I throw my clothes in the machine and try not to trip over the several baskets of their dirty clothes. I have time to kill before the game, and I can’t even sit down without fear of something possibly attacking me, so I decide to clean. I search the kitchen and find an unopened box of garbage bags.
Big shock there.
I also find some cleaning supplies and rubber gloves. I’m definitely going to need those. I start in the living room and throw away all the trash first. I fluff the pillows and even align the furniture.
Please explain to me who needs a massive sectional that seats over ten people. Oh right, a millionaire hockey player. His entertainment stand is the biggest I’ve seen. Big Mike doesn’t even have a TV this big in the bar. I put up the game consoles, controller, and games. I dust and wipe down everything. I do the same thing in the kitchen.
I move my clothes from the washer and into the dryer and figure that it’s time to get ready. I go up to his bedroom and stare at it. Besides a pile of clothes in the corner and a few suit jackets hanging on a doorknob, the room is in fairly good order. The bed grabs my attention though.
It’s a California King, four-poster bed. I walk up to it as if it might bite me and run my hand across the royal blue comforter. It’s soft. So soft.
The emotions are building, thinking of the last time I even slept in a bed. I think it was my last foster home. The bitch and the bastard. All he ever did was stare at my tits and kept pinching my ass. The bitch would pretend not to see or hear him at night coming…
I close my eyes and push away all those fucking memories. That’s the past and I don’t fucking care about it.
I turn my back to the bed and pick up the jersey Valo left for me. The bright blue offsets the white of the letters Manner on the back. The number sixty-four is bold and almost shines. The eagle on front looks fierce, as does the ‘C’ on the upper left side.
I go into his bathroom and find a bigger mess.
Shit, what the hell is wrong with him? He does need a maid. I lay the jersey on the bed as I race downstairs for the cleaning supplies and a garbage bag. I throw away empty bottles, old razors, and all the other shit he doesn’t need. I clean the whole bathroom with bleach when I notice a watch near the back of one of the open drawers.
A Rolex.
Valo has a Rolex in a random drawer in his bathroom.
Well, doesn’t everyone!
I lean against the vanity and stare at it. I could hock this thing and have rent for the rest of the year. The gold gleams in the lighting and the diamonds sparkle as well.
Too bad I’m not a thief.
I’m a bitch and a stripper, but I only steal food and I haven’t done that since I was a kid. I place the watch back in the drawer and get ready for a shower.
This isn’t a shower.
This is what heaven is truly like.
There are three shower heads, marble flooring, and the shower door is crystal glass; it’s almost like there isn’t one there. I quickly strip off my clothes and step into the scalding hot water.
Water.
Hot water.
It’s a dream against my skin.
I had a choice to make this month: lights or water. I picked the lights because there are still moments where I’m frightened of the dark. I don’t like coming into a room without the lights on. You know never know what crack head may have slipped in through the fire escape.
By the time I leave the shower, my skin is pink and pruned. I’ve never felt this clean. Ever. On top of that, I smell like Valo. That’s a smell I could handle. It’s the mix of citrus and clean.
It’s him.
I wrap myself in a plush towel that’s thicker than my winter coat and go to the laundry room. I change into my freshly dried jeans and underwear. On the way to get the jersey, I stop at the fridge. I open it and my mouth drops. Even though the place was filled with take out trash before I cleaned it, the fridge is packed with food.
It’s all fresh and looks like what you see on those cooking shows. I wipe the drool away as my stomach grumbles. I had one peanut butter sandwich almost twenty-four hours ago. I need to space my food out, so I can get my water back on.
I reach for an apple and a banana. As much as I want to make a huge meal, I can’t do it because this is Valo’s food. I’ll tell him that I took it and I’ll give him back the money he gave me to purchase my own items.
This guy is too good to be true.
I take a large bite of the apple. The crisp bite echoes in the kitchen as I take a seat in front of the fridge.
If I cried, I would be now, but I don’t. I can’t even remember the last time I cried. Maybe when I was five or so and Mom would have one her john’s in the apartment, and I would have to wait in the hallway.
Nah, not even then.
~
Thank you, whichever God really does exist. I lay my head on the steering wheel of the massive truck. I didn’t crash, scratch, or dent it on the way to the rink. I park it at the farthest possible spot and hope to fuck no one messes with it. I jump out and follow the massive crowd into the arena. I’ve seen the Eagles on TV, but I’ve never been here before.
Shit, there are a lot of people.
I walk up to the ticket booth as Valo told me to.
“There’s a ticket waiting for me.”
“Who is it?” The clerk looks bored.
“Jade Patterson from Valo Manner.”
Well, that made a difference. The clerk quickly sits up straight. “Of course, Miss Patterson. Here is your ticket. Enjoy the game.” He gives me a big smile.
Wow, I didn’t even have to give him a hand job for that smile. I nod and head toward the gate that’s assigned on my ticket.
The smell of nachos, hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, and even beer makes my knees weak. Damn, I’m hungry. The apple and a banana was a damn tease and my stomach is pissed at me because of it. I dig around my purse and I have about two dollars in change. I look up at one of the menus and a small soda is six bucks.
