Page 119 of My Brother's Teammates

“Dude.” Roman searches my face, his brows scrunched together, and takes a step back.

I just laugh, slapping him on the shoulder. There’s a smile plastered on my face and my entire body’s vibrating with the need to see our girl. Nothing is going to rain on my parade.

Roman doesn’t seem to be on the same page. Instead of buttoning up his game-day suit, he’s pointing at me. “What’s happening to your face?”

“What?” I shrug, cinching my lucky black-and-purple striped tie close to my neck and smoothing a hand down its length. “I can be in a good mood.”

“Yeah, it’s just… unnerving.”

“It was unnerving watching you dig through a few feet of fake intestines.”

“Agreed.” Mateo slings his purple jacket over his shoulder, stopping next to us. “It looked disgusting.”

Roman blows out a breath, finally buttoning up his Armani dress shirt, because yes, he is that high-maintenance. “They were rubber.”

“Jace doesn’t mind rubber. I bet he’s been puttin’ a hurtin’ on that pocket pussy the past couple of days.” Mateo gives me a wide smile, and while normally I’d growl and tell him to fuck himself, I simply smile back.

Plus, he’s not entirely wrong. I’m pretty sure I owe that thing a few dinners and maybe a nice tropical vacation.

I slip on my jacket, giving Harrison a wave as he slips out the door. Lydia has apparently called him twenty times and he needs to get home. “You fuckers ready to get our woman back?”

Roman is fully dressed seconds later, practically pulling Mateo and me out the door. “Thought we were waiting on Mateo to get dressed. I was ready the second Harrison said she was here.”

“In the middle of the first period?” I snort, shaking my arm free.

“I’ve been ready since we found out where she lived.” Mateo puts on his jacket and adjusts his sleeves.

“How many times did you go over there and lurk outside the apartment like a creeper?”

He tilts his head to the side and taps his lips. “Probably six times.”

I shake my head with a laugh, sharing an amused look with Roman. We probably should have kept better tabs on him. Mateo’s always been the wild card, and I can’t say I’m surprised he’d do a little light stalking.

We take a turn, heading down an empty hallway, this one a whole lot less murdery than the one leading to the escape room. It’s quiet on this side of the arena, our shoes clicking against the floor the only sound echoing off the walls.

The closer we get, the stiffer my shoulders become and the harder my heart thuds in my chest. What if she needs more time? What if she had too much time and doesn’t want to come back? What if being with us was one big mistake?

Sweat trickles down my back as we stop in front of the closed door. Mateo squeezes my shoulder, turning my way, and the serene look in his eyes puts me at ease. Mostly. I’m still nervous as hell, but I get what he’s not saying. Whatever happens, we’ll get through it together.

Roman adjusts his jacket, fiddles with his tie, and runs his hands through his hair multiple times, but after a few seconds, he nods to Mateo.

I tighten my tie, loosen it, then tighten it again.

Mateo seems unfazed as he turns the knob—so fucking slowly—and pushes open the door.

Charlotte is sitting on the couch, her back to us while her fingers fly over the screen of her phone. Her hair is up in a ponytail with a few red curls hanging loose around her face. She’s got her brother’s name on her back, but I couldn’t care in the slightest. She can cheer for him all night long if it means she comes back home to me—to us.

The door closes behind us with a soft click.

She turns around, pushes up from the couch, and my breath catches in my throat.

Charlotte is beautiful. There’s no question.

And when her glistening blue eyes meet mine, I know she’ll be the one I think about for the rest of my life.

“Hey.” Her voice is soft, her fingers wrapping in the front of her jersey, but she doesn’t look away.

“Charlotte.” The way Roman says her name sounds strained, almost like he’s in pain.

---