Off Sides (9 page)

Ryan

The sun is streaming in through the window of my room and it’s hitting Danny on the head, making it look like she’s wearing a halo. She's so cute lying there...on her stomach...studying. She has a pencil gripped between her teeth and her brow is furrowed. I'm sitting at my desk, trying to get studying done of my own, but it's not working. I keep looking over at her and find myself getting lost.

I smile because apparently Danny has figured something out. Her scowl disappears, and one cute dimple peaks out. She erases something with her pencil and writes something else instead. She looks extremely satisfied with herself.

Oh, to hell with studying.

I stand up from my chair and walk over to my bed. Danny is deep in thought and doesn't pay any attention to me.

I'll change that.

I quickly cover her body with my own and hear her intake of breath before she giggles.

Pulling her long hair back away from her neck, I lightly graze my lips back and forth, just below her ear. She shivers in response and squirms underneath of me.

"Do you like that?" I ask softly in her ear, just before I lick the outer edge.

Danny issues a low groan and I flex my hips into her butt in response so she can feel what she's doing to me.

"Ryan...lock your door..."

I jump up from the bed to do her bidding but just as I reach the door it swings open. Mike is standing there with a shit-eating grin on his face. I glare at him.

"Hope I didn't interrupt anything?"

Danny laughs under her breath and I look back at her. She's flipped over and scooted back to lean up against the headboard. She's resting her head on her knees, looking completely innocent. I sigh and step back for Mike to come in, knowing that I'll have to wait to get my fill of Danny.

"What's up, man?" I ask.

"I come bearing bad news, buddy. Your mom is downstairs and wants to see you."

"Fuck!"

I scrub my hand through my hair in frustration. My mom has been trying to reach me for days and I've been ignoring her phone calls. I was hoping she'd just get tired of it and leave me alone. She is on a mission to try to get Angeline back in my life and that will happen when Hell freezes over.

I walk over to Danny and kiss her on the head. "I'll be right back."

Mike pipes up. "I'll keep her company while you go battle the grizzly bear."

"Thanks, dude."

I slowly trudge down the stairs, feeling like I'm walking to my death. My mother has a way of making me feel about two inches tall, just with a look. I will have to steel myself to tell her in no uncertain terms that I am not getting back with Angeline. In fact, now is as good a time as any to tell her about Danny.

As I enter the foyer, my anger burns. Angeline is standing there beside my mother. They're both dressed in their best. Wool and cashmere and thousands of dollars in pearls. I'd take Danny in a ratty t-shirt and sweat pants any day.

"Mother," I say as I walk up to her and bend over to give her a peck on the cheek. "What are you doing here?"

My mother appraises me closely and then practically sneers. "If you'd bother answering your phone or returning my calls, you'd know."

"Sorry. I've been busy with school and hockey."

She doesn't pull any punches when she says, "That's not all you've been busy with so I hear."

I glare over at Angeline who is smiling at me blandly. There’s no doubt she’s been filling my mother’s head with all kinds of nonsense.

"I'm an adult, mother. What I do is none of your business."

She looks like she's going to lay into me for a minute but then changes her mind. Instead, she fixes a smile to her face and says breezily, "I don't want to fight with you, darling. I've come to take you to lunch and I invited Angeline along, too. Won't that be nice?"

My rage peaks again and is threatening to boil over. What do I have to do to get these two to see that I want nothing to do with Angeline?

"May I speak with you in private, Mother?" I say this through gritted teeth in an effort not to yell at her.

She inclines her head toward me to indicate she agrees, and I turn to walk back up the stairs. She follows without question.

I open the door to my room and Mike's head pops up. He's playing his PSP.

"Can you give us a minute, Mike?"

He jumps up from the bed and leaves the room, mumbling a goodbye to my mother. I look at Danny and she looks like a deer caught in the headlights. She starts to get up from the bed but I hold my hand up to stop her. "Please stay."

I turn and step aside so my mother can walk in. She does so and inhales her breath sharply when she sees Danny sitting on my bed. Danny stands up, nervously wiping her hands on her jeans. I hate putting her in this position but I need my mother to understand what Danny means to me.

I walk over to where Danny is standing and put my arm around her waist. Leaning over, I give a small kiss to her temple and I feel her relax.

"Mother. This is Daniella Cross but she goes by Danny. Danny, this is my mother, Celia Burnham."

Danny reaches her hand out to my mother to shake it and good manners dictate that my mother has to reciprocate. "It's a pleasure, Mrs. Burnham."

My mother doesn't reply to Danny and releases her hand. Instead she looks at me. "I thought you said we were going to talk in private, Ryan?"

