Page 7

Clay

There was less than a minute to go. I stood in the net, sweat dripping down my body as I watched the opposing team slay their way through the boys, heading straight for me. I’d lost the time and prayed I could either stop the puck when they shot it toward the net, or the buzzer beat them to it. Almost immediately after the opposing player shot the puck toward me, I blocked, and the buzzer sounded. I did not know if I’d stopped the puck from going in the net or not until the arena broke out in cheer.

Winning the game on home ground was always unlike any other.

The sirens went off and the boys all came skating over, piling into me, while the crowd continued cheering.

We were one step closer to securing our spot in the playoffs once again.

“Killer save!” Dylan yelled.

“Amazing, I thought we were done,” Colton said, fist-bumping me.

Lucas, Knox and Levi bro hugged me, and then I met with the rest of the team as they came out on the ice. Once we’d done the end of the game rounds, we headed back to exit the ice, but first we stopped to sign a few things for some fans.

“We should go out and celebrate,” Levi said as we made our way to the locker room.

“I’m down,” Colton agreed.

“I’ll check and see if Aurora’s okay with me going,” Dylan said. “You guys going to come out with us? Illusions just announced their grand reopening tonight.”

“Yeah, you know, if we are going there, then I think I will go,” Knox said, looking at me, waiting for my reply.

The last thing I felt like doing was going out to celebrate our win. It hadn’t helped that I hadn’t been able to get my mind off Peyton since she’d left the other night. The entire situation was eating at me on so many levels. I’d barely been able to look Knox in the face. I wanted to confess everything, take my beating and be done with the entire situation. Then tonight, right before we were going on the ice, Peyton had texted asking if we could talk. I made sure I was alone when I quickly responded, constantly checking over my shoulder as I told her I’d message her after the game once I was home.

“Well? What do you say?” Knox questioned.

The music was pounding, so was my head as Knox and I made our way out of the washroom. We were on our way back to our private room where the food hadn’t stopped coming in since we’d arrived, when I felt a hand grip my shirt.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Sonya smiling at me. “Hey, Clay. It’s been a while.”

Sonya was a girl I’d fallen in and out of bed with many times over the past two years. She was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside, and I’d heard it from the guys many times how I was wasting a good thing, and I should just snap her up. We were compatible in the bedroom, that much I knew, but the rest of the stuff didn’t add up.

“Sure has. How have you been?” I questioned.

She nodded, then smiled, leaning into me, “I’ve been good. I was just thinking about you, and I’d love it if we could spend the night together.”

I nodded and looked at Knox to see he was staring off into the distance. When he looked my way and saw me answering her, he gave me a wink and turned to leave me with Sonya.

Sonya pushed her body against mine, attempting to dance with me while Knox walked away. Then she pulled her hair up into a ponytail, turned around, and rubbed her ass against me as my eyes washed over her body. She was attractive as hell, and normally I’d have my hands all over her by now, but not tonight. Something was different. I felt different, and she didn’t excite me the way she had before.

“What’s wrong, Clay?” she questioned when I didn’t grab her. She looked up at me with those full, pouty lips.

“Sorry, sweetheart, not into it tonight, I guess,” I said, placing a kiss on her cheek.

“Not tonight?” she questioned, taking offence at my answer.

“I’m sorry, Sonya, maybe next time,” I said, hoping I’d let her down gently enough. I took off toward our private room.

When I walked in, the guys were all sitting around talking about the game, eating, and relaxing. I grabbed a plate and threw some food on it and then sat down over in the corner, looking for a little time for myself while I took a couple bites of the pizza they’d just delivered.

I was just about done my first slice when someone sat next to me. I turned to see Knox sitting there, looking at me while he talked on his phone. I turned my attention back to my food, but the moment he finished his call, he leaned forward and looked at me.

“I didn’t expect to see you back up here,” he said.

I smiled. “Why’s that?”

“Sonya, that’s why.” He chuckled. “Figured she’d have you tied up most of the night,” he said, wiggling his brows. “No pun intended, of course.”

“Ah, no. We are over. She’s a thing of the past now. Best left there too,” I said, shoving a couple of nachos into my mouth.

“Not into her anymore?”

I studied him. Fuck, if he only knew the reason I wasn’t into her anymore, but he was the last one of these guys I could ever tell. If he knew I’d had his sister in my bed last weekend, I’d be a dead man.

“I’ll admit, she is a ton of fun.”

“Guess that is why I’m a little shocked you’re back up here.” Knox chuckled.

“I should have just been honest. I’m not in the mood to be out tonight.” I shrugged.

Knox nodded, looking over his shoulder at the guys. Dylan, Lucas, Levi, and Colton all sat there talking about some of their past games, laughing it up and enjoying themselves. It was nice to see the two of us opening up and welcoming the two new guys. Knox was a different story. You had to earn his trust. Normally, I’d be just like the others, but my entire being was consumed with everything else.

“Funny you should say that. I was just speaking with Lorelai and thinking of heading home. Did you want to come hang out at our place?” he questioned.

I glanced over at the other guys, knowing if I stayed here, I’d be here all night. At least if I went back to Knox’s I’d be home at a decent hour.

“Let’s go.” I nodded.

Knox sat in his usual spot—the oversized chair in the corner. Lorelai was curled up on his lap, her head resting on his shoulder. It was nice to see them so happy together, I thought to myself. Reese, Knox’s mom, came into the living room with a tray of coffee.

“Clay, yours is on the front left,” she said, smiling as she lowered the tray in front of me.

