Neon & Nets (Venom Next Gen #1)

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Knight

Tristan waves a hand in front of my face. “Hello-oo! Earth to Knight! Come in, please.” He follows this with a series of beeps and boops, like he’s trying to reach me over an old radio system.

I shake my head and spin toward him. “What?”

Tristan takes one look at my face and bursts out laughing. He cracks up so badly that he ends up slumped against the boards for support. “Oh, man.” He wipes a tear from his eyes. “You’ve got it bad.”

I look around to see what Coach is doing, but he’s too busy hashing it out with our goalie to pay attention. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I mumble.

“Don’t bullshit me,” Tristan says. “You were thinking about Sofia. Which is ironic given that I was trying to ask you how your stunt with Viktor panned out.”

I open and close my mouth a few times. Tristan is quickly becoming my best friend—or at least, my best guy friend since that honor still goes to a certain goddess who lives across the street. Now that I’ve seen her, kissed her, felt her, tasted her, I can’t really think of much else. It would be nice to be honest with him about what I’m feeling, but I don’t want to violate Sofia’s privacy. Besides, anyone could overhear.

My point is proven when Viktor skates up to us, pivots, and announces, “Knight got laid.”

“I… what?” Where the fuck did he hear that? I haven’t even to ld Knova. And officially, what happened in my sweatpants doesn’t really qualify.

“Didn’t you notice?” Viktor flutters his eyelashes at me. With his blond hair and blue eyes, he should look like a cherub, but his grin is wicked. “I sure hope Sofia did. It would be a shame if, after all that pining, your micro-dick wasn’t enough for her.”

“Viktor, the fuck? Are you stalking me?” I ball my hands into fists to prevent myself from smacking him. Only now, I want to punch him instead, which probably isn’t better.

“Nah, man. I see you in the team showers, remember? Don’t worry, I get that the water’s cold. You could be a grower. I don’t judge either way.” He grins.

I growl my frustration. Viktor ragging me about some stupid shit is par for the course. I could let it slide. Sofia’s privacy, on the other hand, is a much bigger deal. “I was talking about… the other thing.”

“Oh, you want to know how I found out you two finally hooked up?” Viktor’s smile widens. “Basic math, amigo. I promised you that the bike accident would help you get in Sofia’s pants, didn’t I? And then the two of you wandered off so that she could tend to your wounds… tale as old as time, young padawan. You just confirmed it for me with all the theatrics. I just hope it lived up to the hype.”

I take a few deep breaths to even out my breathing. Yeah, that tracks. Viktor’s annoying, but it’s not like Sofia and I were all that subtle.

“Plus,” Viktor adds, “Sofia told Knova, and Knova told me.”

I groan and press my hands to my face. “Goddamn it.”

“She didn’t give me the dirty details,” Viktor explains, “but we had a bet. Chin up, brother. You got laid and your sister owes me twenty bucks. It’s a win-win situation.” After a round of lewd hip thrusts, he skates away, back toward the rest of the team.

Some days, I really hate that guy.

Tristan clears his throat. “So, uh, congratulations? You finally made a move on Sofia. That’s good, right?”

“It took long enough,” I admit. “I’ve had a crush on her since we were five.”

“All that time?” Tristan’s eyebrows shoot upward. “And you never kissed?”

“Not ‘til the other night. And now I’m afraid of ruining it.” She didn’t complain about the multiple orgasms, but I still can’t believe I got off on going down on her. She was just so hot with her curves that fit perfectly in my hands, her sweet innocence, and her slick pussy glistening for me. It was like every sexual fantasy I’d ever had come to life, and my brain kept screaming unhelpful things like, you just made Sofia come! Now you know what Sofia’s nipples taste like! You’re licking Sofia’s clit! You’re penetrating Sofia’s perfect ass. I was doomed from the start.

Tristan’s next words shock me out of my horny shame spiral. “So, ask her out. Prove how much she means to you. Turn it into something real.”

