“Sawyer asked me to buy her a book for the flight. She said it’d keep her busy and distracted in the air. I didn’t want to give her something without checking it first, so I speed-read the whole thing last night. I wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything… you know…”
My brows furrow. “What?”
“Dirty.” She laughs softly, shaking her head. “It’s a fantasy book. Young adult. I just wanted to be sure there wasn’t any… you know... sex or romance or anything.”
Sex.The one thing I can’t stop thinking about when I’m around Bri. I draw in a breath because I didn’t know Sawyer was even into reading young adult fantasy. I guess she did ask about hanging some posters up in her room when we first moved in thenew house in Brookhaven, but I didn’t pay any attention to the guys with wings and red eyes on her wall.
“And was there any sex?”
“God, no.” She places her hands over her heart dramatically. “I wouldn’t have given it to her if there was.”
My brows lift. “You gave it to her?”
She nods, her smile brightening. “I stopped by the school before they left for the airport to wish her good luck. I hope that’s okay. I swear there was nothing inappropriate in the books, I would never undermine you like that. You can trust me.”
Fucking hell.
Her green eyes are wide and pleading, like she honestly thinks I’m upset because she bought my daughter the book she wanted. Because she woke up early on her morning off and drove all the way to Sawyer’s school just to make sure she had it before her flight. And that’s the problem.
She still doesn’t get it.
That’s not why I’m upset. I’m not angry at her for being thoughtful. Or kind. Or for caring about my daughter in ways most people wouldn’t bother to. I’m stepping away from her because every soft thing she does sinks deeper under my skin until I can’t think straight around her anymore. Because watching Bri love Sawyer so naturally does something dangerous to me. It makes me imagine things I shouldn’t. Things I don’t get to have.
So yeah, I step back from her like she’s dangerous. I ignore her question because if I answer honestly, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop.
Does she not understand the effect she has on me? Has she completely missed the part where I’m absolutely fuckinghelpless when it comes to wanting her? Because every time she smiles at me, touches me, looks at Sawyer like she already belongs to us somehow, it feels like another crack splitting straight through the center of my self-control.
The whistle blows, putting me out of my misery. I force myself to take the last few steps away from her without looking. I need some space. But I don’t want space from Bri. I want her closer. Things are getting too complicated. She feels like she’s a part of our family. I need to fire her.
Because she’s the owner’s daughter and every woman you ever date leaves you and Sawyer behind.
I push off to the ice, my skates cutting harder than they did before as I slide back into my crease, eyes now locked on my team spread across the ice, ready for the puck drop.
I shove all of it down before the game starts. Lock it away. Wipe my head clean the only way I know how. Hockey has always been the one thing loud enough to drown everything else out. But not before I make the mistake of glancing toward the sidelines one last time to check on Bri.
And there he is. My happy-go-lucky brother. Fucking Levi.
He’s got his arm casually thrown over her shoulders like it belongs there, laughing beside her like he doesn’t have a single problem in the world. Like he isn’t currently suspended and only here because he got himself benched. Bri’s smiling at something he says, soft and distracted, completely unaware that the sight of them together makes something ugly twist hard in my chest. And Levi’s leaning down into her space, looking at her like she’s the joy in his world. They look good together. They match.
And suddenly, wiping my head clean doesn’t feel nearly as possible anymore.
Yeah. This first game?
It’s gonna suck.
Chapter 16 – Brianna
“He looks good,” Levi says from next to me, rocking back and forth on his heels like he just took three shots of caffeine.?
I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, only taking my gaze off the game for a moment. He’s grinning like a kid, watching his younger brother dominate in the crease.
I have no idea how he convinced Coach Steele to let him down in the pit with the staff during the game. I mean, he’s a player for Boston, one of theMayhem’sgreatest rivals. If my dad knew a player from the Boston Tea hockey team was down here, he’d lose his mind. But knowing Levi better now, I’m not surprised. He’s got this laid-back, carefree charm that allows him to get away with anything. He’s not your typical oldest sibling. Plus, he’s nothing like his brothers Boone or Seth.
Boone? Playful but can be very serious at times. Not one to tease.
Seth? Serious, focused, intense. Broody as hell.
But Levi? He’s lighthearted, fun, and always looking for a reason to stir the pot. I like Levi. We’ve already traded phone numbers and Levi’s deemed me his new Brookhaven bestie, and a new friendship is something I’ll never turn down. And sure, he’s wildly handsome just like the rest of the Tremblay’s, but I realized quickly he’s not my type.
