Wicked Games (Denver Rebels) (22 page)

“So you’ll spend the night?”

Warm lips brushed her temple. “I wasn’t going anywhere.”

“Better not.” Tucking her face against his shoulder, Nadia slept.

13

R
eid felt as
though he’d just dozed off when he was awakened by the low ringing of his cell phone.

He didn’t move at first. He didn’t want to. He was spooning Nadia in bed, and it felt so damn good with his face buried in her soft hair, his arm curved around her waist, her round ass tucked against his groin, her back pressed up along the length of his chest.

Sighing contentedly, he slid his hand under her breasts and held her even closer, willing the phone to stop ringing.

No such luck.

Nadia stirred, mumbling in her sleep. He kissed her bare shoulder, then dragged his eyes open and rolled over to grab the phone off the nightstand. When he saw his youngest sister’s picture on the screen, a jolt of alarm shot through him.

He unlocked the phone and hit the answer button. “Aria?”

“Yeah. It’s me.” Her voice was small and tremulous.

Reid sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, every cell in his body on high alert. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry for waking you up,” she choked out. “I would have called Ry, but he’s out of town and—”

“It’s okay, baby girl. You know you can call me anytime.” Reid grabbed his jeans off the floor, pulled them on and strode out of the room so he wouldn’t wake Nadia. “Tell me what’s going on.”

Aria let out a shaky breath. “Remember that guy I started dating a month ago? I told you about him the last time we talked. His name’s—”

“Ian. I remember. What about him?” Reid demanded, prowling down the dark hallway.

“Well, we went out tonight and had a really good time. But when we got back to my apartment, it was like a switch went off in Ian’s head. He started accusing me of flirting with other guys at the club and dancing provocatively to get their attention. I couldn’t believe what he was saying! I told him he was being jealous and paranoid, and he got even madder. So we started arguing—”

“Did he hit you?” Reid growled, gripping the phone harder.

“No, but I was afraid he might. So I ran into my bedroom and locked myself in. I’ve been telling him to leave, but he won’t. He keeps banging on the door and calling me on the phone.” She sounded near tears. “He’s scaring me, Reid. What should I do?”

Reid’s jaw was clenched so hard it ached. “Do you still have my old hockey stick?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “It’s in my closet.”

“Good. Go grab it right now,” Reid instructed. “If that asshole forces his way into your room, I want you to take the hockey stick and bash his fucking skull in. You hear me? Go for broke, Ari.”

“Okay,” she agreed in a shaky voice.

Reid stalked across the living room to the window. “I wanna talk to him.”

“Um…” Aria’s panic gave way to confusion. “Do you want me to put him on the phone?”

“
No.
Do not open that fucking door. Give me his number.”

She nervously rattled off the number. “I didn’t want to call the police and get him in trouble. I think he might have had one too many drinks at the club. But he’s a nice guy—”

“Who’s terrorizing you and overstaying his damn welcome. Stay where you are and I’ll call you right back.” Reid hung up, adrenaline pumping through his system as he dialed the number his sister had provided.

“Aria?” a hopeful male voice answered.

“No, motherfucker. This is her brother Reid.”

There was a startled pause. “No way. The hockey player?”

Reid ignored the question. “You need to get the hell out of my sister’s apartment. Right now.”

“But I just wanna talk to her,” Ian whined.

“You’ve done enough talking, asshole. It’s time for you to go.”

“But—”

“Listen, motherfucker,” Reid snarled, low and menacing. “If you don’t walk out that door in the next ten seconds, I’m getting on the first plane to Detroit to come kick your fucking ass.”

“Y-You can’t do that,” Ian protested feebly. “You’ll get in trouble with the NHL.”

“You obviously haven’t met me, or you’d know I don’t give a shit about getting in trouble. If you don’t get the fuck out of my sister’s apartment right now, I won’t think twice about hunting you down, ramming my fist down your throat and ripping out your goddamn spleen.” Reid narrowed his eyes. “So here’s what you’re gonna do, asshole. You’re gonna tell Aria you’re sorry for being such a dick and scaring her. Then you’re gonna take your sorry ass home or back to whatever hole you crawled out from under. If you ever contact my sister again, I’m coming for you. Got that?”

