Breakaway (Pro-U #1) (3 page)

Lucas

"Where is the beer?" William walked through the kitchen and stopped beside me with a big smile on his face. "Thanks for fucking with me today. I swear you're the only reason I'm going to make it on this team."

"You got that right." I reached out and squeezed the side of his neck. "No drugs in the house tonight. I'm serious. Do it, and I'll do more than make you cry on the ice. Got it?"

"Not even weed?" He lifted his eyebrow and gave me a silly smile.

"Nope. Nothing. We got a few weeks to hone in on what makes us great and exploit it. Boston College is going to come at us with might. I don't want to leave that game without smashing them so far into the ice that they remember why we're the champs." I released him as all the guys around us chanted and danced around like idiots.

"We're the champions. We always have been. We always will be." A cocky junior who helped run the Ice House in my absence started a conga line through the middle of the house as the music was turned up high.

I walked toward the back door and slipped out into the early evening air. The sun was just starting to set in the distance, and the colors it spread across the expanse of the sky left me in awe. I breathed in deeply and walked around the side of the large white house the guys had so lovingly labeled the Ice House years ago when my own father was captain of the team.

"You waiting for a sign from heaven?" Aubrey's voice brought me from my thoughts and left a smile staining my face.

"Maybe you're the answer that I'm seeking." I turned and let my eyes move down the front of her. Her jeans hugged her narrow hips, and her grey Pro-U sweater snuggled in around her waist and left her tits looking huge. My cock twitched in my jeans just at the thought of seeing her naked, much less getting to touch the beauty.

"If it has to do with the way we're going to get all of these unruly Neanderthals to the car wash a week from tomorrow, then yes, I'm the answer that you seek." She reached up and brushed a few dark strands of hair from her pretty face.

"Hey brother." Jayce walked by and lifted his hand. I clasped it and gave him a quick side hug, but couldn't seem to take my eyes off his sister.

"Tell me how we're going to bend their will. Are we promising booze, women or weed?" I moved to stand next to a large oak tree in the side yard and leaned against it comfortably.

"Aubrey, I'm going in for a beer. You want one?" Layla waved at me, but kept her attention on Aubrey. She was a pretty girl too, but much too aggressive for my liking. She was a superstar on the women’s softball team, and mean as fuck on the field. Where I could appreciate that more than most guys, I wasn't interested in having a dominant woman in my bed.

My bed?
I almost laughed out loud at the idea of taking anyone to bed with me. It'd been a while, and that was on purpose. Women were a handful, needy and childish most days of the week. Where I didn't think Aubrey fit that category at all, I still wasn't willing to chance anything. She was a good woman and deserved a good man. That wasn't me.

"I think honestly I just need to explain to them once again that without these fundraisers, they'd be on their own for the hotel fees and the gas it's going to take to get to Albany. It's not a cheap trip. We're already looking at having six people in a hotel room just to help cut the cost." She glanced toward the house and I got a quick peek at her profile. “I know it’s a lie, but they don’t know that. No one in that house knows that our fundraisers are just for the house parties, though maybe they should. I bet they’d all show up to make sure we had enough beer for the next Friday night event.”

A growl lodged in my throat, and I remembered now why I rarely let myself get alone with her. She was perfect and I wanted to find the part of her that was broken and work to fix it. She was dangerous in that way. No one was as put together as her, and yet there had to be more to her. For three years I'd been fighting myself on pulling her close and digging deep to see who was beneath the mask she wore. It was a tight one, and fit her well, but no one was that good. Not even her.

"Hey." She took a few steps toward me and waved her hand in front of my face. "Did I lose you?"

"Yep." I got up and walked past her. "Do what you need to do, Aubrey. The guys listen to you about as well as they listen to me."

A huff filled the air behind me, and I couldn't help but smile. I loved her personality almost as much as her sexy little body. The other girls wore dresses and short skirts that showed half their ass, but Jayce's pretty sister kept herself covered up completely. All the guys in the house would have paid top dollar to see just a little bit of skin. Hell, half of them had gone to her dance company performances hoping that she'd have on a unitard or something provocative.

"Gather them up then." She bumped into the back of me as I stopped short and turned.

