Chapter 65

Carol’s POV

“Coach, you can’t be serious!” Aiden says through his teeth as he paces back and forth around Coach Bower’s office. “Carol wouldn’t steal that money! You know she wouldn’t.”

“The problem is, we don’t have proof that she didn’t,” Coach Bower said, folding his arms across his chest. I want to melt under his scrutiny; I can’t believe this is actually happening. They are accusing me of withdrawing $100,000 from the team’s funding account. I would never do such a thing, but my word isn’t enough to get me out of trouble it seems. “Until we have proof, we can’t have her around. The Money was withdrawn last week and she hadn’t checked the reports since before that.”

“It’s not fair to accuse her of—”

“I’m sorry, but we need to be careful,” Coach says interrupting him. “It’s out of my hands at this point. This is a serious situation, and we need to do what we can to resolve it. If Carol really is innocent, it will be proved. But for now, she’s suspended until further notice.”

“What?! Coach that’s bullshit. You know Carol wouldn’t do anything like that!” Aiden said angrily.

“It’s out of my hands,” Coach said, shaking his head. “Until we find proof, I can’t have her here. I’m sorry it has to come to this.”

“It’s going to be okay, I promise,” I assure him, putting my hand on Aiden’s tense back. “We will find proof that I didn’t do this.”

He sighs and then he bends down and brushes his lips against mine. I feel the familiar shockwaves pulsing through my body and I can’t help but feel more at peace.

“We should get you home so you can rest. You’ve been on your foot way too much these last few days and you haven’t been using your crutches,” I remind him.

He shrugs one shoulder.

“I don’t really need them anymore. My foot is feeling fine,” he says, but even as he speaks those words, I can tell that he’s tired and in a little pain. He’s been limping a lot this morning.

“I’m really sorry about this, Carol,” Coach Bower says, and I can see the pity in his eyes. “If there was another way…”

“I understand,” I said, cutting off his words. “I’ll prove my innocence, and then I’ll be back.”

He nods, a small smile on his lips.

“And I look forward to that,” he says in return.

“We will do what we can on our end to help you prove your innocence as well,” Mr. Whitlock says from the doorway.

I startle from the sound of his voice, not realizing he was there.

I smile at him and then nod.

“Thank you, sir,” I say politely as I let Aiden wrap an arm around my shoulders.

“Rest your foot, Son,” Mr. Whitlock says to Aiden. “I expect you back on that ice soon enough.”

Aiden nods, but he doesn’t say anything.

Together, we leave the stadium and return home. Once we get into the house, Aiden lets his walls down and he grunts as he sits on the couch. His foot is still in the cast, but I could tell that’s bothering him. I sit beside him on the couch and rest my head on his shoulder, putting my hand on his chest.

“Are you okay?” I ask him.

“I think you were right; I might have overdone it a little,” he admits. “But I’ll be fine. Nothing a little rest can’t help.”

I kiss his chest gently before peeking up at him. Aiden was so incredible, and I couldn’t believe he was mine. The whole thing was surreal to me and before I could stop them, tears welled up in my eyes. Even if we never find proof and they all continue to think I stole the money, I am glad Aiden at least believes me and will continue to stand by me.

“What are you thinking about?” He asks as he presses his lips to my forehead.

“I guess I’m still trying to wrap my head around how someone of your status could like someone of mine,” I admit, biting my lower lip and chewing on it vigorously.

He takes my chin between his fingers and tugs it down until I’m forced to release my bottom lip from between my teeth. Then he bends and takes my bottom lip between his teeth, chewing on it just as vigorously as I was chewing on it.

I giggle as his tongue sweeps across my lip, and he kisses me deeply and passionately. My cheeks flush as he wraps his hand around the back of my neck and pulls me closer to him. I moan into his mouth as he sucks my bottom lip and forces his tongue into my mouth, twirling it around with my tongue.

I put my hand on his chest and give him a gentle shove, breaking the kiss.

“You really should rest,” I breathlessly tell him.

He smirks as he puts his hands on my hips and lifts me off the couch and onto his lap. I wrap my legs around his waist, straddling him, as I wrap my arms around his neck.

“I am resting,” he teases as he kisses me again.

I can feel him hardening between my legs and the sensation makes me grind my hips against him, wanting to feel every inch and every curve of his manhood. Heat pricks the back of my neck as I feel my desires pooling between my legs and I wonder if he knows just how turned on he’s making me.

He breaks the kiss from my lips and trails them down the nape of my neck, licking and sucking as he makes his way down the spot where my shoulder meets my neck. There’s a specific spot right there that he enjoys the most. He started to suck on that spot and I can’t help the throaty moan that escapes my lips.

“This is the spot I’m going to mark you,” he whispers as he sucks that spot into his mouth.

I know he’s going to leave a hickey and I can’t help but chuckle at the sensation. I feel his hands running up the sides of my body, taking my shirt with them and then he lifts my shirt over my head and tosses it to the ground. In one quick motion, my bra joins my shirt, leaving me completely exposed to him.

I can see the lust in his eyes as he took me in. He always makes me feel so sexy and wanted. I know I’m probably blushing, but I don’t care. I throw my head back and moan in pleasure as he takes my nipple into his mouth and sucks on it. He teases it with his tongue and tugs it between his teeth before he does the same to the other one.

I ran my fingers through his hair, keeping him in place as he continued to tease me. I grind my hips against him even faster, loving how hard I can make him.

“Oh, shit, babe,” he moans as he conquers my lips with his.

I ran my fingers down his torso, wanting to get his shirt off, but just as I started to slide it up and over his head, my phone chimed. I’m about to ignore it when it chimes again.

He stops the kiss first and I groan as I press my forehead against his.

“Do you need to get that?” He asks. “It could be important.”

I sigh and then slide off him. I reach for my purse which I left on the floor next to the couch and I see that there’s a text message from Fiona.

Fiona: Oh my god! Did you see the news? There’s a breaking story!

She left another text right after that as well with a link.

Furrowing my brows, I click on the link and the news broadcast appears on my phone.

“Breaking news! $100,000 went missing from the Statford Freeze funding account at some point last week. The suspect? None other than the team's own administrator and assistant coach, Carol Miller; the only one who has access to that account. Miller has been suspended from the team while the investigation continues.”