Page 13 of Puck Me Harder
In the crowd behind him, I Sawyer’s horrified face comes into view. Sergei’s four teammates rush me, but I plant my feet. There’s no way they’re getting past me.
No one is laying a finger on Dakota.
The first guy tackles me, wrapping his arms around my waist in an attempt to drag me down. He doesn't even budge me. I wrap my arms around his waist instead, lifting him up, and dropping him on his head.
One of his buddies is already rushing me. He swings wildly, the glint of light catching on glass as he swings a bottle at my face. I dip my head, meeting his fist with my forehead. I hear the sickening crack of bone as his hand breaks, and then Sawyer is wrapping him up from behind. I give the team captain a nod of appreciation as he wrestles one goon away, lifting him bodily off the ground.
The remaining two look a lot less sure of themselves now that three of their teammates are no longer in the fight. I can feel warm blood trickling down my face, and couldn’t care less. I tense, faking a charge at them to make them flinch.
I laugh as their eyes go wide with fear.
“Get out of here boys, and take your trash with you. This is a Snowhawk bar,” I give the men my best feral grin as they grab their unconscious friends and drag them away.
“Captain— is everything ok?” I twist around to see Emerson rushing over with Parker in tow. “What’d we miss?”
Sawyer is glaring at me.
“Just fine, boys. Kai, that was —”
I ignore him. I only have eyes for Dakota.
“You alright?” I ask.
“Me?” her voice is full of indignation, her eyes flashing as she jabs me in the chest with a finger. “You got yourself hurt, you big idiot. We would have been fine on our own.”
“Those guys aren’t the sort who take no for an answer,” I retort.
Dakota just rolls her eyes, grabs my hand, and starts to drag me away.
“Come on. I’ve got a first-aid kit back at my hotel. I’m not about to let your bleeding ruin the night for everyone else.”
It isn’t until we’re almost out the door that I notice more of The Nest crew has entered the bar. Yasmin, the team physical therapist, and Sawyer’s little sister Payton are already rushing over to Sofia.
“You’re just trying to get that interview, Ace,” I say with a smile.
“Damn right, I am. You’re going to give it to me, too.” Dakota’s hand is warm in mine.
Her skin is soft, but I can feel a few rough spots. She plays sports— volleyball and lacrosse if I had to guess by the position of her callouses. That’s alright. I like a girl who doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty.
“I’ll be happy to give it to you all night long,” I lean in, whispering into her ear. The bar around us is loud and growing louder, but she still hears me perfectly clearly.
Dakota’s cheeks darken until her porcelain skin is nearly the same shade of red as her hair.
“Bandage. Interview. Then you leave.” She marches me past the security guard in a stripped referee shirt at the front door. “Got it, Mita?”
“Whatever you say, Ace,” I chuckle as she leads me to the waiting Uber.
If those are her rules, fine. I’ll just have to make sure this interview is even more memorable than the last one.
5
Dakota
Kai Mita is infuriating.
It’s a good thing his head is hard as granite, because most people would be seeing stars after that little altercation. The man is pushy, smug, and arrogant.
I’ve never been more turned on in my life.