Binding 13

"Because they're a pack of fucking cowards who are too scared to play against him?" Gibsie offered, tone laced with sarcasm. "Eejits."

"So, what – they're trying to punish him for being a good player?" I asked, quite frankly shocked.

"I think it has more to do with being a player with fifteen caps for Ireland, Shan," Hughie responded.

"Caps for Ireland?"

"The amount of times he's played for his country," he quickly explained.

"So, what?" I shot back defensively. "He earned every one of those. They weren't handed to him."

"I'm not arguing with you," Hughie replied, chuckling. "It just intimidates some coaches."

"What's going on?" Joh

His arm brushed against mine and even though there were several layers of clothing between us, my skin still broke out in goosebumps.

"The usual shit," Gibsie informed him. "They won’t play if you're playing."

Joh

I turned to look at him, stu

"This happens a lot," Joh

Nodding, both Hughie and the other boy jogged off in the direction of the clubhouse, calling fellow teammates as they went.

"Joh

With all traces of his earlier vulnerability long gone, Joh

"Say a prayer for me," Gibsie told Claire. He then dove towards her and smacked a loud, smoochy kiss on her cheek before jogging away.

"Ew, Gerard!" Claire called after him, wiping her flushed cheek with her sleeve.

"Pierce," Joh

Muttering something about captain cockblock under his breath, Pierce pressed one final kiss to Lizzie's lips before sprinting off towards the team.

Joh

I nodded.

He reached up and tucked a rogue strand of hair behind my ear then whispered, "I'll see ya later," and then turned around and sprinted off to join his teammates.

Wow, I thought to myself, determination flows through that boy's veins just as potently as the terror that flows through mine.

"Joh

When he stopped ru

"What's wrong?" he asked, frowning down at me in confusion.

"Nothing, I just–" Shaking my head, I reached up and cupped his neck, pulling his face down to mine. Pressing up on my tip-toes, I whispered in his ear, "I need you to stay safe out there, okay?" Resisting the urge to fold myself into him, I released his neck and stepped back. "Be careful." I took another step back, eyes locked on his. "Okay?"

Joh

"Bye, Joh

Joh

"You'll come home with me tonight?" he asked gruffly, eyes burning with heat, as he fiddled with that rogue strand of hair of mine. "You still want to do that?"

"Yeah," I whispered, stepping closer, unable to resist the urge to knot my fingers in his shirt. "I do."

"Sha

"Okay, Joh

Without another word, he leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to my forehead.

And then he turned around and walked away.

Reeling, I watched him until he disappeared into the clubhouse and then I walked back to my friends.

Confused was an understatement for how I was feeling.

The sheer depth of my feelings for him was unhealthy.

The adoration, the lust, the downright infatuation I had for him…it was insanity.

I had never felt this much.

I had never felt so consumed.