“But… her experiment,” I say, turning back to him.

“She’s going to finish her thesis eventually,” Tristan reasons. “It seems like that’s working out. It gives you an excuse to spend time together, but what happens when she graduates? Are you just going to give up, or do you want to have the groundwork laid for the next stage of your relationship? She obviously likes you. I don’t think a date, even if it’s an unofficial one, will be a hard sell.”

I mentally high-five myself for making friends with a secret genius like Tristan. He gives much better advice than Viktor, who only thinks about himself .

Although I can’t deny that Viktor indirectly guided me toward Sofia’s bed by launching me into my dad’s yard…

“I’ll text after practice,” I tell Tristan.

He shakes his head. “Nope. Man up. A phone call. Girls like to be asked out good and proper.”

Coach and the goalie finally finish up, and the shrill note of the whistle calls the rest of us back to task. We spend the rest of practice running drills. All the while, my mind keeps drifting back to Sofia and how amazing it felt to finally take things to the next level.

I only hope I didn’t disappoint.

* * *

As it happens, Sofia already has dinner plans with one of her friends that night, and she didn’t pick up the phone so I had to text her anyway. But it’s the thought that counts. She knows I tried.

SofiaRossi: We’re going out on the Strip for dinner. You should come.

KnightInShiningArmor: You sure? I don’t want to crash your party.

SofiaRossi: No, you should come!

SofiaRossi: And bring a friend. You know any hot single guys?

KnightInShiningArmor: Is this part of the experiment? :-(

SofiaRossi: No, it’s for my friend! Emily just broke up with this loser we met a few months ago. The presence of a hot, single guy might help distract her from her woes.

I read that message over and over again, analyzing for hidden meanings. Do I not count as a hot guy? Or is Sofia implying that I’m not single? If the former, ouch. If the latter …

Are we…?

Does she consider us…?

A couple?

I hit the pause button on my existential crisis long enough to invite Tristan to dinner and confirm a meeting time. We agree to meet at a sushi restaurant at six, and I spend the next three hours trying to get my hair perfect and decide on the appropriate thing to wear, without looking like a try-hard.

“I’ve never been to the Strip before,” Tristan informs me as we walk from the valet into the crowded street. His eyes are wide with wonder. “What should I do while I’m here?”

“Eh.” I wrinkle my nose. “The Strip’s mostly tourist stuff. You know, restaurants, hotels, casinos… some good photo-ops, but not the best Vegas has to offer.” At least with the high-quality public transit they installed a few years back, there’s a lot less traffic. Some people treat the convenience as a license to drink even more, though. It’s fine if you’re only visiting for a few days, but I prefer the city’s hidden gems, and the suburbs like Serenity Shores.

“I promised my cousin I’d play at least one slot machine while I’m here,” Tristan says, dead serious.

“Aren’t you living here for the foreseeable future?”

“Yeah, well. I’d rather go with friends than on my own, you know?”

“We can see if Sofia’s friend has a Vegas bucket list.” We reach the door to the restaurant, and I push through.

Sofia and Emily are already sitting at one of the nearby tables, and the second I spot her, the breath slams out of my lungs like I’ve taken a hit on the ice. She’s radiant, more than that—she’s a fucking knockout. How could anyone miss that?

The crimson dress she’s wearing hugs every curve, like it was made for her, showcasing all that lush, dangerous beauty that’s impossible to ignore. Her hair’s all wild and sexy, falling in dark waves that make my fingers itch to tangle in them. And those legs... damn, those legs. One heel taps lightly against the floor, and I can’t help but imagine what it would feel like to have them wrapped around my ears while I tongue her to another orgasm.

Sofia doesn’t just walk into a room; she owns it. Every single guy in here is probably thinking the same thing, but they don’t know her like I do. They don’t know that beneath that bombshell exterior is a woman who can light up a room with just her smile, who’s got this fire in her that’s been burning in my mind since we were kids. But right now, I’m not thinking about the past. I’m thinking about how badly I want to be the guy she looks at with that heat in her eyes, the one who makes her blush just a little when our gazes lock because she’s thinking about where my tongue and fingers have been.

