break it down.
“Son of a bitch,” Wick growled, finally getting to his feet.
“Don’t open the door,” I begged him at the same time the girl clinging to me ordered, “Wick, do something!”
He glanced at us, blinking away the two polar opposite commands we’d given him. I shook my head, silently warning him not to oust me. Don’t even try it, buddy, my eyes threatened. You’ll THINK horse-faced troll once I’m done with you if you go anywhere near that door.
That’s when he shattered me with a single question.
“Did he hurt you?”
My lips parted in surprise. It was such a simple, short inquiry. There didn’t even seem to be much emotion behind it. But the way his gaze pierced into me with intensity, gauging my reaction, had me shuddering out a breath, dumbfounded by the fact that he even cared enough to ask.
“Physically, no.” I shook my head, hoping that would be that.
But Wick Webster wasn’t done rattling me to my core. “What about every other way?”
My chin wobbled and tears filled my eyes as my throat went dry with pain. Reality slammed into me, reminding me of everything that had just transpired in the past two minutes: the loss, the agony, the humiliation, the betrayal. I totally didn’t mean to and I certainly didn’t want to, but I began full-on crying.
In front of Wick Webster.
“Oh, God,” I croaked when a sob caught in my chest and caused my entire body to heave. Pressing my hands to my heart, I folded in around myself and began to disintegrate into nothing. I couldn’t deal any longer. Going down with the ship. Sinking.
Soft, supporting hands caught me, and the girl whose room I had invaded helped me lower myself until I was sitting on the edge of her bed.
“Motherfucker,” Wick snarled from across the room. Spinning away, he stormed toward the door.
“No,” I rasped, my voice breaking and barely making a sound as I tried to stand again.
I had to stop him.
But the girl grabbed me, pulling me back down. “No, it’s okay,” she murmured, petting my arm in reassurance. “Wick’s got this. It’ll be okay.”
I turned to look incredulously at her, and she smiled brightly. “I’m Izzy, by the way. It’s so nice to finally meet you.”
What? Why did she say finally? I blinked, only to whirl my attention back to the door as Wick jerked it open enough to fill the entrance with the entire width of his body. Then he growled, “Stop pounding on this door before I break your fucking throwing arm, asshole.”
My eyebrows shot up, only for me to gasp and jerk backward when Topher’s voice tore into the room. “Get out of my way, Webster. I need to talk to my girlfriend.”
“I don’t think so, fuck face. It’ll be a cold day in hell before I ever let you into this room, and besides, your girlfriend’s not here.”
I kind of liked how he emphasized girlfriend, because Topher’s girlfriend really wasn’t in here. That dick didn’t have a girlfriend any longer.
Smooth wording, Webster, I wanted to cheer, because he’d almost just made up for the fact that he’d called me a troll once, except, yeah…no, he didn’t at all.
“Bullshit,” Topher argued.
Wick lurched an inch back as if my ex had just tried to plow through him but hadn’t gotten very far.
“I saw the door slam shut as soon as I stepped into the hall, and besides, she dropped her fucking sandal right outside this room.”
Izzy and I both looked down at my feet. I was indeed only wearing on
e flip-flop. Damn, I hadn’t even noticed.
“That’s mine,” Wick answered, snagging the sandal from Topher and tossing it blindly into the room over his shoulder so that it landed with a thud in the center of the floor.
“You son of a bitch,” Topher exploded. “I know she’s in there. Haven!” he called frantically over Wick’s shoulder, struggling to get in, but having no luck whatsoever. “I know what you saw. But it was all a big mistake. I can explain. Please, baby, just talk to me.”
I flinched at the word baby and turned my head aside. Izzy quickly hugged me and patted my back.
At the doorway, Wick boomed, “Enough!” as his back muscles tensed and elbows jutted toward us before he shoved forward, his voice going slightly muffled as he followed Topher into the hall. “I said she’s not in there, and even if she were, I still wouldn’t let you in. Now step away from my sister’s dorm before I rearrange your face. And if I ever see you back here again, you’ll wish I’d only fucked up that pretty mug. Go look somewhere else for your girlfriend. She’s not here.”
