It was two days later, and I could still feel the rage pulsing through my veins. The audacity of that little shit to touch Eden. Even after we reported him, I still felt like it wasn't enough. He touched her without her consent. That she had to endure that pissed me off beyond explanation.

The owner of the karaoke bar was currently being investigated for letting people in with drugs and enabling them to spike drinks. Luckily, Sabrina only took a tiny sip and complained about feeling weird. That was enough to set Nolan off. He and Liam stayed behind to deal with the situation, whereas Caleb (who fucking finally got his license) drove Charlie and Sabrina home. Jeremy contrived to get Astrid to leave too.

"Are you trying to mutilate that laptop with your glare?" Caleb ridiculed, reposing in his chair. We shared this office with Charlie and frequently held meetings to discuss the next step for the new team. I seldom gave input.

If it was up to me, I wouldn't even have an office at all. I would've been fine just training the girls when needed and then withdrawing to my room. This reeked of Dad's idea to make me feel part of the staff. "Are you trying to piss me off?" I blasted back, gaze roaming to the vacant seat on Charlie's side of the office.

She wasn't present today because she and Nolan took Sabrina and Eden to a spa. They felt bad about what happened on Tuesday and wanted to make up for it. Neither of them deserved to go through what they did. Despicable fuckers always went for the tiny things who couldn't fight them off.

Eden continuously reassured me that nothing was my fault, but I had difficulty believing her - especially because she began crying in her sleep on the drive back home. I mentioned before that whenever I was happy for too long, something bad ended up happening to the ones I cared for, which was why I elected to stay indifferent. And that was exactly what transpired on Tuesday. For the first time, I was enjoying a night out with my friends.

But then both Eden and Sabrina got harassed.

Caleb rolled his eyes at my turbulent rejoinder and flicked open the box of doughnuts he had on his desk. Whenever I looked, he was eating. It was shocking that he never put on any weight. "Before those assholes tried to harass Brina and Eden, the boys actually had a great time."

I grumbled, apprehending where this conversation was going. He did this whenever I came back. "I'm not joining the team, Caleb." The only originals on the team were Caleb, Jeremy, Liam and Nolan. Everyone else was men Dad recruited throughout the years since we finished high school.

"Dude, c'mon," Caleb discoursed around a morsel of the doughnut and I grimaced, seeing some shoot onto his desk. "You're like the best fucking goalkeeper we've ever had. The one we have now is good, but you're better. There's always a spot open on the team if you're up for-"

"Enough with this shit," I cut him off, standing up and stepping towards the window. There were some girls from the team loafing around, making use of their free time before practice started next week. "There's a reason I left the team after high school." There was no way I'd let him know he was part of the reason.

My relationship with my identical brother had been strained for years, yet somehow we never spoke about it. We always floated around our problems instead of speaking about them and trying to work things out. But I could tell he felt the cracks in our bond. He was just too cowardly to acknowledge it - just like me.

Caleb gulped the food in his mouth. "Are we still on about this? About you not liking soccer? That has to be a lie. We've been playing since we were little. You're telling me you just lost interest? That's bullshit."

This was the same crap repeatedly. But he was right, it was bullshit. There was no way I could just stop liking soccer, but that was the excuse I used around my family. "That's exactly what I'm saying, idiot," I huffed, sagging against the wall next to the window.

There was a weighty pause before my thick-witted brother spoke again. This time his voice was dismal. "You really hurt Dad, you know."

I groaned, feeling my heart squeeze painfully. Dad raised three kids on his own. He spent so much money during my childhood to care for me when I was hospitalised. I couldn't presume how that might have struck him: losing the love of his life, raising kids and dealing with one of them being sick.

I didn't ask to be sick. When I was little, I had a critical chest infection that just wouldn't go away. There were always problems with my lungs, with my breathing, and sometimes Dad couldn't even leave me alone, afraid that I'd pass out. He made sure I had the most high-grade medical care, always being there for me, but I still felt sinful to this day for robbing my siblings of a father.

For the first twelve years of my life, he was more of a father to me than them. And I despised it.

No matter what, I'd always be grateful for what Dad did for me. But I hated that I was always going to be known as the weak one. "I know. But what was I supposed to do? Dedicate my life to a sport that I don't even like?" Caleb gawked at me with a pout. "Dad has two other kids who love the sport more than anything. He doesn't need another one."