There was an audible gulp on the other end. “I-I just wanted her to—”

“Ten, nine—”

“Okay, okay, man! I’m going!”

“And don’t come back.” Reid punched off the phone and pulled up another number from his contacts.

After three rings, a groggy male voice answered, “Hello?”

“It’s me, Colt,” Reid bit out. “I need a favor.”

There was a short pause as his childhood friend struggled through a fog of disorientation. “Jesus Christ, Reid. It’s three o’clock in the morning. You’d better be lying in a ditch somewhere bleed—”

“It’s Aria.”

“Aria?” The homicide detective was suddenly wide awake and alert. “What happened?”

Reid frowned. “She’s having some trouble with that loser she’s been seeing. They got into an argument and he wouldn’t leave her apartment. I just ran him off, but I’d feel a lot better if you went over there and checked up on her. I wanna make sure that asshole isn’t still hanging around.”

“I’m on it,” Colt assured him.

“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”

“No problem. You and Aria are family.” Colt gave a grim chuckle. “She always attracts the crazy ones, doesn’t she? Drives those poor bastards to obsession.”

“Unfortunately.” Reid grimaced, picturing his baby sister’s big blue eyes, model-perfect features and dark curtain of hair. She’d been a magnet for guys from the moment she hit puberty. Reid and Ryder had had their hands full trying to protect her from all types of parasites.

“I’m heading over,” Colt announced, keys jangling in the background. “I’ll give you a call when I get there.”

“Cool. Thanks again, bro.”

“You got it. See you in December at the game.”

“You bet.” Reid disconnected, then called his sister back.

She answered right away, sounding immensely relieved. “Ian’s gone. He even apologized before he left. I don’t know what you said to him, Reid, but thank you so much.”

“You don’t have to thank me. Just promise me you’ll never go out with that douchebag again.”

“I promise.”

“I’m serious, Ari. That dude seems really unstable. If I find out that you’re seeing him again, I’m gonna kill him. Then I’ll end up in prison. Is that what you want?”

“Of course not.” She gave a rueful little laugh. “Who else would help pay my rent and car note?”

Reid made a wry face. “Stay in your room with the door locked until Colt gets there.”

“Colt?” Aria’s voice lifted. “You called him?”

“Yeah. He’s on his way over to check on you. I didn’t want to take any chances with your safety.”

“Okay. I really appreciate that.” Her voice softened. “Love you, big brother.”

“Love you too, kiddo,” Reid said gruffly. “Stay out of trouble.”

She sighed. “I’ll try.”

Reid hung up the phone and stuffed it into his back pocket, then stood staring vacantly out the window. At this hour, the downtown streets were quiet and deserted, and the windows in the renovated brick building across the street were mostly dark.

Standing there in the shadowy living room, he reflected on the different ways he and his siblings had responded to their parents’ painful divorce. He had declared war on the media and stopped talking to reporters; Ryder and Avery had thrown themselves into their careers like never before; and Aria had started picking up losers at bars and nightclubs.

What they all had in common was a driving need to turn back the clock, to reverse the circumstances that had torn their family apart.

Unfortunately, there was no magic wand to be waved, no genie in a bottle to undo the damage that had been done.

Suddenly the overhead light came on.

Reid turned from the window to see Nadia standing across the living room. She was wearing his shirt, half-unbuttoned, over her naked body. It was so long it hung past her knees.

Seeing her in his clothes did something primal to him. He wanted to beat his chest and roar, warning every other man to stay away. Because she was his. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. She belonged to him.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, watching him quietly.

“Yeah.” His jaw flexed. “Just had to handle something for my sister.”

“Which one?”

“Aria.”

“Aria,” Nadia repeated softly. “She’s the baby, right?”

Reid nodded.

Nadia came toward him, her steps soft and light. He watched her, his gaze drawn to the way his shirt parted to reveal glimpses of her bare thighs.

She stopped right in front of him, only inches separating them. When she had to tip her head back to look up at him, a smile quirked one corner of his mouth. God, she was adorable.

