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“Sorry, man. But he was a miserable fucker without her.”
“What about you two?” He pinned Ward and Leon with scathing looks. “Don’t tell me you two agreed—”
“Nothing to do with us, man.” Ward held up his hands like a pussy.
“You all suck big hairy balls. It’s the golden rule of bro code. No sisters. If your mom was still around, I’d go bang her just to get even.”
The second the words were out his mouth I saw the regret wash over him.
“Shit, Noah, I didn’t mean—”
“Yeah, you did, asshole. But I’ll let it slide this once because you’re hurting, and I get it. I do.
“But I love your sister, and nothing you say or do is ever going to change that.”
Some of the guys started cheering, and Aiden clapped me on the back. “Welcome to the dark side, Holden. It’s fucking awesome.”
Yeah, it was. It really, really was.
“If I were you, Aus,” Connor started. “I’d just be grateful that Rory doesn’t still live with us. At least you won’t have to hear Holden banging the fuck out—Ow, fuck. You almost took my eye out.” He swatted Austin’s stick away. “You’re an asshole.”
“Perhaps dial down the sister-banging talk,” Aiden suggested.
“That’s something we can agree on,” I said, pulling on my skates. “Besides, you’re aiming your anger in the wrong place.”
“Oh yeah, and where should I be aiming it?” Austin arched a brow.
“At her ex.”
A couple of the guys let out low whistles.
“Don’t either of you go doing anything stupid,” Aiden warned, and I gave him a butter-wouldn’t-melt smile. “I mean it, Holden. Sudeikis is off-limits tonight.”
“Yeah, yeah, keep your hair on. I’m not going to do anything rash.”
Unless he so much as looked in Aurora’s direction, then all bets were off. I had a fuckton of tension to burn. Things with Aurora were great. We were great. But I’d finally made a decision about my old man. A decision Aurora didn’t wholly agree with.
I didn’t want to see him.
Not now.
Not ever.
Maybe one day, I’d regret it. But he didn’t deserve my sympathy or my fucking tears. Family was supposed to love you. To protect and support you. It wasn’t supposed to use you as a goddamn punching bag.
The only thing I owed Timothy Holden was my hatred. And that’s all he was getting from me. I had everything I needed. I had my girl. I had hockey. And I had the best damn friends a guy could ever need. That was family. The people who chose to love you because they wanted to, not because the blood flowing in their veins demanded it.
When—if—the day came I ever wanted to open that door again, I knew they’d have my back.
But today was not that day.
Speaking of my shortcake. I dug my cell out of my bag and quickly texted her.
Noah: You’d better be wearing my jersey, shortcake. I want everyone to know who you belong to.
Aurora: Is this how it’s always going to be now?
Noah: What’s that?
