Chapter 21 - Callum

It’s going to be another long weekend between the four-hour bus ride to Vermont and the two games we’re playing there.

At least I have Stone’s company and a hotel room to look forward to.

But, if I’m being honest, I’m a little more nervous than usual. I haven’t been staying at Stone’s place the last few days because the fucking nightmares are coming back. The last thing I want is to have one of the really bad ones while I’m in bed with him and wake him up with my screaming or fighting invisible monsters.

I’ve woken Jesse up that way more times than I care to admit. He’s never pushed for an explanation, of course. And while my nightmares probably wouldn’t surprise Stone, it’d only give him more of an excuse to fuss over me.

That’s the only reason I’ve been asking him when I’ll get to watch him kill again. They go away for at least a little while after those nights.

When he asked if I was using him, it hurt. But I only have myself to blame because I understand why he would’ve thought that. Even though it’s not true in the slightest.

I was attracted to him before I knew the truth, even if I fought that attraction tooth and nail. The only thing that discovery did was let me finally accept that I wanted him. That he was the first person I ever truly wanted .

I’ve kept my word and haven’t brought it up again.

The bus ride to Vermont doesn’t turn out so bad. Stone and I sit in the back, sharing a pair of earbuds and taking turns listening to our playlists.

Resisting the urge to keep our hands off each other is another matter.

We haven’t come out to the rest of the team, mostly by my request. Stone has told me he’s okay with whatever I choose to do. It’s not because I’m worried about what their reactions would be. I guess I just don’t want to deal with it right now. I kind of like the secret.

Mostly, I don’t want Coach to assign us separate rooms during away games.

I might’ve been a little worried we haven’t been subtle enough, so I’m relieved when Coach calls both our names for the same room when we arrive at the hotel.

After we put our things in the room—and maybe take a few minutes to roll around and make out on the bed we’ll be sharing—we head back downstairs.

As I’m climbing the steps up into the bus so we can get to our pre-game practice, a hand grabs my ass. I snap my head around and glare down at Stone who’s giving me a not-so-innocent smile.

We’re walking down the aisle to return to our previous seats when he grabs my hoodie and pulls my back flush against his front.

His low, deep words rumble against the shell of my ear when he says, “That’s what happens when you put temptation in my face, baby. You’re lucky I didn’t bite it.”

My cock stirs in my jeans.

I can’t wait until we’re back in our room tonight.

We’re halfway through the second period, and we’re up one to nothing. It hasn’t been an easy game. My legs are on fire from avoiding bodies and sticks.

Stone has added an extra challenge to our games. I’ve always used my advantage of speed on the ice to dodge and evade opposing players the best I can. I’m not always successful, but I’ve been lucky this season so far to not take any hard hits. However, now the need to continue doing so is more dire. At least it is if I want to keep Stone out of the sin bin.

I remember our first game when Stone was retaliating against every little hit on our guys and spent the majority of that game in the penalty box. I imagine a hit against me would result in more bloodshed.

The puck is in our defensive zone, and when one of their wingers takes a shot, I skate in front of it.

The hard, rubber puck hits me in the chest.

Judging by the way all the air comes rushing out of my lungs, it missed my guard.

As I’m bent over trying to catch my breath, I hear the ref’s whistle blow to stop the play.

Someone comes to a stop in front of me, and I’m immediately aware of Stone’s presence. His hand comes down on my shoulder. He’s saying something, but I can’t hear it past the blood roaring in my ears.

I don’t stay down long.

I know I can’t.

Straightening, I nearly lose my breath all over again at the look in Stone’s eyes.

It’s pure murder .

His nostrils are flared, eyebrows knotted. There are visible veins in his temples, the bridge of his nose wrinkled in a snarl.

It’s blind animal fury.

“Are you okay?”

I almost don’t catch that either because he barely unclenches his teeth to ask the question.

I force myself to speak. “I’m good.”