"Not now. We'll talk to them later." I reached over and yanked the notepad out of her hands. "Tonight isn't about organization and structure. It's about having a good time before the beer gets put away and the good times dry up. The next few weeks are rough. You know that."

Her warm brown eyes searched my face as if looking for something that I alone could give. Desire raced through the center of me, and I forced myself not to reach out and touch the side of her face. It wouldn't take more than a moment of letting my guard down, and I'd have her pressed to the side of the house, her long shapely legs wrapped around my waist as she moaned into my ear.

She laughed. "You're so weird, Lucas White. One minute you're barking a command, and the next you’re staring into space, panting like you're lost in the throes of passion."

I started to respond, but couldn't find enough air to say anything to her. I was the hardest, meanest bastard on the team, and yet this one woman could tear me down into a blubbering idiot if I wasn't careful.

"Exactly." She jerked the pad of paper from my hands and walked up the stairs to the house, leaving me standing there, looking up at the swell of her ass as she left me.

"God, some day, girl. Just for the night. Just one night." I pressed my fingers to my lips and used my other hand to press my erection down.

"Hey handsome." Lizzy walked up from around the other side of the house and pressed herself to my front. "How about a release? I swear it's been forever since any of us helped you relax."

I glanced up at the house, wishing it was Aubrey who had offered herself to me, though it would do no good. There was no way in hell I was using our head Ice Queen for anything. She was nothing like the girls she led in the house. She stood alone outside of that whorish group and made all of us want to be better people. And for that... she was hands off for me, or any of the fuckers on my team. If Jayce hadn't made that clear enough, I sure as fuck had.

"Yeah, I need it." I gripped Lizzy's hand and walked up the stairs, not paying attention to anyone as I moved us through the crowded house to one of the back bedrooms. She was the ditsiest of the girls that served us, but sweet in her own way. Where we would never look down on our girls, most of the rest of the school did. Everyone was aware of their position next to us to take care of any and all of our needs, but we held them in high esteem. It was a wonder that Aubrey could escape the taint of being an Ice Queen. The idea of someone giving her hell over it left my ready to fight.

"What do you want tonight?" Lizzy reached for me the minute I closed the door.

"Just a release." I slid my hands up her thin arms and pressed down on her shoulders. "Suck me off."

"Sure. Anything for you." She worked on my jeans, and I prayed like hell she would hurry. I hated casual sex, but like any other hot-blooded male in the house, I wasn't willing to fight my demons when pleasure came a ‘knocking.

"So big, Lucas." She tugged my underwear down and reached for my cock with both hands, stroking it a few times before leaning over and taking me in her mouth.

"Fuck." I moved back, half dragging her with me as I pressed my back to the wall behind me and closed my eyes. I needed her to be Aubrey if I was going to blow quickly. I would last all damn night otherwise and no one had the time or patience for that - least of all me.

She mumbled something as I slipped my hands into her hair and whispered for her to hush.

A groan left me as I held her head in place and worked myself in and out of her tight mouth in long, slow strokes, trying not to gag the girl too badly.

I could almost see Aubrey beneath me, her eyes focused on my face as her long hair danced around her shoulders. Her pink nipples budding out from below me left my heart racing in my chest, and my balls tingling with the need to blow.

I wanted her so fucking bad, and had for too damn long.

No. It's not happening. Not ever.

But I could help her with the guys being more supportive. I might not get what I wanted from her simply because I wouldn't allow myself, but she deserved my support fully.

Lizzy pulled back and worked me hard and fast with her hands as she licked and sucked at the head of my cock. I made the mistake of opening my eyes, which almost threw me completely out of the moment.

What was wrong with me? A beautiful blond on her knees in front of me, eating at my cock like she might otherwise starve, and I was trying to think through how to get the guys more responsive for Aubrey for the next car wash.

Thirty minutes later, I was teetering on the edge as I heard the sound of Aubrey's voice outside the door. "Lucas? Lucas?"

That's all I needed. A groan left me as I bent my knees a little and drove into Lizzy's swollen mouth, coming hard as she drank me down.

I pulled out and knelt in front of her, pressing my forehead to hers as I panted softly. "God, I needed that. Thanks, Lizzy."

