Page 11

CHAPTER 11

North

W e’re at Mario’s, once again. The place is packed tonight with the regular mix of Titans fans celebrating our win and regulars who couldn’t care less about hockey. I’m crammed at a high-top table with King and Willa and Foster and Mazzy, their easy banter keeping the energy light. A handful of the single guys are here but most of the couples didn’t come, presumably because we just came off a road trip and they want to spend some time alone.

We’re waiting on Rafferty and Tempe. I find myself glancing toward the door, not really looking for them but wondering if Farren will show up. She was at the game, sitting with the other wives and girlfriends, but she hadn’t said a word about coming here afterward. Our communication outside of the bedroom is hit or miss.

Sometimes we have a long-winded banter going back and forth while other times, we have deeper conversations. All via text and not talking on the phone but both of us are comfortable with that .

And then there are times when we don’t speak. I didn’t hear from her at all yesterday and I didn’t bother to reach out to her. I’m trying to give her space since she wants to keep this so casual but fuck if it’s not killing me. I really like Farren and being kept at arm’s length unless we’re fucking is honestly dissatisfying.

Don’t get me wrong. The sex is off-the-charts hot and I’ve never had chemistry with anyone like I have with Farren. I know damn well she feels the same, which sucks in a way, because she’s more than satisfied with just that.

King raises his beer, dragging my attention back to him. “Here’s to an amazing game tonight.”

We all clink glasses and toast the outstanding win.

“And to Rafferty and Tempe finally getting some peace,” Foster says, taking another long pull on his beer. “Word is Brienne fired Tansy on the spot after their meeting.”

I nod in affirmation. The story has made its way around the gossip mill, but Rafferty told me Brienne showed up at his place yesterday to let him know that Tansy was gone. After the game tonight, Rafferty did an interview to wrap things up with the press.

Mazzy grimaces. “Good riddance to that woman. She was poison. Can you imagine having to live with that hanging over your head? The fake doping scandal, the stalking? I’m so glad it’s all behind them. ”

“And it all ended with a love story,” Willa says dreamily, nudging King with her shoulder.

“My little romantic,” he says, dipping down to kiss her.

Willa pushes at him playfully and directs her comment at Mazzy, presumably as the only other female here who will understand her sentiments. “I’ve never seen two people more perfect for each other. It’s like it was meant to be.”

“Agreed,” Mazzy says with a firm nod, but then Foster coughs pointedly, giving her a mock glare. “I mean… next to me and you, babe. No one deserves it more than them… after me and you.”

We all laugh but my thoughts are elsewhere. Every time the door swings open, my gaze darts that way, searching for one face in particular. I tell myself it’s pointless—she probably went home and curled up on Rafferty’s couch to watch an action movie. But then, through the crowd, I spot her.

Farren steps into the bar and a thrill runs through me, same as every time I see her. A wave of something dangerously close to joy sweeps over me and I don’t question it, but I do clamp down on it. I school my expression because to everyone sitting at this table, Farren is just a friend and a teammate’s sister.

She spots us, her gaze taking in the gang and giving me no more attention than the others. She weaves through the crowd with confidence and I force myself not to stare like an idiot.

She greets Willa and Mazzy first, hugging them with a bright smile. “Hey, guys.” She smiles at Foster and King, gives me a slight nod. “Where’s Atlas?”

Foster snorts. “Off with some girl.”

Farren’s eyebrows lift. “Really?” She looks around the table, gaze landing on me. “It’s just… you two are the last single guys in the group. You’re like each other’s wingmen.”

I don’t know if Farren is saying that to keep our cover tightly in place or if she’s trying to send a deeper message, but it’s Mazzy who teases, “Don’t tell me you have a crush on Atlas?”

Farren laughs, shaking her head. “I know better than to mess with hockey boys. Besides, Rafferty would kill anyone stupid enough to even look at me.”

I sip my beer, not sure if I want to laugh or put Farren over my knee. Christ, if only they knew the dirty things I’ve done to her, but I have to say, she’s selling her disinterest in the Titans men well.

Farren slides onto a stool beside me, her eyes meeting mine for a split second before she looks back at the group. “So, what are we talking about?”

“Tansy being gone for good,” Willa says, her tone laced with satisfaction. “Brienne cleaned house.”

Farren’s smile softens. “She really did right by Raffety. She’s quite the woman.”

