Page 15 of Rule Breaker

“You survived the night?” Dane teased. “I thought maybe you would’ve been injured by now. Or worse.”

“Not before a game,” I replied. “Maddox is scary, not stupid. He’d wait until afterward.”

“Did he talk to you at all?” Jace asked as he glanced down the row of tables.

“Well, I tried talking to him. You know I can’t be silent for long.”

“No shit,” Dane chuckled. “You talk in your sleep, Kay.”

I waved off my friend. “No way.”

“It’s self-serve here,” Jace replied as he pointed to the far end of the dining room. “Go grab a plate, or two, and hit the buffet.”

Without delay, I got up and headed over to the breakfast station. And yes, I loaded up two plates. Ten eggs, ten pancakes, and ten slices of bacon. And yes, I was that superstitious. It was game day after all…

With both hands full, I’d have to come back for juice. I whirled around and nearly crashed into Coach Banning.

“Kayden.”

“Coach.”

“Things okay with Rocher?” he asked me.

I nodded. What was there to say? I wanted to switch rooms, but I wasn’t going to ask Coach today.

“Good.” He nodded and looked at my plates. “Fuel up. We have a game to win.”

Then he stalked off, and I headed back to join my friends. I looked around for Maddox, but he was nowhere in sight.

After a half hour, with my plates empty and my belly full, I was ready to roll out of here. I rode back up the elevator with Jace and Dane, then got off on my floor and headed for my room.

When I entered, I spotted my roommates’ headphones on his bed. Then I heard the shower running in the bathroom. I grabbed my earplugs off the nightstand and swept the area for any items I might have missed. Of course, my phone charger was still plugged into the wall. I bent over to yank it out when the bathroom door opened.

I glanced up to find Maddox standing there, his black hair wet, a small towel around his hips. Now, I’ve been in a lot of locker rooms with a lot of guys, so seeing him like this was no biggie.

So, why was I staring? And why couldn’t I remember what I was doing bent over my bed? Dirty, dirty thoughts popped into my head when I thought aboutbedsandbending over. My hormones suddenly came out to play, and it was the worst fucking timing. Ever.

“I need to grab my?—”

Fuck, I couldn’t remember the words.

“My…my thing that plugs into the wall…the charger thingy. So, did you have a good breakfast? I mean, not that I care if you eat well, that’s your business. Of course, you eat well, look at you. Not that I’m looking at your shape or size or any part of your body. I mean?—”

My face grew hotter with every word that vomited out of my mouth.

Shut up, Kayden.

And then it happened. Like a tornado out of nowhere or a bolt of lightning. Maddox laughed. And holy fuck, the resting dick face was gone and, in its place, a smile that would make anyone look twice. Me included.

But, as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. Maybe I’d imagined it?

“Stop talking,” Maddox growled.

Yup, it never happened. I must’ve had way too much sugar at breakfast or something.

“I’m going to grab my shit and wait for you in the hallway,” I replied.

“Or, better yet, go to the fucking bus already!” Maddox snapped and slammed the bathroom door.