Page 16 of No Rhyme or Roughing (The Golden Guardians Hockey Hearts #1)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

RYDER

Who knew dancing could exhaust me more than an entire fucking hockey game? At least, that was what I blamed.

Not the kiss.

Not the wanting.

That was the only word for it—wanting. The way Sydney felt in my arms, against my bare chest. All I’d needed in that moment was to keep touching her, to get closer until nothing separated us.

And then, my fucking brother. And her fucking brother.

Really, there was all the wrong kind of fucking.

Teddy was quiet beside me as we both dressed after our showers. He wasn’t his usual obnoxious self in the post-win high. The rest of the team was loud—someone had kept the Taylor Swift songs coming, and surprisingly, no one protested.

Teddy yanked a shirt over his head, then reached for his suit jacket and turned to me, mouth opening and closing.

“Just say it,” I prompted. I knew he had plenty of words for me, probably some fists too. But that wasn’t Teddy’s style. Unlike me. When I’d found out about Sam and Sullivan, Sullie ended up with a black eye—not the first we’d given each other—then he’d just smiled. Asshole.

Teddy, on the other hand, always dealt with big emotions in healthier ways. Talking about them. It was really irritating how much better of a person he was than me.

A heavy breath escaped him. “It’s just… that was really fucking gross, man.”

It had been anything but gross, but I got it. Sydney was his little sister. “You know she’s a grown woman, right?” I wished I hadn’t realized that myself.

“No.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “No, Ry. She’s ten years old. Ten and annoying but impossible not to love. She needs our protection.”

“From who?”

He stared at me, dumbfounded. “Assholes like us.”

I rolled my eyes. Teddy wasn’t an asshole. Sure, he was the king of one-nighters, but he treated women well, even if he wouldn’t admit it. Sometimes, I’d been so focused on hockey I could be neglectful, but I never meant to hurt anyone. Not even Sam. Especially not Sam.

The moment Sydney had kissed me, the pity in my soon-to-be sister-in-law’s eyes didn’t feel so heavy, not like the burden I’d carried for too long. Once Sydney kissed me, all that existed was her.

“If you really think your own sister needs protection from the kind of guy you are, Ted, maybe it’s time to re-evaluate your life.” I patted him on the shoulder, trying to act like that moment in the hall wasn’t still filling my mind with images.

Teddy pushed my hand away. “It’s Sydy.” His voice was pleading now.

“Don’t you think I know that?” God, it tortured me every waking moment, trying to forget how long I’d known her. “But she grew up. Without any help from us. And trust me, kissing her in front of Sam and Sullie was not my idea.”

“She would never?—”

“That’s a lie and you know it.” Sometimes, he liked to think of her as a virginal nun who spent her free time knitting instead of being embroiled in a world of celebrities.

Teddy slumped into his stall. “It was just that once, right?” He looked up at me with genuine fear in his eyes. I didn’t know whether to be offended.

So, I lied. “Yes. Sam still looks at me like I’m a wounded puppy who never got over her, and Sullie is such a smug asshole. Sydney thought it would get them off my back.”

A laugh burst out of him. “Well, Sullivan sure won’t see you the same if he thinks you’re hooking up with a kid.”

She wasn’t a fucking kid. When would he see that? Sydney was only eight years younger than us. Though, sometimes, I felt like the years had sped me right into old age—at least, that was what my constant aches suggested.

I didn’t respond to his comment as a familiar presence entered the locker room. Mr. Mac ignored greetings from the other guys and headed straight for me, murder in his eyes.

It didn’t scare me. My entire life, he’d tried to be stern with Sullie and me like a father might have been, but there was only softness beneath his bluster.

“Sir.” I faced him, forcing a smile. I imagined he’d guessed exactly why I made a fool of myself out there, and he didn’t look happy about it.

Mr. Mac crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Boy.” He shook his head.

“Uh oh,” Teddy whispered. “He just ‘boyed’ you, Cap.”

I wanted to tell him to shut up, but Mr. Mac didn’t give me the chance.

“You really think that stunt you pulled will work?” He sighed. “It won’t. There’s no way dancing on the ice during a hockey game will…” He shook his head. “Just ridiculous.”

Nearby, the room had quieted, no more blaring music, and the guys watched us, probably confused.

Mr. Mac only had eyes for me. “Don’t make an ass out of this team, Captain Cassidy.” He leaned down so the others couldn’t hear. “I appreciate you trying, son, but it won’t work. I’ve reconciled myself to the team’s fate. It’s about time you did the same.”

On his way out, he patted a few of my teammates on the back but didn’t say another word.

“Well, that was weird.” Teddy chuckled. “Someone’s in trouble.” He stood, stretching to his full height. “Rowan, Huet, and I are heading out to celebrate the win. You coming?”

I wanted nothing less. “I’m pretty wiped, man. Think I’ll head home.”

“Suit yourself.” Shrugging, he lifted his bag over one shoulder and headed for the door. He said nothing more about Sydney, showed no sign he was worried I’d be alone with her at the house.

He trusted me.

