Page 28

Greyson

It’s just after eight when the bus pulls up outside the hotel, and I could feel the bile already rising in my throat.

When we arrived earlier this morning, there was only enough time to get our keys and place our overnight bags into our rooms before venturing off to the Victron’s arena. So, I wasn’t too fussed about being there then.

But as I glance out the window, and the huge “Blaine Height’s” sign glows in the darkness of the night, my stomach flips with unease.

It’s just one night. All I have to do is get off the bus, make a beeline toward the elevators, then I’ll be safe and sound locked in the room for the rest of the night.

I was lucky in a way because Theo was meant to be rooming with me, but his parents live the town over, so he decided to spend the night there. He did offer for me to go with him, but I declined. It didn’t feel right intruding on the little family time he had. But now, as the bile continues to rise, I was regretting that decision.

“Right,” Coach stands at the front of the bus a nd gathers everyone’s attention. “I don’t give a fuck if you decide to go out tonight, but I need you all down at the lobby for nine am sharp so we can get these interviews out of the way with, okay?”

“Yes, Coach!”

“Once again, great game and remember, nine am sharp . Not a minute later.” Coach reminds us as we all begin descending the stairs of the bus.

Giving him a nod on my way off the bus, I make my way into the hotel with Chase and Hunter.

“Nina is waiting for me to video call her, so I’m going straight to the room.” Hunter announces before walking into the open elevator.

“I’m gonna grab a bite to eat, you want to come?” Chase asks, nodding toward the restaurant.

Shaking my head, I say. “No, I’m just gonna head up to my room.” I didn't want to admit that I couldn't stomach the thought of food right now.

“Okay, text me if you want me to bring anything up, okay?”

Nodding, I turn and make my way toward the elevator. Pressing the down button, I anxiously look around as I wait for it to descend to the ground floor, but laughing from the right of me draws my attention there. And I freeze.

The one person I didn’t want to see is staring right at me. The elevator doors open, but I don’t make a move to step inside. I’m frozen to the ground, staring at him as he walks closer.

Move your fucking feet!

“Greyson.” Sebastian’s voice floats across the lobby.

“Greyson?” S omeone else questions. “Like, Greyson, Greyson ?”

My eyes glance at the two people beside him, and I groan. Number forty stands there, hands in his pockets as he glares at me.

What the fuck is he doing here?

“Dad?” The boy standing beside number forty says, glancing toward Sebastian.

Dad?

That’s when it clicks. My mind was too fueled up on anger earlier to notice the large “Blaine” printed across number forties shoulder blades as he stormed away, but now looking back on it, how hadn’t my mind put the puzzle pieces together? Or at the very least, become a little suspicious.

They’re my brothers…well, technically half-brothers.

“Son…” Sebastian says, walking toward me.

I scoff. Son? No. He had no right to call me his son, not after he signed his rights away.

“Wait, the Greyson Montgomery, the third best goalie in college hockey…” The younger one speaks again as he glances at Sebastian and me. “He’s our brother?”

“Yes, Eli.” Sebastian nods his head.

“Holy fuck,” he gasps, his eyes widening. “I mean, we knew about you,” he confesses, walking closer to me. “Your name and everything. But I didn’t know that you were the Greyson Montgomery.”

He says “ The Greyson Montgomery ” like it means something.

But wait…they knew about me?

My chest tightens as I stare at them… they knew?

Number forty scratches the back of his head as he looks at me. “Look, Greyson…I’m sor ry for starting that fight earlier. Not that it’s an excuse, but it was my first game back after an injury, and I wanted to score a goal to prove to the team that I could.”

“You’re right, it’s not an excuse.” I scoff.

And why is he apologizing now?

“You two fought?” The younger one says at the same time Sebastian says. “When the hell did you two fight?”

“Uh…after the game. I was pissed he saved my goal, so I punched him.” Number forty bites his lip.

“Holy fuck,” the…what’s his name again? Says. “He’s the one who fucked your nose up?”

Why am I even standing here entertaining this conversation?

“Yeah.”

“Hilarious. It’s even funnier because you guys didn’t know at the time that you were brothers,” he laughs, then looks at me. “I can’t believe you’re actually standing here with us,” grinning, he glances around at everyone. “It’s like our family is complete and you were the missing piece finally coming back to us.”

Family? I scoff. The only family I have is Chase, Theo and Hunter.

These three standing before me, they’re not my family. Sebastian made sure of that when he signed his signature at the bottom of that document. But why did he decide that I wasn’t worth the trouble? Why did he get to pick and choose which of his kids deserved a family?

