17. Winter

After takingthe incriminating selfie and posting it, I went to my parents' house, packed a suitcase with clothes, then headed back to campus to work on a photography assignment. All the running back and forth between campus and my parents' house to restock my wardrobe, then back again, was taking its toll on my homework assignments. Yet another thing Asher Martino was costing me was my grade point average, along with my sanity.

When my phone vibrated beside me, I ignored it. Working on my photography assignment was absorbing, and I didn't want to read all the notifications from the post. The knowledge that somewhere on campus, Asher knew what I'd done and was probably planning some terrifying retribution, made me feel all kinds of odd things. Not all of them were bad.

The work took me most of the afternoon. We were doing case studies on light, and I was editing my photos to play up the variations and depth.

I finally checked my phone for the time, realizing numbly that I hadn't stopped to eat or drink anything in four hours.

I threw my phone on the chair and stood, stretching this way and that and trying to get the blood back into my cramped muscles. I needed to eat something before the game tonight. It was a Hellions game, and it wouldn't do for Asher's new girlfriend not to show.

I was just ordering something to eat for dinner when Selena came in. She was grinning ear to ear.

I raised an eyebrow at her. "First of all, you want pizza or Chinese takeout? Second…where have you been? You look awfully chipper for someone who was just in a study session." Maybe I could get lost in someone else's gossip and forget about my own pathetic situation for a while.

"Chinese. We can't eat pizza before the game. All eyes will be on us," Selena pointed out. Then she took off her scarf and revealed a long line of red, violent-looking love bites along her neck.

"Right, you can't eat pizza before the game, but you can have a neck like that? What happened? I'm pretty sure those weren't there a few hours ago."

"You mean, who happened?" She smiled wickedly at me and went to peer in the mirror. "Man, these are worse that I thought they'd be. Oh well, that's what concealer is for, right?"

I finished typing in our usual order from the local Chinese takeout place and set my phone down, coming up behind Selena to do a better inspection of her neck. It was a mess.

"So, who's the savage? Fess up."

She bit her lips and turned to me. "Promise not to be mad?"

"Who?" I repeated, unable to make any promises until I knew who it was. It better not be Asher.

Selena had the grace to appear bashful for a moment. "Trent."

Relief hit me like a ten-ton truck. "Trent Fitzgerald?" My relief was quickly followed by worry.

"Yeah. I ran into him at the coffee place, and he invited me back to his place, we hung out…one thing led to another. You're not mad, right? I know you don't like him."

"Mad! Not at all, I couldn't be happier for you. Thank you for giving that psycho another target to focus on." I snorted.

"He's not a psycho…well, he's certainly wilder in bed than I'd thought he'd be, given how uptight his family is and his position, you know?"

"His position?"

"He'll lead H.H Group one day, probably." Selena sank down onto her bed, her hand lingering over her neck. "Plus, he has that super VIP club near Bar Harbor. He's an emerging man of business." She batted her eyes at me in an exaggerated way, making me laugh.

"Okay, so he'll have brunch at the country club and reminisce with his old buddies once a month. It hardly makes him a VIP, does it? Neither does some mystery club near the border."

Selena raised an eyebrow at me. "Don't you know the illustrious background of Invictus H.H Group? They might be small here in Maine, but they are part of a huge organization."

"I don't actually know. I know next to nothing about it. It's just an investment club, right? Like, old rich men meeting up to talk about making money?" I wondered. Though, according to Cole, the investment club wasn't the most interesting thing the Fitzgeralds were into. What did Duncan and Trent have to do with an MC, anyway?

Selena laughed and shook her head. "Invictus H.H Group here sucks, but its parent organization is about far more than just investments. It's a way of life. The right kind of families, the right behavior, mutually assured destruction if the secrets were to leak."

"You make it sound like a cult or something."

"In Hade Harbor, it's not that serious, but the parent organization? That's the real deal. I've heard that more than half of the big players in New York are members. The Big Apple is where it's at for real secret society vibes, if that's your thing. I heard Duncan is a member, but that's just speculation because the member list is hush-hush. Top secret."

"Wow, I'm so intrigued — not." I checked my smartwatch for a notification from the take-out place.

"You're really not mad about Trent, right?" Selena asked.

I shook my head immediately. "Not at all. I'm happy if you're happy, just take it slow, you know."

"I will. I'll slowly check out how rich he is, how cool his VIP club is, and how much stuff he buys me to thank me for being so good in bed," she grinned wickedly, tugging a chuckle from me.

"I'm going to shower before the game," Selena announced. "Save me some spring rolls." She got up and headed out of the room with her towel.

It was damn cold inside the ice rink with only jeans and Asher's jersey on. Selena insisted that I take off my coat as soon as possible or it would reduce the impact of the girlfriend post earlier. We headed down the stairs at the rink, and someone frantically waving caught my attention. Eve was standing and waving from prime seats, just behind the coach's bench.

"Let's go," Selena said quickly and tugged me down. "You're not dancing tonight?" she asked Eve. Eve was on the ice dancing team.