"It still hurt him though," he grumbled. "You leaving, I mean. You just packed your bags and left."

I sighed, feeling utterly depleted. My body yearned for a puff of a cigarette. But I wouldn't allow it, not wanting to disappoint Eden. And in a way, not wanting to disappoint Dad further. Smoking demolished my health, my lungs. It was a slap to the face to Dad for all the years and money he spent with doctors trying to nurse me back to health.

"I made my mind up, Caleb. I couldn't stand seeing Dad's disappointment in me every day. So I left." It was challenging to leave with no intention to come back until after I got my degree. Initially, I was just doing Charlie a favour whilst in London by getting Eden to join the team.

But when we got here and Dad stretched out to me again to help with the recruits, I felt like I owed it to him. I knew I would've ended up agreeing anyway, but I wanted to make that decision. And Dad took that away.

Seeing that I no longer wanted to speak about soccer, Caleb let a smirk appear on his lips. "At least something good came out of it. So you're gonna become a lawyer, huh?"

I chuckled before crossing my arms and nodded. I was headed into my fourth year studying Criminal Law at Bishops University, and I considered applying there to be the best decision I ever made. "Yeah."

The thought of studying law first popped into my head years ago when I went grocery shopping with Charlie for our eighteenth birthday. It was the same day I ran Jillian Rooney, Charlie's ex-rival, over with a cart. While Charlie was scanning through shelves, my attention was on what was happening just two aisles over.

A group of teens had been vexing a young girl who worked at the store and looked thoroughly terrified of them. Before I could interpose, they ran off. After Charlie got the phone call from Sabrina to go check on Liam, I dropped her off then headed back to the store.

When questioning the girl, Delaney, about those boys, she informed me that they frequently looted the store, thinking of themselves as a miniature gang. I didn't like the quaver in her voice as she conveyed it to me; I didn't like the thought of anyone working there being frightened. I wanted to make people feel secured, shield them from criminals.

So I chose Criminal Law.

Just as Caleb was about to reply, the door of the office opened without a knock. Ashley gallivanted inside as if she owned the place, garnished in a black playsuit. In her hands was a container and she grinned when seeing that we were present.

"Oh good. You're here," she beamed, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear. Caleb didn't seem to deplore that she entered without authority, but I sure as fuck did. I made it clear by grunting and ignoring her completely. "I brought cookies."

And that was all it took to get on Caleb's good side. Me, however, I wasn't that easy. I'd forgotten how melodic Ashley forced her voice to sound. "Yummy," my brother opened his arms, motioning for her to give him the treats. "What's the occasion?"

She smiled apologetically, kicking the ground to seem bashful. "For the commotion, I caused in the common room on Monday. It was rude of me to treat Eden like that and go against my morals. She's on the team and practically my sister. I shouldn't have looked down on her."

Caleb shook his head, mouth flooding at the sight of the contents of the container. "It's water under the bridge." I growled, momentarily seizing Ashley's attention. "Besides, Eden embarrassed you first-"

"I think the fuck not," I cut him off, standing more upright. Eden would never intentionally demean someone. She was apprehensive, and I knew when that happened, facts started scattering. It wasn't her fault that Ashley used fungus from a beaver's ass to make her cupcakes.

Ashley pouted. "I'm sorry, anyway. Harper and I are planning to make it up to her. I heard Kenzie's got plans on Sunday so we'll have a movie date with Eden, complete with hot chocolate." She smiled broadly, fluttering her lashes, and my brother fell hook, line and sinker.

I didn't like the thought of them being alone with her but Caleb beat me to it, "that's a great idea!" He sent me a look that said: stay out of this, you're a coach so you can't interfere.

Ashley turned to me and winked, triggering Caleb's laughter. I hated the knowing look in her eyes as she stared at me. I rolled my eyes as she waved and left the office, swaying her hips with every step. "I don't like her."

Caleb snorted, "she did nothing."

"She made my girl sad, so fuck her," I shot back.

He bit a piece of his treat before chewing and saying, "a while ago, Ashley was your girl."

I glared at him. "She wasn't and you fucking know it."