And fuck, I think I might just be that guy tonight.

As if on cue, Sofia’s face turns pink when she sees me, and her friend swivels in her chair to wave. I lead Tristan over and slide into the booth next to Sofia.

“I’m Emily.” The blonde woman sticks out a hand to me. “And you’re Knight, obviously… damn, you’re just as cute as she said you’d be.”

Sofia makes a small sound in the back of her throat. Did she tell Emily about us, too?

Emily turns to Tristan. “And you’re the hot teammate?”

Tristan grins. “You tell me.”

She looks him up and down, then nods her approval. “Hot enough to be a fourth wheel with me, I’d say.”

I can see why Sofia’s friends with Emily. Two minutes in, and she already reminds me of Knova.

“Sofia was just telling me about your help with her thesis,” Emily says just as the server walks up.

“Oh my gosh.” Sofia snatches up the menu. “I haven’t even had a chance to look yet…”

“No problem.” The server, who looks like she’s about our age, smiles knowingly. I’d bet money she dances in one of the clubs, too. “I can grab some waters to start. Actually, though, do you mind if I…?” She gestures to her own cleavage.

A cute furrow forms between Sofia’s eyebrows. “What?”

“Your necklace,” the server explains.

“Oh!” Sofia sweeps her hair behind her shoulders and tugs on the leather cord around her neck. The chunky pendant emerges from between her breasts, revealing a rough-cut green stone wrapped in beaded wire. The stone itself isn’t anything special on its own, but the way she’s framed it with the more delicate beadwork makes it catch the light in unexpected ways. It’s stunning.

“I made it,” Sofia says as the server leans closer.

“What? No way? Do you have a shop or anything?”

“She has a website,” Emily offers. She also does custom work. Sofia, give her a card.”

“That would be awesome,” the server says.

We watch as Sofia taps a few buttons on her holographic watch, transferring her digital business card directly to the server’s device with a quick flick of her wrist. “Thanks so much. I really love that piece… I’ll go get your waters, okay?”

“Told you,” Emily hisses as the server walks away.

Sofia rearranges her necklace and hair, keeping her eyes downcast all the while. “I’m sure she was just being nice. So, Knight, we’ve been talking about the plan, and I want to try something new.”

“Yeah?” I lean my chin in my palm. “What did you have in mind? ”

“Remember when I gave you the list and told you to go through it on your own? So, surprise me more often. Make it more… organic.”

“I can do organic,” I assure her. One could argue that my ill-fated bike accident was already pretty self-guided.

Across the table, Tristan tries to catch my eye. Since I know exactly what he’s trying not to say out loud, I ignore him. He’s right about some things, but so far, my plan is working just fine. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

“I can transfer you the list—” Sofia says, turning her palm up to activate her watch.

Before she gets a chance, the server returns with our waters. “Did you have a chance to look at the menus?”

“Ugh, sorry.” Sofia grimaces. “I keep getting distracted.”

Knowing Sofia, she’ll have a hard time choosing any single menu item since she always wants a little taste of everything. A few of the entries from the Ick List spring to mind, one of which includes a guy who orders for her date.

“Do you have a sampler of any kind?” I ask the waitress.

She sets our waters down. “We have the Love Boat. It’s a two-person entree with sushi, sashimi, two tempura rolls, and salmon maki.”

“We’ll have one of those,” I say. “And edamame for the table.”

“I want that, too.” Emily’s eyes widen. “Tristan, please tell me you’re not going to make me order one on my own.”

Tristan, ever agreeable, nods his assent. “We can share. And we should get a sake sampler, too.”

Sofia clutches her menu and stares up at me in surprise. I wink at her and execute another Ick move by resting my arm across the back of the booth. I’m not quite touching her, but it’s a possessive stance. “That sound good to you, doll face? ”

Emily is about to take a drink of her water and almost snorts it out of her nose. The waitress gives her a look from the corner of her eye.