That seems to be enough for him because he starts to skate off, his focus zeroed in on the winger who took the shot. I grab onto his arm with my glove and pull him back.

“That was my fault, Stone,” I tell him, getting in his face until the cages of our helmets knock together, needing to make sure my words reach him through his rage. “I chose to block the shot. Don’t you fucking dare ruin this game.”

He blinks a few times before the harsh lines and prominent veins in his face finally ease.

I think I might have a fucking superpower.

Maybe one day I’ll see if I can defuse a literal bomb too.

We skate over to the bench, and our second line goes out for the next play. Meanwhile, one of the medical staff comes over to check on me. I tell him the puck just knocked the wind out of me but that I really am okay. I know it’s nothing worse than maybe a bruised rib, so there’s no way I’m letting them take me out of the game.

By the time our line gets back out onto the ice, we’re down to three minutes left in the second period. We skate out to the circle for the puck drop. Stone has a pretty high success rate for winning face-offs, but this time, the other team is there first.

They pass the puck between their forward line as they bring it over the red line and past the blue into our zone. Our defensemen are there. One of them checks an opposing winger, and the puck slides across the ice. Nate picks it off and carries it on the blade of his stick back across the lines. He passes it to me, and I pass it to Stone.

He takes a shot.

It bounces off the pads of their goalie.

I scoop up the puck and circle around a defenseman, skating along the boards, before passing it over to Nate.

The puck has already left my stick when I feel a hard, heavy body barrel into me from behind. I jolt forward into the boards, and my helmet strikes the glass. I try my best to stay vertical, but I go down onto the ice.

The next thing I know, someone else is being slammed into the boards, falling a few feet in front of me.

It must be the defenseman who just did an illegal check judging by the fact that Stone is already on him. He’s ripping off his helmet and his own gloves. The punch he delivers to the guy’s face has his head bouncing off the ice. Those veins have returned to his temples, throbbing angrily.

“Stone!” I shout as I try to stand.

My body protests, every inch full of a dull, radiating ache. Before I can make it to my feet, guys from both teams are there attempting to pull Stone off the defenseman. He gets another two punches in, and blood is spraying out onto the ice. Nate gets hit and goes down too as more fights start breaking out, forcing the linesmen to skate into the skirmish to put an end to things.

Players are pulled off each other while I’m only focused on Stone. He’s the only one who’s refusing to fucking stop. Even after all the other fights are broken up, he’s still struggling against those trying to rein him in. He’s growling and snarling, swinging his arms at anyone who gets in his way.

It’s not until I’m right beside him, shouting his name again and grabbing onto his arm that his attacks finally start to slow.

Whoever’s eyes find mine don’t belong to Stone. His pupils stretch to the edges of his irises, like a fucking demon has taken over him. The sight nearly has me falling over onto the ice again before he’s there to catch me, grabbing onto me too.

Gloves, helmets, and sticks are strewn about the ice. While they’re being picked up, the refs are handing out penalties. Stone and the defenseman who checked me from behind both receive major penalties, along with a couple other guys for fighting.

On top of his major penalty, Stone also gets one for misconduct, giving him a total of fifteen minutes in the penalty box. Seeing as he’ll be out for most of the third period, I doubt Coach will put him back in for the last five minutes.

As we head down the tunnel toward the locker room for intermission, I avoid looking over at him.

If I allowed my rage to take control of me the way he did, he’d be out for the next several games instead of just the rest of this one. And I’d be getting myself suspended.

I’m not surprised we lost tonight.

Between all the penalties dished out, the other team was awarded a power play in which they made a goal and tied the score. Without having Stone out on the ice for the entire third period, they scored another and beat us two to one.

Stone is still fuming when we get back to the hotel, heading straight up to our room without stopping for dinner. I decide to pick us both something up to eat. I might still be furious with him, but I’m starving. I’m sure he is too after that ridiculous fucking fight.

Taking our sandwiches packed in to-go containers up to the second floor, I unlock the door to our room and step inside.

