My eyes catch on the note placed next to it. I pick it up and read it.
If you’re going to be at my games, then I don’t want to see anyone else's number on you but mine. Wear this next time. If you come in any other jersey, I will burn it.
Blood pounds in my ear and my heart is racing like crazy. So, he was mad at me, but not because I was there. He was mad because I was wearing another player's number?
Did he think I was being disrespectful, that I should be supporting him and not someone else?
Or is it something more?
“Of course it’s not more.” I pick up the jersey, let it unfold and hold it up. “You’re being crazy, Addie. He’s your brother. Nothing more.”
Then why do I wish like crazy that it was?
Chapter 6
Carson
My head is pounding, my gut feels like it’s going to revolt, and I’m five seconds from puking all over the ice.
When Coach blows the whistle, I whimper in relief.
“Alright, team. Good practice. Enjoy your few days off before the next game. Behave. No drinking, no drugs, be on your best behavior."
“I swear to god, I’m five seconds from keeling over,” Reid groans as he skates over to me.
Sitting heavily on the bench, I remove my helmet, leaving my hair dripping with sweat. The cool air of the arena feels nice against my warm skin. Closing my eyes, I lean my head back and take a few deep breaths.
“Give me a minute.” I groan. “I feel like I’m going to puke.”
“I told you drinking wasn’t a good idea.” Reid chuckles.
Rolling my head to the side, I crack open one eye. “There’s only so much I can take, okay? If I have to hear about Princess going on another date, I’m going to lose my fucking mind.”
The smile on Reid’s face falls. “Don’t remind me,” he grumbles, sitting down next to me.
He takes his helmet off and shakes out his sweaty hair. Droplets fly, hitting me in the face.
“Gross, man.” I shove at him, and he laughs.
“I think we should say something to her,” Reid says, letting out a heavy sigh.
“Yeah, because that’s going to go well. Hey, Princess, so, turns out we’ve had a thing for you for years, and because of our complicated lives, we never told you. But the idea of you finding another pack makes us want to claw our skin off. So,wanna be our Omega? Even though we have no idea if you have the same feelings for us, because we’ve never met in person and you probably think we’re some fifty-year-old men living in our parents’ basement?”
Reid blinks at me. “Dude. Relax. It’s not that serious. I say we ask to start doing video chats. That way, we can all see what each of us look like. It will up our friendship game so we can open up more.”
“And what happens if she realizes who we are, how much money we’re worth, and even though she doesn’t have feelings for us, she wants us for our money and fame?” I ask.
“Do you really think she’d be like that? She’s never once asked us for help. Hell, she started streaming to make her own money. She’s a smart girl taking care of herself. She won’t want us for our money.”
“Maybe the only reason she didn’t ask us for help is because she doesn't know what our jobs are, or how much we make.”
His brows pull together, face setting in a deep frown. “Why are you thinking of every bad outcome? Where’s the hope? Where’s the guy from last night, the one who got shit faced drunk while playingTwisted Valleywith his mic muted as he bitched about wanting to tell Princess to be ours, pick us, choose us? And all that bullshit.”
“That was drunk Carson, stupid Carson. The one who wasn’t thinking straight. Now I’m sober, Carson. Okay, more like hungover Carson, but still.”
“Stop referring to yourself in third person, please, it’s hurting my brain.”
Rolling my eyes, I continue. “What I’m saying is, we don’t know much about her. We fell for the side of her that she’s given us online. But we both know that's not who we really are. There’s so much more to all of us beyond the computer.”
