Page 17

CHAPTER 17

Andry

Rodney’s home is the epitome of what I want my future to look like. It’s so full of happiness and warmth I wonder how it can even be real.

The bootleg Hallmark movies I used to watch to learn English when I was younger have nothing on this. They’re a poor imitation.

“You’re a good boy, aren’t you, Andry?” Ma says as she bumps her hip against mine.

I shrug. “Depends on the definition. I like to think so.”

“You are. I have a way of knowing these things. The way you treat my son...” Her voice drifts as her gaze moves to said son as he stands across the room staring down at his phone with a grin. If I didn’t know he was texting his brother I’d be jealous.

Fuck, I might still be.

The flickers of agitation under my skin are a sure sign it’s possible. Rather than being across the room, I wish he were right beside me. I want him tucked under my arm at all times. Even when he’s close, he’s never quite close enough.

“See? It’s that look. The one that tells me you’re a bit obsessed that makes it all feel right. I know you’ll protect him from the outside world.”

“With my life.” I swear the words like an oath. Like I’m pledging allegiance to fight in a war, to head to the front lines to keep everything I hold dear safe.

Because Rodney is dear to me.

He’s already wormed his way under my skin. The man across the room, the one who’s started calling me Daddy, who’s trusting me with all of him, is my everything. I only hope I can one day be just as important to him.

Ma pats my cheek softly. With the flour on her hands, I have no doubt she’ll leave some there. I intend to wear it like a badge of honor.

I’m a mess already anyway. We’ve been in the kitchen together working on one of her top-secret recipes. She won’t give me the details, though she has allowed me to be hands-on this time.

“What are these called again?”

“Tamales,” she tells me. “You’re going to love them.”

I have no doubt of that. The last time I was here, I felt like I gained five pounds from one meal. She’s by far the best cook I’ve ever personally met.

We spend the next hour going over the process and working until it’s all in the pot steaming. Rodney moves around the room, never being still for too long. Every shift of location has me looking up to him, wanting to make sure he’s ok.

“Good, little genius?” I ask when he sighs for a second time.

He shakes his head. “Yeah. I just feel useless right now. I want to be doing something.”

“There’s nothing for you to do, Carino. You being here is what I need most.” Ma wipes down the counters as she answers him.

“Ma, I live here. I’m always here.”

She clicks her tongue at him. “You do, but one day you won’t. Let me enjoy it while you’re still around.”

My little genius frowns. “Where am I going to go? Do you have a boyfriend or something? Is this you giving me notice to get lost?”

For a moment, I think he’s panicking for real. Then I see the small twitch of his lips from where he’s leaning over the back of the couch.

“Even if I did, he wouldn’t come before you. I meant for one day when you’re married and off building your own family.” Her eyes cut my way. “Who knows? Could be soon, yes?”

I nod, then laugh when Rodney sputters and coughs. He falls back on the couch with a groan, which makes Ma giggle right along with me.

“You two are something else. I’m not sure if I like this connection you have. It’s rude to gang up on me.”

Leaving Ma to her cleaning, I pluck him up from the couch with ease and drop down in his spot. One tug puts him in my lap. He goes to argue but stops when he sees the look on my face. It’s my Daddy face, which I can tell he understands from the way he settles.

“We’re not ganging up on you, little genius. It’s only teasing. We mean no harm, right, Ma?”

“Amen!” she shouts from the kitchen, obviously listening in.

Rodney shakes his head, then leans against my chest. I pull him closer, happy to be holding him this way in his home.

Being with him like this feels natural. This is how we should always be.

“Don’t you have practice today too?”

I pull back to look down at him. There’s a weirdness to his voice that makes me want to see what he’s thinking. I can’t read minds, but my boy’s face is expressive enough to give me an idea without him voicing anything.

His gaze is cautious, almost like he’s afraid of what will happen when I’m around the guys after this. Does he think they’ll change my mind in some way? That I’ll not want him anymore?

“Later, yes. I’ll be there for a few hours, then I’ll come meet you wherever you are.”

His brows dip. The urge to smooth them out is strong. I hold off, curious about what he’s going to say next.

My little genius nearly whispers when he asks, “Are you sure?”

“More than sure. If I knew it wouldn’t bother you, I’d have you bundled up and on the bench at practice just so I could keep an eye on you. Doubt I’d be able to focus though because I’d only want to look at you the entire time.”

The smile he gives me makes me want to skip practice. It has me thinking of a million excuses as to why I can’t actually make it in.

But skipping out on my responsibilities isn’t who I am. It’s not how I’ve gotten this far. And if I want a spot with the Bears, then I have to bring my A-game. Being with Rodney depends on it.

* * *

When I get to practice, it’s obvious the others aren’t happy with me. They try really fucking hard to pretend I don’t exist.

Coach blows the whistle, halting play in an instant. “What the fuck are y’all doing? This isn’t a game of keep away! You’re playing like the fucking Phoenix Penguins out there. Get your shit together!”

His voice echoes around the ice like a battering ram. The guys drop their heads, embarrassed to be called out for their stupid choices. I shake my head as I bring my hands to my hips. This talk isn’t for me. If anything, I’m as pissed as Coach.

“You’re going to pass the puck to Rykov or you’re going to get benched for the rest of practice. Then after, I’m going to make you run drills until you puke. And maybe, if I’m generous, I won’t make you add weights on top of that punishment. Everyone understand?”

All the heads around the ice move up and down to say they’ve heard him as a unanimous, “Yes, Coach,” rings out. I might not be the biggest fan of how he’s handled Liam and his crew being assholes, but I can admit he knows how to get everyone on board for the sake of the game. His form of punishment would make anyone want to stand up straighter and pay attention.

