“What about him?” She sounds irritated, but, like I always do, I walk into the fire with her.
“He’s not what you are looking for, Savi. A different girl is on his arm almost every night. He doesn’t do relationships.”
“You mean he’s like you.” She stops walking and turns to me with a heated stare. “You left me in bed with no explanation,avoided me all week, andnowyou think you get to decide who I can or cannot talk to?” Her blue eyes are daring me to answer as she crosses her arms over her chest. “It doesn’t work that way, Stone,” she says, using my last name and putting me in my place. “I’ll talk to whoever the hell I want to, and you can’t do a damn thing about it because you decided for the both of us that it’s not going to be you.”
She storms away and catches up with the group, linking arms with her brother, Travis, as he holds Sophia’s hand with his other.
Not even the excitement of getting a hat trick tonight could pull me out of this fucking nightmare I’m about to enter as a sigh of regret leaves my body.
Breakaway after game night is like a pack of wolves coming at you from both sides. Women with their seductive smiles and tempting words whispered into the ears of the one they want for the night, and the men, knowing with their player status and resume, all it usually takes is a smile and some attention before they leave with someone to warm their bed for the night.
She’s walking into the lion’s den tonight, and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it except pray I make it out alive without killing someone.
TWELVE
SAVI
The nerve of that man.
I had no idea what to expect coming into tonight, but once I got to the stadium, all my worries disappeared as I got sucked up into the excitement of the fans. Every time he would skate by or score a goal, our eyes would lock, and I knew for a fact he was happy I was there. I’ve watched every single one of his games, unbeknownst to him or my brothers, and Knox doesn’t deviate his eyes from the game…ever.
So why the asshole act?
The last thing I expected when he came out of the arena was for him to go after Hayes for talking to me. He’s the most frustrating and infuriating man I know, and I’m tired of keeping up with his multiple personalities that he shows me.
“You okay?” Eve whispers as she appears at my side when we arrive at the bar.
“I’m peachy keen,” I laugh sarcastically. I’m not about to let a grumpy hockey player ruin my night out with my family. “Do youthink they serve alcohol by the bottle here?” I ask, trying to get a glimpse of the feel of the place as we single-file in line and wait to show our IDs at the door.
“What kind of sports bar is this?” Sophia turns and watches a group of girls dressed to kill walk in with heels so high that I’m wondering if they’re just hoping for a broken ankle at this point.
I just assumed we would hang out with the team at a sports bar after the game. Thank God, we dressed up a little in skirts and dresses. Usually, I’m in jean shorts and a jersey when I go to any sporting events.
“It’s not a sports bar.” Knox appears just then and tells us to come with him. We follow him to a side entrance with no line, and he’s immediately let in when the bouncer at the door notices him.
“Have a good night, Mr. Stone,” he grins.
“Thanks, Roger.” Knox nods at him while we all file in.
“This is where you go every night after a game?” Lyla’s eyes get wide when a bottle girl passes by carrying champagne in a little black outfit that barely covers her ass, let alone her perfect breasts on display.
“I’ve only been here a couple of times,” Knox states, while we follow him to an area in the back marked VIP. “It’s a fairly new place, and the owner is a big fan, so he likes to cater to the team when we are in town. It’s become the guys’ favorite hangout after every home game.”
I glance around as we walk through the crowd. It’s two levels and dimly lit with a very intimate speakeasy feel to it. Low jazz music plays in the background, creating a sultry atmosphere. Most of the booths and high-top tables are full of couples and groups of friends as we pass by. I notice on the second level, each booth has long black curtains hanging from the ceiling for even more added privacy.
I can only imagine what goes on in there.
When we enter the VIP section, various couches and comfortable seating are set throughout. I recognize a few of the players lounging with a drink in their hand. Some already have girls draped over them, as others wait in the wings to pounce at the first opportunity.
We pick an area in the corner with a round navy velvet sectional. A table sits in the middle for drinks and food. Another couch sits near it with a similar setup and chairs.
My brothers and their wives fill up the sectional, so I have no choice but to sit with Knox on the smaller sofa. Jett Hayes appears almost instantly, sitting on the other side of me. I feel Knox stiffen beside me, but he remains silent as I focus my attention away from him.
“You made it,” Jett grins at me. “I was hoping I didn’t just imagine the whole thing.”
“We just got here,” I smile. It’s hard not to smile around Jett. He has an infectious energy that just makes you feel happy. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s very easy on the eyes with his curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes.
A server appears almost immediately, giving us a list of what they offer. The girls decide on champagne while the guys get a bottle of bourbon along with various platters of food to share.
