Page 86 of Beauty
War smacks him so hard the sound echoes off the walls. “What did I say about respect?”
“We all called MillieBaby Hall,” Cam points out, rubbing the back of his blond head.
Daniel puffs up, his usually easygoing expression going sour.
“Oh, stop,” Cam goes on. Clearly the kid doesn’t have any sense of self-preservation. “We know your wife calls you that in bed?—”
This time I’m the one who smacks the back of his head. “Please, she’s my sister.”
Daniel grimaces like he’s in pain. “That’s what I’m saying about Millie.”
“The point is—” War drags out. “Sisters are off-limits.”
The four of us focus on the sister in question. Sienna is smiling as Ezra and Gavin speak, but I know her well enough to know when it’s forced. And Ezra still has his hand on her back. It takes effort to fight the urge to storm over and scoop her up. How the fuck hasn’t Gavin noticed that she’s uncomfortable?
“Someone should let Ezra know that she’s off-limits, then,” Cam grumbles.
Brooks wanders over to the group, his pads all in place, chuckling.
I grind my teeth. What’s with her brothers’ inability to show even an ounce of protective instinct where their sister is concerned? “Why are you laughing?”
“I love my sister to death, but she’s an ice queen. I’ve never seen her with a man.” He drops onto the bench and slides his headphones over his ears.
“Maybe she’s a virgin like you were until you were thirty,” War teases.
Brooks blinks slowly, unimpressed. “I’ll pretend that’s true.”
“Works for me,” Aiden chirps, sliding down the bench and knocking into his brother.
A little niggle of guilt pops up, but I tamp it down quick. If they only knew how wrong they are. Though if she doesn’t bring men around, then there’s hope that whoever that British guy was, he didn’t last long.
And maybe, if I’m lucky, I still mean as much to her as she does to me.
She and Ezra hang around while Gavin gives us our game-day talking-to. I only half listen, too caught up in studying everyinch of her I can see. Even as I head out of the locker room, I don’t look away from her.
Nothing but hockey. For years, that was my motto. Ollie changed my mentality quickly. Now Sienna is here, doing the same. With her near, I can’t focus on anything but her. I let the guys go ahead of me, and as I step up beside her, I pause and lean in.
She turns her head away, a poor attempt at looking like she’s focused on something on the other side of the room.
I move another inch closer, then another, until my lips ghost over the shell of her ear, and croak, “Whose name is on the back of your jersey?”
Her body locks up and she whips around, annoyance radiating from her. “What’s it to you?” she seethes, her mouth a breath from mine.
I inhale deeply through my nose and hold my breath, savoring her scent. I’ve never been possessive like this. And I’ve never understood this need to see a woman in my damn jersey. “Is it mine?”
She coughs out a laugh. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
I’m pushed forward and herded out the door before I can respond. Before I can demand she take off the damn jacket and show me.
Without confirmation, there’s no way I’ll focus on anything but that lingering question, even once I hit the ice.
Fuck.
TWENTY-EIGHT
NOAH
The chirping starts earlyin the game.