"Anytime, handsome." She kissed my cheek and got up, leaving me there on the floor with my dick hanging out, and regret racing through me in a way I couldn't remember feeling before.

"Lucas?" Aubrey called out again as the door opened behind me.

I stood up and pressed my hand to it, forcing it shut. "Just a second. I'll be right out."

Fuck. She had to know, but the question was, did she care?

Aubrey

Lizzy stumbled out into the hall from one of the bedrooms, and I reached for her, catching her as she laughed. She was high on something, but I wasn't laying bets that it was liquor or drugs.

"You okay?" I smiled down at her. I had no room to judge why she'd decided that being an Ice Queen in the truest sense was a good idea. I couldn't do it, but was almost glad that a few others did. God only knew where the guys would be, or what they would be up to otherwise.

"I'm great. Best I've been in a while." She moved out of my hold and walked down the hall toward the kitchen as several of the guys tugged at her for her attention.

I glanced over toward the door she'd just come out of as sickness rolled through the center of me. Surely Lucas wasn't behind fucked up door number one. He was known for keeping his distance from everyone, the girls in the house included.

"Lucas?" I called out again and pressed my hand to the partially opened door only to have it slam in my face. The sound of his voice as he responded left my heart breaking in my chest. It was him that Lizzy was with. But why?

"Right." I turned on my heel and moved toward the living room, deciding to do what I always did when life pegged me with football-sized lemons. I gripped my authority tight and got up on the kitchen table. "Hey. Get over here. Now."

"Uh oh. Momma’s upset. What did you do?" Jessie smiled up at me, his dark hair and Hispanic features leaving him odd man out at Providence.

"I need you to gather everyone. I'll make one announcement and let you guys be for the night, but I need help and Lucas is busy."

"Lucas is busy?" William turned from beside Jessie and glanced up at me. "Well, you're the next best thing, Queen Bee. Tell us whatever you want, and we'll make it happen. Anything you want... I'll make it happen."

I rolled my eyes as everyone gathered around me. "All right, listen up."

Several of the guys walked into the kitchen area, tossing each other about and acting like fools, which only seemed to get the party going again.

Lucas' voice was deep and forced everyone to pay attention. "Shut the fuck up and stand still for ten minutes, or you can walk your ass to New York for the tourney. Got it?"

A lot of heads bobbed up and down with a wave of depressed-sounding mumbles. I avoided his eyes as I focused on William instead. He was an easy target.

"We're going to have a car wash outside of Merskys on the northern side of campus one week from tomorrow. Get there around ten, and plan on wearing just your shorts for the guys and a bikini for the girls. We're selling sex with suds, people. It might look like a wholesome event, but we know better than that."

Everyone erupted in laughter, and damn if I didn't lock eyes with Lucas. The neediness in his gaze tore through me followed by a burst of nausea. He'd fucked Lizzy five minutes before and now he was eying me like a starving man might his next meal.

Jayce climbed up on the table beside me. "All right ten a.m. outside of Merskys. Be there next Saturday, or Lucas and I will happily take you to the rink to skate laps until your feet fucking fall off."

"He's right. Don't dick this up, or your spot on the bus and in the hotel room will be denied. You'll be on your own," Lucas barked at everyone before turning and walking out of the room.

"We good?" I glanced around as they cheered. Several of the guys up front reached for me and helped me down to the floor, William being front and center.

"Hey Aubrey. You look beautiful tonight." He smiled and released me as my feet touched the ground. "I wanna come watch you dance sometime. When’s your next performance?"

"In a few weeks. I'll post the info here in the kitchen with all of the other events going on." I shrugged and moved past him, ignoring how incredibly cute he was.

William Clark was the newest addition to the team, and at nineteen years old, was one of the best players Providence had seen on the ice. Where Lucas was king, William would one day replace him and most certainly beat all his records, but the guy had a drug problem that everyone was aware of. Why they allowed him to still play on the team was beyond me.

"Hey. You good?" Layla moved up beside me and wrapped an arm around the back of my waist.

"Oh yeah. Why?" I looked her way as we walked toward the back of the house.

"Your neck is red, which means you're fighting tears or incredibly pissed. Which is it?"

"Both?" I forced a laugh and grabbed a beer from the ice tub in the kitchen.