Whatever happened between Ashley and me was short-lived. We hooked up infrequently, but that was in the past - and it was going to stay in the past. It might have sounded cold, but I didn't give a fuck about her. I didn't give a fuck about what was going on in her life. She was solely a town that I had passed through at some point, but she would never be my destination.

When I heard she made it onto the team, it annoyed me. I couldn't tell whether she joined to piss me off or if it was her mom's doing. If I recalled precisely, that lady commanded every perspective of Ashley's life. She was a despicable woman, just like her daughter.

And I wanted nothing to do with them.

~

Later that day, I found myself in Eden's room, listening to her talk about the amazing massage she had. She wriggled her toes so that I could look at the dawn-tinted nails. Her giggling comforted me, and I listened to that intoxicating accent of hers as she conveyed the events of her day. She video called her family and also made notes about her experiences thus far.

Part of me felt guilty even though I knew it was ridiculous - guilty because I once knew what Ashley's lips felt like, although I no longer remembered. Eden stood up to put away her notebooks, and I followed as she muttered something about Kenzie being popular.

When she moved to head back to the bed, I stopped her, planting my hands on her hips. I wanted nothing to do with Ashley, to me - she didn't even exist. The only girl I wanted to conquer my thoughts was standing in front of me. Time meant nothing to me. In the month that I'd known her, she'd made me experience feelings I didn't even know I could have.

She slowly looked up at me, placing her chin on my chest and just stared, me doing the same. Her lips parted to say something, my gaze falling to her plump lips. I cleared my throat, Eden watched me. "You mentioned something on Tuesday, about not knowing where we stand in this relationship."

"And you're reminding me because?" Eden pouted.

"I'm going to ask you something now." For the first time, I felt timid. The notion was nuts because I never got nervous - but I'd also never had to do this before. The thought of other guys hitting on her, taking her out, made anger bubble inside me. "Be my girlfriend?"

I was just as inexperienced as her with dating, considering that I'd never had a stable relationship. I stared at her, waiting for her response before moving impossibly closer. Eden looked up at me through her long lashes and released a tremulous exhale at my familiar touch. Her eyes closed on their own accord as I slowly nudged my nose against hers before dragging it lightly across her cheeks and jaw.

"I read a scientific report that showed that the perfect age difference for a couple ranges from one to three years. The probability of breaking up is less than three percent," she revealed, and I watched her with an amused smile. "There's a two-year difference between us."

"Is that a yes?" I queried, running my thumb over her bottom lip.

She nodded with a grin, eyes clenching shut. "Uh-huh."

And then my lips enveloped hers. I bent down whilst Eden stood on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around my neck. The kiss was slow, and she kissed me with a sort of inquisitive pleasure. My arms found their way around her waist whereas her hands went to my hair, running her fingers through the rumpled curls. I groaned into her mouth when her nails scraped against my scalp.

I pressed my entire body against her, wanting her closer to me. Eden let a tiny whimper leave her puffed lips as my equally swollen lips resorted to kissing a blazing trail down to her collarbone. She squealed slightly when she felt a stinging sensation on her neck where I'd sucked rather aggressively. Eden could probably feel my smirk against her skin as I flattened my tongue on the stinging area to alleviate it. My hands wandered lower where they slightly groped her ass, eliciting a squeak from Eden and a deep laugh from me.

Her legs encircled my waist, hauling at my shirt. Leaning Eden's top half against the wall, I speedily removed my shirt from my body and tossed it somewhere behind me, my attention solely on the panting girl I held in my arms. Eden jogged her hands down the front of my chest before drawing her freshly painted pink nails down my back when I bit down on her full bottom lip. As her nails scraped down my back, a deep guttural groan ripped from the back of my throat which Eden consumed wholly, not wanting the moment to end and also trying really hard not to pass out from lack of oxygen.

Soft whimpers left her lips as she begged me for something. By the look in her eyes, she had no idea what she needed - but I did. "Baby," I hummed, nipping her earlobe as she ground herself against me. She moaned, eyes fluttering and cheeks flaming. "Do you trust me?" She nodded, sighing against my mouth, and I gripped her tighter.

