Page 136 of Embrace

“I want y—”

There’s a knock on the door, followed by Cole’s voice. “Not to be a cockblock, but we should’ve been at the arena twenty minutes ago.”

I tense at the reminder, but Kian continues to stare. “What do you want?”

My focus drifts to the door, but he hooks a finger under my chin to make me face him again.

“I’d really like to be on Kilner’s good side tonight. It’s Yale,” Sebastian says out in the hall.

Kian ignores them. “What do you want, Scarlett?” It sounds achingly desperate. Vulnerable.

They knock again, and I’m caught in a pressure cooker. Kianmust see the look on my face because his touch softens. “Go without me,” he calls out, and his teammates groan.

“We can’t play without our captain. And I’m not telling Coach we left you.”

The reminder of my dad makes my body wind tight. I can’t keep his captain locked in his room because I want to burrow into his chest.

“Go,” I tell him. “My dad’s waiting. You can’t be late.”

“This is important.” The conviction in his voice tells me that, despite everything, I would still be his first choice.

I drag his gear bag off the bed. “Your game is important too. Go!”

He hesitates, taking the weight of the bag when he sees me struggle to carry it. There’s a flash of uncertainty that flickers across his features, making guilt coil tighter in my chest.

“I’m not going anywhere, Kian. Not anymore.”

•••

It’s a confusingfeeling, having a life-changing confession at the tip of your tongue, only to push it aside to watch a hockey game.

Summer, Dylan, Sierra, and I sit rinkside. My dad spots me behind the bench, and when his gaze drops to my jersey, he smiles.What the hell?

I can barely focus from the shock, but for the entirety of the game, Kian embodies his captaincy. I regret not coming to see him play sooner; even watching Summer yell at the referees more than my dad is entertaining.

Kian assists but slides the winning goal in just before the final buzzer. He uses his stick to do an archer pose and glides to the bench, right to my dad, who pats his helmet and pulls him in for ahug.

It’s a whirlwind getting out of the arena and to Porter’s to celebrate. The team’s already there, drinking and dancing, when we arrive.

“I’m going to get some food. You want something?” Sierra asks me.

Seeing her willingly eat greasy bar food makes me smile. “I’m okay. I’m going to…” I trail off, and she gives me a knowing look.

I scan the crowd, and there isn’t a single head of black hair or a flash of tattoos that belong to me. The bathrooms are empty, thankfully, and I even check the alley, where I find Tyler Sampson and Amara Evans near the dumpster pretending like they weren’t clawing at each other.

Back in the bar, I stare at the vents, knowing I’d crawl through if I had to. But then my gaze catches on the photo booth, and my heart restarts.

I’ve only taken two steps inside when the backs of my thighs hit something—orsomeone. I trip into two strong arms, and I’m shoving them off until I notice the tattooed skin.

“Hi, Scar.”

Scar.

Kian’s presence makes me release a sharp exhale. In this booth, he’s too big, too tall, too everything, and being so close makes my rehearsed speech dissolve on my tongue.

I freeze, stuttering out, “Y-you won.”

His head tilts. “Not yet.”