“Yes she is,” I say, lifting my glass. “Here’s to Brienne Norcross.”

We all raise our drinks in agreement, but I can’t focus on the toast. Farren’s foot brushes against my leg under the table, a subtle but deliberate touch that sends a jolt of awareness through me. I glance at her out of the corner of my eye, catching the faintest smirk on her lips before she turns her attention back to the conversation.

If this is how the night’s starting, I have no idea how I will survive it.

Pretending to be just friends with Farren feels like some kind of cruel punishment. Her laugh is more musical than usual, her smile wider, and her eyes keep catching mine. She keeps stroking her foot against my leg and I swear it takes every ounce of willpower not to grab her hand and pull her onto my lap right here in front of everyone.

“So, Mazzy,” Farren says, her drink cradled in her hands. “What’s it like playing music in front of a live audience? I’d be terrified.”

Mazzy laughs, her fingers tapping lightly on the edge of her glass. “Terrified is exactly how I felt the first time. I still get a little nervous, but once I’m up there and people start vibing with the music, it’s the best high in the world.”

“She’s amazing,” Foster adds, his arm draped casually over her shoulders. “People in this city love her. She could play the phonebook and still get a standing ovation.”

Mazzy rolls her eyes but blushes, her happiness evident.

Farren turns to Willa. “And how’s our favorite doctor?”

King elbows Willa. “Tell them about the Santa attack.”

“Santa attack?” Mazzy snorts. “What in the hell?”

Willa shakes her head, chuckling. “So, we had this guy come in—middle-aged, wearing a full Santa suit, beard and all. He’s stumbling through the doors, shouting, ‘I need a doctor! I’ve been attacked!’ Naturally, we’re all concerned, thinking he’s been mugged or something, right? As I approach, I see he’s clutching his chest, and I’m worried he’s having a heart attack. But as he gets closer, I see brown fur nestled inside the fur trim and realize it’s a live squirrel .”

Mazzy gasps, her hand flying to her mouth. “A squirrel? What?!”

“Yep, a squirrel.” Willa laughs. “Apparently, this guy thought it would be fun to surprise his family by climbing up a tree in his Santa suit to ‘deliver presents.’”

“And a wild squirrel attacked him?” I ask incredulously. They always seem so cute and docile.

“Not entirely wild. The family has been feeding it for a few years and it will come take food from their hands. It’s pretty tame, I guess.” Willa ducks her head and snorts. “Except when Santa climbs up its tree. Apparently, it freaked out and launched itself at him.”

Foster is already laughing, his shoulders shaking. “No way. How do you even treat a guy for that?”

Willa smirks. “First, we had to get the squirrel off him, which was a team effort. This little guy was pissed . It took three of us, a towel, and a bag of peanuts to coax it out of the fur trim on the suit. Then we realized the squirrel had scratched Santa pretty good, so he needed a tetanus shot and some stitches.”

“But what if that squirrel had rabies?” Mazzy asks.

“That was a concern and normally, the squirrel would get sent off for testing, which means killing the poor thing and testing its brain.”

Mazzy’s hand covers her mouth.

“But even as pissed as Santa was, he couldn’t kill the little squirrel, so he opted for the rabies vaccination series and took the live rodent home in a box to release it back into its tree.”

“That’s so sweet,” Mazzy says, hand pressed over her heart.

Farren is nearly crying with laughter. “Oh my God, did he even get to finish delivering the presents?”

“Nope,” Willa says, grinning. “The guy’s family showed up while we were treating him, and his kids were mortified. Apparently, it’s not the first time he’s done something like this. His wife looked me dead in the eye and said, ‘This is why I told him we’re sticking with Amazon next year.’”

The table erupts into laughter, and Willa raises her glass. “So, here’s to Santa, squirrels and keeping the holiday spirit alive—even in the ER.”

The conversation shifts to horror stories from Willa’s job, Mazzy’s upcoming gigs, and King’s eternal struggles with helping coach youth hockey. Farren plays along perfectly, her teasing remarks fitting seamlessly into the group dynamic.

But under the table, her foot slides higher up my leg, and I shoot her a look that’s equal parts warning and amusement. She smirks, her expression completely innocent, and I know she’s enjoying every second of this game.

When the others finally decide to call it a night, I offer to give Farren a ride home.

“We’ll stay for another beer,” I say casually, waving off the rest of the group.