Gently, I let my hand drift down her front before trailing up her exposed leg. Eden didn't react, too focused on kissing me. My fingers trailed the inside of her bare thigh until they stopped on her veiled pussy. Eden froze, a gasp escaping her lips. I whisked my fingers over it and she quivered, her eyes falling shut. It brought me immense pleasure, knowing that I was the one to make her feel like that.

It made me wish she was the first girl I'd done this with, that I waited for her before being with anyone else. But I couldn't change the past. I was just happy that I was her first. My possessiveness skyrocketed. She was mine, nobody else's.

"Christian," she moaned when I pushed her panties to the side slightly. I teased her clit, momentarily pinching it and causing her to jump. "What are you-"

I cut her off, running my tongue over her lip. "I'm playing with your pretty pussy." Her cheeks heated at my crude words and I chuckled, my fingers not stopping once as they rubbed savagely against her sensitive clit. "Does that feel good, baby?" She nodded, more whimpers leaving her as she bucked against me. "That's it."

Her stomach clenched, and I knew she was close. Lazily, I slipped my middle finger inside of her pussy. Eden hissed, nails scraping my naked back. She moaned wildly as I moved my finger in and out. A growl fell from my lips when her pussy contracted around my finger. She was so fucking tight and I wanted nothing more than to slide my cock inside of her. But she wasn't ready.

"Ride it, baby," I told her, watching her wrap her arms around my neck to hold herself up as she moved on my finger. I sipped from her lips, groaning when she moaned again. "Your lips are like wine and I want to get fucking drunk on it." Eden threw her head back, panting as her release surrounded her. "You're being so good for me."

Eden nearly sobbed when I added another finger. Nobody had ever touched her like this and I was honoured to be the first, the person she trusted. "Yes, right there-" Her words ended with another moan. She was pleading with me to give her something, anything.

"My baby feels so good," I mumbled, loving how she clamped around my fingers. "Are you gonna come? Do you want to?" Her eyes opened in confusion as her orgasm approached. I could feel her beginning to freak out. "It's okay, baby. I've got you."

"Christian-"

"Almost there, baby," my words were a gentle rumble. "You're gonna feel so good. I promise." Simultaneously fingering her and thumbing her clit, I growled, "Come for me. Jesus, baby." She shattered with a scream, shuddering in my arms as I rode her through her orgasm, fingers still moving inside of her. Her body shook with aftershocks and I pressed soft kisses to her head.

I rested my forehead against hers, not moving from our embrace. Both of our lips were entirely swelled, a red tinge painting Eden's cheeks. Her voice was breathy when she finally spoke. "Why have I never tried that before?" A dazed smile tugged at her swollen lips. Her cheeks were a pretty pink shade and her hazel eyes were glossy. It was obvious she was caught in post-orgasmic bliss.

I expected her to be embarrassed after what we just did, but she wasn't. She was completely okay with embracing her sexual needs. As I slipped my fingers out of her, she hissed. "I'm glad you didn't because I'm the only one who gets to touch you like that. Understand?" She nodded with a smile and I kissed her head again.

My dick was painfully hard, but I wasn't going to rush her to do anything she didn't want to. "So when can we have sex?" She said through a yawn. It was a joke, but I stilled anyway at her question.

"Why do I feel like I awakened a sexual beast?" I needled.

Eden burst into giggles, tucking her head into the crook of my neck. "Let's watch Pitch Perfect, fool." I was never one to savour skinship. In fact, I loathed when people touched me. But this was different. I craved Eden's touch the same way that I'd yearn for a cigarette. Yet, with her, it wasn't pernicious to my health.

She fixed herself, got the sheets ready and set up the movie whilst I went to the bathroom to jack off to the memory of her pussy clenching around my fingers. Once I washed up, I pulled my girlfriend onto my lap before covering us with the blanket. Nipping her earlobe as the movie started, I murmured, "Spasibo."

"Why are you thanking me?" she asked, and I could hear the smile in her voice. I had to thank Evie for teaching me that word.

I kissed her cheek, "for agreeing to be my girlfriend." She snuggled closer to me and muttered a long as fuck sentence in Russian. My jaw dropped. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"I said that you don't have to thank me but you're welcome," she explained without removing her gaze from the laptop. "Now watch the movie." I chuckled and leaned back, the worries of the day already forgotten.