Stone is sitting at the foot of the bed we haven’t claimed as ours. He’s bent over with his head in his hands.

“I’ll sleep here,” he says, voice muffled as he speaks into his lap.

Setting the bag with our food on the desk, I lean my back against it and cross my arms. “Why?” I ask, if only because I need to hear his answer.

“Because I know you’re pissed at me.” He lifts his head. Maybe it’s just the dim light in the room, but I swear I can still see a hint of the demon I got a peek at on the ice. “But I can’t change who I am, Callum.”

“I’ll be honest with you. I tried to look at things from your perspective. That was a pretty hard fucking hit.” When his jaw ticks, I quickly add, “I’m fine . But, yeah, if someone pulled that shit on you, I might’ve retaliated too. But you…you fucking lost your shit, Stone. That wasn’t okay.”

Stone stands and crosses the room. As he crowds me against the desk, he places his hands on the edge on either side of me, leaning in close. “I told you I can’t change that part of me.”

“How are you even still allowed to play hockey with fucking anger issues like that?”

“I’ve never lost my head like that before.”

I arch a brow. “Never?”

“I’ve always been at least a little protective over my teammates. But when it comes to you…” He shakes his head. “I’ve never felt as protective over anyone else before. Close. But never like this.”

“I don’t need you protecting me like that during games. Not when it fucks everything up. Not when you could be kicked off the team. You’re the one who told me how important it is to you that we make it to the championship. Has that just gone out the window now?”

He sighs. “No. I’ll…I won’t lose my head like that again.”

“I can take a hit, Stone. I can take a lot more than you think I can.”

“That’s not—”

“Shut the fuck up.”

His eyes widen.

I straighten, forcing him to remove his hands from the desk and straighten too. “I don’t need you protecting me on that level out on the ice. And I don’t need you protecting me from yourself either.”

Because, yeah, it’s been slowly irritating me more and more with how careful he’s been with me these last couple weeks. I appreciated it at first, but I know he’s still holding back.

Like I’m fucking fragile.

Again, he sighs. “Callum…”

Taking a step forward, I get in his face for the second time tonight. “Do I need to give you a demonstration?”

His lips part; his eyes darken. The corner of his mouth twitches. “I’ll admit I’m intrigued.”

Reaching up and grasping a fistful of his hair, I tug him down until he’s forced to fall to his knees. He’s almost immediately panting, staring up at me with a mix of surprise and raw desire. A sense of power shoots right through my veins.

“Take my cock out.”

As his hands fly to the button of my jeans, he leans forward, mouthing my hardening cock through the fabric. I groan and grind myself against his face.

When he has my pants undone, he yanks them down until my erection bobs in front of his face. He licks up my length, and for a moment, I’m tempted to let him take control back. However, when his hand wraps around me, I take hold of his wrist and pull him off.

“Did I say you could touch?” I ask, narrowing my eyes down at him.

His eyelids flutter. “Fuck, Callum.”

I can’t help but grin. “Not only into dominating, huh?”

“Not when it comes to you apparently. Fuck me up, baby.”

The noise that escapes me could almost be compared to one of Stone’s own feral growls. “Open your mouth, killer.”

I have a murderer on his knees, about to shove my cock down his throat.

Talk about a power trip.

It may not be the first time, but it’s the first time I’m in complete control.

He lets out a small moan as he obeys. I thrust my cock inside until he gags on it. Pulling back, I let him catch his breath and make sure he’s okay. But he only leans forward, chasing after me. I give him what he wants, sliding my length over his tongue.

Bringing my other hand up to grip his hair with both, I immediately set a brutal pace. I don’t start slow. I don’t give him a chance to breathe. I fuck into his mouth like a man possessed.

I give him everything I could take from him too.

The velvety heat around my cock is doing as much for me as the sight of Stone on his knees, his lips stretched around me. The way his eyes are locked on mine. The fucking power of it all. It doesn’t take long before my balls tighten, a heat flaring at the base of my spine.