She shook her head. "I'm letting some of the new girls take a spot, and anyway, this is a game I don't want to watch facing the wrong way."

"Meaning?" I wondered.

Eve gripped my arm and glanced at my Martino jersey, a huge grin on her face. "You look amazing," she enthused, and hugged me hard. "And I just can't thank you enough."

"What for?" I wondered, waving hi to Lily and Isabelle sitting just along the bench.

"Seriously?" Eve questioned, pointing at the rink before sitting down.

I leaned over the barrier and watched the Hellions on the ice. Martino. The name on the jersey caught my eye.

Asher was skating, in full gear. He moved with lethal grace, like he'd been born to do it. His calling. The only thing he cared about.

"He's playing," I murmured.

Eve nodded. "Because of you and your dad. Winter, this is huge for him."

I watched him glide around the rink, in control, powerful. So, my dad had come through. Somehow, I could feel Asher's happiness through the way he skated. He glanced in our direction, and then he was coming our way. The players were still just warming up. Nerves hit me in the gut like a sudden storm. I was wearing his jersey again. Would he be mad?

He skated past, his eyes on me. His hand touched the glass just in front of my face, and a cheer went up around us. I flinched back like he'd slapped me. Collapsing down beside Selena, I fanned my face.

"Thank God that plastic is there," I muttered.

She laughed. "What do you mean? That was a shout-out. He was acknowledging you."

"He was? I thought he was threatening what he was going to do to me later," I said.

"Girl, do you pay attention at all during games?"

I shook my head. "Not for a second," I admitted. Selena just laughed.

On the ice, the first buzzer sounded, and the players exploded into action. Cayden got the puck, racing down the center before the other team had woken up. He whipped it out to the side before getting plowed into by the opposing team, and Asher caught it, sliding effortlessly down the rink, lining up, shooting, and sinking the first goal of the game.

"Well, I have a feeling you're going to be paying a lot more attention from now on." Selena laughed again as I gripped my seat, the Hellions fans in the rink erupting with cheers.

The game flew by. In the excitement, I nearly forgot my post and the stakes of the game I was playing with Asher.

At least Trent was spoken for now. Selena had done me a huge favor, even if she didn't realize it. The thought of Trent's mouth moving along my neck and leaving marks like Selena's made me genuinely ill.

I watched Asher, far enough away to be shrouded in shadow behind the spotlight that shone on the ice. He dodged and tackled, showing off his stick-handling skills.

I watched him for longer than I cared to admit. He was violent on the ice, crashing into people and getting into fights. He was sent to the penalty box a few times. I wondered how battered he'd be from his first game back in Hade Harbor, then wondered why I cared.

At the final buzzer, the Hellions were up three goals. A resounding victory. Eve and Lily were cheering; their boyfriends had been front and center in making the victory happen.

"Should we go?" I wondered to Selena.

"Aren't you going to stick around to congratulate your boyfriend?" Selena wriggled her eyebrows at me, then a sudden blush tinted her cheeks. There were few powers on Earth that could make that girl blush.

"Good evening, I see you girls couldn't resist the game tonight," Trent's oily tone spoke from behind me.

I cringed.

Selena smiled heartily. Crap, she seemed smitten, dashing my hopes that Trent would just be a casual fling for her. I knew she was a frenemy half the time, and she certainly could be a bitch, but I didn't want to see her make some horrible mistake. It looked like it was too late to save her from the attentions of Trent Fitzgerald, though. She was already under his spell. He lingered just behind us, startlingly close, in fact, when I turned around. I stepped back, flustered by his sudden proximity.

"Winter, interesting outfit choice, though it seems a little common for someone of your pedigree."

I scowled at him. What a classist jerk.

"I heard congratulations are in order for you two," I changed the subject and smiled encouragingly at Selena.

"And why would that be?" Trent asked.

"Because of earlier, silly," Selena supplied, ignoring the snub.

Trent narrowed his eyes at her, and I saw that ugly anger he carried around with him rear its head, but he managed to hide it just enough that Selena didn't notice.

"Come on, don't be embarrassed. Many a hookup has led to wedding bells, I'm sure," I rambled. I wanted to get out of here before I had to interact with Trent for too long. I backed toward the stairs. "I have to run to the ladies' before we leave. You two catch up," I called and turned, all but sprinting up the stairs in my haste to escape.

After waiting in an endless line for the bathroom, I took a few seconds at the mirror, studying myself in Asher's jersey. People whispered around me, gossiping about me and Asher and our new relationship status, plus his performance on the ice today. The only gnawing worry in my gut was how Asher was going to react. Had I won? I had, hadn't I? No, he could still refuse to pretend in front my dad. He could tell me to go to hell. He could post a pic of him making out with someone else and make me look like a delusional psycho. He could do anything he wanted if he really still had it in for me.

I headed back out, ready to get back to the dorm and fall face-first into the leftover takeout boxes and my mattress (now sagging on the floor thanks to the bed frame breaking), when I collided with a somebody right outside the ladies' room.

