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"I need to say more, to express how deeply I feel," I tell Elliott, my voice trembling. "She's absolutely mortified by what happened."
Elliott looks at me, his eyes filled with understanding. "You deserve happiness, and my sister deserves someone who will fight for her. So, fight for her."
I exhale, a mixture of frustration and determination welling up within me. "Damn it. You're right. I've been such an idiot."
Elliott's lips curl into a genuine smile, the first since he walked into our room. "You took the words right out of my mouth."
I nod, steeling my resolve. "Yeah, you're right. I love her, and she's the one for me."
Elliott's face lights up with excitement. "That's what I like to hear! Let's do this!"
I fumble around for my phone, my hands shaking with the urgency of what's been gnawing at me since the last time I saw Sutton.
Elliott, however, steps in before I can act on my impulse. "Don't even think about calling her. She's here."
My heart skips a beat. "What?"
Elliott grins, a sly glint in his eyes. "I'll have her waiting outside the locker room before the game tomorrow."
I can't help but be curious. "Why are you doing this?"
He shrugs, a rare softness in his eyes. "Because my sister is the most important person in my life, and she loves you, so by default, I have to care about you."
I let out an incredulous grunt, my emotions caught somewhere between annoyance and gratitude. "Wow, thanks."
Elliott just chuckles, clapping me on the back. "No problem, man."
Tomorrow is looming, and I can't shake the feeling that Sutton will be there, waiting for me. She may not want to talk to me, but her presence at the game speaks volumes about how much she cares.
I curse under my breath. She's undoubtedly the love of my life. How could I have been so blind not to tell her sooner? I'll make it up to her if it's the last thing I ever do.
Gathering my courage, I turn to Elliott. "Does Leia deserve someone who will fight for her?"
The question hangs heavy in the air, and I sense the gravity of it. I've wanted to bring this up, but Sutton warned me not to. Elliott fixes me with a stare that sends shivers down my spine. I've never seen a look so intense, so filled with unspoken consequences.
"I'm figuring that out, but that's our little secret for now. Got it?" Elliott's words hang in the air, and I can't help but feel a sense of dread. Sutton will be crushed if she finds out they've been keeping something from her. He's twenty-three, and Leia's only eighteen. What could possibly be going on?
His grip tightens on my neck, making it hard to breathe. I manage to gasp, "Fuck, okay, my lips are sealed."
Elliott removes his hand and moves it to my knee, squeezing it intensely. I bite down on my lips to stifle any sounds, and apparently, that's enough for him because he chuckles and lets go.
He stands, and I quickly follow suit. He turns to me and fixes me with a stern gaze. "Make it right with Sutt, and we won't have any problems. But if you ever hurt her, I will break your little hockey-playing legs."
With one last assessing look, he shoves me, and I tumble onto the bed. "Don't mess this up," he warns before leaving the room.
I roll off the bed and make my way over to the bathroom door, which I open, and Ronan comes tumbling out.
With wild, almost manic eyes, he leans in and says, "Whoa. He's scary as hell, and what the hell was that about Leia?"
I can't help but raise my voice, desperation creeping in, "He crushed my leg with his hand!" I hope he drops the Leia topic, but my words are almost drowned out by the rush of my own emotions.
"How Sutton is so tiny, and her brother is a giant, I will never know."
"Sutton," I mutter, crawling back into my bed, trying to put some distance between me and the recent trauma.
"At least now you know what happened," he tells me with a reassuring smile, trying to ease my mind.
"Yeah," I reply with a mixture of resignation and determination.
