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“Yep.”
“And he had the nerve to call you and ask you to deal with me?”
“No, actually. When I heard he was leaving with her, I assumed he wouldn’t have the balls to warn you. Milly’s the one who called me. I haven’t heard from our shit of a brother in months,” he sighs. His tone is annoyed, but I see the pain in his eyes. There’s been a wall between them ever since Holden made center forward his junior year.
Nix should be a senior with us this year.
My mouth falls open, and I just stand there, stunned stupid. “I don’t even know what to say.” I shake my head. “I can’t believe that ass was going to leave me here without saying a word to anyone!” My face heats with anger. “He knew you’d come for me. He didn’t bother saying anything because he was too scared to face us, and he knew you’d be here to pick up the pieces.” Typical fucking Nix.
“Yep,” Holden says again, looking less angry and more disappointed. Because the truth is, if Nix had just called Holden, Holden would have been here without blinking. Nix might be a shit brother, but those two men share a bond I’ve always envied. Stolen girlfriend and all, Holden would have forgiven him in a blink of an eye. Holden is loyal to Nix to a fault. He lets my brother get away with the shadiest shit.
Maybe that's because Nix is the reason Holden’s dad, Coach Scott, adopted him at age fourteen in the first place. Mine and Nix’s stepdad isn’t Holden’s bio dad either, but he doesn’t love Holden any less than our mother loves Nix and me.
Holden climbs in the driver's seat, and I follow suit. Time to face the music.
“I’m sorry,” I say after a long moment of silence once we’re both buckled. “I’m sorry he bailed, and that you had to come to my rescue. Again. And I’m sorry he stole your fucking girlfriend!” I deflate into my seat, not sure what Nix will do next, but I doubt anything will shock me as much as this.
“I’m not. I missed you. Milly was never the end game, and having you close is worth losing her to Phoenix,” he chuckles, and I frown. Okay, what do I say to that? “Besides, you know Nix. Once he realizes he’s royally fucked up, he’ll be back, acting like nothing ever happened. He just wants to let the smoke clear.”
“So, have you told Lorenzo and Nash yet?” I ask, not so subtly avoiding Holden’s words about missing me. “Or the other three?” I chuckle. But I’m not worried about Romeo, Griffin, and Fallon. Those three horny fucks wouldn’t let me get in their way. No shame. I’ve only known them for about two years, and we’ve hung out like three times during those two years, but I know enough. No, I’m worried about the three men I spent years pining after. Including my stepbrother. Living under the same roof as him isn’t going to be a cakewalk. An expression that's never made sense to me, though. Have you ever tried walking while carrying a cake? Not easy…
The way Holden cringes when our eyes meet once again tells me everything I need to know. He looks so guilty.
“Dammit, H.”
“At least three of them will be happy to see you. You know the guys adore you,” he chuckles, and I glare at him.
“Romeo, Griffin, and Fallon love everyone. Especially if they have boobs. Hell, if you had juicy pecs, those three might be tempted to fuck you. Especially Romeo. Dude lives up to his name,” I grumble, but Holden tilts his head.
“Not really. The original Romeo died for one girl…young,” Holden argues, and I roll my eyes. “I’m serious. Don’t you think Casanova would be a more accurate name for that fuck boy?” he chuckles, and I snort a laugh. He’s got a point.
“I meant more like Romeo could charm the pants off even his family's worst enemy, but I get what you mean.” I can’t hide my smile. Romeo is a great guy, but he has a less-than-stellar reputation that I don’t think he fully deserves.
But again. Those aren’t the three I’m worried about.
Nashville Meadows with his well-styled, short, blond hair, well-kept beard, dimples, and hazel eyes like a fucking GQ model, and Lorenzo Carter, with his short, dark hair, brown eyes, and pouty lips, may be best friends with Nix and Holden, but they have never been mine. At one point, I thought it was because they saw me as a sister. Teasing and tormenting me as if Nix gave them a playbook on how to make Rose rage. Devils. All of them.
That was before I realized how much they hated having me around, though. The ever-present cock block that I am, apparently.
Then there’s the man beside me. Holden Rays. My stepbrother. I need a therapist.
Something is wrong with me, and only a psychiatric professional can save me.
Maybe.
CHAPTER TWO
“Chemical” by Post Malone
NASH
Lounging on the couch in the living room downstairs and watching some true crime insanity that Lorenzo watches obsessively, I flick through my dating app. After multiple swipes toward the red X to the left, I give up, dropping my phone beside me on the couch.
The season hasn’t started yet, so other than light practices, we don’t have much going on outside of classes. But once October hits? Our schedules will be packed. Games nearly every weekend until March.
Unless we make it to the Championships. Which we will. Especially now. Fallon, Griff, and Romeo might be juniors, but they’re insane.
Romeo is a beauty. His skills, his personality? He’s a first-string defender, along with Griff, the dirtiest decoy I’ve ever met. Fallon is our starting Goalie. The man is terrifying on and off the ice. Holden, Ren, and I are forwards, with Holden at the center and Ren and I on the wings.
