I mostly try to ignore him, but when Pierce hints at more of his bullshit about Brody’s family, I just can’t keep my mouth shut. Not after knowing the truth.
“You need to keep your mouth shut, Jamison. Everyone is sick of your shit, and you should honestly be ashamed of yourself after what his family has been through.”
Pierce gapes at me, eyebrows raised in surprise. I roll mine.
“Look, I let you get away with some shit because Brody’s an annoying, cocky asshole. But I’m still captain of this team, and enough is enough.”
Hands up in surrender, Pierce backs away from me with a cocky, disturbingly knowing grin. But he doesn’t relent. Several times throughout the match, Jamison approaches me to make stupid comments or talk shit. I have a bad feeling he’s caught on to something, or at least he thinks he has, and he pursues it like a hunting dog.
“I think Brody’s got a hard-on for you, man. I know it’s fucked up, but if you keep looking at him like that, he’s going to think you’re jealous or something.”
“Shut the fuck up, Jamison. Don’t make me tell you again.”
“Damn. Did I hit a nerve,Captain?” The way he stresses the title disturbs me, even though there’s no way he knows about the safe word. What if he saw my texts somehow? My mind reels with the possibilities.
“Why don’t you pay attention to your own bullshit for once and maybe try winning a match this year?” I say, looking up to make sure he can see the bored expression on my face. “And put your phone away. You’re not supposed to have it out during the competition.”
He huffs indignantly. “Maybe the rumors are true then,” he sneers.
The hairs on the back of my neck rise. Part of me wants to challenge him, find out what he’s talking about or if there are any rumors. But I don’t want to feed into his games, and I know he’s a vindictive bastard. Luckily, Pierce’s phone chimes again. He walks backwards, eyes challenging me as he pulls the phone from his pocket. Turning his attention away from me, he types something into his phone and looks over at Brody with a wicked grin that makes my stomach twist. I can feel that Pierce is up to no good, but I have no way of knowing what bullshit he might pull.
CHAPTER 26
BRODY
I spot Eric as he’s crossing the gym, cutting through the Nebraska crowd like he’s on a mission. He’s exactly the same as he was when I left. Same soft smile, same wide hazel eyes, same nervous energy he always carried around me.
When our eyes meet, his grin widens, lighting up his face. Then he’s moving, practically running straight at me. I catch him in a bear hug, muscle memory pulling him tight to my chest and lifting him off the ground. He’s shaking. Hell, maybe I am too.
“Brody,” he breathes, the way you might say someone’s name if they came back from the dead rather than moved to another state.
“Hey, bud. It’s good to see you,” I murmur, smoothing a hand over the back of his head.
Eric tears up and buries his face in my neck.
“Hey, it’s okay.”
“It’s not,” he mumbles into my neck. “It sucks here without you. I can’t believe you just left me like that.”
My gut clenches.
“Let’s go somewhere and talk.”
I pull him gently towards the corridor that leads to the athletic offices, where it’s quiet. A conversation like this needs a place away from the noise and curious eyes. He follows me without question, like he always did.
In the empty hallway, I lean against the wall, and he leans against me, collapsing right into me, chest to chest, resting his head against my shoulder. It reminds me of the times he’d fall asleep on our couch and end up slumped against my chest. Back then he was just Leo’s wide-eyed, optimistic, naïve little brother. He was so sweet it made something in me ache whenever he was sad.
“Why’d you leave?” he asks, voice wobbly.
I swallow hard. For someone who hadn’t told a soul about everything that’s going on with my family, I sure am getting more comfortable with sharing. Telling Beck was one thing. I’d rather not have to share all the details with Eric, but seeing him this raw and hurt, I can’t not tell him something. I always had a soft spot for my roommate’s younger brother.
“My brother,” I say quietly. “He got sick. And it’s pretty bad. Worse than I told anyone. My family needs me closer to home. I want to be closer to home, so I don’t have to fly halfway across the country in case—” I swallow. “I just need to be there.”
Eric sucks in a shaky breath. “Broderick Miller, you asshole. Why didn’t you tell us? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Because I was too raw. Because I didn’t want to answer questions. Because I was worried you and Leo would think less of me for whatever reason, because I have a long history ofpeople not being kind to my family because of things beyond our control.
Because you would have begged me to stay, and it would have been harder to leave.
