Off Sides (Off 1)

Immediately I turn to Danny and pull her too me. She's shaking and I stroke her back to soothe her. I hear the door to my room open up and assume its Mike. I turn to ask him to give me a few more minutes but I'm incensed to see Angeline standing there.

"What the fuck do you want?" I snarl and Danny's head pops up to see Angeline standing in the doorway. She pulls out of my arms and walks over to the window, turning her back on us. I think she's seen all she wants to.

Turning back to Angeline I just point to the door for her to leave but she just glares at me. "How could you do that to your mother, Ryan? Choosing that--"

I don't let her get the word out. I lunge at her and grab her arm, probably a little more roughly than I intended, but I want to stop those vicious words from coming out. I push her out the door and slam it in her face. Leaning back against the frame, I can hear Angeline stomping down the stairs. I rub the spot between my eyes feeling a tremendous tension headache coming on.

Then Danny's soft hands are on my face. She's staring at me with such compassion that for a split second I want to break down and cry like a baby. Instead, I grab her head and kiss the hell out of her. Pulling her in close to me, I turn us around and push her into the door. I pin her body with mine, dragging her hands above her head. I thoroughly consume her mouth in my zeal to make sure she is really mine. I'm terrified she might leave me just to get away from the insaneness of my family.

Burying my face in her neck, I beg her, "I need to fuck you, Danny...please ...let me..."

She doesn't hesitate as she reaches down to the front of my pants and strokes me. "I need you too, Ryan. Now lock the door."

***

Danny and I are lying on the bed, our skin slick with sweat. We're on our sides and I'm spooned up to her back. My heart rate is finally returning to normal after what must have been the wildest and hardest sex I've ever had and now I'm filled with regret.

"I'm sorry that was so rough," I say as I stroke her arm.

Danny flips over quickly and puts a fingertip over my lips. "Oh no you don't, Mister. That was outrageously awesome sex and you are not to feel bad about that in any way. In fact, I insist we do that more often."

I let out a huge sigh of relief and smile at her. "Thank God! I thought it was awesome too but I was just so wild for you. I'm not sure I really knew what I was doing."

She gives off that low, smoky laugh of hers that shoots lust straight through my body. "Oh, you knew what you were doing. And it was freakin' fantastic."

I wrap her in my arms and squeeze her. "I love you so much, Danny. Please don't ever leave me."

She's quiet for a minute then she says in a small voice, "I'm always afraid you'll leave me. That one day I won't be enough for you."

Needing to drown out her doubts, I lean over her and kiss her hard. She responds and our hands seek out the other's body, laying claim...branding. I make love to her again, slowly this time, whispering all of my feelings for her the entire time, making sure she understands that my dreams of the future can only come to fruition if she's by my side.

When Danny finally tumbles with me into oblivion, she's whispering to me that she loves me, too.

CHAPTER 14

Danny

It's Saturday and I've pulled a double shift at Sally's. I'm so tired and my feet are killing me. I was supposed to go to a party tonight with Ryan but I begged off, telling him to spend some quality guy time with his friends. A night of relaxation with a good book is what I need.

It's almost 11:00 p.m. when I finish my shift. I'm just getting ready to walk out the door when I get a text. It's from Ryan.

Didn't go to party. Sick. Just woke up. Think food poisoning. Can u come over?

I don't hesitate when I fire off a quick text.

Of course. Be there in 30 min with soup.

I head back into the kitchen and get some chicken noodle soup and crackers to take with me. Putting cash in the register to cover it, I walk out the door and head over to Ryan's frat house.

When I'm about a block from his house, I remember that Ryan was supposed to meet Mike over at the party. Realizing that Ryan was probably too sick to let Mike know what was going on, I fire off a quick text to Mike to let him know why Ryan didn't show

Ryan texted me he is sick. Won't make party. I'm on my way over there now. I'll take good care of him. :)

I hit send and walk up the steps. The front door is open, as it usually always is. Walking in, I can't see anyone around. They are all probably at the party. I jog up the steps to Ryan's room and open the door.

The room is empty and I look around in confusion. His bed is perfectly made, which doesn't make sense. I walk over to it and see his iPhone on the nightstand. Setting the soup down, I pick his phone up and turn it on. There are his texts to me and my responses. Maybe he's in the bathroom.

My phone chimes and I look down to see a text from Mike.

Ryan's here with me. R U okay?