"I'm sorry, but what I want to say needs to be said in front of Danny and I want you to hear me so there is no misunderstanding. I am with Danny. She is with me. We love each other...deeply, and there isn't anything you can say or do that is going to change that. I'm asking you..." Ryan pauses and takes a deep breath, "no...I'm begging you to please accept this and for once, let me be happy with something of my own choosing."

For just a split second, I think I see something like understanding cross her face, but then it shuts down. Her veneer is back in place.

And then she actually laughs. "Ryan...don't be silly. You can't possibly think you have something to justify a long term relationship with this girl."

I feel Danny tense up next to me but I give her waist a small squeeze of reassurance. "Mother, I not only think it, I know it. Now, either you can be happy for me, or not, but I am with Danny and nothing is going to change that."

My mother's lips peel back in a snarl and her next words are like ice in my veins. "Ryan Burnham...you have obligations to this family and I am not going to stand by while you throw away what could be a very promising future on some two-bit waitress. Now tell me you understand what I'm saying so we can be done with this foolishness."

I take a deep breath and offer up a prayer requesting patience. I look at my mother. Her beautiful visage is curled into an ugly scowl and her attitude makes it that much worse. I exhale and choose my next words very carefully.

"I understand what you are saying." I watch her visibly relax. "But I don't accept what you are saying. We are clearly at an impasse and until such time as you can accept Danny being with me, we have nothing more to talk about. I'd like you to leave now."

Danny lets out a small gasp beside me and I squeeze her again.

My mom turns to leave but not before landing her cold eyes on Danny. "I hope you're pleased with yourself, you little gold digging tramp. You've managed to alienate Ryan from his entire family."

Danny almost sags against me but I hold onto her tight.

"Leave, Mother." I grit out.

She flips me one last glare and leaves, slamming the door behind her.

Immediately I turn to Danny and pull her too me. She's shaking and I stroke her back to soothe her. I hear the door to my room open up and assume its Mike. I turn to ask him to give me a few more minutes but I'm incensed to see Angeline standing there.

"What the fuck do you want?" I snarl and Danny's head pops up to see Angeline standing in the doorway. She pulls out of my arms and walks over to the window, turning her back on us. I think she’s seen all she wants to.

Turning back to Angeline I just point to the door for her to leave but she just glares at me. "How could you do that to your mother, Ryan? Choosing that—"

I don't let her get the word out. I lunge at her and grab her arm, probably a little more roughly than I intended, but I want to stop those vicious words from coming out. I push her out the door and slam it in her face. Leaning back against the frame, I can hear Angeline stomping down the stairs. I rub the spot between my eyes feeling a tremendous tension headache coming on.

Then Danny's soft hands are on my face. She's staring at me with such compassion that for a split second I want to break down and cry like a baby. Instead, I grab her head and kiss the hell out of her. Pulling her in close to me, I turn us around and push her into the door. I pin her body with mine, dragging her hands above her head. I thoroughly consume her mouth in my zeal to make sure she is really mine. I'm terrified she might leave me just to get away from the insaneness of my family.

Burying my face in her neck, I beg her, "I need to fuck you, Danny...please ...let me..."

She doesn't hesitate as she reaches down to the front of my pants and strokes me. "I need you too, Ryan. Now lock the door."

***

Danny and I are lying on the bed, our skin slick with sweat. We're on our sides and I'm spooned up to her back. My heart rate is finally returning to normal after what must have been the wildest and hardest sex I've ever had and now I'm filled with regret.

"I'm sorry that was so rough," I say as I stroke her arm.

Danny flips over quickly and puts a fingertip over my lips. "Oh no you don't, Mister. That was outrageously awesome sex and you are not to feel bad about that in any way. In fact, I insist we do that more often."

I let out a huge sigh of relief and smile at her. "Thank God! I thought it was awesome too but I was just so wild for you. I'm not sure I really knew what I was doing."

She gives off that low, smoky laugh of hers that shoots lust straight through my body. "Oh, you knew what you were doing. And it was freakin' fantastic."

I wrap her in my arms and squeeze her. "I love you so much, Danny. Please don't ever leave me."

She's quiet for a minute then she says in a small voice, "I'm always afraid you'll leave me. That one day I won't be enough for you."

Needing to drown out her doubts, I lean over her and kiss her hard. She responds and our hands seek out the other's body, laying claim...branding. I make love to her again, slowly this time, whispering all of my feelings for her the entire time, making sure she understands that my dreams of the future can only come to fruition if she's by my side.

When Danny finally tumbles with me into oblivion, she's whispering to me that she loves me, too.

Danny

It's Saturday and I've pulled a double shift at Sally's. I'm so tired and my feet are killing me. I was supposed to go to a party tonight with Ryan but I begged off, telling him to spend some quality guy time with his friends. A night of relaxation with a good book is what I need.

It's almost 11:00 p.m. when I finish my shift. I'm just getting ready to walk out the door when I get a text. It's from Ryan.

