10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Jack

You think you hit rock bottom, then your nightmare doubles.

I handled every comment people made about me, barely tolerated the comments made to the girls I was with, but to my girlfriend? I feel like I'm going insane.

I knew that Emily would get shit for being even relatively around me, but the comments I've heard so far are despicable . It doesn't even seem fair to ignore the vile comments.

That Thompson girl has lost her mind.

Another victim of the Jack Davis trade.

What makes her think she's special?

She's just ruined her own life.

Every day, I wish that Margaret would stop running her mouth. What are two people to a small town? I can't even be there for her in the moment; I can't stop people from making faces and whispering.

I skate in slow circles around the ice, getting used to being back on track. I'm set to be put in a match in a few weeks, and I can't even focus on how good that news is. News spreads like wildfire in this town, and so many people in this team alone have congratulated me on some imaginary conquest.

The team starts to warm up one by one, sliding across the rink. Perry abruptly stops in front of me, snow spraying. His grin is wide. "So, Davis. Taking on Nathan's sister, huh?"

I roll my eyes, trying to skate away, but he follows. He slings his arm around me. "Is she alright?"

"Fuck off, man." I grit my teeth. "That's my fucking girlfriend you're talking about."

He whistles lowly. "You're actually serious about her? You sure?"

"Yes, Perry. Now, fuck off." I shove his arm away. I skate faster, not wanting to cause a scene or even talk about it. It's pissing me off that no one thinks I'm serious.

I huff, trying to keep my head down and focus on practice. The rest of them keep coming up to me and teasing me, asking for stories, and saying I'm lying when I tell them that it wasn't some wild hookup.

It's time for me to do what I was supposed to all those years ago. I'm not going to let Emily live like this, nor will our baby grow up with these stories around them.

I have to make this right.

I open my bedroom door to find a lump in the sheets.

I sigh in relief, closing the door quietly. Emily was given a copy of my key and I've been enjoying every second she chooses to be here. A familiar tuft of hair peeks out of the blankets, smiling when she sees me.

Emily takes off her headphones and opens her arms wide. I kneel on the bed, crawling over and laying in her arms. I exhale, her fingers scratching my scalp, and I kiss her jaw. "Hey, baby, and hey to you, too."

I rub her stomach; the bump is just barely protruding from the curve of her tummy. In the next few weeks, it'll be more prominent, but it's there. I kiss the bump and lay on top of it. "I missed you.

"I missed you, too." She sounds sad, and I don't have to wonder why. Emily already told me that people have been very upfront to her about us dating. They've stopped her while she works, trying to save her or get some hot gossip. It's stressful just thinking about it, let alone being subjected to it.

Emily squeezes my hand. and when I look up, her eyes are damp. She looks stressed. In a careful voice, she asks, "Do you think this is a good idea?"

I say easily. I know what she means. "Yes," I stumble over the words that I want to say. "I think we make a great team. I want you, and I'm going to fix this. I meant what I said: just focus on the baby, okay?"

A tear runs down her cheek; I wipe it away and replace it with a kiss. "Thank you, Jack."

"Always." I pause before opening up my feelings. "It's going to be hard for a while. I can't change their perspective right away, but I'm here, okay?"

She kisses me in response. I can taste her hesitation. I hold her cheek, deepening the kiss as I scoot up the bed. Our lips slide together, wet and lazy, her hand still tangled in my hair. I shove the covers down and she wraps her legs around mine.

It's slow, her hips grinding up as I feel myself getting hard in my pants. I'm so glad I wore sweatpants today as I quickly lower them with one hand. I pant into her mouth when she cups me through my boxers, stroking me lightly.

I break the kiss, breathing heavily. I maneuver us, putting her on top. She chuckles, pushing her hair back. "What's with you and wanting me on top?"

"You don't know how good you look," I groan, sliding her shirt off and tugging on her shorts. Once she's fully naked, I gawk, cupping her tits, sliding my hands down to her thighs. I pat her hips. "Come up here, baby."

She makes a confused noise. and I tap my mouth. Her breathing hitches. and she turns around, scooting backward until her pussy is on top of my mouth. I groan, one hand palming her ass as one hand reaches for her clit.

"You're gorgeous," I whisper, shaking my head in disbelief. I'm the only one who gets to see her like this. I lick and suck everywhere I can reach, groaning and moaning at every taste I get.

Emily mewls above me, whining as she grinds her hips down. "Shut up ."

"Make me," I reply, muffled.

She does make me, putting her full weight on me. I get lost like that, simply drawing out her pleasure, reveling in her sounds, and rubbing her clit as much as I can as I wiggle my tongue in her. Emily stutters, reaching down and tugging my underwear off.

I gasp when I feel her lick the head of my cock before sucking it into her mouth. My actions halt, simply breathing as she goes slower, swirling her tongue. I take another deep breath before doubling my actions, sucking and licking her pussy as I squeeze her thighs.

Her legs shake in my grip, and I honestly feel like I could die this way. Her noises, her taste, the way she's touching me—it's all overwhelming. There's heat in the bottom of my stomach, reaching my toes. She clenches around my tongue, and I know she's close.

I flick my tongue rapidly, focusing on making her cum. She pants heavily, my cock leaving her mouth as she strokes me. " Jack . Just a bit more. So close."