“What did you have to handle for Aria?” she asked gently.

His smile faded.

“Not
what
,” he grumbled. “
Who
.”

She lifted one eyebrow, waiting for him to elaborate.

He scowled. “She had a date from hell who wouldn’t leave when the fun was over.”

“Oh, no,” Nadia said with a concerned frown. “Is she okay? He didn’t get violent, did he?”

“No.” Reid clenched his jaw. “I had to talk some sense into the asshole, make him see the error of his ways.”

“And he left?”

“Yeah.”

“Thank God.” Nadia gave him a warm, relieved smile. “You’re a good brother, Reid.”

He shrugged, embarrassed by her praise. “I try to be.”

“You are.” She stared up at him, studying his face for a long moment. “What else is bothering you?”

He stared back at her, shaken by how well she could read him. He’d never been with a woman who was so attuned to his moods. He didn’t know whether it was good or bad.

“Reid?” she prompted softly. “What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing I care to discuss at three o’clock in the morning.” He smiled to soften his words.

She studied him a moment longer, then smiled quietly and lifted her hand to his chest. He felt her touch all the way down to his groin.

“Come on,” she murmured. “Let’s get a few more hours of sleep, then I’ll fix you breakfast while you get ready for practice.”

Reid smiled slowly. “Sounds good.”

She took his hand and led him back down the hallway, back to the soft comfort of her bed and the warm curves of her body.

14

B
ianca’s charity photo
shoot was held later that morning at the Denver Rebels’ practice facility. Not only had Reid graciously agreed to pose for the charity calendar; he’d also reserved one of the arena’s rinks so that the photographer could get action shots of him on the ice, which would be used for the background for his calendar photo.

For Reid’s convenience, the photo shoot had been scheduled right after the team’s morning practice. So he was already suited up in his pads and skates, swapping out his practice jersey for the one he wore during games.

It was Columbus Day, so Nadia was off from work. Standing off to the side of the rink, she watched as Reid skated toward the photographer while shooting a puck. After staying up half the night making love to Nadia and then managing his sister’s crisis before getting up for practice that morning, he had to be exhausted. But you’d never know it by looking at him.

As he executed a series of action poses at the photographer’s direction, he showed no signs of fatigue. He was a natural in front of the camera. Probably because he was in his element, and since he already had several endorsement deals, he was used to being photographed.

It also helped that he was photogenic.

Mouthwateringly photogenic.

No wonder Braden Nile’s young blond assistant couldn’t stop beaming like a kid in a candy store.

Standing beside Nadia, Bianca fanned herself with a French-manicured hand. “Girl, that man is so damn hot, it’s a miracle the ice isn’t melting.”

Nadia grinned. “I’m telling Nelson.”

Bianca laughed. “You’d better not.”

“Keep misbehaving and I will.”

“Okay, okay. Let me stop ogling your man.” Bianca grinned. “I really appreciate Reid doing this for me. How did you convince him to pose for the calendar?”

Nadia shrugged. “I just told him it was for a good cause.”

“That’s all you had to do?” Bianca wiggled her eyebrows. “You didn’t have to employ your feminine wiles?”

A secret, naughty smile curved Nadia’s lips. “Well…”

Bianca grinned. “Thanks for taking one for the team.”

“Anytime.”

They both laughed.

“Since hockey season officially started this month,” Bianca said, “Reid’s going to be Mr. October.”

Nadia grinned. “October’s one of my favorite months. I love dressing up for Halloween and being wicked for the night.”

“Well, now, you and Reid can be wicked together.” Bianca grinned suggestively. “The wickeder, the better.”

Nadia merely chuckled.

They watched as Reid skated down the ice, moving with controlled speed and agility. As he neared the goal, he pulled back his stick and deftly fired the puck into the net. The photographer’s assistant cheered and clapped as enthusiastically as if he’d just scored during a game.

“Perfect,” Braden Nile called, clicking away with his camera. “That’s a great shot.”

Reid lazily circled the goal before starting back up the ice. Watching him, Nadia was reminded of the first time they’d met, right there in that arena. It was hard to believe it had only been a week ago. So much had happened since then.

