Chapter 6

Practice was grueling. All I wanted to do was crawl back into bed with the hot-as-sin woman I left behind in my apartment. It didn’t help that I was running on two hours of sleep. And let’s just say… I could have skipped this morning’s practice with the amount of cardio I put in last night.

“I’m not walking out with you, man,” Logan says, stopping short as we’re about to exit the rink.

“What’s wrong with you?” I flick him a glance as I push the door open.

“I’m not risking becoming target practice for any stray bullets that happen to be aimed your way.”

“Are you on something?” My brows draw down. I don’t know what the fuck’s wrong with him.

“Nope, but you must be. Seeing as you thought it was a good idea to take the Valentino Princess home last night. That’s the single most dangerous thing you could do in this city, man.”

I blink at him.

“Come on, you’ve been here for three years. You can’t seriously tell me you haven’t heard of the Valentinos?”

“I’ve heard of them, sure. But I still have no idea what you’re going on about or what it has to do with bullets.”

“They’re in the mob, you idiot. That girl’s father is the underboss of the Valentino Crime Family, fuckwit,” he huffs. “And you took her home and did God only knows what. Which means you’re as good as dead when her father or any one of her uncles finds out.”

“You’re being dramatic.” I shake my head. “I’ll catch you tomorrow.”

“Or I’ll catch you at your funeral,” he hollers back as the door closes behind me.

A few minutes later, I’m sliding into my car and pulling out my phone. I open Google and type in the words Valentino and New York. A shit-ton of articles come up about Lili’s family. I shouldn’t be reading them, but Logan has me curious.

Are they really part of the mob? And if they are, do I care?

The answer to that last one is a solid fuck no.

Tossing my cell onto the passenger seat, I start up the engine as the events of last night replay in my head, like a fucking porno on the big screen.

Fuck, I want her again.

The moment I pull up to my building, I jump out of my car and head straight to my apartment, making a beeline for my bedroom. Only to find the bed empty. I look to the chair where I left her clothes, sans her underwear because I kept those babies, and realize she’s gone.

She fucking left.

I drop my bag on the floor and walk back out to the kitchen. There’s a note on the counter from my mom telling me to call her. I open the fridge and smile. She stocked my fridge. I let her think I’m hopeless when it comes to taking care of myself because nothing compares to my ma’s homemade cooking.

I dig my phone out of my pocket and do my best to ignore the fact that my dick is half-hard. I was expecting to come home and slide right back into Lili, not find my bed empty and my fridge full. I dial my mom’s number. She picks up on the third ring.

“Travis, I dropped some groceries off,” she says in way of greeting.

“I saw. Thanks, Ma.”

“I also met your friend,” she singsongs.

“What friend?”

“Liliana, pretty little thing. I like her.”

Oh my god, no wonder she fucking ran.

“What’d you say to her?” I ask my mother with a groan.

“Nothing! Just introduced myself. You should bring her home for dinner this weekend.”

“Ma, I just met her last night. I don’t think we’re at the dinner at the parents’ house phase of things yet.”

“But I’ve already met her, and I like her. So bring her to dinner,” Mom says in her don’t argue with me tone.

“Maybe one day. Thanks for the meals and groceries, Ma. I gotta go,” I tell her. “I love you.”

“Love you, Travis. Talk later,” she says.

I run a hand down my face. How the fuck do I salvage things with Lili now? She met my mom. I left her alone in my apartment and my mother turns up. God, could this shit get any more embarrassing?

Without overthinking it too much, I find Lili’s number in my phone. I stored it in my contacts as Sweet Lili, because she tastes so fucking sweet. Her whole personality—at least what I know of it so far—is sweet. Seeing her cheer me on when I was out on that ice did something to me. I want her at every fucking game. I want to see her face light up with excitement. I want her as my number one cheerleader.

Hitting the dial button, I wait. And wait. I’m about to abort mission when the line finally connects. “Hello?” Her voice is quiet, husky, like she’s just waking up.

“Did I wake you, babe?”

“Who is this?” she asks.

“How many fucking guys call you babe?” I fire back. “Actually… forget that. I don’t care because they’re irrelevant now that you’ve got me.”

“Travis?”

“The one and only, babe. Were you sleeping? It’s the middle of the day.”

“Someone kept me up all night,” she grumbles. “I’m tired.”

“I don’t recall you telling me to stop.” I smile into the phone, while grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge, and head into my living room. “What are you doing tonight? I want you again.”

“You want me again? Not I want to see you again?” She laughs, sounding much more alert.

“Both.”

“I can’t tonight. I have plans.”

“Cancel them,” I tell her.

Lili laughs louder, and I can hear the ruffling of sheets. “My brother caught me coming home this morning. He offered me two hundred grand for your signed jersey,” she says, then adds, “Also, I kept your jersey.”

“It’s yours to keep. Take his money. I’ll get you another one.”

“Nope, I’m not giving it to him. He’s a big fan, by the way.”

“Does that mean he’s not gonna kill me?” I ask her.

“I wouldn’t go that far. He looked really torn between having to play the protective brother role and fan-girling over his favorite player.”

“I’m your brother’s favorite player?” I quirk a brow even though I know she can’t see me.

“You were, before he found out you fucked me.”

“So, how about tonight?”

“Give me one good reason I should cancel my plans and meet up with you instead?”

“Easy. Orgasms. As in multiple,” I tell her, my dick hardening at the thought.

“Mmm, tempting. You were pretty good at giving me those. But I really can’t. I have to meet my cousin for dinner and I can’t blow her off for orgasms, no matter how much I might want to.”

“Come over when you’re done,” I try again.

“What about tomorrow?”

“I can’t. We have an away game. I gotta be on a flight first thing.”

“Where are you going?” she asks me.

“Nashville.”

“Okay, I’ll text you when I’m done with my cousin and see if you’re still awake,” Lili says.

My fist pumps up like I just scored the winning goal. And, in a lot of ways, I fucking did. “I’ll be awake, babe. See you soon.” I hang up and toss my cell onto the coffee table.

Picking up the TV remote, I start flicking through channels. Trying to find something to watch. Something to occupy my time so I’m not just sitting here thinking about a woman I’m not going to see until later tonight.

My phone vibrates. I snatch it back up and see a message from her.

Sweet Lili:

I met your mom this morning. She seems nice.

Me:

She is nice. Sorry about that, by the way. I forgot she was coming over.

Sweet Lili:

It will go down as the most awkward walk of shame I’ve ever experienced.

Me:

There’s no shame in what we did, Lili.

Sweet Lili:

Uh-huh, so you want to meet my folks after a night of screwing my brains out?

Me:

Wouldn’t bother me. Parents tend to love me anyway.

Sweet Lili:

My father doesn’t love anyone who isn’t family. LOL.

Me:

I’d win him over, eventually…

How did we go from talking about hooking up tonight to discussing meeting the family? And why the fuck am I not running scared at the thought of this whole thing developing into something more serious?