Page 45

THE CATS LOST the fourth set.

Kai winced as their captain, a player with McCullough written across his back, slammed to his knees, arm outstretched as he barely missed the dig. The ball bounced away as the St. Louis players broke into cheers.

Both sides had played hard through the entire set, and even though Kai could feel a palpable difference in how Atticus was playing, how he was nailing every set and racking up service aces, the other team rose to match the Cats beat for beat.

“God dammit !”

A short woman with a dark, messy ponytail moved behind the player’s bench, tossing a clipboard to the ground as she walked over to them.

“They’ll get it together, Ivy,” Sammie said.

The woman, Ivy, looked up, and some of her tension evaporated as her gaze landed on them.

“I’ve already had to tape up Bowen’s fingers, and Kieran nearly blew out his knee with that dig. He’s gonna have one hell of a bruise in the morning. They’re pushing too hard. ”

“They always do,” Sammie said with a scoff, crossing her arms as she leaned back. “And you always manage to keep them in line. They just need one of your pep talks.”

Ivy grinned, something sharp and wicked in her expression that sent a chill down Kai’s spine. He’d never met an athletic trainer that was quite so… terrifying.

“You a friend of Atticus’?”

Kai reached out a hand, shaking the one Ivy offered. “Yeah, I’m Kai.”

Recognition sparkled in her eyes. “Ah. You’re the one he’s been all messed up about.”

Her words twisted something in Kai’s gut.

“Don’t be mean,” Sammie said, reaching out to push the other woman’s shoulder. Ivy chuckled.

“Don’t worry about it,” Ivy finally said. “Clearly, you being here finally got his fucking head in the game tonight. If only you could come to practices too.”

“Trust me.” Sammie rolled her eyes. Kai was struggling to keep up with the conversation, his cheeks warming at the attention. “You don’t want my dumbass of a brother distracted like that. It’s gross.” She turned to Kai, bumping against his arm. “No offense.”

“None taken,” he said, unsure if he meant it.

He thought maybe he did. It had been nice, fun even, watching the game with Sammie.

Kai was sure she didn’t know about the fallout between him and her brother, but regardless, she made Kai feel at ease.

He liked watching her excitement, the highs and lows that washed over her with every rally.

Watching her cheer on Atticus, it was something special to see.

“You going out with the team after this?” Ivy leaned in closer to Sammie, and Kai thought he could see something in her eyes, something soft and hopeful, different from how she had looked at him.

He didn’t hear Sammie’s answer, pulling his phone out as it vibrated against his thigh. A text from Theo popped up on his screen.

Theo: Have you seen Nicholas?

Kai frowned, glancing up, searching the sideline across the court.

Theo looked tense, eyes scanning the crowd anxiously, phone held in a tight grip.

Kai sent back a quick message. He hadn’t seen Nicholas.

Hadn’t even thought to look for him, a realization that surprised him.

He hadn’t considered that if Theo was playing, Nicholas was probably somewhere nearby.

Movement around the Chicago bench snagged Kai’s attention. The players were jogging back onto the court, readying for their final set. Atticus lagged behind.

When their eyes met, Kai felt that same pulse of something that he’d felt when Atticus had first seen him at the end of the third set. A pounding thrill that radiated from his chest, enveloping him in a warmth that made his blood turn fizzy.

Atticus tilted his head as he watched Kai, a smile spreading across his face. It wasn’t as big as the ones he normally offered. More tentative. As though he were asking Kai for permission.

For what? Kai didn’t know. For permission to be happy that he was there?

Kai wanted nothing more than to bring back the sort of smile that Atticus had been gifting him with for the last week.

The smile that spread wide, filled with laughter and light and something more that Kai hadn’t been ready to hear.

He thought that maybe he was finally ready.

Atticus broke the steady eye contact, turning to follow his team onto the court. Their brief moment left Kai reeling. His lungs felt too big, his heartbeat too fast. Before he could recover, the final set began.

The end of the game felt like a lifetime and a single moment all wrapped into one. It was close, too close, the Cats only up by a single point as the clock ticked down. Both teams were running on fumes, sweat dripping from their faces, every movement filled with more effort than before.

