Page 8

COLE

IZZY: Save me and come to dinner! Please?

F uck. How could I say no to Izzy? My little sister had never asked me to come visit, not once in over eight years. Not even a hint in the letters we sent back and forth without our father’s knowledge.

The night at the haunted house played over in my mind daily, From the first touch of Eden’s skin, to cornering her when she made her way to the second floor…the playlist I painstakingly made, perfectly timed so that I was the only one who would see my girl. From chasing her through the rooms, the excitement glittering in her mossy green eyes. How fucking wet she was for me when I caught her.

Fucked her. And claimed her body as mine. Damn, she was so beautiful, sex drunk and still blissed out. I had planned on going to find her until that damn text came in only moments after I made her walk away.

MR. SUNDERS: Come over for dinner. We’re practically in the same city. Your sister wants to meet you. And, you have a sister you never even met. Please, Cole.

I raked my hand through my hair, and whipped the mask onto the seat as I scrolled to the next text. It was a photo.

Of my sister, grown up, and…Eden.

Holy fuck.

MR. SUNDERS: This is your stepsister, Eden. Izzy loves her. I know you will too.

The father I refused to speak to after years decided a fine fucking time to make his presence known. Maybe it was my fault for thinking I could avoid him after following Eden to Montreal.

I fucked the step sister I never knew I had. And that was the only reason I had agreed to show up when he texted me again a few days later. Asking me to come over for a ‘family’ dinner.

Because as messed up as it was, I needed to see her. To make sure she was okay. That I hadn’t done some crazy fucking head job on her, and prayed that she was still in the dark about who I was.

Nothing could happen between us now. And not just because I still hadn’t forgiven my father for the way he treated me and the things he’d done.

But because even if we had never met, I was still her step brother and the world was a fucking cruel place.

A flash of headlights in my rearview blinded me for a moment, and I sat in the dark, engine off. Waiting. Watching. Annoyed as fuck at the size of the house my father decided to make home.

But I couldn’t leave, not when I had the chance to be in the same room as her. To see her and talk to her, even if all the plans I had were nothing more than a fucked up dream now.

Eden closed the door of the car and stood in the driveway, gorgeous and beautiful in the moonlight. Her shoulders squared and chin held high, not moving an inch closer to the door for the length of my heartbeat. And in that moment, it became crystal clear that she didn’t want to be here anymore than I did. She walked up to the door and knocked.

Light filtered through the curtains and blanketed her in a glow that made every detail of her face visible as my little sister threw open the door and threw herself into Eden’s arms. The two giggled, the sound carrying as Eden looped her arm through Izzy’s and headed into the house. I waited a few moments, the sight of the two of them hitting me like a Mack Truck on the fucking highway late at night.

Shit. Time to face the music. I raked a hand over my face, and went to the front door to face the music.

Before I even made it to the door, it opened and my baby sister squealed and practically jumped into my arms. “Cole!! I can’t believe you’re here!! Dad! Cole’s here!”

I let myself enjoy the smile that lit up her face before I faced the man I swore I’d never speak to again. “You’re way too tall to be my little sister.”

She pulled back and punched me in the arm, hard. “That’s for staying away for so long.”

“Ow,” I muttered, rubbing the spot where she nailed me. “You could probably take down a few of the guys with that punch, Izz.”

A smile spread across her face. “Do you think I could come to a practice or something sometime?”

“Yeah. Just let me figure a few things out first.”

“Like those weird signals you and Kaspari Holken had in Seattle?”

My brow furrowed. “You watched my games?”

My not so little sister nodded. “Every single one. And I made Dad start watching with me.” She nudged me with her shoulder, grabbed my hand, and dragged me further into the house. Music played in the background.

“Is that?”

She grinned over her shoulder, and it hit me how much I missed seeing her grow up. “Yes, I still listen to her. My first concert, remember?”

I let her lead me through the foyer and into the open area with a floor to ceiling fireplace surrounded by couches. There was a huge island and a dining room table long enough for most of the team on the other side. “Of course I do. The traffic after was a fucking nightmare.”

Izzy stopped barely inside the doorway and smiled. “Still my favorite memory. You really should consider doing a karaoke night.”

I scoffed. “Not happening, Izz.” She spun around, all teenage girl, and released my hand. “No one needs to hear me singing, no matter how much you’d love it.”

“You weren’t that bad, Cole. But,” she added, “at least now, I have two people who would take me to a concert. Come on, I can’t wait for you to meet Eden. She’s the best sister. I know you’re going to love her.” Laughter drifted over from somewhere just out of my sight, and I knew without looking who made the tightness in my chest worse.

Fuck, I hated that I couldn’t have her now that I knew her mother was the one who married my dad. Not only would the press have a field day with it, my father wasn’t the type to accept anything that would tarnish anyone’s view of him or his family.

Being an NHL player, no matter how successful, was included in his fucked up view of the world. Not a worthwhile or meaningful enough endeavor for a Sunders to engage in. Izzy bounced into the open space where my father stood with his wife.

And Eden.

She fucking stole my breath and made my heart beat in my chest at the same time. The overwhelming urge to take her in my arms, over my shoulder, and claim her again hit me and I nearly growled with need.

“Cole,” Annabell smiled warmly at me, distracting me from Eden and the flush on her cheeks. “It’s so lovely to finally meet you. Randall has told us so much about you.”

“Not really so much,” Eden mumbled under her breath, hiding her lips behind the rim of a wine glass. Her eyes widened as I raked my eyes over her, from top to bottom. Taking in every single pink and purple wisp of hair trailing down her back, remembering how it felt wrapped around my fist. Full, lush lips that tasted like berries dipped in chocolate. Full tits, one shoulder bare. Leggings hugging her ass. I schooled my expression, and I fucking hated the way her expression dropped for the briefest of seconds before her chin lifted. Defiance in her eyes.

