Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Minerva

I stood there frozen staring at Kendrick who grabbed a towel right away and wrapped it tight around his waist. My chest kept heaving from all the running and crying so I was still hiccuping trying to catch my breath between sobs.

He ran his hand through his wet hair pushing it back and damn for a second I caught a glimpse of how hot he actually was with those tattoos running down his arms and the way his muscles shifted under the light but then he stepped forward fast and pushed me right up against the wall his hand on my shoulder pinning me there.

“What the fuck do you think you are doing barging in here like this?” he snapped his voice all low and pissed off. “Are you some kind of stalker fan or did you follow your ex here to keep causing drama? Either way I do not care and I do not give a damn. Keep your toxic mess out of my space.”

I hiccuped again pressing my back harder to the wall feeling my face burn hot while my heart raced from everything piling up. “Excuse me who do you think you are calling me a stalker? No way that is what is happening here. I was running from something awful out there and picked the wrong door okay? You are really rude you know that? Why do you hate me so much already when I did not even do anything to you before today?”

He leaned in closer his grip still firm but not hurting just holding me in place while water dripped from his shoulders onto the floor. “I do not hate you. You just give off this unsettling and annoying behavior with all the ex bullshit and tears following you everywhere. I saw you on the ice today bringing that drama and now this? Stay off my path because I do not want anything to do with you got it?”

My hands pushed at his chest trying to shove him back but they started hurting from how hard I was struggling against him. “Let go my hands are hurting you should put me down right now. And no way am I a stalker or here for Liam. I got this internship fair and square and I am trying to do my job not chase after some cheating idiot. You act like you know everything but you do not.”

He noticed my hands and finally dropped his grip stepping back a bit but his glare stayed sharp as hell. “Fine but do not think this changes anything. I have enough on my plate without some intern crying over her personal crap in my room.”

I kept struggling to get away from the wall wiping at my face when the door opened suddenly and this pretty girl walked right in. She took one look at the scene and immediately pushed his hands down from where they were hovering near me again. They looked way too similar with the same sharp eyes and hair color and build.

“Your look says alot so yes, you guessed right, we both are twins,” she said.

“What….”

She smiled and looped her arm through mine pulling me gently toward the door ignoring how Kendrick crossed his arms muttering under his breath. “Yeah we are. I am Tina Dola but everyone calls me Titi for short. Come on ignore my brother. He hates having any girl around him especially after his last girlfriend used him for fame and left him high and dry like the jerk she was.”

Kendrick glared at her from across the room. “Titi stay out of this. And you don’t have to go around telling everyone what happened to me.”

I blinked at her shaking my head fast feeling all the emotions from the night crash over me again. “I do not wanna be his girlfriend what the hell? I am just the new intern trying not to lose my mind after seeing my ex kiss my stepsister out there. He is the one accusing me of being a stalker and pushing me around.”

Titi laughed softly but it was a calm kind of laugh that cut through the tension as she led me out into the hall while Kendrick stayed behind still annoyed as hell. She was actually very different from him way calmer and nicer with this warm way of talking that made the knot in my stomach loosen up a bit. “Do not mind him Minerva right? That is your name? He is all bark but deep down he is just protective after what that ex did to him. Tell me what happened because you look like you have been through absolute hell tonight.”

We ended up in her room which was close by and I spilled everything about Liam and Vivian and the kiss I saw and how it broke me all over again. She listened without jumping in much just nodding and handing me tissues and water interrupting only to ask questions that kept me talking. “That sucks bad but you are way stronger than letting that mess define you here. Guys like Liam do not deserve the years you gave them cheering on the sidelines.”

We talked for hours about everything, I had this strange pull towards her.

I sighed leaning back on her bed feeling the exhaustion hit but also this weird relief. “Thanks Titi for real. I needed someone to talk to tonight instead of crying alone. Your brother though, he really thinks I am bringing drama on purpose but I am not. I just want to do this internship without my past ruining it.”

She hugged me quick before I finally headed back to my room late. “Anytime. Sleep it off and do not let my brother or your ex get to you. We bonded tonight so text me if you need to vent more.”

The next day we all gathered in the hall for announcements before breakfast. Everyone was chatting loud and grabbing seats while Coach Reynolds stood up front looking serious with his clipboard. “Listen up team and staff. Two hockey athletes will be selected to represent us at a three day conference. We need strong presence there so pay attention.”

He reached into a hat and pulled out a name randomly his voice booming. “Kendrick Dola. And …..” I couldn’t catch the second name because my heart stopped for a second when I heard Kendrick’s name.

My stomach dropped hard and I gulped loud looking over at him across the room. Kendrick did not seem to like it at all, his face stayed mostly blank but I saw his jaw tighten like he was pissed. Coach kept going without pause. “His physical therapist has to go with him as the on-site therapist who also serves as his personal assistant for the trip. It is not in New York too, it is in Chicago so pack accordingly, you’ll be on the flight by dawn tomorrow.”

I could not imagine three whole days with him alone somewhere after last night and the pushing and the accusations. My mind raced with how tense and awkward that would be with all the arguments and him telling me to stay off his path. I was about to raise my hand and oppose the whole thing saying there had to be another option when Kendrick lifted his hand first.