Six bucks?
Is this some type of special hockey-god soda?
Nope, just plain ole’ soda. I roll my eyes and rush away from the smells and my hunger pains. With the help of one of the ushers, I’m pointed to my seat just as the Eagles take the ice for warm-ups. I’m sitting right next to the ice. If this Plexiglas weren’t separating me from the ice, I would be on the ice with Valo.
“Jade!”
Right before I sit down I turn at the sound of my name. My stomach drops with fear that it’s someone about to call me out. Oh shit, not here. I don’t want to get Valo in trouble.
But I’m wrong.
It’s Mona.
“Mona, hi.” I quickly turn into my fake self. She is sitting two rows behind me.
“I didn’t know you liked hockey.”
“Well, it’s a new thing for me,” I giggle. “I’m assuming you’re a fan?”
“My husband,” she points to the man next to her. “He loves the Eagles. We’re season ticket holders. How did you get glass seats?”
Before I can open my mouth, there’s a tap on the glass. I turn to see Valo’s blue eyes staring back at me. Shit. I’m trying to be my fake self with a great guy staring at me and not have anyone figure out that I’m a stripper from the hood.
Oh, fuck it.
I wave at him and he winks before he takes off in the other direction. Wow, he’s fast.
“Was he your big date the other night?”
Now, people are looking at me. Typically, this wouldn’t be a problem for me, especially if I was naked. Not so much right now.
“Are you seeing Valo Manner?” Mona’s high-pitch voice carries over the whole rink.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“We’re just friends,” I try to wave it off. I need her to stop talking.
She goes to open her mouth and I know I’m about to be bombarded with questions. I quickly grab my cell phone from the side of my purse.
“Sorry, I have to take this. It was g
reat to see you.” I spin and flop into my seat and have a pretend conversation with myself until the damn game starts.
Fuck, I’m an idiot.
The arena goes dark as the announcer begins in his dramatic flare, introducing the players as the jumbotron flashes pictures and music. My heart skips a little when Valo’s unnatural stone face appears. He must pretend because that’s not the face I know.
When he comes to the center of the ice, he actually looks…mean. Wow, I didn’t know Finny had it in him. The ref drops the puck and the crowd explodes with excitement.
I quickly learn one thing. This isn’t like it is on TV. I can barely keep my eye on the puck, the shots on the goal, and…where the hell is Valo?
On the bench. It’s not even been on minute. What a wuss? I shake my head.
The second thing I learn, they hit…hard. One player slams into another right in front of me and I think they’re going to come through the glass. Wow, this is the craziest and coolest game I think I’ve ever seen live. Wait…this is the only game I’ve ever seen live, but I’m hooked.
I can’t stop staring at all the action on the ice. The noises you never get to hear on the TV, like the sounds of the skate blades and the trash talk between the players, I love it.
The first period flies by and when intermission starts, I think my blood is pumping as fast as the players.
What a rush!
I worry for a second that Mona is going to talk to me, but when I look up, she isn’t in her seat. I dodged that bullet.
The second period begins and Valo is right there, front and center again. He looks so huge on the ice. He’s big in person, but the padding and skates make him a giant.
It’s hot.
The battle for a team to score first continues and about halfway through the second period, it happens…and it’s Valo. He swings his stick back and I don’t even see the puck go past the goalie. The lights go on and everyone cheering. I stand and clap, smiling as I watch Valo and the boys celebrate.
That’s the face I know: the bubbly overjoyed Finnish captain. He’s to my right and as he passes me, he stops for a quick second, taps the glass with his stick, and winks at me.
I roll my eyes, but for the first time, and I really think it’s the first time, I blush.
~
“Oh Captain, My Captain, that was a sweet ass goal.” I’m leaning against the truck as Valo walks toward me.
“Thanks. I’m glad you think so. I have a surprise for you,” he grins at me.
“A surprise? Well, I’m not used to blowing guys with a massive crowd watching, but okay,” I tease him because I can see faint pink on his cheek.
“I said it was a surprise for you.” Valo shakes his head as he reaches into his pants pocket. He hands me a puck.
“What’s this?”
“The puck I scored with. I thought it would be nice to have something from your first game.”
I stare at the hockey league logo. “Valo, I can’t take this. You might get in trouble.” I try to push it back into his hand, but he moves quickly to the side.
“Stop thinking I’m going to get in trouble over everything. I didn’t steal it, Jade. We get pucks sometimes; I got this one for you.”
“Valo.” I stare at the puck in my hand and I don’t really have any smart-ass comment to yell at him. “This is very kind of you. Thank you. Now,” I smile brightly at him and change the subject before I become a weepy mess. “Are you ready for a real American date?”
“Of course. Do I get to know anything yet or is it all still a surprise?”
“Nope. I’m telling you nothing. But you’ll have fun.” I grab the keys from my pocket and shake them at him. “You need to drive though. As weird as it may sound, this is a lot of truck for me to handle.” I toss them to him.
He easily catches them and laughs. “Where am I going?”
“To the park, of course.”
Valo navigates the massive truck better than I did, and soon, we are at Central Park.