Good. She thought I judged her by the way she looked. Little did she know it was taking every ounce of control to not take her away and fuck her until she couldn’t breathe without feeling me everywhere. And after, I’d soothe every ache, every sore spot…and never let her go.

Fuck.

Better that she think I didn’t like what I saw.

“Cole, this is Eden. My sister,” Izzy said, hands in front of her with a grin.

“Step sister,” Eden said, extending her hand with a tight lipped grin, the other hand still holding the glass tightly in her grip.

“Sister,” Izzy insisted. “I mean, she’s been around almost as long as you were, Cole.”

“Izzy,” my father warned, but his tone was lighter than I remembered. “Eden is like my daughter, Cole, and I am so glad the two of you will get the chance to know each other.”

“Cole is one of the league’s best wingers,” Izzy added proudly. Eden’s eyes widened, surprise lighting her verdant green depths.

I shook Eden’s hand, electricity sparking between us. Her lips formed a small ‘O’ before she pulled her hand from mine. I immediately felt the loss of her touch. One time together, and my body already knew it owned her. But that was all gone now.

An hour later, I sat across the table from Eden. Izz to my left, and my father at one end while his wife, Eden mother, sat at the other. The polite talk, only interrupted by Izzy injecting a funny story about the things I’d missed over the past eight years, strained at moments. I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was something different about how Eden acted tonight compared to the smile on her face I’d grown accustomed to. She was less bright, or maybe smaller in some ways. Moments of defiance sparked here and there, especially when her mother turned her attention to her daughter. Annabell, for what it was worth, seemed less concerned over Eden’s presence, and more interested in trying to talk to me. Like we hadn’t ignored each other for the past eight years.

“So, Cole,” Annabell asked with a pleasant smile that was starting to drive me fucking crazy, “What made you come back to Montreal?”

My father watched, waiting for my answer. Well, fuck him if he thought any of this was for him.

It was for Eden. And even that, he fucking ruined for me. “There is something here I thought I needed.”

Eden canted her head to the side, her cheek resting on her hand. Cheeks flushed from the win she had been drinking. “And now?”

Everyone at the table watched, waiting for my answer. “Now, I’m not sure it’s for the best.”

A flip of pink hair as my little Bunny sat back in her chair, eyes narrowed. “Sure seems like a haphazard reason to uproot your entire life over something you’re not sure about.”

I sat forward, elbows on the table, hands clasped. “I learned something that changed the situation.” Her eyes shot to the tattoo on my hand, and she let out a small gasp just as Izzy asked her mom to pass her something. Her chair made a loud noise as she stood and almost knocked her wine glass over.

“Eden, are you okay?” My father asked as he started to stand, too but Eden waved him off.

“Fine. I just need to, um, make a quick call. Excuse me.” She hurried out of the room in a flurry of pink and purple.

Annabell smiled apologetically. “You’ll have to excuse Eden. She tends to get a little-”

“Mom,” Izzy said, interrupting her with a frown. “Eden doesn’t- ”

“It’s ok Izzy. I know you want to protect your sister. Eden tends to get overwhelmed at times, Cole. Nothing to worry about.”

An uncomfortable silence settled over the room.

Izzy put her fork down with a loud clunk. “She’s not overwhelmed, dad. Maybe she actually had to make a phone call.”

Eden’s mom put a hand over her Izzy’s. “Izzy and Eden are very close. I’m sure everything is fine, Izz. Just give her a few minutes. In the meanwhile, why don’t you fill us in on what you’ve been up to since Izzy saw you last?” She exchanged a look with my father, and my fucking blood boiled.

A desire to tell them both to fuck off coursed through my veins, but I stifled it. I didn’t know Eden well enough to defend her to the people who lived with her day in and day out while I had stayed away. But something about the way they dismissed her and how she felt pissed me off. The silence drew on like a dark cloud until Eden came back into the room with a smile. She waved her phone and said, “Sorry. Organizing authors for this signing is like herding very cute, neurotic cats.”

“No worries. I think your mother was just going to grab dessert so Cole could fill us all in on how he’s been the last eight years.”

“That’s not awkward, Dad,” Izzy muttered. Eden stifled a laugh as she covered her mouth with one hand and set her phone down on the table to grab her wine glass.

“Izz,” he warned with a smile.

“Just being a teenager, Dad.” She shrugged as if that was all the explanation needed.

“Well, the teenager can help me with dessert. Coffee, Cole? ”

I shook my head with a glower. “The water is fine, thank you.”

“Geez, grump,” Izzy teased as she followed Eden's mom into the kitchen.

“Afraid of a little caffeine?” Eden teased. Poking the bear. “Noah refuses to cut it out during the season.”

I grunted, half hating that she mentioned another man, but it was Noah. “Goalies are a different breed of player. Not afraid. I like the rush. But sometimes, you have to back off and do what’s best.”

Her eyes widened and my suspicion was confirmed with one look. The fucking bird tat on my hand gave it away. I remembered how her eyes locked on it in the haunted house. How she’d licked her lips like she wanted to trace the outline with her tongue.

Not happening.

The last half hour of the night was spent with small talk. My father asked more questions about my career than he ever had when we still spoke, but I still didn’t trust his motivations. Money wasn’t the only thing he cared about, but appearances were everything. In fact, I was surprised he hadn’t tried to make Eden color her hair a more acceptable color.

Or maybe he had, but my girl wasn’t having it.

She’s not your girl, Cole, a cruel voice whispered.

But fuck, I wanted her to be. Even if it was impossible.