Topher had always been bigger talk than action. I could tell Wick’s threats had gotten him to back down when he hissed, “I swear to God, Webster. If I find out she was in there after all, I’ll make you pay.”
I heard footsteps stomp away, and my shoulders slumped with relief. It had worked. Whatever Wick had done out there, it had worked, and Topher was leaving. Thank God. I was suddenly buzzing with so much gratefulness from the reprieve that I barely missed Wick’s parting words to Topher who’d already left.
“You already made me pay,” he quietly told the empty hallway. “Since the moment you fucked me over freshman year, I’ve been paying.”
I glanced toward Izzy, realizing Wick had called her his sister. Furrowing my brow, I asked, “What’d he mean by that?”
Her eyes were wide as she bit her lip and shook her head slowly back and forth. “I don’t think we were supposed to hear that part.”
Yeah, but we had heard it, so now I wanted my curiosity appeased.
I opened my mouth to ask if she at least knew what he’d meant, but Wick strode back into the room and shut the door behind him, his jaw tight and eyes narrowed with distaste.
When he glanced my way, his shoulders flinched before he slowly started to relax. He blinked the anger from his eyes until he looked almost regretful, as if he’d somehow let me down.
“I don’t know if he’ll stay away, but he’s gone for now.”
I gulped and wiped the wetness off my cheeks. My knees felt weak and wobbly but I pushed upright, anyway, so I could cross the room to the boy who’d just helped me. All differences we might have aside, he’d gotten me out of a difficult situation. I wouldn’t forget this.
Opening my arms, I hugged him, letting him know just how grateful I was for what he’d done. “Thank you,” I said into a hard, pleasant-smelling chest.
Then I burst into tears again, sobbing all over him.
* * *
To be continued…
Acknowledgments
It takes a village to publish a book, that’s for sure! So here is a big thank-you to all the lovely people in my tribe who made The Price of Mason possible for the world to see.
The biggest thanks goes to Kurt, Lydia, and Sadie, who had to put up with me while I wrote, especially this story. After the turn this year took, I didn’t think I’d ever finish it. And I’m sure they celebrated the day I completed the rough draft only because I was done writing and sitting at a computer, ignoring them, and not at all because they were actually happy that I’d accomplished my goal!
Another huge, squishy-hug thanks goes to the rest of my family. You guys keep me sane.
I’m so grateful for the people who were willing to put first eyes on the manuscript. So thank you to Amanda, Ashley, Ana, Alaina, Cindy, Jamie, Kayla, Leslie, Nancy, Sandra, and Shi, and an extra thanks to the four of you who actually gave me some feedback!
And thank you to Summer Warren with the Red Pen Revolution for her amazing editing skills. Then to Judy at Judy’s Proofreading and Shelley at 2 Book Lovers Reviews for putting final eyes on it.
Thank you to the members of my ARC Team and my core group. And finally, thanks to Ashley Gibbons and Diane Plourde for helping me spread the word. The Lord be with you all.
About the Author
Linda writes romance fiction from YA to adult, contemporary to fantasy. Most Kage stories lean more toward the lighter, sillier side with a couple meaningful moments thrown in. Focuses more on entertainment value and emotional impact.
Published since 2010. Went through a 2-year writing correspondence class in children’s literature from The Institute of Children’s Literature. Then graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, English with an emphasis in creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University.
Now she lives with her hubby, two daughters, cat Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas, USA. Farm girl. Parents were dairy farmers. Was youngest of eight. Big family. Day job as a cataloging library assistant.
Harry Potter House Gryffindor, Patronus White Stallion, character match Hagrid. Supernatural Team Dean. Game of Thrones Team Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister. The Walking Dead Team Daryl. Outlander Team Jamie Fraser. Teen Wolf Team Stiles. Avenger Team Thor...or Hulk (can’t decide). Justice League Team Flash. Arrow Team Stephen Amell. Stranger Things obsessed. Heard Laurel, not Yanny.
Started out reading with the Baby-Sitters Club. Then moved to Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, and LaVyrle Spencer in high school. Now all over the place with her romance reading tastes.
Find her online at www.LindaKage.com
