Page 14 of Pucked Together

I close my eyes and try to focus on filling my lungs with air. Instead, I find myself slowly gasping for breath.

Chapter 4

Ryker

"She has asthma?" I ask Keelan with my arms crossed. "Don't you think that's something we should all know?"

When Izzy started having what looked like a panic attack next to me yesterday, I moved without thinking. I put both hands on her face and ordered her to look at me and breathe.

I had no idea she was having a fucking asthma attack until she pushed past me and reached into her backpack, pulling out a small red inhaler. Her breathing went back to normal, and she immediately kicked me out of her room with no further explanation.

"Ever since she was little," Keelan says like it's nothing as he dumps sugar and cream into his coffee.

I stand up abruptly and put my dishes in the sink. I felt like such an idiot all night. Like I caused her to lose her shit. I couldn't even sleep.

Keelan walks to the stove and lifts the lids of the pans for the bacon, eggs, and potatoes. "Damn, what time did you get up to make all this?"

"It's amazing what you can get done when you're not hungover."

"Whatever. I barely drank," he says with a smirk. "Can't say the same about tonight, though.”

I just shake my head in response, fully aware it's Friday. And these guys like to pretend they're still in college.

"Hey, I wanted to talk to you." His tone is serious.

I stop the mug that's about to hit my lips. "What's up?"

"It's about the Izzy situation," he says. "I know you weren't expecting to share a bathroom with a college student, let alone babysit her through an asthma attack. That shouldn't be on you. She's my responsibility."

I don't say anything.

"It's just...if I'm being honest," he lowers his voice. "I don't trust Fergie and Hicks with her, man. She's been through some shit, and the last thing she needs are thirsty dudes after her for nothing but a good time."

I take in what he's trying to say.

"So you did it on purpose? You put us in the same space."

"Yeah, I kinda did," he sips his coffee with a smirk.

I get a slight tug of guilt in my gut at the thoughts I had of her last night when I was alone in my room, unable to sleep.

"Ry?" he drags me out of my thoughts. "Promise me something."

Shit. Shit. Shit.

He's going to ask me to do something I really don't want to do. I can feel it.

I look at my friend, who's had my back more times than I can count, and just concede.

"Go on."

He looks over his shoulder to make sure nobody can hear him. "If I'm not around, I need you to be my eyes and ears. Make sure she's not being bothered. Seriously, you have my permission to set 'em straight when it comes to my sister."

The fact that he thinks I'm not someone who would need to be set straight when it comes to his sister tells me a lot about how much he trusts me. Before I can give him an answer, a little black ball of fur comes bouncing into the kitchen.

Medusa's up.

"We'll finish this later," Keelan whispers before picking up the dog and taking it with him outside.