As he glided toward Nadia, he gave her a sexy grin that sent her hormones into overdrive.

She blew him a kiss.

He winked at her, his cool fingers brushing her cheek as he skated by.

“Time for the eye candy shot,” the photographer’s assistant announced in a singsong voice.

Bianca raised an amused eyebrow at Nadia. “Is it just me, or did she sound just a
tad
too excited about Reid taking off his jersey?”

“It’s not just you,” Nadia grumbled. “She definitely sounded giddy.”

While Braden was taking the action shots, his efficient assistant had set up a portable backdrop and light stands in one corner of the rink, not far from where Nadia and Bianca stood.

Reid skated over, running long fingers through his sweat-damp hair.

The blonde beamed up at him. “I turned on the heat lamp to keep you warm. Are you ready?”

“Yeah. Let’s make this quick.” Reid removed his jersey and padding with an athletic economy of movement, revealing his drool-worthy bare chest.

The blonde’s jaw dropped.

“Oh my God,” Bianca breathed.

Nadia bit her bottom lip, unable to tear her gaze away from the mass of rock-hard muscles and bulging biceps gleaming with a sheen of sweat.

The blonde was clearly hot and bothered as she instructed Reid on how he would pose while Braden adjusted the lighting.

“Um-mmm-umph,” Bianca murmured appreciatively. “You are one lucky ass girl, Nadia.”

She smiled. It gave her a secret thrill of satisfaction to think that she was the only one there who knew what it was like to feast on Reid’s scrumptious body. Only
she
had experienced the pleasure of straddling his hips, bracing her palms on those eight-pack abs and riding him into oblivion.

Her mind went hot and hazy at the memory, her pussy growing slick.

As if sensing her body’s primitive reaction, Reid looked over at her.

Their eyes locked.

Despite the coolness of the ice rink, a rush of heat swept over her, radiating between her thighs and tightening her nipples into hard points.

Wearing only his hockey pants with his muscular chest glistening and his dark hair standing up in unruly disarray, Reid was the epitome of sex on skates.

As he stared at Nadia, she ran her tongue slowly over her lips. From where she stood, she could see his hand tighten around the handle of the hockey stick he was holding.

She bit her lip, her hungry gaze telling him how much she wanted to lick the sweat from his skin, how much she wanted to slide her body over his, how much she wanted to get naked and dirty with him.

He read all that in her eyes and swallowed hard, his pectoral muscles flexing with tension.

She smiled, slow and naughty.

He gave her a smoldering look that promised retribution.

She couldn’t wait.

After the photo
shoot, they went to lunch with Bianca and Nelson, who left work and met them at the downtown restaurant.

At Nadia’s request, they were seated at a private booth in the back. She still felt hyperconscious of being in public with Reid now that there were photos of them floating around the Internet. She wanted to enjoy his company without having to worry about some paparazzi wannabe snapping pictures of them.

Over lunch, the foursome kept up a lively stream of conversation, the topics veering from current events to politics to the best travel destinations. As they laughed and bantered with one another, Nadia was struck by how natural it felt for her and Reid to be hanging out with Nelson and Bianca, as if they’d been double-dating for years. She also appreciated the easy rapport between Reid and her brother. Nelson had never cared for any of the guys she’d dated, so it pleased her to see him getting along so well with her current man. It didn’t hurt that Reid was a famous hockey player that Nelson had idolized for years.

When the conversation turned to sports, Nelson brought up the Rebels’ upcoming stretch of road games. It was a topic Nadia had been trying to avoid ever since she’d made the mistake of downloading the team’s schedule. After playing the Florida Panthers at home tomorrow night, the Rebels would hit the road for a grueling five-game series that ended in Montreal. Reid would be gone for ten days.

Ten whole days.

“Nadia’s gonna be lost without you,” Nelson teased.

Her cheeks warmed as Reid smiled at her from under the bill of his Detroit Tigers baseball cap. After the photo shoot, he’d showered and changed into a long-sleeved gray T-shirt with a pair of sweats and Timbs. His hair was still damp, the edges curling against his neck and over his ears.