St. Louis called a time out, and Kai watched as Theo was pulled aside by his coach. Their conversation was private, but the way Theo grew more agitated with every word was plain for anyone to see. Kai was surprised when his old friend suddenly turned away, rushing out of the gym.

As the players made their way back onto the court, Kai’s phone rang. Even though he still didn’t have the number saved, he recognized it.

“Hello?”

“Kai.” Something close to terror threaded through Theo’s voice.

“Something happened,” he continued. His words were shaking, his voice thick with emotion.

Kai’s grip on his own phone turned painful.

“Nicholas had a meeting with a local non-profit. After he left, when he was on his way here… there was an accident. They said his car was in bad shape but they couldn’t tell coach anything about his condition. ”

Kai couldn’t breathe. The entire world slammed to a halt around him, each second stretching into an eternity. His change in mood must have been visible, as Sammie leaned in close to ask if he was okay, a hand resting gently on his arm.

He could hear Theo suck in several harsh, broken breaths, could feel the fear and heartache radiating off him as if they were standing side by side.

“Kai,” Theo repeated his name quietly. “Can you come to the hospital with me?”

They were still up by a point, and if Atticus could get his hands on the ball just once more, he knew he could bring their fight to a close.

One more point, that was all they needed.

The rally began, Eric digging the serve, sending it flying back across the net. St. Louis scrambled for the receive. Their setter slipped, whether from sweat that had dripped to the floor or muscles that had been overexerted and were too tired to keep going, Atticus didn’t know. But he was ready.

Bowen dug the ball, sending it in a high arch that gave Atticus time to settle, time to ready himself. Muscle memory took over as he fell into place, as he raised his hands and breathed deeply.

The ball landed in just the right place.

This was why he played, why he loved the game. When the outcome relied on a single moment, where he could make or break his team with a single touch. He trusted his guys, knew that as long as he could get the ball to them, they could make the play.

The volleyball seemed weightless as he pushed it back into the air, sending the quick set off toward the other side of the court. He felt just as light, hanging at the top of his jump as he watched Kieran crouch before pushing off the floor with everything he had.

Atticus’ feet hit the ground with a crash, sending reverberations all the way up his spine.

He didn’t blink, didn’t even breathe as the ball sailed toward Kieran’s ready hand.

His captain spiked it, hard , his arm whistling through the air, connecting with the ball for a perfect, glorious cut shot that whizzed past the blockers.

The ball hit the floor just on the right side of the line, and the stadium erupted.

Atticus clenched his fists, crouching down with a shout of victory as Kieran landed back on solid ground.

The rest of the team rushed their captain, Eric leaping into the air to land on Kieran’s back, Aaron and the rest of the guys from the bench running onto the court to join the pile of bodies that were smothering Kieran.

Atticus crossed the court in a heartbeat, jumping into the fray with a howling whoop.

Excitement made the air feel charged, static victory filling the room, rushing into his lungs with every breath he sucked in. The fans were spilling onto the floor as the team broke away from one another, crowding around them with shouts of congratulations.

Bowen appeared before him suddenly, face a mask of joy as he tugged Atticus into a bear hug.

“We did it,” he said, voice too loud in Atticus’ ear. He didn’t care, because he was just as happy. “We did it, man!”

“You set us up with that dig,” Atticus said, pulling back. “You gave me time to think.”

Something shifted in Bowen’s expression, and he leaned back in close, a hand on the back of Atticus’ neck holding him in place while another gripped his bicep.

“I’m sorry,” Bowen said, the words just for Atticus. “I shouldn’t have fucked with you before the game. It’s my fault you played like shit in the first two sets.”

“Fuck you.” Atticus couldn’t keep the grin off his face. “I played just fine.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Bowen said with a laugh, pushing dark hair away from his face.

“I mean it, though. I was an ass, and you’re my friend.

I don’t give a fuck who you do or don’t sleep with, it doesn’t matter.

You’re important to this team, to all of us, and I need to learn how to keep my mouth shut and my nose out of your business. ”

“Thanks,” Atticus said, his smile going soft. He could see sincerity in his teammate’s expression. “I mean it. Thank you.”