I blame it on his father’s military past, a fun fact I only recently learned. Coach had no hope of being anything other than a hard-ass when it comes to getting serious about training.

The final hour of practice fairs a bit better. Everyone stops pretending I’m invisible, and we manage to be a touch more cohesive because of it. I score two goals, which earns me a clap from Coach along with some verbal praise. The sound of his words is lost amongst the homophobic slur Liam grunts as he skates past me.

While I’d love to bash his fucking teeth in, I know it’s not the time for it. He’ll get what he deserves later. I’ll make sure of it.

After practice, I rush through a shower before the others even manage to get fully undressed. I’m pulling my shirt down when I feel a presence at my back. Turning, I see a few of the guys gathered as if waiting for me. The little group might be scary to some. For me, it’s amusing.

I put on a grin as I lean back against my stall. “How can I help you?”

“You can stop being a fucking disappointment, Rykov,” Liam bites out.

Shaking my head, I keep my smile in place. “In what way am I disappointing you? Coach didn’t bitch me out for skipping over myself during practice.”

A vein in his forehead jumps at my words. He’s obviously not used to being called out. Maybe that’s why he’s such a dick.

“You’re a fucking —”

Raising my hand, I lose the calm exterior. “I have already warned you about that. You can be mad at me for playing like shit or missing a shot. That I understand. The game is important. But who I’m with isn’t your business.”

“It is when it’s him!”

His shout makes the men behind him frown. It’s clear they thought this was your run-of-the-mill ‘bash the gay guy’ sports shit. They have no clue about the obsession their self-declared leader has for my boyfriend.

Maybe this little outburst will help them see it.

“You don’t need to worry about him,” I say carefully. “He is mine. If you have a problem with that, then we can settle it in another way. Not here and now. This isn’t hockey related.”

He scoffs. “It is related. How am I supposed to play with you now?”

“What the fuck does it matter? It’s not like we’re fucking on the ice. What I do with my boyfriend has nothing to do with you. Not unless there’s some other reason you keep bringing him up.”

Liam backtracks so fast it’s almost funny. “Date who you want. I don’t care.”

I nod while throwing my gear in my bag. “Then there’s nothing left for us to talk about. Now, if you’ll just get out of my fucking way, I can get to my boyfriend’s place for dinner. He’s expecting me.”

Shoving past all of them, I ignore the murmurs of confusion and the noises that sound a lot like someone throwing a tantrum. Whatever his deal is with Rodney, he’s going to get over it. And fast.

I won’t have him upsetting my boy.

My job as Daddy is to keep him safe in all ways. I won’t hesitate to fuck Liam up if he can’t take the hint.

The next few practices I attend are mostly the same. We start off rough, with the guys trying to keep me out of the action. Coach has to chew them out before they decide to play fairly. Even with him pulling some of the guys to skate laps to show he’s serious about punishing them, they’re still trying to fuck with me.

After the fourth practice like this, Coach pulls me into his office. “Rykov!”

“Yes, Coach?” I ask once I drop into the empty chair across from him.

Rodney is waiting for me at the library for a study session, and I haven’t showered yet. Whatever he has to say, I hope it’s quick.

“The team is a fucking wreck. You’d think we were the Rainer State Lumberjacks or something with the way everyone is acting. Can you tell me why Liam is trying to work against you so hard?”

It’s the second time he’s mentioned a team that’s not doing too well this year. Clearly, he’s comparing us to everyone else in the league. It’s going to be exhausting hearing this shit for the rest of the season.

I nod, my gaze holding steady with his. “He doesn’t like my boyfriend. Well, actually, I think he likes him too much.”

“Are you saying there’s some confusion and jealousy?”

“I can’t speak about someone’s sexuality, Coach. That’s not fair. What I can say is that he’s decided to target me, and he constantly says I can’t have him. It’s like he’s fixated on my partner when he’s done nothing but harass him for years.”

Coach bristles at my words. “He’s bullying him?”

Nodding, I run my hands down my thighs to stop from forming fists. Just the thought of the shit Rodney’s been through makes me violent in ways I can’t let come out.

“My boyfriend has made it clear he hates hockey players because the guys on this team have made his life difficult in the past. They haven’t done anything since I’ve come along, but I’m not stupid enough to think everything is over now.”

He pulls his laptop over and begins typing something. I wait him out despite wanting to rush out of his office.

If I had my phone, I could at least text Rodney to let him know I’m delayed. I don’t want him to think I’ve stood him up or anything.

When he’s done, Coach turns the screen my way. “Read this and tell me if anything needs to change. I’m filing a report about this now. I want it on record in case anything happens. Not that I’m saying I condone anything. I understand wanting to protect loved ones though.”

The look he gives me says a lot. He’s not giving me permission to beat the shit out of the others, but he’s going to have proof of the history behind it all in case trouble finds me.

“Thanks, Coach. I appreciate you taking the time to do this. Everything here is right. I can get more details from Rodney if you need them.”

He nods as he pulls the device back. “I’d like to meet with him soon. My players shouldn’t be pulling this bullshit. Hopefully me showing he’s not a target will have them changing their ways. If nothing else, it might relieve the tension I’m seeing on the ice.”

I couldn’t tell him the truth — nothing was going to end it. Nothing except me coming to blows with Liam. Guys like him only understood brute strength, which means I’ll eventually have to show him I could back up my words.

Honestly, I couldn’t wait for the day.