My only reply is a groan, and I pull her hips down, my grip tightening. She's shaking, I'm shaking. Her mouth is back on me. My toes curl against the bedsheets. I feel lightheaded. It's only a matter of time before she squeals, thighs clenching around my face.

I feel myself cum as she does so, moaning into her pussy as I draw out her orgasm, cleaning up any wetness with my tongue. She lifts her hips with a whine when she gets too sensitive. "Oh, fuck."

"Wow." I laugh breathlessly, the lower half of my face soaked. I run a hand through my sweaty hair. She smacks me on the arm as she faces me, sinking into my chest. "You're fucking amazing."

"Shut up," she says, embarrassed, as she wipes my chin, kissing it after.

I hold her close, brushing her hair back and whispering praises until her breathing slows down. "I'll take care of everything," I press a lingering kiss to her sweaty forehead, a vow to keep her safe before falling asleep.

My mind's a mess.

As the weeks pass, my hockey game gets closer, my baby is growing, my girlfriend is stressed about what her family thinks, and everyone still thinks I knocked her up to ruin her life.

I have to face the music, probably one of the biggest hurdles I have to tackle. I walk up the porch steps and knock on the front door. As I wait for a response, I feel the nerves rising in my throat.

The door opens, and Nathan stands in front of me. He exhales. "Jack. Hi."

"Hey," I reply. He's been ignoring me—not surprising since I've known that he doesn't approve of his sister and me, but I'm going to try and fix that. "Can I come in?"

The couch is soft, but it feels greatly uncomfortable as Nathan stares at me blankly from where he stays on the loveseat. I keep my head down, trying to form my thoughts. I clear my throat. "Dude, listen."

At the same time, Nathan says, "What's up?"

We both laugh awkwardly and cut off. He gestures for me to start. I sigh. "I know that you're pissed at me, and don't try to say you're not." Nathan shuffles in his seat, nodding. "If my sister got with someone like me, I'd be angry, too. But I love her."

That's the first time I said it out loud. Not to myself, not muffled in her hair as she slept, but to the world. I exhale, my hands are shaking. I don't look at Nathan's reaction.

"I know who I was a few years ago. I know what kind of shit I got into back then. I fucked up. I can't take those moments back, but I can be better. I am better now. Your sister made me smile when I hated myself. She wasn't even trying, and she made a place for herself in my heart. She is everything to me. Her and our baby. We didn't have the best start, but it doesn't mean I won't carry my weight. The last thing I'd want to do is hurt Emily. Not just because she's your sister but because I care about her," my voice cracks, "so much. I'll spend the rest of my life proving that to her. Being around me doesn't make it easy, I understand that, but there's nothing I wouldn't do. I love her, man."

There's a pause—me breathless after speaking, Nathan taking everything in. I wait. It feels like an hour passed when it was probably only less than five minutes. Nathan sniffles. "You're my best friend, and I'm sorry I wasn't there all the time. But she's my sister, and I'm holding you to your words. If she ever comes running to us and says that you hurt her, don't you think, for even a second, that I won't come and get you. We know she deserves nothing less than greatness."

I agree, nodding. "That's fair. I just wish that you wouldn't be too cold to her anymore. She's pregnant. She has more things to worry about than her brother being upset with her."

"Yeah, okay." he sighs, looking guilty as he stands, pulling me in a hug. "I'm sorry, dude, and thank you."

I pat his back, feeling myself tear up. "Thank you, too."

"Jack Davis," Margaret says, her chin high as she scrutinizes me. "What are you doing here?"

I frown, tilting my head toward the entrance of the hockey stadium. I sling my gym bag higher up my shoulder. "Practice."

"Back on the ice so soon?" She clicks her tongue. "Is that good for you? Why aren't you with your little fling, or did you abandon her already?"

"Why are you even here, Margaret?" I grit out, frowning. How dare she? "I don't think the nursing homes are by this block."

She sputters, acting as if she wasn't disrespectful first. "You disrespectful—"

"You want something to gossip about?" I step closer, towering over her. "Tell people to stop bothering Emily just ‘cause you like to spread lies. She's my girlfriend . Stop telling people that she's just a fling because you can't process that people change. Get over yourself and get a real hobby, lady."

I brush past her, shoving the door open for practice. I hate this. I hate Margaret. I hate that people listen to her. I hate that no one believes I could love Emily. Practice is a blur of thinking how I can prove it.

I know Emily doesn't care for them, but I don't want her to ever feel what I felt. I gaze through the team warming up. Huh. "Crawford!"

The rookie shoots his head toward me, eyes wide. He skates with the speed you only see in matches. "Yes, sir?"

"First of all, cut the sir bullshit. I'm not that old yet." I put a hand up. "And second, no sugarcoating, but you've heard the rumors about my girlfriend, right?" He nods cautiously. "You pay attention more to the town than I do, what can I do to make them stop?"

We both skate around the rink side-by-side in silence as he thinks of an option. He looks constipated. "How about support? Showing your support to her publicly?"

I hum, thinking. She loves books. "How hard is it to do a fundraiser over here?"

"Not that hard." He shrugs, playing with his gloves. "My mom did one a few years ago."

Interesting. "You wanna help me, rookie?"

"Okay." He exhales, looking a bit scared. "Can I get something from it?'

"Cash?" I snort. Cheeky.

"No. It'll help if you become my mentor. I want to get better."

I shake my head, laughing. "Deal."

This has to work.