Bowen smiled brightly at him. “Your sister is coming this way, you better go.” And that was that.

A weight lifted, one that Atticus hadn’t even realized he was holding.

Maybe his team did see him for who he was.

Maybe it didn’t matter if he’d slept around in the past, maybe they judged him for it less than he assumed.

Atticus felt as if he were floating, riding a high he might never come down from, as he turned to see his sister jogging toward him. Sammie slammed into him, her arms going around his neck as he squeezed her tight, lifting her off the ground to twirl her around.

“You had me worried,” she said, voice muffled against his shoulder. “Your head was in your ass for the first two sets.”

Atticus dropped her, and she landed with an oof .

“Why does everyone keep saying that?” He knew, though. Atticus knew exactly why he’d been half-distracted for the first half of the game. His eyes searched past Sammie, scanning the faces of the milling crowd.

“He left.”

Stones settled in Atticus’ stomach. Had Kai not wanted to see him after the game? The thought rang false. Kai had smiled at him. Kai had come to the game, even after Atticus had done his best to ruin everything between them.

“It’s not like that,” Sammie continued. “Fuck, you look like a kicked puppy right now.”

Atticus frowned. “What’s it like then?”

The celebratory gleam left his sister’s eyes, her face falling. “He had to leave. Something happened with his ex. The guy on St. Louis called and asked Kai to go to the hospital with him.”

A conflicting swirl of emotions twisted in his gut as Atticus listened.

Something had happened to Nicholas? Atticus didn’t really know the guy.

Ori was the only friend they had in common, and Atticus had been asked once to participate in a day-long training event for kids, with Ori, in conjunction with Nicholas’ organization .

Kai never really talked to him about Nicholas.

Atticus knew it was absurd to be jealous, knew that it probably meant he was a piece of shit. The guy was hurt, enough to warrant a hospital visit, and Atticus was fighting back jealousy that Kai had decided to go see him. Truly loser behavior.

“Kai came here to see you,” Sammie said, gripping Atticus’ hand, leaning in close as people began to leave the court.

“He was here for you. He didn’t say much, but I know you, and I know you must have done something that has you thinking you’ve screwed it all up.

He was here though, Attie. He was here for you. ”

Atticus’ jaw clenched as he fought back emotions that were too big, too overwhelming, too loud to let out in front of everyone. Sammie pulled him into another hug.

“You’ll be fine,” she said. “Give it a bit and then check on him. He looked pretty upset when he left.”

“Thank you,” Atticus whispered into her hair.

“That set was perfect.” Kieran’s voice had them pulling apart. Atticus felt his sister go stiff as she stepped away from him.

“Only because you were ready for it,” Atticus said, pushing aside the turmoil churning inside to smile brightly at his teammate.

“Hey, Sammie.” Kieran gave her a fond grin, leaning in to wrap an arm around her shoulders and pull her in for a side hug. Atticus nearly flinched at the sight of it. He might need to pass his friend-zone crown along to his sister, if he could work out the mess he’d made with Kai.

“Come on, you two,” Kieran said, stepping away from Sammie, who had gone quiet and, Atticus thought, looked a little petulant. “Let’s go celebrate.”

They followed the rest of the team toward the locker room to change, Sammie making a hasty exit to ride to the bar with Ivy, saying she’d meet them there. She left Atticus with a meaningful look, prompting him to pull out his phone as he snatched up his gym bag.

Kai had left the game to be with Nicholas. Atticus knew it was silly to be so scared, to think that he had missed his chance because of their fight that morning. But the more he thought about it, the more he began to realize that he wasn’t scared about that, not really.

He was scared because, one way or another, things were going to change. They had reached a tipping point, one that was unavoidable, one that would lead them in a new direction regardless of anything Atticus did.

His phone felt heavy in his hand. Sammie was right.

He needed to say something, anything to Kai.

But what if it went wrong? Atticus hesitated before slipping his phone back into his bag.

He would wait, just a bit. He would ride the high of their win, enjoy a night out with his friends, and then he would contact Kai.

Atticus wanted to hold on to his hope, to the memory of that small smile he had seen on the sidelines, for just a while longer.