Torn Apart (Torn and Bound Duet 1)

What if he’s a douchebag like Brayden?

Did he hurt her?

Is that what she’s not telling me?

Possessiveness curls around my heart, and I hug Mia tighter to me. I’ll find out what the fuck this guy did to have her bail and then to send her into a state of panic. Mia’s my best friend and I’ll be damned if I let some jock make her feel uncomfortable.

“Your dad gave me a key,” Drew mutters, unable to look at us. “I need to drop by my office. See you later, man.”

He doesn’t acknowledge Mia.

Just fucking bails.

As soon as the door closes, I whirl Mia around and glower at her.

“Tell me everything and don’t leave out a thing.”

She frowns, looking down, but I capture her chin with my thumb and finger, lifting it back up so I can see her soft brown eyes.

“Mia,” I rumble. “Did he hurt you?”

Her dark lashes blink several times in confusion. “W-What? No.”

“Why are you being so weird?”

“I’m not,” she murmurs. “Can we talk about this later? I just… let’s go to my place and order dinner. I’m hungry.”

I let it slide.

For now.Fuck. Fuck. Shit. Fuuuuuck.

Mia, the hot fucking chick I almost hooked up with last night at The Lodge, is a student. The same woman who was dressed in a skimpy little number with fuck-me heels, today is wearing goddamn pigtails, glasses, and overalls like she’s a teenager, fresh out of high school.

Fuck, what if she’s a freshman? What would that make her, eighteen?

Jesus. I had my fingers in her pussy last night. Tasted her sweet essence on my tongue. I had my lips wrapped around her perfect little pink nipples. And after she bolted, I jerked off in the shower, imagining that instead of her leaving, we finished what we started. I came all over the wall, pretending that my cock in my hand was in her warm, tight pussy.

Damn it, I can’t fucking believe I almost hooked up with a student at the university I just got a job at. The university I have no doubt has a rule regarding employees not hooking up with the students.

That’s what I get for trying to have one last night of fun before I’m forced to buckle down and behave like a grownup. I’m not a college student attending this university. I’m not here to party and get laid. I’m a coach. A respectable employee at a prestigious university, brought on to bring the team to a championship, so it can bring in more revenue. More revenue means more money in the university’s pocket. Atlantic Pointe is known for its academic programs, but what they’re lacking is their sports programs. Michigan is the hockey capital of the US, yet Atlantic Pointe has never even won regionals.

But that’s about to change.

As long as I don’t almost dick down any more college students…

After losing myself this last year, I’m so close to finally having hockey back in my life, and with a single, poor decision I could’ve destroyed it all. I need to be more careful, make better decisions. I can’t risk losing hockey again. I need it in my life like one needs air to breathe. I’ve missed it this past year. The coldness of the rink, the smell of the ice, the crowd cheering, the teams battling it out. I miss waking up at 5:00 a.m. for practices, the adrenaline that comes with game days, and since playing is out of the question, the next best thing is coaching. And I’ll be damned if I lose it over a hot brunette with a banging body.

Not happening. Ever.

Besides, if I’m not mistaken, it seemed like there was something going on between her and my new roommate, which in itself is confusing as fuck, since his dad—my new boss—told me his son is gay, before he assured me he would be on his best behavior and wouldn’t hit on me.

I need to get this shit out of my head. Mia and I didn’t hook up. Sure, she had her hand wrapped around my dick, and my mouth was feasting on her tits. But she stopped it, and while I was disappointed last night, now I feel like I should be thanking her.

Technically my contract didn’t even begin until today, so I’m good. What I need to do is focus on my job, this team. And the first order of business is to get to know my players.

I make the trek across campus and over to the athletic department where my office is located. I saw it briefly this morning when I showed up to introduce myself to the guys, which didn’t exactly go as planned.

I knew Brayden would be there. I’ve been following his college career the last three years and knew when I took this job he was the starting center. Deep down, I think it was part of why I took the job. A way to make shit right after it went so wrong. I had a hunch Brayden wouldn’t welcome me with open arms, but I wasn’t prepared for the outright hate and resentment he’s clearly been holding onto all these years.