Page 25 of Dream Chaser (The New York Knights Players Club #4)

Girls’ Night

Izzy

I throw the door open at the bottom of the stairs and sprint to get to the top, and hopefully beat Wile so he doesn’t get scared.

Voices echo from upstairs. Too many voices.

Crap. They must all be here.

When I throw the door open, I see I’m right—they are all here.

Lo’s perched on the arm of the big chair with a latte in hand.

Lexi and Mags are in the midst of an argument about whether “cozy hot” is a legitimate aesthetic.

Riley’s on the floor in leggings and a baby bump-hugging hoodie, rubbing her belly.

Harper and London are sprawled on the couch, watching something on one of their phones.

Syd’s running her hand over the marble mantel of the old fireplace, clearly enchanted by it.

And Ava’s standing by the window like she owns the place.

Honestly, she kind of radiates that energy no matter where she is.

I shoot past them all without a word.

“Hey Iz,” Lexi calls.

“Hey.” I hop over an empty box.

“I swear it smells like boy in here.” Harper sniffs the air dramatically.

“Like … good boy ,” Lo murmurs behind a mug, “but definitely boy.”

“Oh, she’s staying here,” Ava says, raising one sharp brow.

I ignore every last one of them, beeline for the dumbwaiter, unlatch it, and open the door.

“Hold on. Did she just?—”

“She sure did,” Syd, grinning, cuts off London.

I attempt to scoop Wile into my arms like Skinner did, but end up with his paws on my shoulder, and I’m not really sure if he’s holding me up or I’m holding him.

All I do know is I damn-near fall down as I lower him to the floor as gently as I can and end up on my ass with his paws still on my shoulders, looking at me a little—okay, a lot—shook.

“You okay, buddy?”

“Wait—was he in there?” Riley asks as she sits up.

“You put your dog in a freight elevator? ” Ava deadpans.

“It’s a customized accessibility solution,” I correct, petting my boy. “And he’s fine and will one day like it.”

“Sure, sure,” Mags drawls, “but did he stay the night?”

I sigh as I look at her. “It wasn’t really planned. I just got to0 excited and wanted to show him the place after Dad told me about the dumbwaiter, and?—”

“You mean the customized accessibility solution ,” Ava cuts me off.

I stick my tongue out at her, and she smirks.

“Good to see you out and about.”

“The little littles are at preschool. I have”—she looks at her phone—“less than two hours before I go from full-time lawyer for a pro football league to stay-at-home mommy wanting to hide in the bathroom, drinking out of a brown bag.”

I laugh, Riley gasps, and then everyone starts laughing.

Harper chimes in, “Toddlers are no joke.”

“And, obviously, I’d rather be home saving the world from make-believe dragons than fighting the fucking unknown.” Ava walks over and dramatically lies across Harper’s and London’s laps.

“You ever want to quit?” Lexi asks, walking over and sitting on the floor next to me.

“Every time a player pulls some stupid shit or the league allows things like this to …” She stops and sits straight up, face going almost pale.

“You okay?” I ask.

“Just thought of another angle.” She pulls her phone from the pocket of her wool coat and begins tapping away.

“You wanna clue us in?” Lo asks.

“All the shit in the news, the things that make you wanna live on a deserted island …” She makes an ick face. “Well, maybe not an island. But you know what I mean. Somewhere the world can’t touch them. Or some piece of shit gets away with hurting so fucking many because he’s anchored himself to?—”

“We get it. What’s the angle?” London asks.

Ava looks up from her phone and at London. “Maybe this isn’t about the team or the league. Maybe someone’s got a score to settle with someone close to it.” She then glances at Harper, whose face goes pale. “Which would make sense as to why CJ, Matthew, and Remington are still here.”

“TBH,” Lexi says. “They’d still be here because the team’s still here, if it wasn’t something to do with all that shit.”

“Well, that’s just fucked.” I shake my head. “You think they’d clue us in.”

“No, they wouldn’t,” Harper, London, and Lexi say at the same time.

Harper continues, “Not until they knew we needed to know.”

“Gonna circle back to, that’s just fucked.” I pet Wile.

“It’s not, though. No need to live in constant fear.” She takes Harper’s hand and looks at Lexi, who I watch literally sink into herself.

The three of them have been through so much.

I mean, we all lost Collin, but we weren’t there when it happened, so as terrifying and tragic as it was for us, it was unimaginably so for them.

And then London was at college when a deranged psychopath opened fire at the bar she and her friends were at.

I wonder if that’s why Brody and Emma are okay with her going to school in England. Although, that’s where Collin died.

London clears her throat. “We can’t let all the bad in the world outdo the good.”

Syd clears her throat. “You know, I haven’t lived what you three have, but?—”

“Syd, a deranged fuck dragged you out of your vehicle and into the woods at gunpoint just a few weeks?—”

“I know,” Syd cuts Lo off. “I was there, remember?” She forces a smile.

