Dirty little Summer

Unwelcomed Visitor

Aurora's pov

My blood ran cold as I practically sprinted out of the study, Damian’s heavy footsteps right behind me.

We cut across the foyer and stepped out into the bright morning sun, heading straight for the massive iron gates at the edge of the driveway. Two security guards were standing in front of a woman, trying to keep her back while she waved her arms frantically.

The second I got close enough to see her face, my stomach dropped straight to my shoes.

Aunt Karen.

"What in the hell are you doing here?" I gasped, stopping in my tracks.

She shoved past a very confused guard, her eyes locking onto me like heat-seeking missiles. "There you are! Why haven't you been answering your damn phone, Aurora?"

I blinked, taking a quick step back. "My phone was on silent! You came out all this way, because I wasn't answering my phone?"

"Of course," she snapped, pulling her purse tighter over her shoulder. She stopped a few feet away, her eyes raking over my messy clothes before flicking up to the towering, imposing figure of Damian standing right beside me.

She paused for a second, clearly startled by Damian's presence, but quickly recovered. "Half of Hartwell has been calling me since seven this morning! My phone won't stop ringing because people are saying your face is all over social media in some viral video!"

I groaned loudly, throwing my head back. "Oh, great. Wonderful."

"Why are people saying you got into a huge fight with some college hockey player?" she demanded, crossing her arms. "I want the truth right now, Rory."

Damian stepped forward smoothly, his calm voice instantly cooling down the heat in the driveway. "Good morning. I'm Damian Jordan. This is my home, and you must be Aurora's aunt."

My Aunt blinked, taking in his tailored look and sheer presence. Her stern face softened just a fraction. "Mr. Jordan. I'm sorry for causing a scene at your front gate, but when my niece disappears and ends up on the internet, I worry."

"It's completely understandable," Damian said, his dark eyes brief and unreadable as he glanced down at me. "Aurora is safe here."

"She's fine," I grumbled, rolling my eyes. "Aunt Karen, you drove all the way out here over nothing. It was just an i***t being an idiot."

"You always say you're fine when you're actually falling apart, Rory," she warned, giving me a pointed look. "Don't start acting tough with me."

"Can you please stop embarrassing me in front of everyone?" I hissed.

"Somebody has to worry about you, because you clearly don't do it yourself," she shot right back.

"Is everything okay out here?"

We all turned as Jack and Anna walked down the driveway toward us. Anna had a giant iced coffee in her hand, while Jack was wearing his hockey duffel bag over one broad shoulder.

"Aunt Karen?" Anna gasped, her face lighting up with a bright smile. "Oh my god, hi! I haven't seen you since graduation!"

"Anna, sweetie!" Aunt Karen smiled, giving her a brief hug before her eyes drifted over to Jack.

Jack stopped beside me, his tall frame naturally shifting closer to my side. He stuck out a hand politely. "Nice to meet you. I'm Jack."

Aunt Karen studied the way Jack stood right next to me, his shoulder practically brushing mine, his blue eyes watching her carefully. A small smirk twitched on her lips.

"Jack," she repeated slowly, shaking his hand. "Let me guess... are you the reason my niece suddenly forgot how to use her phone?"

My jaw dropped. "Aunt Karen!"

Anna burst out laughing, almost choking on her iced coffee. "Oh, I like her!"

"It's not like that!" I protested, heat rushing straight to my face.

Jack didn't even flinch. He just gave her a quiet, confident smirk. "I was just making sure nobody bothered her, ma'am."

Aunt Karen's smile faded into something serious as she looked back at me. "Speaking of which... stay away from Nick, Rory. I never trusted that boy from the second you brought him home."

"You don't have to tell me twice," I said flatly. "He's completely dead to me."

"He won't be coming anywhere near her again," Jack added quietly, his voice dead serious. "I'll make sure of it."

Aunt Karen gave Jack an approving nod. She turned to me, giving me a firm squeeze around the shoulders. "You don't have to fight every battle by yourself, Rory. Call me later, okay?"

"I promise," I murmured, hugging her back.

We watched as her car pulled out of the gates and disappeared down the road.

Anna checked her phone and gasped. "s**t! Jack, we're going to be so late for practice!"

"I'm already ready," Jack said, tossing his heavy duffel bag into the back of his black pickup truck parked in the driveway. He opened the passenger door and looked down at me, his blue eyes bright in the morning light. "Ready to go, Rory?"

"Lead the way," I said, stepping up into the truck.

As Jack slammed the door shut and walked around to the driver's side, I glanced over my shoulder one last time.

Damian was standing perfectly still on the porch. He hadn't said a word since Jack arrived, but his dark eyes were burning into mine as he watched me sit in his son's truck. His expression had turned colder than ice, a hard muscle flexing in his jaw.

My stomach did a wicked flip before Jack pulled out of the driveway.

Twenty minutes later, we pulled up to the massive university ice arena.

The place was huge, echoing with the sharp sounds of ice skates cutting into the rink and pucks slamming against the glass. Anna happily gave me a fast tour of the bleachers while Jack disappeared into the locker rooms to put on his gear.

As we walked along the edge of the glass, I could feel dozens of eyes on me. Groups of hockey players in workout gear were whispering and pointing.

"Yup, that's her..." one guy muttered.

"The girl from the video?" another whispered.

I rolled my eyes, keeping my head held high.

Suddenly, Daniel stepped right into our path, holding a hockey stick over his shoulder. He gave me an ugly smile. "Well, well. Look who it is. Congratulations, Aurora. You're famous before the semester even started."

"And congratulations to you, Daniel," I replied smoothly, popping a bubble gum in my mouth. "I see your bruised ego survived last night's party."

A couple of players standing nearby immediately burst out laughing.

Daniel's smile instantly vanished, his face turning bright red. "Watch your mouth—"

"Quiet on the ice!" a booming, rough voice echoed across the arena, cutting Daniel off completely.

A thick, older man with a silver whistle around his neck and a sharp clipboard in hand stepped onto the bench area. The entire team instantly went dead quiet, dropping their jokes and standing up straight.

That must be their Coach, I said to myself.

He walked toward the glass, his sharp eyes sweeping over the team before landing directly on me standing right next to Anna.

He stopped in his tracks, his thick eyebrows pulling together in a frown. He looked at me for a long, uncomfortable moment, then slowly turned his head toward Jack, who had just stepped out of the locker room in full gear.

"Coach Harrison, is there a problem?" Jack asked while strapping his gloves.

Coach Harrison raised one thick eyebrow, his deep voice carrying right over the ice.

"Jordan... care to explain why the girl from last night's fight is standing in my arena?”