"Oof! Watch where you're going," I started, thinking it was some jock who had barreled into me as soon as I'd come out the doors. Sadly, it wasn't.

Trent leaned over me, only a few inches taller, but his expression mean and cruel. "Where do you think you're running off to?"

"I'm going home with Selena. We're done here tonight," I stated serenely.

His emotions seemed close to the surface, like bubbling hot lava. It seemed best to try and be calm.

"Is that right? When are you going to learn, Winter? You're not done until I say." With that, he grabbed my arm and dragged me sharply down a small corridor leading off the main one.

I was too shocked that he'd touched me so forcefully to fight him off, and then suddenly we were alone. I pushed his hands away.

"What the hell are you doing? You can't just manhandle me around."

"But you'll let others do it?" he sneered. "Always blowing hot and cold."

"I've never been hot toward you, and you know it," I insisted.

"You forget, I don't care," Trent grunted. "Stop making a scene."

"You're the one dragging me around! And you just started dating my best friend. Anything you thought could happen between us is ruled out now, by default," I hissed at him, hating the arrogant confidence on his shiny face.

He laughed. "Ruled out? Says who? You? Her? I already explained where your opinions land on society's hierarchy scale. They don't rate."

"So, you're not going to be dating Selena?" I asked.

He chuckled. "Right, date a penniless outcast? Someone without money or a name to bring to the table? She was an eager hole, and I was bored. Do you really not understand who I am?"

I snorted with disdain. "Did you seriously just ask me that?" I stared him up and down and laughed. I couldn't help it. He was so delusional.

I never even saw his hand move. One second he was holding my arm, the next my cheek was on fire. Flames raced across my face, hot and painful. He'd slapped me. Slapped me. Tears sprang up behind my eyelids, threatening to spill. I dashed them furiously away. I wasn't upset, goddamn it, I was irate. Why couldn't I control my mask anymore? All these games with Asher had smashed it to pieces.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" A deep voice, silky smooth and cold like ice, cut through the tension. I knew that voice. Relief hit me.

Trent tensed and straightened up. He still had my wrist clamped in one hand, and he squeezed the bones so hard they ground together. I turned toward the person who had spoken.

Asher stood in the opening of the hall, his mask pushed up to his forehead, hockey stick in his hand. His huge padding only made him even more intimidating, and honestly, it was overkill. He was plenty intimidating enough at the best of times.

"Having a private conversation, what does it look like?" Trent sneered at him.

"It looks like you're harassing someone way out of your league, and I've got a problem with it."

"Oh, you've got a problem with it?" Trent repeated, a little of his confidence seeping from his tone.

"Yeah, I fucking do." Asher took a step forward. "I have a problem with your squeaky little voice saying her name, I have a problem with you standing so close to her and stopping her from leaving, and I really have a problem with you touching her."

Trent dropped my arm, flushing with anger at being spoken down to by anyone. The guy thought he was king of the fucking campus, and coming to reality was a harsh shock.

"And who the fuck are you to talk to me like that?" Trent demanded and stormed toward Asher, puffing up his chest and attempting to appear intimidating, but stopping far short of actually getting in Asher's space. He wanted to act tough but was too chickenshit to seriously threaten a guy like Asher Martino.

"Me?" Asher stepped up to meet Trent's show of alpha-wannabe energy, instantly dominating him. He wasn't posturing or trying to seem hard. He just was. He smiled, and it was easy; effortless confidence flowed from him, only making Trent look more inadequate.

Then those dark eyes shot to me. Asher stared me dead in the eye and spoke with a smirk.

"I'm her boyfriend, that's who. Maybe you've heard about me."

A thrill ran through me, blazing away the stupor I'd felt all day. Yes. My satisfaction spread across my face, a smile I couldn't contain.

Asher's lip ticked up in the corner, a hint of a grin at my reaction. "And you are?"

"Trent, Trent Fitzgerald. You might recognize the name, since it's on the fucking Econ building."

Asher chuckled. "I'm not really one for Econ, that's my sister's thing. Winter and I prefer the art department, but congratulations to your dad for being a big shot around campus and all. It's a great claim to fame."

Trent's eyes bulged, and he opened his mouth to retort, but Asher interrupted.

"Now, going forward, let's get one thing straight. If you want to talk to my girlfriend, you can go through me. I'll relay any message you might have for her, okay?"

Trent's hands clenched into tight fists. "And why would I do that? You can't give me orders."

"Oh, that wasn't an order, it was advice. You see, Winter can be tricky, violent, cunning, unpredictable. I can handle her because," he let out a chuckle, "I'm the same way. However, I'd worry for your safety if you were to ignore my advice."

He tipped the point of his stick and pressed it into Trent's shoulder, pushing him back. "So, best keep your distance. My girl doesn't like other people in her space…except me."

Asher's eyes met mine, and electricity zipped from the top of my spine to the bottom. Then he jerked his head toward the exit.

"Go on home now, Ice Queen. I'll take it from here."