He doesn’t even blink, he just holds my gaze, his face so serious that I wish he’d tell me what’s going on in his head.
“If we’re brothers, we can’t keep fucking with each other, because that’ll mean that we have to have each other’s backs. If you’re my brother, I won’t let anyone dick with you.”
I nod slowly. “Same goes, I guess. I mean, you’ll probably still piss me off all the time, but I’m the only one that gets to smack you around.”
His lips twitch in the corners. “I want to stay.”
“Me too.” I let out a breath and watch that owl again. “I’m so sick of being scared, of being hungry, of not fitting in anywhere. This fits, you know?”
“Yeah. It fits. But Ry?”
I lift an eyebrow.
“Even if they don’t let us stay, I think you’re okay. I’d still let you be my brother.”
I can’t talk over the lump in my throat. I just hold my fist out for his, and he bumps it. We sit in silence for two more hours, taking in the night around us, lost in our thoughts.
And the next day, we get the news that we can stay. It was the best day of my life.
Now he’s my best friend. My brother in every way that matters, including in our last name. And I miss the fuck out of him.
“Be careful,” I tell him.
“Every day,” he confirms. “I’ll go back to your penthouse to grab my shit and then straight to the airport.”
“Gid.” Willow nibbles on her lower lip. “Can’t someone else deal with that so you can be here for another day?”
Gideon wraps his arms around her and murmurs something in her ear that I can’t hear, but it has her sagging against him, and she nods.
“I know,” she says and smiles up at him. “Go be badass, then. Call me when you get there.”
“You’re such a mother hen,” he tells her, and Aiden nods.
“Now you know what I live with,” Aiden says, earning a scowl from his aunt. “Not that I mind or anything.”
“Right, you brat.” She ruffles his hair.
Gideon heads out, and I lead Aiden and Willow to the rink.
“Take him to the locker room,” she says with a knowing nod. “I’ll be fine over here. We’re on this rink?”
“Yep. We’ll be out in about fifteen or so.”
“Take your time.”
As she wanders out to find a seat, I take Aiden into the team’s special locker room, and his jaw drops.
“Wow,” he says.
It’s the offseason, so it’s pretty empty in here right now. My name is still above my locker, and I’m glad they haven’t taken it down quite yet.
Mac, Spencer, and two more of my teammates are getting dressed, and between all of us, we get Aiden suited up in one of my jerseys and find him skates that fit him.
He looks nervous as fuck as he takes his stick and follows me out of the locker room.
“We’re just playing around, kid,” Mac assures him. “There’s no right and wrong. Just have fun.”
“Says the guy making millions to have fun,” Aiden says with a smirk.
