“No way!” Malik says in shock when he sees us. The whole crowd is staring at us. The bus drivers are getting frustrated, practically hanging out of their windows because none of the older kids are getting on the bus. They’re all staring at us. “Elijah Stoll is dating Ali Wrong?”
Elijah moves so fast that I barely have time to register what’s happening before his huge hand is wrapped around Malik’s throat and he’s being slammed into the side of the truck.
The crowd lets out a collective gasp and takes a step back. Elijah squeezes Malik’s neck so hard that his eyes look like they’re about to pop out of his head.
“The fuck did you call her?” he hisses into Malik’s face.
He can’t even answer. His mouth is opening and closing like a fish out of water. The air is trapped in his lungs by Elijah’s steel grip.
He’s still squeezing his neck, feet still off the ground, as he turns and addresses the crowd. “Anyone else want to call my girl something?”
My girl… I’m his girl?
Everyone looks as shocked as I am. They’re all turning to me, looking stunned and speechless.
I just give a knowing shrug, even though I don’t know what the hell is happening anymore.
“You might want to let him go,” I whisper to Elijah when I see Malik’s legs start convulsing.
He releases the prick and Malik falls to the ground in a crumpled heap, gasping and clutching his neck.
I can tell Elijah is about to say something to the crowd, but the bus drivers start honking their horns in warning. Everyone reluctantly scatters to their buses before they leave, but they keep looking back, not wanting to miss the show of the year.
The football players take the opportunity to scram. They grab Malik and run to their practice before Elijah can get his big hands on any more of them.
When the buses leave, we’re pretty much the only ones left in the parking lot.
“Thank you,” I say as I fidget with my hands and look up at him with hearts in my eyes. “That was amazing!”
“You’re amazing,” he says as he puts that big comforting arm back around me. I let out an involuntary moan as I curl into his side, wanting to stay like this forever.
This is my new happy place. This is what I’ll think about when I’m feeling down and I need a boost.
“Get the fuck out of here!” a voice shouts.
I turn as the football coach’s car pulls up with the window rolled down. He’s staring at Elijah in shock like someone running into an old friend they didn’t expect to see but are delighted about it.
“Elijah fucking Stoll,” the coach says as he looks him up and down. “You’re even bigger than the last time I saw you, which I didn’t think was physically possible.”
Elijah smiles as he walks over and shakes his hand—normally this time. He’s not trying to break bones anymore.
“How are you, coach?” he says. “I hear you got a home game on Friday?”
“Big one,” he says. “One of the top schools in the state. Hey! You want to help us get ready for it? We’re about to start practice.”
My man grins. “Join your team in practice?”
“Yeah!” the coach says. “You can show these pussies how a real defensive player tackles.”
Elijah’s smile widens as he starts nodding his head. “I would love to.”
The coach looks at Elijah’s truck. “Do you have your pads in there?”
Elijah shakes his head with a grin. “I don’t need them.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Elijah
* * *
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” my girl asks as she nervously shifts from foot to foot in front of me. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“You think I’m going to get hurt?”
She looks me up and down and then shakes her head. “No.”
“It will be fine,” I say as I gently take her hands, trying not to be too rough. I’m already getting amped up and sometimes I don’t know my own strength when my blood gets pumping like this. “This is what I do, sweet girl. I was made for this.”
“You don’t have to…”
I lean down and kiss her blushing cheek. Fuck, she smells good. Now I know that she tastes as good as she smells.
“I want to,” I tell her as I stare into her beautiful blue eyes. “I’m going to make them pay for tormenting you, Ali. Nobody treats my girl like that. Nobody.”
“Okay,” she whispers. “I’ll be watching from the stands.”
I lean down to kiss her cheek again, but her pink juicy lips look so tempting that I kiss her on the mouth instead.
She moans when I feel her soft lips against mine. It’s only a gentle, closed-mouth kiss, but it’s enough to get adrenaline surging through my veins.
I want more. I want all of her.