The Hockey Roommate's Filthy Desire novel Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Chapter 37

ARIA’S POV

77

“What are you doing?” The question slipped out before I could stop it. My voice wasn’t loud but it was sharp enough to cut through the tension between us.

Luca didn’t move. If anything… he stepped closer. The small space between us disappeared completely, his presence pressing in on me like a wall I couldn’t push past.

My grip tightened around the book in my hands, my heart pounding harder with every second he refused to back away. “I should be asking you that,” he said quietly.

His eyes searched my face, intense and unwavering. “Disappearing. Acting like none of this matters.”

My brows pulled together. “None of what matters?”

Before he could answer, a familiar voice cut in. “Luca!” Serena. Of course. She rushed over like she had been waiting for the perfect moment to insert herself.

Her heels clicked sharply against the library floor, drawing a few annoyed glances from other students. But she didn’t care. Her eyes were locked on me. Burning.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she snapped, stepping beside Luca like she belonged there. Like she had a right.

I let out a quiet breath, already irritated. “I was about to ask him the same thing.”

Then I turned back to Luca, my voice firmer this time. “Move.” He didn’t. Not even a little. Instead, his gaze darkened.

“You’re really doing this?” he asked.

“Doing what?” I shot back.

“Throwing away everything we had.” His voice was low now. Controlled. But there was something underneath it. Something bitter. “For him.”

My chest tightened, but not for the reason he probably expected. “For Julian.”

I let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “What exactly did we have, Luca?” I asked. The question hung in the air. Sharp. Unavoidable. His jaw tightened slightly.

“You know what we had.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I really don’t.” I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze head-on. “Because the last time I checked, we were just friends.” My voice didn’t waver. “And you were dating her.”

I tilted my head slightly toward Serena. Her expression darkened instantly. “Watch your mouth,” she snapped.

11:43 Thu, May 14 d

Chapter 37

77

But Luca didn’t even look at her. His attention stayed on me. Like she wasn’t even there. “Step away from her,” Serena said again, grabbing his arm this time. “She’s not worth…”

He shrugged her off. Just like that. Like her touch meant nothing. Her hand fell back to her side, her face flushing with anger and embarrassment. But Luca didn’t apologize. Didn’t acknowledge it. He just kept looking at me.

“You think he cares about you?” he asked suddenly.

My brows furrowed. “What?”

“Julian,” he clarified, his tone sharpening. “You really think he gives a damn about you?” Something in my chest shifted. Annoyance.

Anger. Maybe both.

“That’s not your concern.”

“It is when you’re making a mistake,” he shot back.

I scoffed. “A mistake?”

“Yes.” He stepped even closer, his voice dropping. “He doesn’t want you, Aria.” My eyes narrowed. “He’s using you.” A beat. “To get to me.”

Silence. Heavy. Tense. “You believe that?” I asked slowly.

“I know it,” he said.

Serena let out a frustrated sound behind him. “Luca, this is pointless. Let’s just go…”

“Not now,” he muttered, brushing her off again. Then his attention snapped back to me. “Come back.”

The words caught me off guard. “What?”

“Come back to me,” he said, like it was the simplest thing in the world. Like everything that had happened meant nothing.

My nose flared slightly. “And why would I do that?”

He didn’t hesitate. “Because you love me.” Something inside me snapped. Not loudly. Not dramatically. Just… quietly. But completely.

The words tore through me. Because you love me.

Not that “I was wrong”. Not “I hurt you”. Not “I’ll do better”.

Just “Because you love me.”

A slow realization settled in my chest. Cold. Clear.

11:43 Thu, May 14 d

Chapter 37

He knew. He had always known. Every glance. Every moment. Every stupid, hopeful feeling I had ever carried for him, he knew.

77

And he did nothing. Because he didn’t have to. Because I was always there. Always available. Always waiting. My stomach twisted. Not with hurt this time. But with something else. Clarity. “You knew,” I said quietly.

His brows furrowed slightly. “Knew what?”

“That I loved you.” A pause. He didn’t answer. He didn’t deny it either. And that was enough. A humorless smile touched my lips. “You knew,” I repeated. “And you didn’t care.”

“That’s not…”

“You didn’t care,” I cut in, my voice firmer now. “Because you didn’t have to.” My grip tightened around the book in my hands. “Because I was always there, right?” I continued. “Always within reach. Always an option.”

His expression shifted slightly. Not guilt. Not regret.

Something else. Annoyance. Like I was making things more complicated than they needed to be. “You’re overthinking it,” he said.

That was it. That was the final piece. I let out a quiet laugh. “You don’t want me,” I said. His

eyes darkened.

“I do.”

“No,” I shook my head. “You don’t.” I met his gaze fully. “You just don’t like that I’m not yours anymore.” Silence.

He didn’t deny that either. And that told me everything I needed to know. “You don’t care about me,” I continued. “You care about winning.”

His jaw tightened. “That’s not true.”

“It is,” I said simply. “And I’m not playing that game anymore.” Something in his expression hardened.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify