Meet Me in the Penalty Box (Orchid City, #1)(43)

The initial blow to my nose had me seeing stars. The blood came instantly and the searing pain spread through my entire face. Now I was alternating between icing it and squinting my eyes to watch TV. The doctor determined I didn’t have a concussion either, so that was a relief. I’d just be walking around with a banged-up face for a little bit.

As I picked up my remote to flip through the channels, there was a soft beep followed by a click that came from my hotel door. My heart picked up its pace in my chest as the door slowly opened. My room was dark, as it was already nearing eleven o’clock and only the glow from the TV was lighting up the room. I made out the silhouette of his body as he pushed the door shut behind him.

His strides were long and rushed and it didn’t take Nico long to close the distance between us. He was still wearing his suit from the game, like he hadn’t even bothered going back to his room to change into something more comfortable. He dropped down on the bed beside me, worry laced in his bright blue irises as he gently cupped the sides of my face.

Nico was so tender as his eyes scanned my face before landing on my eyes. “Harper…” His voice cracked around my name. “How bad does it hurt?”

I gave him a small smile. “Probably not as bad as Connor’s face.”

I saw what Nico did to him after I got hit with my camera. He didn’t waste any time before checking him into the boards. It was an aggressive, dirty hit but there was something about the way he reacted that had me melting into a puddle. He came to my defense and knocked Connor out with one hit.

Violence wasn’t something I condoned, but seeing someone defend you like that had a way of making you see things differently.

“How bad is the pain, love? Have you taken anything?” He paused for a moment, his eyes desperately searching mine. “Please. What can I do for you?”

His concern shook me straight to my core. “It’s not as bad as it looks,” I assured him as I motioned to the ice. “I’ve been icing it, which helps, and I took some ibuprofen.”

Nico swallowed roughly, his eyes filled with regret. “I wanted to break through that fucking glass to get to you. I’m sorry it took me so long. I had to stay for the post-game bullshit or I would have been here immediately.”

I lifted my hands and slowly pulled his away from my face before lacing our fingers together. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters.”

“I wanted to fucking kill him. I can’t believe he pulled something like that.”

“It doesn’t matter now,” I told him, squeezing his hands. “It’s over now. You took care of things and that was enough. Neither of us need you in jail and you can’t afford to jeopardize your career.”

Nico stared at me for a moment as waves of emotion crashed against the shores in his ocean eyes. “I can’t stand the thought of anything happening to you, Harper. You’re too important to me.”

I fell silent as Nico released my hands and rose to his feet beside the bed. My heart crawled into my throat as I watched him strip down to his boxers. “What are you doing?”

“Shh,” he murmured softly as he grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the top of the bed and moved the covers away. “I’m not here for anything but to be close to you. I need to feel you in my arms tonight.”

“You can’t sleep in here,” I told him as he laid down on the bed and pulled me into his arms. “Someone will catch us if they see you leaving my room in the morning.”

He reached past me, pulling the blankets up over both of us. “I already planned on leaving before everyone else wakes up. Don’t make me leave, love. Please just let me be here with you.”

There was no possible way I could deny him. Not with the way he was asking me. Not with the way he rushed to my room as soon as he was able to. We were both forming an attachment when there were never supposed to be strings. It was far too late to go back now and that scared me more than anything.

The thought of getting closer to Nico Cirone scared me more than the thought of losing my job. If there was one person in this world who had the power to destroy me, it was him. It wasn’t my ex, who may have hurt me physically. It was the person who held my heart, but I was terrified to speak the words out loud.

“I want you to stay,” I whispered as he tucked me under his arm and I rested my cheek against his chest.

Nico turned his head and his lips were soft as he pressed them against my forehead. “I’m so sorry he hurt you, love. Fuck. I can’t get it out of my head.”

“I’m okay, Nico. I promise.” I circled my arm around his waist and pulled myself flush against him. I fell silent for a moment, listening to the sound of his heart beating in his chest. “You’re all I need. You make everything better.”

He was quiet and his fingers were soft as he gently stroked the length of my arm. “I don’t know what you’re doing to me, Harper, but I don’t want you to stop. I don’t want whatever this is between us to end.”

His words caught me by surprise and I couldn’t help the words that escaped me next. “I don’t want this to end either.”

“And you still don’t want a label?” His voice was soft and tender.

I shook my head against him. “We can’t. Not with the way things are.”

“I won’t wait forever, love.” A declaration. “I’ll give you the time to let this be what it is, but you’re already mine. If you take too long, I’ll be the one to slap a label on it without any more hesitation.”