“And you must be Knox’s new friend that we’ve been hearing about?” I look up and see vivid green eyes staring back at me.
Of course, I know right away he’s Cayden Blade, goalie of the Bayside Bolts. Everyone who even follows hockey knows who these men are as Hunter Kane, Colton Foxx, and Thane McCormick appear by his side as they take a seat on the chairs.
When their center left last year to retire, fans were devastated to break up their power lineup, but they quickly got over it when they found out Knox Stone was joining them. After tonight, they proved to the arena that they just might be unstoppable now.
Seeing them on the ice is one thing, but all together like this? Dressed in suits and dominating the space with their presence? It’s something else entirely.
All of them must be over six-foot the way they fill out those chairs. I notice tattoos peeking out of the open collars on a few of them. Add in their good looks, and you have a powerful lineup on and off the ice.
“Let’s just get this over with, so you can have your fun and move on,” Knox says with irritation dripping off his words. He removes his dark jacket, flinging it over the back of the couch before rolling up his sleeves and getting more comfortable before speaking again.
“Savi, this is Hunter, Colton, Thane, Cayden,” he says, going down the line and pointing, “and you obviously already know Jett.” He waves his hand in his direction like he’s an afterthought, causing Jett to chuckle next to me.
“Savi’s brother, Miles,” he says, nodding at the sofa next to us where they are all talking to a few other players who have walked up, “is my best friend from childhood. She’s…” The hesitation in his voice has me looking his way as the guys look too eager to hear what he has to say.
“She’s like a little sister to me,” he says quietly, avoiding my eyes.
A little sister?
That’s what I get?
Last time I checked, you don’t finger fuck your sister.
“You know what that means, so I expect you to honor it,” he says, piercing the guys with his infamous brooding stare.
“Well, I don’t know what it means and would love for you to tell me,” I say, forcing him to acknowledge me with my equally intense stare. I hear soft chuckles in the chairs and ignore them as I watch Knox uncomfortably shift in his seat.
“It means you are off limits,” Jett says, rubbing his scruff as he tries to hide a smile. I look at the other players, and they are having a hard time containing one, too. Something tells me they are doing this on purpose and having fun with Knox on this one.
“We don’t mess around with other players’ sisters. It’s an unspoken rule,” Cayden adds as he studies Knox’s reaction.
“But I’m not his sister,” I exclaim. “So this entire conversation is ridiculous.”
“Very true,” Colton says, taking a drink of his bourbon to hide a smile.
“I’m pretty surelike a sisterdoesn’t count,” Jett chimes in with a grin, causing the others to snicker.
“It counts,” Knox says, gruffly. “Now, unless you all want extra drills in the next practice, I suggest you drop whatever the hell you guys are up to.”
“Such a party pooper,” Jett says, rolling his eyes and getting a giggle out of me and a low growl out of thesaidparty pooper.
“I think we’ve messed with him enough for one night,” Hunter says, standing up. “Savi, it was nice meeting you,” he smiles. “Hopefully, we will see you at the next one.”
“She has to be at the next one,” Cayden says, grinning. “Did you see the way Stone played tonight? Seems hislittle sisteris a good-luck charm. We need her now.”
I know how superstitious players can get, and I shake my head and laugh. “I’m one hundred percent sure I had nothing to do with how Stone played tonight. He doesn’t need anyone to help him play better.”
The last thing I want to do is have the team think Stone needs me. He doesn’t need anyone. He’s made that perfectly clear numerous times in my life.
“Everyone needs someone to play for,” Thane says quietly, standing up with Hunter. “Nice meeting you, Savi,” he smiles,even though it doesn’t reach his eyes. “You should come to the next game and test out our little theory.”
“Yeah, maybe,” I say, not wanting to make any promises. Who knows if Knox and I will be on speaking terms when the next home game comes around?
They both leave, and we talk a few more minutes with Cayden and Colton before they say their goodbyes and move to another area where a group of girls is sitting.
“Here, let me refill that for you.” Jett takes my champagne glass and fills it with the bubbly.
“Thank you,” I smile, taking another sip. I can tell this stuff is expensive by the way it hits harder than usual. It goes down way too smoothly, and I’m feeling so relaxed and giddy on just my third drink.