If only I trusted myself.

The house was dark when I got home, but I could hear music coming from upstairs. The music. From my dance. Inwardly, I cringed, still unable to believe I’d gone through with it. Dancing wasn’t exactly my thing, but nothing really was—except hockey.

Setting my bag near the front door, I kicked off my shoes. The sound of footsteps upstairs was like a siren call, and I couldn’t have stopped myself even if I’d wanted to. I didn’t bother turning on the lights as I climbed the steps. At the top, the bathroom door opened, and there she was.

Sydney Valentine. All smooth skin and curves, covered only by a thin towel that barely wrapped around her. She stopped when she saw me, her shock lasting only a moment.

“Ryder! Perfect. I just finished editing the video. You have to see it.” Her excitement vibrated in the air, but I could hardly breathe.

Sydney, seemingly unfazed by my presence or her lack of clothing, grabbed my arm and pulled me toward my room. Or her room. Whatever.

“Shouldn’t you get dressed?” The words choked out of me, and my body betrayed me. No, she shouldn’t get dressed , it argued. But I’d always been too much in my northern head to listen to the southern one.

Sydney laughed. She actually laughed. I was so screwed. “I will,” she said, brushing it off.

I pressed a hand against the doorframe, keeping myself from stepping in. She let go of my arm and began rifling through her suitcase. “Wait till you see yourself.”

“Shouldn’t you?—”

“I’ll get dressed,” she said, cutting me off, her voice light with amusement. She pulled out a pair of leggings and a T-shirt. “Shit, I need to do some laundry.”

Leaning down way too far for my sanity, she continued searching. When she pulled out a pair of white cotton panties, my brain short-circuited. They weren’t lacy or see-through. They weren’t even a thong. Just plain cotton. But somehow, that made them even sexier. I couldn’t breathe.

Sydy. Sydy. Sydy.

My brain screamed her old nickname, but the rest of me knew better. That wasn’t who she was anymore.

She cleared her throat, and I snapped my eyes up to her face. She motioned for me to turn around. I moved so fast I nearly slammed into the wall.

Soft laughter echoed behind me. “Men,” she muttered. Then, “You can turn back around.”

I did. Slowly. Her blond hair was wet and clinging to her forehead, giving her a fresh, almost vulnerable appearance. Her cheeks were still flushed from the shower, and her face was free of makeup. She hadn’t even put on a bra.

She sat on the edge of the bed and reached for her phone, her lips twitching into a hesitant smile. “I posted it right before my shower. Right about now it should have…” Her face fell. “Fifteen views?”

I stepped farther into the room, joining her on the bed. I looked down at the phone. She’d posted the video to her own social media account, which, to my surprise, had over two hundred thousand followers.

“Wow, you…” I trailed off, noticing her frustrated expression. “How did you get that many followers?”

She rolled her eyes. “The normal way. Just posting. Usually because of my clients—when they let me video them learning my choreography.”

That wasn’t normal. Most people posted stuff the world didn’t care about.

Years ago, my agent had wanted me to post more to social media, but gaining followers was like pulling teeth.

I took her phone and scrolled through her videos.

The most recent one featured Jameson Rhys in a practice room, working through Sydney’s steps.

Then, the videos changed. There were other dancers, most of whom I didn’t recognize. Some videos looked like they were filmed on the set of a movie .

Sydney snatched her phone back. “None of that matters.”

Didn’t matter? I turned to look at her, at the way her eyes darted away. This girl I’d known my entire life had accomplished so much. “How come Teddy didn’t tell me you worked on a movie?”

She shrugged, still not meeting my gaze. “There were only two, and for the first one, I was just the assistant choreographer. It’s… not important.”

I’d known Teddy missed her, that he hated how rarely she came home, but he hadn’t told me just how much she’d accomplished. Or why she thought it didn’t matter.

“I’m sorry the video isn’t getting attention.” She looked smaller, more vulnerable than I’d ever seen her. And I hated it.

“There’s still time,” I said.

She nodded.

“And if it doesn’t go viral, we’ll just have to do it again.”

Her eyes snapped to mine. “You’d do that? Dance in front of your team and your fans a second time?”

“Do you think this will help us get attention for the team?”

Her head bobbed into a slow nod.

I leaned in, dropping my voice. “Then, I trust you, Sydney Valentine.” At that moment, I’d have done anything she asked of me.

A slow smile spread across her lips, and I wanted nothing more than to taste it. But then, Teddy’s words echoed in my mind along with my own.

“You’ve always been like a sister to me. ”

I hadn’t meant to say the words, but they had the desired effect. One I regretted immediately.

Sydney’s eyes dimmed, and she scooted back on the bed. “Trust isn’t always a given between siblings.”

I was such an ass. Her sisters had all but abandoned her, gone no contact. “I didn’t mean…”

“I’m kind of tired, Ry.”

It was a dismissal, and I couldn’t argue without being a total jackass. She wanted me gone, so I left. Despite my better judgment, despite every part of me wanting to take back any notion of her being like a sister, I walked out.

Only silence followed me.