Page 141 of Silver Fox Puck

“Don’t ‘big brother’ me.” His voice is flat. Too calm. Which is how I know I’m in trouble.

I close my eyes. Shit.

“You want to tell me why Kingston mentioned seeing your car parked out front of Grant’s place… all night?”

Damn it, Kingston. I am going to murder him.

I clear my throat. “That guy lives near Grant? Huh. Well, maybe he should mind his own business.”

Jake lets out a slow breath. “Kenzie.”

I wince. Yep. He’s pissed.

“I was going to tell you that we’re getting more… serious,” I say quickly. “Just… not like this.”

Jake is silent for a long second.

Then, low and even—the calm before the storm—he says, “I talked to Grant. I know you two are serious. I was just hoping you’d have told me yourself. It looks bad on me if guys on the team know shit that I don’t know about you.”

It’s not just about Grant. It’s about us. About the time I hid that disaster of a relationship in college until it exploded—and Jake had to pick up the pieces.

About the time I swore I’d tell him the truth next time. And now here I am again.

I sink onto my couch, rubbing my temples. “I get it.”

Silence.

“Jake?”

“I’m going to kill him if he hurts you.”

I groan, flopping onto my back. “You are not going to kill him.”

“The hell I’m not.”

“Jake, listen to me.” I sit up, gripping the phone. “This is not some fling for me. It’s—”

I stop.

Because how the hell do I even explain what this is?

“It’s serious for you. And it damn well better be serious for him.”

I swallow, nodding even though he can’t see me. “Yeah. It is.”

Jake is quiet for so long I start to wonder if he hung up. But then he sighs.

“It’s super weird, sis. But I guess I need to get used to this, don’t I?”

I blink. “Wait. You’re not going to go full caveman?”

He mutters something under his breath, then louder, “I mean, do I love the idea of my little sister dating my coach? No. Do I love that he’s fourteen years older than you and has a kid? Also no.”

I open my mouth, but he cuts me off.

“But,” he continues, voice firm, “do I trust you to know what you’re doing? Yes. Do I think Grant is a good guy? Also yes.”

I blink. Well, damn.

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