I’m not going to harp on our loss tonight, but we have to talk as a team
Between everything that happened tonight, Cameron and I need to set the record straight
Everyone, meet at Cameron’s place tomorrow morning at nine
We won’t keep you long, but we have to get all this out in the open
“There,” Zhuri says, letting her phone fall to the mattress. “We’re going to talk to them in the morning.”
“What’s going to happen if they don’t accept us being together?” I ask nervously.
She gives me a soft smile and a sweet kiss. “Nothing. We’ll still be their teammates. If they don’t accept us right away, they’ll come around. Nothing about the team is going to change.”
She can’t know that, but I’m comforted anyway. “I’m sorry I’m so in my head right now.”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” Zhuri assures me.
“I just…” I start before sighing. “I know I’m in therapy and on medication, but I’m still going to have episodes like this. I’m doing better, but I’ll never be perfect.”
“I don’t need you to be perfect. I need you to beyou.Depression is a beast, Cameron, and I know you’re still going to struggle. It’ll never really go away. When the bad days hit, I’ll always be right beside you. You can always lean on me.”
“Always?” I know the emotions are clear in my voice, but I can’t find it in me to care.
“Always,” Zhuri whispers, lips ghosting over mine before she presses them together. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to stick around as long as you let me.”
Even after all the shit that happened tonight, I smile at her. “Hope you’re ready for forever then.”
“I really like the sound of forever.”
Zhuri takes my hand in hers, and we lie in silence.
Having her here with me still doesn’t feel real sometimes, and I’m the luckiest bastard in the world because it is.
There will be hard days ahead for me, but with Zhuri beside me, the idea of facing them doesn’t feel so daunting anymore.
“Welcome back,” I say, letting Noah into my penthouse. He was one of our old teammates on the Lizards, and he’s Michael’s replacement.
“Good to be back,” he chuckles.
I let out a breath. “Hold that thought because you’re coming into some shit, man.”
I lead him into the living room, where the rest of our team is waiting.
“The guys already know him,” I say, “but for everyone else, this is Noah Levine, our newest center. Amalia and Aili, he’ll be playing on your line in place of Michael.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Noah,” Zhuri says, standing up to come over and shake his hand. “I’m Zhuri. Cameron and I are your co-captains.”
Noah finds an empty chair and sits down as Zhuri and I stand in front of the team. “Well, I’m happy to be here, but I can’t say I have any clue why I am.”
Bruno’s voice is slightly clipped. “Gonna have to talk to your co-captains about that, Levine.”
Zhuri and I sigh together before she speaks. “It was outed yesterday, so the rest of the team knows, but Cameron and I are dating. That’s what started all of this.”
“Oh shit,” Noah says in surprise. “That’s not allowed, is it?”
“It wasn’t,” I answer. “We kept it secret for a while because of that. But that’s where Michael comes into this. He apparently figured it out and was blackmailing us because he didn’t think a woman deserved a better position than he had.”
“Sounds like Michael.” Noah rolls his eyes.