“I know it’s a bit dark out, but we’re on the good side of town. So, come on.” I take his hand and lead him to the swings.
“What are we doing here, Jade?” he asks curiously.
“Sit on the swing and listen.”
He sits down. “Am I listening to you or am I supposed to hear something right now? Because I don’t hear anything.”
I laugh at him. “It’s the nothing that you should hear.” I stop talking and listen to the quiet. “It’s the greatest sound. Look up.”
Valo does. “Okay. I see the sky and all the stars.”
“Valo, don’t be such a Debbie Downer. Those stars are the same stars you see in Finland. It’s the same stars you see in Canada and all over the world.” I don’t mean it to sound as sad as it comes out, but it does. “I used to run away from my foster homes a lot and this is where I would come. I would sit on the swings and listen to the quiet. No fighting, yelling, shooting, just … nothing. I stared at the stars and would think that maybe somewhere far, far away, there was someone doing the same thing I was. Looking at the exact same star. Wishing…” I stop talking because I’m telling him too much. I don’t know what it is about him, but I’m a fountain of emotions with him. “Anyway, I want you to swing. Swing as high as you can and then jump off. But if you get hurt and they deport your ass back to Finland, don’t you dare blame me.”
He laughs and it echoes through the park. “I’ll swing and jump, but you get your pretty butt in that swing and do it with me. I can’t do it alone.”
“I was planning on it. Ready, set, go!”
We both swing our legs until we’re high up. We look at each other and then jump to the ground. I try to hold back my laughter and we hit the ground.
“Did you ever do that back home? Were you an adventurous kid?” I ask him as he helps me to my feet.
“Not unless you count adventurous as being the same as a troublemaker. I was running full speed all the time and my parents had a hard time keeping up. The only time I ever really slowed down was on the ice, I guess. Maybe that’s why they kept me playing.”
“Slowed down on the ice? I must have been watching that game on fast forward then because you were flying all over the place.”
Valo smirks. “I meant it’s the only time I can really focus on one thing. I mean, you saw my house. I’m on the go more than I am sitting down or cleaning.”
“Speaking of your house, um…” I’m suddenly nervous. I don’t get this way. “I was just chilling out and I grabbed an apple and banana to tide me over. And I left the money you gave me on your nightstand. I didn’t need it.”
“An apple and a banana? That’s what you had for dinner? Do you want to go grab something to eat then? You could have used the money to buy something at the game or fixed whatever you wanted at the house. I said you could take advantage of whatever was in the house.” He frown deepens as he talks to me.
“Calm down, Valo. I had a huge lunch today and I just was in a snacky mood. I’m fine. I’m not hungry at all.” On cue, my stomach growls. “That’s nothing. Let’s head to part two of American date.”
“Part two isn’t happening until we eat. Lucky you, I’m starving and I’m driving, so we kind of have no choice but to eat.”
“You know, you’re a little pushy, Finny,” I joke with him.
“It’s one of my many talents.”
“Will I ever get to see any of your other talents? I don’t know about you, but it has been awhile since I had sex.”
Valo holds the door open for me and we head off to grab something to eat. “As long as you stick around, you’ll be able to see them all.”
“And people think I’m a tease. You have me beat. So, tell me about your true love who got away. What was she like?”
Valo remains quiet and I think I struck a nerve with him. We listen to the soft music of the radio. He pulls up to a pizza parlor.
“She wasn’t my true love,” he speaks to me as we get out of the truck and sl
owly walk down the sidewalk. “I thought she might have been, but she wasn’t. Do you really want to know this now?”
“Oh, come on. You know about me. I’m simply asking, but if it’s that bad, we can talk about something else if you want?” I push him a bit.
“No, it’s fine. She was‒” He pauses and chuckles. “She actually was a teacher. She also coached a little girl’s hockey team. She ended up running off with her male best friend. They happened to be in love with one another, but denied it. And now, they’re together.”
“Well, that sounds like a really shitty romance novel. I’m sorry it went down like that. Is that why you left Indiana?”
“No, my trade was a happy change of events that didn’t have anything to do with them.”
“At least there’s an upside from that. You’re now the captain of your own team, have a massive contract, and you’re in Liberty, Maine. I mean, come on, who wouldn’t want to be here?” I roll my eyes. “Now, I’d like to ask you a big question. Don’t worry; I’m not proposing marriage to you.” I giggle louder than I mean to.
“What kind of big question?”
“In my line of work, guys always want me to play out some game or fantasy, but we both know you’re different, so I’m wondering what is your fantasy?”
He automatically grins. He always seems to be smiling. He has to be the happiest man in the world. “Are you going to answer the same question as well?”
“Sure, why not? Let’s hear yours first.”
He is quiet for a second and I think he won’t tell me. “I’ve always wanted to have sex in the locker room and it’s yet to happen.”
“Wait, like the Eagles locker room? You haven’t had sex there yet?” I figured he had.
“I’ve never had sex in any locker room, and of course, the Eagles locker room. It can’t just be any one. Plus, it’s a really nice locker room.”
“I’m surprised, but that’s not terribly bad at all.” I thought it would be something seriously kinky.
Tainted (Oh Captain, My Captain #7) Page 5