Page 105 of The Casanova Complex

It would only take one person recording an altercation between us and it circulating on campus to get back to Coach.

I still don’t move, staring Gauthreaux down like I might be willing to risk it all to shut him the fuck up once and for all.

“C’mon,” Merritt prods, tugging harder. “It’s not worth it.”

“Merr—” Gauthreaux starts, but she shakes her head.

“Stop. Just fucking stop, Blake. Enough.”

Part of me wants to stay, wants to finish the shit he’s started tonight, but when Merritt starts dragging me out of the living room, I follow.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

MERRITT

I’m so mad. And also really flustered and kind of turned on, but mostly just mad.

At Blake for being the world’s biggest fucking idiot.

At Bennett for almost falling for that idiot’s shit and jeopardizing his entire hockey career and professional reputation.

At myself for ever dating Blake in the first place, for actually falling for his lies and manipulation and somehow still allowing him to make a fool out of me.

I have no idea how I managed to drag Bennett all the way up the stairs and into his bedroom when he’s got at least like a foot on me and weighs… a lot—mostly muscle, obviously—but I don’t stop power walking until we’re inside his bedroom and the door is shut behind us.

Drowning out the sound of the party that I never really got to attend before my ex showed his entire ass and Bennett only fueled the fire.

I suck in a deep, uneven breath before whirling around to face him.

He’s leaning against the wall beside the door, his blond hair disheveled, and I know it’s because he’s run his fingers through it.

“What the hell was that?” My voice shakes, and I hate that it betrays the emotions spiraling inside of me.

I want to lock it all away in the fortress of my heart, but I don’t feel strong and unyielding the way I usually force myself to be. Not after that.

Bennett’s bright eyes slowly lift to mine, and the space between his brows furrows tightly. “What was that? That was me trying not to beat Gauthreaux’s ass.”

I scoff. “Yes, Bennett. I’m aware. Why did you… Why even engage with him? You know what he’s after. You know that he’s trying to push your buttons and make you react.”

I have so much unspent energy bouncing around inside me that I’m pacing the floor and starting to sweat beneath this stupid thick-ass sweater that I wore for the party tonight.

“You gave him exactly what he wanted.”

He pushes off the wall and stalks over to me, his hand closing around my arm to stop me. “I know.”

I shake my head back and forth, the words just spilling out of me, unable to stop them. “Now he knows how far he can push you, Bennett. You think that now that he’s crossed this line, he’s suddenly going to backtrack? Why would you give him that power?”

He’s quiet for a moment, not meeting my gaze. Seconds tick by, and each one makes the air around us thicker and heavier.

“Merritt, he fucking touched you. Without your permission.” The words are whispered quietly, and he finally lifts his eyes up, fury burning in the depths. “I hate that he feels comfortable enough to fucking touch you. To get close to you.”

My heart lurches in my chest, and I swallow. “But that doesn’t mean you can jeopardize your hockey career. You almost got into a fight with him in the middle of a party, surrounded by a room full of people, Bennett. What the hell were you thinking?”

The muscle in his jaw flexes as he grinds his teeth together, his blue eyes swimming with anger.

But I’m angry too.

Not because I give a fuck about Blake. He’s like an annoying bug that keeps buzzing around your head that you can’t seem to get rid of, but angry because I care about Bennett. In the moment, I was so worried that he was going to get kicked off the team if things with Blake kept going, that he would lose the chance to play professionally, or that… that he would get hurt.