Page 59 of Pucking Off-Sides With My Brother's Best Friend

Right when I’m about to respond, coach skates up between us.

“What the fuck is going on here?”

I glance over, breathing heavily. Jax is still glaring daggers at me. “Nothing, coach,” I say when it’s clear he isn’t going to answer. “Just a misunderstanding.”

Jax’s scowl deepens before he glances over at coach. “Yeah, just working through some…differences.”

He looks back and forth between us, expression a cross between curious and disappointed. Seeing that on his face has me swallowing hard.

I gave everything in me to get here, and yet here I am fucking up my chances. And for what? A woman?

I know that’s not fair to think, especially about someone I consider special, but fuck does it hurt to know that my position here is so precarious that any little puff of wind can have me tumbling over the cliff and falling back down to where I was before.

Coach nods sharply. “Fine. Whatever is going on is none of my business, but I don’t want this shit on my ice. Locker room. Both of you. I don’t want to see your faces for the rest of the day.”

“But coach—“

He holds up a hand, stopping Jax’s words. “I want y’all back on the ice tomorrow with this shit squashed. We’re going into a big game, and I don’t want anyone distracted by your girlish dramatic bullshit. Are we clear?”

“Yeah,” I say reluctantly. Jax nods before picking up his stick and moving toward the bench. With a final sigh, I do the same, following him to the bench and then to the locker room.

We’re in complete silence as we pull off our gear.

Never have I been benched during a fucking practice, and I really can’t afford to have my neck on the line.

Jax will be fine. He is brought in free and clear, plus has experience in the league. I don’t have that luxury.

A wave of rage washes over me, and I throw my stick on the ground before turning to Jax.

“What the fuck is your deal, really? Are you pissed off that Aurora is having sex at all, or just that it’s with a loser like me? Because last I checked, the only thing I’ve ever did was be good to her.”

Jax scowls when I mention sex. “What the fuck do you think? How would you feel if I was messing around with your sister right under your fucking nose?”

“I wouldn’t give a shit as long as you are good to her. Know why?” I ask, taking a step towards him. “Because I know you’re a good guy, and you won’t treat her like some toy.”

“And you haven’t? You’ve been keeping her a fucking secret.”

“She didn’t want to tell you,” I point out. “I’m following her lead and letting her decide how we handle shit. If she wants to tell you, I won’t stop her.”

At least, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t.

We’ve never had a real conversation about how all this shit would play out. Now that the moment’s here, I’m having to think on the fly.

I understand Jax’s shock walking in on us like that, and honestly, at this point, I almost prefer to just fight it out and get it over with. But to go this far and act like a bitch that can’t work out their own shit speaks to something far greater.

And yet still, somehow, Jax’s disapproval cuts deeper than it should. Hell, it’s not like I’m planning to marry Aurora or some shit. But sitting here, it hits me - this isn’t just about them. It’s about the family I never had, the belonging I’ve always craved. Jax and Aurora, they’ve been my glimpse into a world I wanted but couldn’t have.

Now, I’m at a crossroads. Fight for this... whatever it is with Aurora. Or protect this sense of family with Jax and everything I’ve busted my ass for all these years. My spot on the team, my shot at the big leagues? It’s like I’m being asked to choose between the love I never knew I wanted and the future and family I’ve struggled so hard to gain.

The locker room feels too damn quiet, too empty. And I realize I’ve got a choice to make that’ll change everything. What scares me the most isn’t making the wrong one - it’s that for the first time, I actually give a fuck about what I might lose.

Chapter twenty-six

Aurora

The silence in thishouse is deafening. I never thought I’d miss Jax’s terrible cooking or Aiden’s constant bickering, but here I am, longing for any sign of normalcy. How did we go from a makeshift family to strangers under one roof?

The soft hum of the TV is the only sound and my solo companion. I’m not even watching it. Not really. It’s just the only thing keeping me from being totally drowned in thoughts, just white noise filling the void where laughter and arguments used to be.

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