Page 110 of Pucking the Team

Chapter Twenty-Four

“Pip, wait.”

I recognized Dylan’s voice booming over the lot but ignored him. My Uber was pulled up against the sidewalk outside the rink, and I was leaving.

“Pip!” he called again.

The thud of his footsteps had me speeding up. But I was never going to be quick enough to get away from a six-two guy who trained for seven hours a day.

His hand curled around my wrist just before I opened the door of the Uber.

“What?” I snapped and turned to face him, ignoring the glances of a few passersby.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m leaving.”

Shock scorched over his eyes. “Leaving the rink or leaving us?”

“What do you think?” Anger prickled at my skin as I stared into his face.

“Why?” He came closer, trapping our hands between our chests.

“You think you can brawl like that, over me, in front of everyone, and I’ll be okay with it?” I held his steely eye contact.

A muscle jumped in his stubbled cheek. “It was a mistake.”

“You mean it was a mistake to show me that none of you are okay with me seeing you all.”

His eyes narrowed further.

“You’ve all been acting like it’s fine, that you don’t mind if I’m with one of you and then another, but that’s all been a façade. You’re all as jealous as hell.” I stepped back and tuggedat my wrist. “And that is something I really can’t cope with right now.”

“Pip.” He followed me. “Fuck. It’s not like that, really it’s not, we all just have—”

“Save it, Dylan. My life was a mess when I met you all, and now it’s a really and truly fucked-up mess.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“I actively avoid conflict. Since my parents died, it’s just not something I’ve invited or felt I had the emotional strength for. Hell, why do you think I ran from that church rather than storming in and having it out with Steven and Cheryl?”

“We can talk it through. Give us a chance.”

I shook my head and opened the car door. “And Gina knows, she’s a smart cookie, she knows that there’s something between not just me and you, Dylan, but also something between me and Ben, Theo and Eduardo.”

“So? What does that matter? She won’t say anything, she takes care of the team, and that includes being discreet.”

“Don’t you see? That makes me…fuck, it’s like having my own harem or something.”

He snorted. “What?”

“You heard.”

“I am not part of your harem.”

I got into the car. “Oh yes, I think you are.” I pulled the door shut. “Drive. Now.”

“Sure thing, ma’am.”