JEALOUS
1552 Words
The words hung in the damp air of the locker room, and a heavy, suffocating silence immediately settled over the surrounding benches. A few guys nearby stopped unlacing their skates entirely because they were openly eavesdropping on the confrontation. I sat completely frozen on the hard wooden bench while the cold reality of Liam’s absolute betrayal washed over me all over again. He stood there with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, trying to look imposing, while Chloe shifted uncomfortably right behind his shoulder. She refused to meet my eyes, and that small act of cowardice stung worse than the actual threat.
I wanted to stand up and shove him backward into the row of lockers, but my limbs felt incredibly heavy and entirely unresponsive. Before I could even force my mouth open to defend myself, the thick tension in the room shattered.
Michael shifted his massive frame on the bench right beside me, and the sudden movement drew every single eye in the room. He did not look at Liam, nor did he acknowledge Chloe’s presence. Instead, he turned his entire body toward me, lifting his large hand to cup the side of my face. His long, calloused fingers slid firmly into my damp hair while his thumb pressed deliberately against my lower lip, forcing my mouth to part slightly.
"Pay attention to me, Axel," Michael murmured, his voice a dark, demanding vibration that completely bypassed my brain and went straight to my stomach.
He did not wait for my response or my permission. Michael leaned in and crushed his mouth against mine, completely obliterating the rest of the room. It was not a gentle press of lips or a calculated public relations stunt designed for the cameras. He kissed me with a wet, open-mouthed ferocity that immediately stole the breath directly from my lungs. His tongue pushed past my teeth, tasting dark and incredibly hot, tangling with mine in a deeply dominant rhythm that demanded absolute surrender.
A strangled, needy sound tore its way out of my throat before I could stop it, and my hands instinctively flew up to grip the thick fabric of his shirt. I meant to push him away because we were in the middle of a crowded locker room, but my fingers ended up curling tightly into the material and pulling him even closer. He tasted of peppermint and the lingering salt of his sweat, and the sheer, overwhelming physical reality of him completely short-circuited my thoughts.
Michael slanted his head to deepen the angle, pressing me backward until my spine hit the cold metal of the locker behind me. He crowded into my space, trapping one of my legs between his thick thighs, and the intense friction sent a blinding jolt of heat straight to my groin. I forgot about the contract we signed. I forgot about the dozen teammates standing mere feet away with their jaws dropped. I completely forgot that Liam and Chloe were standing right there watching the entire spectacle unfold.
All I knew was the firm grip of his hand in my hair and the slick, degrading, and entirely addictive way he was consuming my mouth. My eyelids fluttered shut, and I melted against him entirely, leaning my heavy weight into his solid chest while my frantic heartbeat hammered against my ribs. He owned the kiss entirely, dictating the pace and the depth, and I let him take every single thing he wanted.
When he finally pulled back, he did it agonizingly slowly. He let his teeth drag across my swollen bottom lip, leaving a wet shine behind as he created a fraction of space between us. I remained pinned against the locker, my chest heaving erratically while I gasped for the air he had just stolen. My eyes were wide and completely dazed, and my hands were still gripping his shirt as if he were the only solid thing left in the room.
Michael kept his face incredibly close to mine for another long second, his dark eyes scanning my flushed cheeks and blown-out pupils with deep satisfaction. He slowly wiped a stray drop of moisture from the corner of my mouth with his thumb before he finally turned his head to look back at the audience.
Liam was practically vibrating with absolute fury. His face had turned a violent, mottled shade of crimson, and his hands were balled into tight fists at his sides. Chloe was staring at us with wide, horrified eyes, her hand pressed over her mouth in complete shock.
Michael let out a low, dark chuckle that sounded incredibly dangerous in the quiet room. He draped his heavy arm over my shoulders, pulling my side flush against his, and looked Liam directly in the eye.
"What is wrong, Liam?" Michael asked, his voice dripping with condescension and a wicked, mocking edge. "Are you jealous?"
"You son of a b***h," Liam spat, taking a step forward until he was almost within striking distance. "You think you can just put on a show and prove something to me? You think I actually believe this garbage?"
"I really do not care what you believe," Michael replied, his tone remaining perfectly level and entirely unbothered. "But judging by the fact that you are standing here completely red in the face and staring at my boyfriend's mouth, I would say you are having a very hard time accepting reality. You lost him, Liam. You traded the best thing you ever had for a quick hookup, and now you get to stand there and watch me take him."
I finally found my voice, pushing through the thick haze of arousal and embarrassment that still clouded my brain. I swallowed hard and forced myself to look at my former best friend, using the lingering heat from Michael’s kiss to fuel my confidence.
"He is not manipulating me, Liam," I stated firmly, ignoring the way my voice shook on the first few words. "And I am not putting on a show for you because you are genuinely not that important to me anymore. You made your choice when you went behind my back, so you do not get to stand here and dictate who I want or what I do."
Chloe stepped out from behind Liam and reached out a hand toward me, her eyes pleading. "Axel, please listen to him. We know you are hurt, and we know we messed up, but you do not have to do this. You are letting your anger push you into a situation you do not actually understand. Michael Rossi does not care about anyone but himself."
Michael did not even flinch at the accusation, but his fingers traced a slow, deliberate circle against my collarbone, reminding me of his absolute physical presence. "You are very brave to offer relationship advice, Chloe, considering your current track record. But I assure you, Axel understands exactly what he is doing, and he knows exactly who he belongs to now."
"He does not belong to you!" Liam yelled, completely losing his composure as his voice echoed off the metal walls. "He is a Knight! He hates you! He has hated you since our freshman year, and you are just using him to get under my skin! You are manipulating him into a scandal!"
"The only scandal here is how long it took him to realize he was wasting his time with people who did not value him," Michael countered smoothly. "He is done with the minor leagues, Liam. He is with me now. And if you have a problem with that, you can take it up with me on the ice during the game next weekend. I would be more than happy to show you exactly how much better I am than you in every possible category."
Liam's chest heaved rapidly as he processed the blatant disrespect. He took another aggressive step forward, his hands twitching as if he were trying to decide whether throwing a punch was worth the inevitable suspension. The entire locker room held its collective breath, and I could hear the faint sound of the showers running in the background while we waited for the situation to completely explode.
Michael stood up slowly, releasing my shoulder and stepping directly in front of me to physically block Liam's path. He used his height advantage to completely dwarf Liam, staring down at him with an expression of total, terrifying boredom.
"Do it," Michael challenged quietly. "Throw the punch, Liam. Give me a reason to end your season before the playoffs even start."
Liam stared up at him, the anger in his eyes battling with the realization that he would absolutely lose a physical fight against the larger, stronger forward. He clenched his jaw so tightly I could hear his teeth grinding together, and he finally took a slow, deliberate step backward.
"This is not over, Axel," Liam hissed over Michael's shoulder, his eyes narrowing as he grabbed Chloe by the arm and started to pull her toward the exit. "You are going to regret this. I promise you."
Before Liam could even push the heavy double doors open to leave, a loud, amused voice suddenly rang out from the opposite side of the benches, breaking the heavy silence entirely.
"Wait, are we really doing threats now?"
- Writer