Didn't go to party. Sick. Just woke up. Think food poisoning. Can u come over?

I don't hesitate when I fire off a quick text.

Of course. Be there in 30 min with soup.

I head back into the kitchen and get some chicken noodle soup and crackers to take with me. Putting cash in the register to cover it, I walk out the door and head over to Ryan's frat house.

When I'm about a block from his house, I remember that Ryan was supposed to meet Mike over at the party. Realizing that Ryan was probably too sick to let Mike know what was going on, I fire off a quick text to Mike to let him know why Ryan didn't show

Ryan texted me he is sick. Won't make party. I'm on my way over there now. I'll take good care of him. :)

I hit send and walk up the steps. The front door is open, as it usually always is. Walking in, I can't see anyone around. They are all probably at the party. I jog up the steps to Ryan's room and open the door.

The room is empty and I look around in confusion. His bed is perfectly made, which doesn't make sense. I walk over to it and see his iPhone on the nightstand. Setting the soup down, I pick his phone up and turn it on. There are his texts to me and my responses. Maybe he's in the bathroom.

My phone chimes and I look down to see a text from Mike.

Ryan's here with me. R U okay?

A sick feeling begins in my stomach and before I can reply, something hard slams into the back my head. I crumple to Ryan's bed and my vision winks in and out. Someone grabs my hair from behind and pushes me face down onto the mattress, then a pillowcase is thrown over my head and I am now in full blown panic. I try to scream but only a warbled sound comes out. I take a deep breath and try again, getting out a somewhat loud shriek.

I'm rewarded with another hit to my head, this time to the side of my face and it catches the corner of my eye and my cheekbone. Pain explodes and fear for my life is now coursing through me. I'm dizzy from the blows to my head. I'm suffocating from the pillowcase pulled tight over my face and the weight of someone on my back.

And then my worst nightmares come true. Whoever is at my back reaches to my front and undoes my jeans quicker than I can react. I start struggling with all my might but my captor now has put a large hand around the back of my neck, pinning my face into the mattress. I can't breathe and I know I'm going to pass out.

I can feel my jeans and underwear being roughly jerked down my legs and cold air hits my bottom. I start thrashing again, trying to get free and my attacker pushes my face harder in the mattress and says, "Quit moving, bitch, and I'll make this fast."

Terrified, I start crying and I'm tiring out from the struggle. I'm weakly flailing my legs but he just laughs at my efforts. I feel one of hands his reach roughly between my legs and I start sobbing uncontrollably.

And then he's gone...as if he's been ripped away from my body. I hear Ryan bellow in rage and scream, "Get the fuck away from her." Something slams into the opposite wall.

I scramble to pull up my jeans and jerk the pillowcase off my head. Ryan is on top of a guy...I can't tell who it is. Ryan is pounding away at his face, over and over again. Blood and spit starts flying and I can see numerous cuts opening up on my attacker’s face. I’m frozen in place, watching Ryan punch the man over and over.

Feet come running up the stairs and Mike is in the doorway. He flicks a glance at me, appraising the situation and mutters, "Fuck." He looks over at Ryan and just watches as he pounds away at my would-be-rapist. I hear the crunch of bone on bone and when Ryan pulls his fist back, I can the guys nose squashed to the side of his face.

Finally, Mike moves in and tries to pull Ryan off. Ryan whips around on Mike, rage turning his beautiful face into a mask of hatred and vengeance. He snarls, "Get the fuck off me," and goes back to pounding on the guy, who is now unconscious.

"Ryan, you're going to kill the guy if you don't stop."

He doesn't listen and his rage isn't diminishing. I start crying, strangely sick at the gruesome scene before me and oddly satisfied that Ryan is hurting this guy who came so very close to killing a part of me.

Mike is yelling now and trying to grab Ryan again. "Ryan...do you want to go to prison? Get off of him. He's done."

Mike's words do nothing to affect Ryan but when he says the word "prison" it jolts me into action. I can't have Ryan go to prison because of me.

I jump off the bed and cross the room in two strides coming to stand in his line of vision.

"Ryan," I say softly. "Please stop."

And just like that Ryan stops and stands up from the guy. He is breathing harshly and his hands are covered in blood. More blood is spattered on his shirt. He turns my way and runs his gaze over me. He stares at my face and with a shaky hand, he gently brings it up to touch where I can feel my cheek starting to swell. But then he must see the blood all over his hand and drops it back down to his side.

He looks lost and my heart breaks. I walk up to him and put my head on his chest. I wrap my arms around his waist and squeeze him hard.  He doesn't respond at first and I start to panic. But then his arms come around me and he buries his head in my neck. I can feel him starting to shudder but then he pulls back abruptly.

"Are you okay?"

I nod, on the verge of a full meltdown.

"Did he...?"

