I hang up once my parents say their goodbyes. Despite the sad feeling lingering after our chats, I answer their random calls because I’m a sucker for my parents. I love them, and I want to make my mum the happiest, despite her one wish I won’t fulfill.
I arrive at the press area with a few minutes to spare. My feet freeze as my eyes land on Elena and Elías talking, causing a grumbling reporter to slam into my back.
An irritated groan seeps past my lips. My teammate clearly hasn’t learned Elena is mine for the season. She should be concentrating on me instead of him. Without thinking, I eliminate the space between us, pulling up to Elena’s side. Her scent calms me, centering me enough to not make a fool of myself.
“Oh goody, if it isn’t my favorite person.” My words come out as a snarl as I stare Elías down.
“And what does that make me?” Elena smirks and crosses her arms across her chest.
My eyes lazily flick over her in feigned disinterest despite the craving to scan her body from head to toe. “Hell reincarnate.”
“At least I’m hot.” She shrugs.
Elías laughs to the point of bending over.
My fists curl on their own accord. “Can’t you do your job instead of flirting with my teammate?”
“Ay, Dios.” Elías sighs.
“Weird, you know jealousy has a way of making people do dumb things. Kind of like marking your territory for no reason since there isn’t a threat.” She purses her lips.
“I’m not marking my territory. I’m simply stating facts.” I tap her scrunched-up nose.
“Careful, Kingston. With how you keep acting, I’d think you care about someone else besides yourself.”
Her words do little to ease the growing agitation inside of me. Of course, I care about others, including my friends and family. Who is she to cast shitty judgments? I keep my comeback to myself, choosing to brush past Elías to take my seat next to Noah.
“Hey, man. I thought you were about to bitch out Elena and Elías there.” Noah’s eyes assess me before returning to Elías and Elena whispering in a corner.
If looks could kill, Elías would’ve been eviscerated. Instead, I return my gaze back to Noah, catching his poorly hidden smirk.
“Elías can’t take a hint. They hired Elena to help me, not spend time with him.” I flick a piece of lint off my black jeans.
“Why does it bother you if he talks to her?”
“Because we tend to argue, yet whenever Elías is around, she’s all happy and shit.”
“You sound envious of their relationship.”
“Their friendship.”
Noah’s head drops back as he laughs. “Right. Friendship. Tough luck with Elena. But what do you expect? I doubt she wants to risk her job for a one-time fling with you.”
“What am I supposed to do? I can’t exactly turn my dick off and act like I’m not interested in fucking her.”
Noah crosses his arms. “If you’re only interested in fucking her then you don’t need to act on your impulse. I think you’ve made enough mistakes to last you a lifetime. So that means you keep your dick in your pants. Let her do her job and leave her alone.”
Screw Liam and him for cocking up our routine of fucking around and having fun during the season. Now I’m stuck avoiding PR disasters and a seductive roommate, all while my friends are too busy snogging with their girlfriends.
I’m on a lonely path of destruc
tiveness with no end in sight. Turns out misery loves company, and I found her in a bottle of Jack and a refill of Xans.
10
Elena
I walk into the hotel’s elevator with my takeout bag. Jax told me he’d stay in the suite while I went out and grabbed dinner for myself. When the elevator stops onto the floor of our room, I can tell something is not right by the music thumping through the hallway.