“And I’m here now, and he’s in jail, where he should be.

I agree with London. I will not live in fear, but you bet your ass I’ll live more cautiously when my husband, cousins, you all, are not around. No one gets to steal our happiness.”

“You carrying a gun?” Lexi asks.

“Hell no.” Syd laughs. “But Beau got me the most adorable pink taser and bedazzled pepper spray.”

“Dad insists I have a can of bear spray in my vehicle,” I say, leaning back against the wall.

“I don’t know how they do it,” Sydney whispers, looking down. “I can’t imagine Lily going to a sleepover at a friend’s, let alone college, or moving into her own place.”

A door slamming makes us all freaking jump, and then the sounds of boots coming up the stairs has Wile lifting his head and growling low.

“We’re armed and PMS’ing,” Ava says loudly.

“Why the fuck does the second part of that make me want to head back down the stairs?” Remington asks.

I swear we all let out a held breath.

“They’ve probably got this place wired already.” Harper laughs quietly.

The door opens and in walks all the assholes who were here earlier, but Jackson is with them. Jackson, who smirks at me knowingly.

I flip him off, and then I give them all warning glares, hoping they realize I’m not above doing exactly what I told them I would if they say a word.

“Got your text,” Ava’s husband, Luke, says as he walks in behind them.

“So?” Ava asks as he starts walking over to her.

“Hey!” I snap, and he stops and looks at me. I point at his boots. “You all need to mind your manners. This is my home now.”

They all grumble as they bend to unlace their boots.

“Where do you want them?” CJ asks.

“Up your?—”

“In the hall, where all of ours are.” Harper giggles.

“Why does Iz get to wear hers in here?” Matthew mock pouts.

“She was saving a dog from a torture devi?—”

“It’s a customized accessibility solution ,” Ava cuts Lexi off.

I roll my eyes at her, and she grins.

“A what?” Remington asks.

“Oh hell no, do not tell them a damn thing. I’ll open that up and find a freaking squirrel inside.”

CJ laughs. “Oh, now you gotta tell us.”

I look at my girls, and not one of them says a word.

“Jesus, what are we—back in middle school?” Matthew grumbles.

“You’re joking, right?” I hiss, and he chuckles. “Now, what are you all doing here?”

“Damn, Iz.” Jackson walks over, plops down beside me, and pets Wile.

Luke gives Ava a kiss, and then looks at Remington.

He looks at Ava. “Nothing solid, but that doesn’t mean your theory’s wrong.”

“What are you guys messed up in now?” Harper asks.

CJ and Matthew both hang their heads, and Harper stands up, pissed.

“Does Maddox know?”

“Gonna have to now,” CJ answers.

Harper looks at Matthew. “Where is she?”

“Hold up. Where is who?” Lexi asks.

“Lexington.” Matthew shakes his head.

“Don’t shake your head at me. Maddox is our brother. If he’s in trouble, then?—”

“He’s not in danger”—Harper looks at her—“but I’m assuming Claire has something?—”

“Claire, meaning Jane?” Lexi asks, voice shaking a bit. “What? Is she still involved in all that shit?”

“No,” Matthew says loudly.

“Matthew …” CJ begins.

Matthew snaps, “Don’t Matthew me. She and Maddox both were taken as kids. He has us. She has nobody.”

“Which is her choice,” Harper states.

I know how heated this conversation can get, and understand it, but they don’t need to be at odds with each other.

Ava knows it, too. She stands and looks at Luke. “Okay, we get it, but what does that have to do with us, the team, the?—”

“Babe, it could be nothing”—Luke holds up his phone—“but it’s best to remain cautious. Which we are, all of us.”

“Jesus L. Christ.” Ava flops back in her seat.

London starts texting.

“Your husband’s in meetings, your kids are good. They’re with Emma and Tessa, where you left them less than an hour ago,” Luke assures her.

She sets her phone on her lap, closes her eyes, takes in a few breaths, and then opens them and looks at Matthew. “Is she okay?”

“Haven’t seen her in over a year. Zach says she’s good.” Zach is her brother, who never stopped searching for his missing sister.

“None of this leaves this room,” Remington states.

“We’re all getting together for dinner Sunday night, the whole family.

We will know more then. There’s no reason to get a and Grandpa fired up any more than they already are.

So just chill. You gotta talk, call us. Talk to your parents, each other. ”

“Our parents know?” I ask.

“Of course they know there’s a possibility. There’s always a possibility shit goes sideways in life. Everyone’s, not just ours,” CJ answers.

“When are you guys going to just come home?” I ask.

Remington chuckles and points to Wile. “When we look like that.”

“You already smell like that,” I retort.