"Do I need to beat someone's ass?" She lifted her eyebrow and put her hand on her hip as my brother walked up to join us.

"What's going on?" Concern moved across his handsome face as he studied me.

"Nothing. Just living my normal fucked up, boring-ass life." I shrugged, handed him the notebook and popped the top on the beer before downing half of it. "I need to get laid. Any suggestions?"

Four guys yelled 'me' behind us before Jayce whipped around and gave them what I had to assume was a scary-ass look. They all quieted down as Layla chuckled and my brother grimaced.

"Stop talking like that. You know these guys would be all over you like stink on shit. No teasing anyone. I'd hate to have to kill a mother fucker." He took my beer and finished it for me, leaving me and Layla standing there as he walked back into the living room with threats on his tongue.

I moved to the back door and let my eyes move along the yard until I found Lucas standing alone with his back to the house. His hands were clasped on top of his head, his chin lifted to the sky as if he were deep in thought.

The way his jeans hugged his perfect rear left my stomach tensing up. As disgusted as I was with him fucking Lizzy a few minutes ago. On some level I understood the need for a release of any kind all too well. He turned and glanced up at the house as if he knew I was watching him.

Letting out a short sigh, I opened the back door and walked down the stairs toward him.

"If you're going to give me shit-"

"Shut up." I lifted my hand and continued my trek toward him. We didn't converse much outside of what needed to be done for the team, which was the safest route for both of us, but I could tell he was hurting. Somehow it left me affected, as much as I hated it. "What you do is your business. Just like the other guys."

"That's true." He brushed his hand over his dark goatee and watched me with his piercing blue eyes. "What do you want, Aubrey?"

"The information on the Frozen Four Tournament so that I can finish planning the trip." I slipped my hands into my pockets and glanced up at the dead trees and piles of darkened leaves that littered the ground.

"Really?" His voice grew soft, and I hated with a passion the way it drove me to take a step back. We were at a comfortable distance, and yet every cell in my body screamed for me to close the distance. Three years of watching him hurt from the sidelines and not knowing why. None of us knew. We just figured he was a haunted man by the choices in his past, but there had to be more to it.

"Really, what?" I threw a bit of attitude back at him and enjoyed immensely the way his sexy lips lifted in a smirk.

"Really, that's all you wanted was a schedule." He crossed his thick arms over his chest, drawing my eyes to race down his toned body to the bulge in his jeans.

I wanted a lot more than a schedule, but I'd never utter the truth until he did. It was a waiting game, and with him graduating in three months, it was one that was soon to be over. Fear at losing the greatest opportunity for passion swirled inside of me.

"Yeah, just the schedule." My words were far more sensual sounding than I'd planned.

His eyes widened a little, and he took a step toward me as my heart almost stopped.

Layla called from just behind me. "Hey, you wanna go grab ice with me? The guys are out."

"Duty calls." I licked at my lips as I took one more look at him and turned to jog toward Layla. My pulse raced at the very idea of him touching me. I would most likely melt into a puddle of gooey warmth if he even tried.

"What's up with you? Your cheeks are red." Layla wrapped an arm over my shoulders and walked with me to the car.

"I want Lucas so bad it fucking hurts," I panted softly as we walked to Jayce's mustang. "Did my brother really give you the keys?"

She smirked. "Um, yeah. I'm like another sister to him."

"No, you're not." I reached for the keys and unlocked the car. "Don't say that to him either."

"What are you talking about?" She laughed and got in the car as I looked over the top of the hood to see Lucas standing beside the house watching me.

"See something you like?"

"You'd love to know, wouldn't you?" He didn't budge.

I stuck my tongue out at him and got in the car before sucking in a long breath through my nose. "God, I love him."

"You do not." Layla popped me in the chest. "Stop saying that."

"What? I do." I started the car and pulled out of the driveway, glad to find him gone when I looked up and threw the car in drive. "He's damaged goods. I just wish I understood why."

"So you could fix it? I'm pretty sure whatever is up with Lucas is not a repairable type thing, sister. He's going to be that man forever. Clammed up, angry, tense."

"Hot as sin." I hit the gas and pursed my lips as my body hummed at the idea of not fixing him and seeing where it took us both.