As they leave, the tension between Farren and me feels like it might snap. Moving closer, I keep my voice low. “What do you want to do after this?”

I half expect her to suggest heading back to my place. But instead, she tilts her head, a playful glint in her eye. “Let’s go to a nightclub. ”

“A nightclub?” I echo, surprised.

“Yeah,” she says, twirling the straw in her drink. “It’s dark, no one will notice us, and I want to check it out for job potential.”

I narrow my eyes. “Job potential?”

She shrugs. “I’ve been thinking about trying something new. Bartending at a nightclub seems interesting.”

I hesitate, then down the rest of my beer. “All right. Let’s go.”

?

The nightclub is a sensory overload of flashing lights, pounding bass and bodies moving in rhythm. Farren fits in effortlessly, even though she’s dressed in an Abrams Titans jersey, her confidence radiating as we grab drinks at the bar. She sips her cocktail, eyes scanning the room like she’s taking mental notes.

“Research going well?” I ask, angling myself in so she can hear me over the music.

She grins, tipping her glass in my direction. “Very well.”

When she finishes her drink, she grabs my hand and pulls me onto the dance floor. The beat slows into something deep and sultry, and she starts to move in a way that has my dick twitching and my hands eager to grab her.

She presses close, her body swaying against mine, her arms looping around my neck. It’s more than dancing—it’s a performance, and I’m the only one in the audience.

“You’re killing me,” I murmur, my hands settling on her hips.

“That’s the point,” she says, her breath warm against my ear.

The song ends, and Farren slips away, saying she’s headed to the bathroom. I watch her go, my gaze tracking her as she walks away.

And that’s when I see him.

Some guy, all swagger and too much gold jewelry, sidles up to her near the bathroom line. He moves in close, his hand brushing her arm, and I see red.

Before I realize what I’m doing, I’m across the room, grabbing the guy by the shoulder and spinning him around.

“Back off,” I growl, my voice low and dangerous.

The guy looks startled but recovers quickly, squaring up to me. “What’s your problem, man?”

“You’re my problem,” I snap, shoving him back a step.

Before things can escalate further, Farren slips between us and places a hand on my chest.

“North,” she says, her voice laced with amusement, “calm down. It’s fine.”

“He was hitting on you,” I grit out, my fists still clenched .

“And I wasn’t interested,” she replies. “Now come on. Let’s get out of here before someone recognizes you.”

She takes my hand and leads me toward the exit, her laughter bubbling over as we step into the cool night air.

“That was…” She starts, glancing at me with a grin. “Kind of hot, actually.”

I scowl. “It wasn’t supposed to be hot. That guy was a jackass.”

She shrugs, her eyes dancing. “Alpha jealous protector—it’s a good look on you.”

I glare at her, but the corners of my mouth twitch. “It could all be unnecessary if you’d just give in and date me.”

She stops, turning to face me fully. “Oh yeah? What would dating you look like?”

I bend closer, my voice dropping. “For starters, we’d go out for a nice dinner. Maybe a movie. You’d let me hold your hand in public.”

“Not possible,” she says with a laugh, and I realize she thinks I’m joking.

“Outside of your professed antipathy for a committed relationship, what else would hold you back?” She tilts her head, considering, but I throw out options. “Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?”

She smirks. “You’re hot as hell. Any woman would be proud.”

The corner of my mouth lifts. “I’m not interesting enough outside of the bed.”

“You know that’s not true,” she chastises.

“I get it,” I press, mischief evident. “You’re afraid of what your brother would think.”

“Rafferty would be totally fine with it and he doesn’t have a say-so anyway.”

“So, if I called Rafferty right now and told him I wanted to ask you out on a date…?”

I let the question dangle.

“Go for it,” she replies, giving me a pat and calling my bluff.

“Then you don’t like romance,” I conclude with an exaggerated sigh. “I’d give you flowers all the time and whisper compliments to you nonstop. What girl doesn’t want that?”

Her expression softens for a split second before she shakes her head, the walls going back up. “That’s a sweet offer, North. But I’m not interested in all that fluff. It doesn’t mean anything to me.”

I choose not to believe her, but I let it slide.

For now.

“All right. Where do you want to go next?”

She hesitates, then tilts her head toward my truck. “Your place.”

I nod, but as I follow her to the car, one thought sticks in my mind… I’m going to have to try something extreme to get through to her.