Page 37

CHAPTER 37

Tristan

J ordyn briefly made eye contact with me when she walked into English Lit before hurrying to the vacant seat beside Jessica. When Jordyn thought I wasn’t paying attention, I’d catch her staring at me.

Keeping my eyes averted, I pretended to ignore her. I was acutely aware of everything she did, the cracks she’d repaired fracturing and in danger of breaking into pieces.

“You okay?” The concern in Alex’s blue eyes tightens my chest. I haven’t seen that look on his face since my parents and sister died.

I squared my shoulders, blowing out a breath. “I’m fine. It’s for the best. My focus needs to be on the upcoming draft.”

“I wish she’d pull her head outta her ass. Quite frankly, I expected better from her.”

“It’s for the best,” I say between gritted teeth.

I wish my heart would agree.

It's Friday night, and although it’s the last thing I want to do, my teammates are going to a club named Sinful Sirens to celebrate Landin Walker’s twenty-first birthday. Things have been tense between Bryce and me since the scene in Jordyn’s office in the learning center, with Landin taking Bryce’s side and Alex taking mine. As captain, I am responsible for bringing my team together, not pulling them apart.

I feel like a jackass for fighting with my teammate over a woman who doesn’t want anything to do with me. The awkwardness between us this week has sent us into hiding in our respective rooms.

The only good thing about Jordyn and I avoiding one another is Josh no longer seems suspicious.

“You may wanna stop brooding and sighing if you don’t want the other guys to ask questions,” Alex whispers in my ear as he slides into his chair beside me. We sit around a table while a woman dances on stage, slowly peeling her skimpy dress off.

Spinning my glass on the table, I look up at him, bored with the atmosphere already.

“Another round of drinks will be here soon,” Landin says as he returns to our table. I smile at the right winger on the team, pretending to be having a good time. Bryce cheers, giving Landin a high five.

The tension is palpable at the table, although Josh, Travis Holt, the left winger, and Bryant Lawson, left defender, don’t seem to notice.

Travis takes a drink of his soda, his eyes on Alex. When he sets it down, he leans back in his chair. “Hey, Alex. What’s up with you lately? You usually have puck bunnies hanging all over you, but you were pushing them away last I saw. You interested in a girl?”

Alex visibly tenses beside me. He hasn’t stopped talking about Chelsea since the party they attended. I know they text often. “Nah, just focused on my game since I’m entering the draft. Taking lessons from my boy, Tristan. Women are a distraction.”

His words strike a nerve. My jaw clenches as I visibly tense but wisely keep my mouth shut.

“Well, that leaves more pussy for me and Bryce.” Landin releases a boisterous laugh before raising his glass, and Bryce lifts his, clinking their glasses together. He smirks at me but doesn’t say a word.

Landin stops laughing and nudges Josh’s shoulder, his eyes on the door. “I believe you have a stalker.”

I look over, inwardly cursing when my eyes briefly meet Janelle’s. Her smug smile, all the makeup caked on her face, and the provocative way she’s dressed makes me recoil, a sickening feeling in my gut that I fucked her.

“Excuse me, guys.” Josh is on his feet, staring at Janelle. “Duty calls.”

Landin snorts before drinking his beer. “And by talk, he means he’s gonna convince her to blow and fuck him in the bathroom.”

I nearly choke on my drink at Landin’s accurate assessment. “You’re not wrong.” The first genuine smile is on both our faces, a temporary truce between us, as I tap my glass against his before I drink.

“Are you sure she’s not here to audition to be on the stage?” Alex’s brows furrow as he looks her over. “I’ve seen lingerie less revealing than her dress.”

I snort, nearly choking on my drink. “It leaves little to the imagination, that’s for sure.”

My eyes glaze over as I pretend to watch the girl dancing on stage, but my thoughts are on Jordyn. I overheard her telling Josh she planned to stay with Chelsea in New York this weekend.

Running away from me yet again .

Josh bounds over, his arm around Janelle. “You guys won’t be pissed if I bail, right?” His pleading gaze skims over us, locking with Landin’s since it’s his birthday celebration.

“Nah. Go have fun.” Landin winks at him, holding his drink up. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

As they walk away, Alex leans over. “I hope this girl finishes soon. She reminds me too much of Natasha.” He shudders, a look of disgust contorting his normally jovial face.

I nod, sympathy rolling through me. Poor Alex. He dated Natasha our freshman year of college until she fell for her professor and dumped him. Alex was a fucking wreck, bouncing from depression to irrational anger. It took him a while to recover, and when he did, he vowed he was done with relationships. I wonder if he told Chelsea that.

The dancer on stage seductively concludes her dance, then beams at the audience before walking offstage, her hips swaying from side to side.

The announcer’s voice booms into the mic, drawing my attention to the stage. “And for our next performer… Please give a round of applause for Aqua Spice.”

Aqua Spice. What the hell kinda name is that?

I politely clap when the next stripper saunters onto the stage, her hips sashaying with confidence beneath the tight maroon dress she’s wearing. Her blonde hair glimmers beneath the stage lights, resembling spun gold.

My heart pounds faster as the blonde gets closer.

No. There’s no way. It can’t be her.

My world ends as Jordyn stops in the center of the stage, her eyes locking with mine so wide I can see the whites around them.

A low, feral growl rumbles in my chest as I stare in disbelief at the woman I’ve fallen head over heels for, standing on the stage, about to dance.

What the puck is she doing?