I fucking deserved a family.

I deserved love.

My mind transports me back to when I was thirteen and my foster dad at the time was abusing me. Where were they then? Where were they when I was in the hospital with a brok en nose, arm, and in so much pain while trying to tell the detectives everything that went down in that house.

Where the fuck were they?

My chests begins to tighten more, and my blood heats in my veins, ready to explode. I need to get away from them. I need to leave.

Twisting, I press the button on the elevator, praying it comes right away. But luck isn’t on my side, the top displays that it’s on level eighteen. Great .

“We were about to have dinner, would you like to join us?” Sebastian asks.

Is he for fucking real right now?

“Save it.” I shake my head.

“Son—”

“Not your son.” I hiss, not bothering to look at him.

I glance up at the number, floor ten.

“Look, Greyson. I know things have been difficult—”

“Difficult?” I bitterly laugh, turning to face him. “Fucking difficult? You know nothing about what I’ve been through.”

And he knew nothing about me.

I glance back up at the numbers, floor five.

“I’m sorry, okay?” He sighs, running a hand through his greying hair. “If I had known—”

“If you had known that I jumped from foster home to foster home?” I hiss at him. “You knew, remember?” Glancing from him to my brothers, my emotions begin to show when I say. “You fucking knew , Sebastian. And you did nothing to get me out of the system.”

“I was going through a divorce wit h Ophelia at the time.”

“Oh, my bad,” I mock, lifting my hands in a sarcastic manor as I scoff. “Did that divorce span out for eighteen years? Boo-hoo you got a divorce. It happens. But that’s a fucking lame excuse.”

I’m angry. And usually, I’m not an angry person. But he brings out this side of me that’s been locked away for so long, and I can’t hold it in. Maybe that’s why I was angry at number forty earlier because he looks identical to Sebastian.

“Or was the reason you couldn’t save your son from being beat on by his foster dad, being bullied at school for not having any parents, and so much more was because you were too ashamed to admit that you cheated on your wife with a prostitute?”

Yep, turns out Theresa was a prostitute and Sebastian paid her to have sex, that's how I was conceived…such a heartfelt story. Not .

“Greyson—”

“No, Sebastian. No .”

Fuck. Where is this elevator?

“Please, just let me explain.” He begs.

“Explain what? There’s nothing to explain. You decided eighteen years ago that I wasn’t important enough to be part of your life,” ugh, why do I feel like I’m going to cry? “I don’t need you. I’ve gotten by fine on my own, and I’ll be damned if I let you into my life.”

He wants to be a dad? Well, he’s twenty-one years too fucking late.

The elevator dings, and the doors open.

“Greyson, wait.” Sebastian pleads, taking a step forward.

“I’m done waiting,” shaking my head, I walk into the elevator. “I waited years for you to come save me. Years . But it’s too late, you’re too late. ”

“Greyson, please. Just let me explain.”

“Goodbye, Sebastian.”

“Greyson—” The doors close in his face, and I inhale a sharp breath.

Fuck.

Leaning my back against the railings, I close my eyes. I never told anyone, but I did wait for years. I’d lay awake in bed, each night feeling longer than the last, as I prayed my dad would come save me. Love me. But it never happened. He never showed. He never cared, and he never loved me.

That’s when I came to the realization that I’m not lovable, and nobody would ever love me.

And I guess that’s what I’ll always be known as, the broken boy who was never loved.

Write that on my gravestone and weep about it.

When the doors open to my floor, I fumble around with the keycard in my pocket and press it against the keypad. Once it beeps green, I push the door open and lock it behind me before throwing the keycard on the desk and making a beeline straight toward the minifridge.

Water, orange juice, beer…I needed strong liquor. And once I spot the vodka, I grip it tightly with my hand and unscrew the lid. This bottle probably costs a fortune, but I don’t care. It’s Sebastian’s hotel, and if he wanted to suddenly become the doting father, he could pay the bill.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, my mind is a mess as I bring the bottle to my lips once again. My throat burns, but the more I drink, the more I’ll forget.

Glancing down at my phone that I threw on the bed beside me, my fingers twitch to pick it up.

I shouldn’t…but I want to hear her voice. I need to hear her voice. Because for some reason I feel like hearing her voice will calm me down.

Typing in my passcode, my fingers slide across the screen until her contact comes up, and I don’t waste a second before dialing.

“Greyson?” She answers on the third ring, sounding confused.

“Lil-Bug?” I whisper before breaking down in tears.