A sick feeling begins in my stomach and before I can reply, something hard slams into the back my head. I crumple to Ryan's bed and my vision winks in and out. Someone grabs my hair from behind and pushes me face down onto the mattress, then a pillowcase is thrown over my head and I am now in full blown panic. I try to scream but only a warbled sound comes out. I take a deep breath and try again, getting out a somewhat loud shriek.

I'm rewarded with another hit to my head, this time to the side of my face and it catches the corner of my eye and my cheekbone. Pain explodes and fear for my life is now coursing through me. I'm dizzy from the blows to my head. I'm suffocating from the pillowcase pulled tight over my face and the weight of someone on my back.

And then my worst nightmares come true. Whoever is at my back reaches to my front and undoes my jeans quicker than I can react. I start struggling with all my might but my captor now has put a large hand around the back of my neck, pinning my face into the mattress. I can't breathe and I know I'm going to pass out.

I can feel my jeans and underwear being roughly jerked down my legs and cold air hits my bottom. I start thrashing again, trying to get free and my attacker pushes my face harder in the mattress and says, "Quit moving, bitch, and I'll make this fast."

Terrified, I start crying and I'm tiring out from the struggle. I'm weakly flailing my legs but he just laughs at my efforts. I feel one of hands his reach roughly between my legs and I start sobbing uncontrollably.

And then he's gone...as if he's been ripped away from my body. I hear Ryan bellow in rage and scream, "Get the fuck away from her." Something slams into the opposite wall.

I scramble to pull up my jeans and jerk the pillowcase off my head. Ryan is on top of a guy...I can't tell who it is. Ryan is pounding away at his face, over and over again. Blood and spit starts flying and I can see numerous cuts opening up on my attacker's face. I'm frozen in place, watching Ryan punch the man over and over.

Feet come running up the stairs and Mike is in the doorway. He flicks a glance at me, appraising the situation and mutters, "Fuck." He looks over at Ryan and just watches as he pounds away at my would-be-rapist. I hear the crunch of bone on bone and when Ryan pulls his fist back, I can the guys nose squashed to the side of his face.

Finally, Mike moves in and tries to pull Ryan off. Ryan whips around on Mike, rage turning his beautiful face into a mask of hatred and vengeance. He snarls, "Get the fuck off me," and goes back to pounding on the guy, who is now unconscious.

"Ryan, you're going to kill the guy if you don't stop."

He doesn't listen and his rage isn't diminishing. I start crying, strangely sick at the gruesome scene before me and oddly satisfied that Ryan is hurting this guy who came so very close to killing a part of me.

Mike is yelling now and trying to grab Ryan again. "Rya

n...do you want to go to prison? Get off of him. He's done."

Mike's words do nothing to affect Ryan but when he says the word "prison" it jolts me into action. I can't have Ryan go to prison because of me.

I jump off the bed and cross the room in two strides coming to stand in his line of vision.

"Ryan," I say softly. "Please stop."

And just like that Ryan stops and stands up from the guy. He is breathing harshly and his hands are covered in blood. More blood is spattered on his shirt. He turns my way and runs his gaze over me. He stares at my face and with a shaky hand, he gently brings it up to touch where I can feel my cheek starting to swell. But then he must see the blood all over his hand and drops it back down to his side.

He looks lost and my heart breaks. I walk up to him and put my head on his chest. I wrap my arms around his waist and squeeze him hard. He doesn't respond at first and I start to panic. But then his arms come around me and he buries his head in my neck. I can feel him starting to shudder but then he pulls back abruptly.

"Are you okay?"

I nod, on the verge of a full meltdown.

"Did he...?"

"No! He didn't get a chance. He just...touched me."

Oh God, he touched me. I can feel bile rising in my throat and run to the wastebasket. I make it in time and heave and heave until nothing more is left. I'm dimly aware of Ryan cradling me in his lap, stroking my hair, telling me it's going to be alright.

***

The police and rescue squad are here. They've taken my attacker away. It turns out it was Ryan's teammate, Reece Malone. He was unconscious and badly beaten. I'm terrified he might die and Ryan could be in serious trouble.

Ryan and I are both sitting in the back of an ambulance. An EMT is bandaging Ryan's hands and another is taking my vitals. I glance out the back doors and there is a huge crowd gathering. Ryan reaches across the space and links his fingers with mine. I squeeze back.

The EMT is asking me questions and I try to focus. She's asking me if I need a rape kit and I can feel my bottom lip trembling as I shake my head no. She questions me about my injuries and I tell her about being dizzy and vomiting. She's afraid I may have a head injury and wants me to go to the hospital to get checked out. She said they'll also need to physically document my injuries for any criminal charges.