“Fuck. Gonna come.”

Stone takes me deeper, swallowing around me until there’s a tingling in the root of my cock. The feeling of his throat unravels me, sending me over the edge into an electrifying oblivion as I cum in his mouth.

I’m left standing on weak knees, not even sure how I’m still upright. Stone helps with that when he rises to his feet, grabs me by the wrist, and hauls me over to the bed. He shoves me down onto my back, then rounds the bed to the other side. Grabbing both my wrists this time, he pulls me until my head is hanging off the edge of the mattress.

“Message received loud and clear, Cal,” he says in that deep, husky voice of his, a little rougher after the throat fucking I just gave him. He unzips his jeans. “Let’s see how well you can handle me when I let the beast off its leash.”

The beast?

Is that what I saw tonight? Not a demon?

Stone shoves two fingers in my mouth while he grips his cock with his other hand. He rubs his length against my cheek, and I can feel the precum he’s smearing over my skin. As I suck his fingers, he stares down at me with darkening eyes.

He growls.

Yeah, beast seems right.

And I fucking love it.

He continues thrusting his fingers inside my mouth, moving deeper and deeper as he ruts his cock against my cheek. His eyes are hooded as they remain locked on mine, his chest heaving. Like maybe he could come just like that. Judging by the way my dick is twitching, I probably could too.

“Fuck, you look good in this position,” he says. “My fingers in your mouth. Your cock out. Willing to take whatever I give you, right?”

I’d nod if I could. I moan around his fingers instead.

Then he pulls them out and replaces them with his dick, thrusting deep until I gag. He pulls back but only for a second before he’s driving right in again, my lips stretched around his thick cock. Both his hands come up and wrap around my throat. Not squeezing, just holding. I wonder if he can feel the head of his cock against his palms every time it hits the back of my throat.

The thought has my dick hardening again.

“Fuuuck, Callum,” he groans, fucking my throat in a savage rhythm, speaking between each ruthless thrust. “You’re so fucking perfect. I get it, okay? You can take a fucking hit. You can take it fucking rough. You love it too, don’t you? Look at you getting hard again. You’re going to come again for me too, aren’t you?”

I try to shake my head. There’s no way.

He apparently doesn’t like that answer.

He grabs my wrist and leans over, forcing his cock deeper down my throat as he brings my hand to my dick.

“Stroke yourself. I know you have another one in you.”

I whine as I wrap my fingers around my sensitive shaft. It’s so fucking sensitive, but it’s so fucking hard too.

“Come on, baby,” he says as his hand lifts my shirt on its way back to my throat. “Don’t you want to come while swallowing everything I have to give you?”

I give my cock a slow thrust.

“That’s it. Be a good boy and come for me again.”

Something between a whimper and a moan comes out of me. It must set Stone off because he grasps my throat a little tighter, thrusts a little faster. A low snarl fills my ears.

All of it has me fisting my cock with a firmer grip, quickening my strokes.

My second orgasm hits the moment I feel Stone’s cock throbbing against my tongue, warm cum shooting down my throat. It’s not as intense as the first, but, fuck…worth it.

Stone pulls out, leaving me gasping.

He crawls onto the bed beside me, and I feel his tongue lick a long, hot swipe along my abs. Grabbing onto my arm, he pulls me into a sitting position. I sway a little like I’m drunk. When he kisses me, his tongue slipping inside my mouth, I know it’s my own cum I’m tasting off him. I’m surprised it’s more than just a few drops he’s feeding me.

We kiss deeply for a long while, the taste turning into a mix of us both.

Stone breaks the kiss but stays close, his hand against the side of my face. He smiles. “Happy?”

I smile back. “Very.”

After we get cleaned up, we spend the rest of the night sitting in bed together in our boxers. We eat our sandwiches, and Stone insists on giving me a massage after the hard hit I took.

If he didn’t transform into an unstoppable, wild beast, I might be tempted to take more hits after tonight.