"No! He didn't get a chance. He just...touched me."

Oh God, he touched me. I can feel bile rising in my throat and run to the wastebasket. I make it in time and heave and heave until nothing more is left. I'm dimly aware of Ryan cradling me in his lap, stroking my hair, telling me it's going to be alright.

***

The police and rescue squad are here. They've taken my attacker away. It turns out it was Ryan's teammate, Reece Malone. He was unconscious and badly beaten. I'm terrified he might die and Ryan could be in serious trouble.

Ryan and I are both sitting in the back of an ambulance. An EMT is bandaging Ryan's hands and another is taking my vitals. I glance out the back doors and there is a huge crowd gathering. Ryan reaches across the space and links his fingers with mine. I squeeze back.

The EMT is asking me questions and I try to focus. She's asking me if I need a rape kit and I can feel my bottom lip trembling as I shake my head no. She questions me about my injuries and I tell her about being dizzy and vomiting. She's afraid I may have a head injury and wants me to go to the hospital to get checked out. She said they'll also need to physically document my injuries for any criminal charges.

I look over at Ryan in panic and he strokes his thumb lovingly over my hand. "It'll be okay, Danny. We need to take you to the hospital to get checked out."

I nod, trusting in Ryan.

At the hospital, they triage me fairly quickly and whisk me away for a CT scan of my head. Then they put me in a room where Ryan is waiting and I crawl onto his lap so he can hold me.  The room we are in is depressing as hell. The walls are a dingy gray and are covered with old posters depicting different types of injuries. The smell of antiseptic is making me nauseous.

As we are waiting for a doctor, a police officer comes to take my statement and he takes photos of my bruises.  Apparently there is a long scratch across my lower back that I don't recall how I got, but he snaps a few pictures of it. I'm beyond humiliated.

Before leaving, he tells us that he has to keep Ryan’s cell phone for evidence, as it appears that Reece used it to lure me to the frat house by posing as Ryan, texting me that he was sick.

“I forgot to bring my phone with me to the party,” Ryan murmurs. “Thank God you texted Mike. Otherwise...I wouldn’t have known you were in trouble.”  I shudder as I consider the probability of what would have happened had I not sent that text and Ryan hugs me tight.

As soon as the one cop leaves, another comes in.

"She's already given a statement,” Ryan growls. “Can't you guys leave her alone?"

The officer looks at me with sympathy but then turns hard eyes to Ryan. "I'm not here to take her statement. I'm here to place you under arrest for assault and battery."

"What?!" I shriek a little too loudly and fly off of Ryan’s lap. "He was defending me. You need to arrest that animal who attacked me."

"Ma'am. You need to calm down. We will press charges against Mr. Malone but he is asking that we press charges against Mr. Burnham."

"It's not fair," I whisper, and the tears start flowing again. Ryan gathers me in his arms and kisses my forehead. He asks the cop, "Can you wait until at least she sees the doctor so I can stay with her?"

The cop looks back and forth between us and then sighs. "Sure. I'll be outside waiting for you." 

Before he steps outside he turns to look at us. "For what it's worth, if that had been my wife or my daughter, I would have done exactly what you did, Mr. Burnham."

Ryan nods at the cop who leaves and softly shuts the door behind him. Then he picks me up and sits back down, cradling me in his lap. "It's going to okay, Danny. Please don't worry."

I'm clutching his shirt while I lay my head in the crook of his neck. "How can I not worry? You're getting arrested."

"Sssshhh," he says. "Just close your eyes until the doctor gets here."

I do as he asks and then I melt when Ryan starts humming a song to me. I don't recognize it at first but then I realize its John Lennon's
Imagine
, one of my all-time favorite songs. I utterly sink into Ryan and let him sing to me to wash away my fears.

Eventually, Sarge arrives. I had called Paula at work and she was trying to find someone to cover her shift so she could come to me. Sarge was my next call after Paula. He hugs me and then puts Ryan in a big, bear hug, thanking him for saving me.

Finally the doctor comes and clears me. He says my CT scan is negative and that I should be just fine.

After he leaves, I turn to Ryan. Any words I want to say are stuck in the dryness of my throat. He asks for my phone and I hand it to him. He enters something in my contacts and hands it back to me.

“Please call my uncle tonight,” he says. “I programmed it under Jim Thorne. He knows who you are. Tell him what happened and ask if he can arrange for an attorney for me. Ask him not to call my parents. I don't feel like dealing with them."

I nod then hug him hard. "I love you. More than anything."

"I love you too.” He pulls back and kisses me on the temple. “Don’t worry. I promise it’ll be okay."

I start to walk out the door with him but he shakes his head no. "I don't want you to see me get arrested."

I nod as tears stream down my face, and the door closes behind him. Sarge takes me in his arms and hugs me again.