“Yeah. Sounds great.” Sofia’s expression eases into a smile.

The server leaves, and we move on to more casual conversation. Emily explains her thesis, the premise of which goes all the way over my head. She and Tristan compare notes about their experiences in Vegas. All the while, I run through my mental list of icks, which ones I’ve already done and which ones I want to do.

I quickly run into a problem: I don’t want to do anything that will give Sofia the actual ick. Squeezing her thigh under the table in public is an ick, but I know for a fact that certain types of PDA will make her uncomfortable. Am I skewing the results by having boundaries? Maybe. But I’m skewing them in my favor.

I hope.

“I’ve never played a slot machine either!” Emily says as she starts her second glass of sake. “We should do that tonight. Ooh, and you know what else? We should do one of those bus tours where they show you all the local landmarks.”

“It’s so tacky,” Sofia whines. Her cheeks are already pink from the liquor. I want to lean over and bury my face against her shoulder, to lick her exposed flesh until she melts. I don’t know if that’s the sake talking or if my impulse control is just that bad.

“Isn’t being a tourist in Vegas supposed to be tacky?” Tristan asks.

“Yes.” Emily squeezes his arm. “This guy gets me. Tristan, promise me that even if Sofia bails, we will do a bus tour tonight.”

Tristan pinky swears with the utmost solemnity .

The sushi is amazing. You wouldn’t think it would be possible to get seafood in the desert, but that’s the magic of Vegas, baby. There are more five-star restaurants here than there are fast food places. While we eat, I watch Sofia’s profile, noting which pieces she likes the most and which garner less enthusiasm. I take the ones she doesn’t like as much, leaving her favorites so that she can enjoy them. This isn’t about her noticing what I’m doing—it’s about how no other woman has ever made me want to do shit like this. I don’t know why I’m like this with her, but I can’t seem to help it.

When we’re done, the waitress circles around to check on us. “How was it?”

“So good.” Sofia looks perfectly content, and that only gets me thinking about the last time she had that look on her face, which…

Ugh. I’m too full of sushi to be horny right now, dammit. Too bad my dick doesn’t get the message and acts like a battering ram against my zipper.

“One check,” I announce.

“Hey,” Tristan protests. “Come on, now.”

“We can totally split it,” Sofia insists.

I shake my head at them and pass my card to the waitress. “I’ll tip you double if you ignore them.”

Emily crosses her arms. “Is that supposed to be an ick?”

“It is!” Sofia slaps her forehead. “Guys being weird about money is on the list.” She turns to me. “But it’s not fair for you to pay for our meals just because of my experiment. This place is expensive.”

“And I’m a pro athlete who could easily afford to rent out the whole restaurant if I wanted.”

Across the table, in tandem, Emily and Tristan say, “Ick.”

“Nooooo.” Sofia covers her face with both hands. “What have I done, Knight? Now you’re going to be all ick all the time.”

I lean toward her and wiggle my eyebrows. “I’m gonna ick you all over, babe.”

“Ooh, look at her blush!” Emily claps her hands. “I bet if we ask now, she’ll agree to go on a tour.”

She swipes at a lock of hair on her shoulder. “If it’ll make Knight be less obnoxious? I’ll agree to anything.”

Her words say one thing, but her expression says another. She keeps smiling at me when she thinks I’m not looking. I want to tell her that she doesn’t have to hide, that I’m head over heels for her and want her to feel the same way… but I don’t push my luck. Everything just feels so fragile right now.

But damn, I can already feel the edges fraying. It’s like I’m holding a grenade with the pin half-pulled, knowing one wrong move could blow this thing up before it even has a chance to be something real. I don’t want to be the guy who ruins us before we even get started, but with every second that passes, the fear gnaws at me. What if I’m already screwing it up? What if I’m not enough to make her want more?