His eyes twinkled at Nadia. “You gonna miss me?”

She took a sip of her chocolate martini. “Maybe.”

Nelson snort-laughed. “Don’t let her fool you, Reid. She’s never been a hockey fan in her life, but you should have seen the way she was glued to the TV when you guys played the Bruins on Saturday. Every time they announced your name or showed you on camera, Nadia got the biggest damn smile on her face. Seriously, man. I don’t know what she’s gonna do with herself while you’re gone.”

If Nelson had been sitting across from Nadia, she would have kicked him under the table. Hard.

“Pay him no mind,” she told Reid. “I always tease him about missing Bianca when she goes out of town. He’s just giving me a taste of my own medicine.”

Reid cocked an eyebrow at her. “Are you saying you
won’t
miss me?”

She felt herself blush. “Of course I will.”

“Good,” he drawled, bringing his face close to hers, “’cause I’m gonna miss the
hell
outta you.”

As a surge of pleasure swept through her, she smiled into his eyes.

He gazed back at her with an expression of tender warmth.

Across the table, Nelson and Bianca shared a knowing smile.

When Reid leaned back in the booth and possessively draped his arm around her shoulders, Nadia relaxed into his side, savoring his body heat and the smell of his warm skin and shower-damp hair.

She’d never been one for public displays of affection, but Reid was already changing that. He thought nothing of kissing her wherever the mood struck, whether they were standing in a dark parking lot at night or strolling down a busy sidewalk in broad daylight. Throughout lunch he’d maintained some sort of physical contact with her—rubbing his thigh against hers, feeding her off his fork, idly playing with her hair, holding her hand under the table and gently massaging her palm with his thumb. He was touchy-feely with her, and she liked it.

Liked it way more than she should have.

When they finished eating, Reid insisted on taking care of the bill, ignoring Nelson’s protests. While they waited for their server to return with Reid’s credit card, he excused himself to use the restroom. As he got up and sauntered from the table, Nadia watched him go, enjoying the way his sweats hugged his round ass. She was half tempted to follow him and make him pay for keeping her body in a state of semi-arousal during lunch. Every time he’d touched her, her skin had burned hot enough to melt her clothes off.

“Don’t even think about it,” warned a laughing voice.

Nadia swiveled her head around to blink innocently at Bianca. “What?”

“I saw the way you were staring after Reid. Don’t get any ideas about following him to the men’s room for a quickie.”

Nadia’s face heated. “I wasn’t,” she lied.

“Uh-huh.” Bianca grinned knowingly. “You and Reid will have to wait until you get back to his house to have each other for dessert.”

“Please do,” Nelson said with wry humor. “I’d prefer not to be anywhere in the vicinity when you two are getting it on.”

Nadia smiled sweetly. “I feel the same way when you and Bianca are having sexy time—
loudly
—in your bedroom.”

The couple laughed, trading sheepish glances.

As Nadia polished off her chocolate martini, Nelson said to her, “Seriously though. You and Reid seem really happy together.”

“They sure do,” Bianca agreed warmly.

Nadia smiled. “We’re enjoying ourselves.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Nelson’s voice gentled. “You’ve been with a lot of assholes over the years. It’s good to finally see you with someone who clearly appreciates you.”

Nadia was touched by his words. “Thank you, Nels.”

He nodded, his face suddenly grim. “That said, I know all about Reid’s reputation. It’s too early to tell whether or not he’s a changed man, but I’ll tell you this. I may look like Clark Kent,” he said, touching the rim of his eyeglasses, “but if that dude ever does anything to hurt you, I’ma go straight Superman on his ass and fuck him up.”

Nadia choked out a startled laugh. “Nelson!”

“I’m just sayin’. You’re my sister, Nadia. I have to look out for you.”

She smiled softly. “I know. And I truly appreciate that. Trust and believe that if Reid ever hurts me, you have my permission to kick his ass.” She paused. “Or at least try to.”

As Nelson and Bianca laughed, Nadia looked up to see Reid coming toward the table. When their eyes met, he gave her one of those lazy smiles meant just for her.

Her heart flip-flopped.

She hoped her brother would never have to make good on his threat.