“Thanks,” I said, taking the mug carefully.

“It was so nice to see you boys on the ice tonight. I admit, I don’t watch nearly enough of your games,” she said, waiting as Lorelai and Knox both took their mugs.

“Well, if you didn’t allow that piece of shit to dominate—”

Knox stopped speaking as Lorelai glared at him, gently shaking her head.

“Not helping,” she sang, placing her fingers on his lips.

“I know, Knox. He was a mistake. I’m sorrier than anyone that I got mixed up with him,” Reese said, taking a seat across from me.

“We all make mistakes,” I added, looking over at Knox. “Sometimes, we have no choice but to learn the hard way.”

He met my eyes, and for a moment, I felt as if I were confessing the truth about Peyton and me. That it had been a mistake, but one I’d learned something from.

“That’s so true, Clay, and this unfortunately was one of my hard lessons. Now, what are you doing for the summer?” Reese questioned.

“I’m not sure. The boys are really the only family I have, so if I’m not a part of whatever they are doing, I’m pretty much on my own.”

“Oh dear, where are your parents?” she questioned. “Surely, they’d want to see you.”

“Mom…” Knox said, shaking his head, basically telling her not to go there.

“It’s alright, I don’t mind sharing,” I said, clearing my throat. “My parents and little sister unfortunately died in a house fire two months after I signed the contract to play for the Dominators.”

“Oh my god,” Lorelai cried out. “You never told me that!” she said, looking at Knox.

“That’s because some things are to be kept private amongst us, and that is one of them,” Knox answered, looking my way.

This was one thing I loved about my brothers, especially Knox, and why I was feeling so shitty about sleeping with his sister. He’d kept my horrific family secret quiet as if it were his own, just as asked, and here I was keeping something huge from him. It made me feel worse at this moment than I’d ever felt.

“Yeah, but I’ve never even heard about it from Phil, or on the news,” Lorelai added.

“I just told you.” Knox chuckled, pulling her in closer.

“No, you wouldn’t of, it was something I didn’t want broadcast to the entire world. So, when it happened, I paid a lot of money to have it kept quiet. The media are a bunch of sharks, but between lawyers and cash, they retreated into the woodwork as quickly as they appeared.”

“Oh, Clay, I’m so sorry,” Reese said, bringing her hand to her heart. “Always know you are welcome here.”

“Oh, I know that. My brothers never turn me away. I just hate intruding on them, especially now that they have settled down with their women.” I chuckled.

“Tell him it’s fine to intrude,” Lorelai said, smacking Knox in the abs. “He’s welcome here at any time,” she said, smacking Knox again.

“Fuck, just intrude, okay?” He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her so she couldn’t hit him again, and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“Seriously, Clay, he is serious,” Reese said, giving me a gentle smile.

“I know, and I’ll take him up on the offer before Lorelai bruises the crap out of him.”

The four of us laughed, and soon the conversation turned to the wedding and the invitation choices. They’d narrowed the choices down while we all sat drinking our coffee. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and I quickly pulled it out to see who had messaged me.

I glanced at my screen and saw Peyton’s name. I swallowed hard. Reese had just mentioned she was thinking of moving to Vancouver and wondered if they’d take her to see a place close to the arena. Knox and Lorelai were both focused on the conversation.

“Excuse me for a moment,” I muttered.

“Sure thing. Everything okay?” Knox asked.

“Yep, fine,” I said, taking off toward the washroom.

Once there, I re-read her messages.

Peyton: I don’t want to bother you…

Peyton: Oh, I hope you are there…

Peyton: Shit, maybe I shouldn’t have messaged you might be with my brother…

Peyton: I really need…

What the hell was going on with her? I wondered. I read her messages again and then responded.

Clay: What’s wrong?

I stared at my phone, waiting to see if she was there. There was nothing, and as the seconds ticked by, it felt like forever.

“Fuck it,” I muttered. I dialed her number and waited as it rang. “Are you okay?” I whispered into the phone when I heard her answer.

She sniffled. “Not really.” She cried.

“What is going on?”

I could hear her sobbing.

“I’m fucked. Knox is going to kill me,” she cried. “Remember how you said I’m like family and I could come to you with anything?”

Yep, I’d said those words long before we’d slept together, but again after as well. I swallowed hard, not knowing where this conversation would go, wondering if maybe this was something her brother should be hearing.

Not wanting to go back on my word, I nodded. “Yes, what’s wrong?” I asked quietly.

“I’m in trouble. When I got home, Tor came here.” She sniffled.

“I think I should get your brother,” I said.

I really didn’t want to get in the middle of things between Knox and her, and she’d filled me in on Tor, and so had Knox after her previous visit. He was a genuine piece of work, and one I’d pray I’d never meet because my feelings toward him were the same as Knox’s.

“No, Clay, don’t please…he can’t know I contacted you.”

“Peyton, I’m really uncomfortable with this,” I said, swallowing hard.

The phone went silent; I knew she was still there because I could hear her breathing along with the sobs she was trying to stifle.

“Sorry that I bothered you,” she said quietly, and before I could say anything, she was gone.

I stared at my phone, waiting to see if she was going to text instead, but those three little dots never came, and just as I went to send her a message, I heard Knox call my name. I’d lost track of how long I’d been gone, so I shoved my phone in my pocket, flushed the toilet, and ran water, then opened the bathroom door to come face-to-face with Knox.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

I’d probably been gone longer than I’d thought and so I gave a fake chuckle and nodded.

“Yep, just taking a dump. I wouldn’t go in there if I were you.”