Emily has already bought tour tickets by the time we leave the restaurant. She loops her arm through Tristan’s and leads the way. Sofia and I trail a little bit behind them, ambling at our own pace.

“Thanks for dinner,” she says.

“Any time,” I tell her. “Eating at home means fighting Knova for seconds. And right now, it means listening to Dad bemoan the fate of his lawn and the patch that got roughed up when I fell the other day. I’m pretty sure he likes his grass more than he likes either of his children.”

Sofia chuckles. “Yeah, because his kids mess up his lawn, but I’ve never heard of the lawn hurting you. The lawn’s a pacifist.”

“Are you sure? I think the lawn’s just biding its time until I let my guard down. Playing the long game.”

“The lawn game,” Sofia giggles.

I point at her. “That right there? That’s an ick.”

She pouts. “What? Puns? They’re the highest form of art.”

“Keep that up and we’ll have to take pun-itive measures.” I do a little drumming gesture in the air, making cymbal sounds with my mouth.

Sofia rolls her eyes. “Ew, you’re right. Puns are ick.”

“Oh, so dad jokes are only off-putting when I make them?” I press one hand to my chest. “That hurts, Sof.”

“Hey, nerds!” Emily has her hands cupped around her mouth. She and Tristan are almost a full street ahead of us, standing near a growing group of tourists. “Hurry it up! Bus’ll be here in ten!”

“Okay, okay, we’re coming.” Without thinking, I reach for Sofia’s hand. However, when I try to pull her forward, she remains rooted to the spot.

“I don’t have my purse.” She pats her side, as if to demonstrate her lack of bag. “Shit, I don’t think I can make it there and back in time…”

“I’ll get it,” I offer.

“Are you sure?” Sofia wrings her hands.

“No worries. Stick with Emily and Tristan. I’ll be right back.” Without waiting for her response, I bolt back the way we came.

It took us about ten minutes to make the walk from the restaurant to the tour stop, and now I have less than that for a round-trip run. I bolt down the sidewalk with as much speed as I can muster, pumping my arms and legs for all I’m worth.

The combination of sushi and sake is not sitting well in my stomach when I stumble through the door of the restaurant. Our waitress is resetting the table and looks up in surprise when I approach. The fact that my face is as bright red as the neon lights outside probably has something to do with this.

“Was there… a purse…?” I pant.

The waitress shakes her head. “Sorry, I didn’t see one. I can take your info in case we find one, though.”

I scribble my info on a napkin and high tail it back out the door. Three minutes to go. I guess it’ll take a few minutes for everyone to load onto the bus, though. I can still make it.

I’ve made it almost half a block before it hits me: men who rush to catch the bus are on the ick list. As are guys who give their numbers to the waitress at the end of a date. What are the odds that Sofia set me up?

Pretty high, I’d guess. Knova has taught her well. This girl is devious. She’s clever. She’s fun. And I’m not going to miss a minute of the time she’ll give me.

I lengthen my stride as I get my second wind. I can hear the bus’s hydraulics from two blocks away and launch into overdrive. I vault over a trash can, then a pile of luggage sitting next to a family of Chinese tourists, then a small dog, then a bigger dog, then someone’s kid. People on the street turn to stare, and the last tour group members climbing onto the bus cheer and whistle. I’m dripping in sweat, and I’m sure I smell like city streets and BO, but I can’t stop smiling.

“You almost took out that toddler going after the world record in the 200-meter hurdles,” Tristan says as I finally struggle aboard.

“I was more worried about the Doberman,” Emily says.

I slide in next to Sofia, who is laughing her ass off at the spectacle I’ve made of myself. “Sorry,” she pants between breaths. “Couldn’t help myself.”

“So, there is no purse?” I ask.

Sofia slips a hand into her cleavage and pulls out a small wallet, the kind that makes it so people can’t pull data from your cards on the way by. “Nope. I was just testing you. Seeing if the ick goes both ways.”

But it doesn’t. Not even a little. I’m all in. If she wants to get rid of me, she’ll have to do better than that.