“Maybe you did, but Rae likes having heat,” Asher taunts and I roll my eyes. “You can stay out here if you want, though. Dogs can sleep outside.”
“I’m not a fucking dog,” I snap.
“You like being Rae’s puppy.” He smirks as we walk inside.
“Don’t be a jerk,” Rae tells him.
We get inside, and he yanks her into him. “Want to try that again, good girl?” he threatens.
Her cheeks fill with color, and lust fills her blue eyes as they look at him. I know we aren’t going back to the conversation we were interrupted from, but my feelings remain the same. Even more so. I need her to know, soon. But I know right now she wants the distraction we’re willing to give her, and I’m never going to turn that down.
That’s how we end up back in her room, and even though Ihave to wake up in just a few hours, I know I can sleep after practice. Because I’m not going to miss a second with Rae.
It’s beena few days since Asher and I were at Rae’s house. I’ve been busy with hockey since and after a run of home games we have one more before we go back out onto the road. But I feel like I have to talk to someone about what’s been going on. Someone who will understand, and I know that’s not my mom, dad, and especially not my brother.
The only person who I know will fully understand and also not say shit to anyone else in our family is my uncle, Brent. He’s been in a polyamorous relationship forever and while I know I could also talk to Vince or Matt, they’re more likely to tell Chandler, who’s more likely to tell mine or Rae’s mom.
Even though I really don’t need the extra practice, I tell him I do because he may not admit it, I know he misses playing. I also know that all of them get together and still play when they tell their wives they’re just hanging out. I don’t know why they act like it’s some dirty secret, probably because my uncle wants a secret excuse to slam my dad in the boards every once in a while.
Since I know what went down with them when my mom and dad got together, I’d say he kind of deserves it.
We’re able to use the Dragon practice facility during off hours, and I’m sure it’s a perk of being a Dragon legacy. One I don’t usually take advantage of, but right now I want the privacy to talk to Brent.
After we skate around, warming up and playing one-on-one, I finally get up the nerve to say something that isn’t related to hockey.
I’m spraying water into my mouth when he skates over to do the same.
“Do you ever wish you had Chandler to yourself?” I blurt because I don’t know how else to start this conversation, but it’sthe first thing I think of. I have no issue sharing Rae, but I worry that at some point I will, or that Asher will.
Brent raises an eyebrow at me, putting the water bottle down. “Where’s that question coming from?”
“Just…curious.”
He looks at me skeptically before answering, “No. I know this is the life she wants and I would never want to take that from her.”
“Was it hard to always have to share her?”
His eyes narrow even more, and I can tell he wants to askmequestions but is refraining. I like how straight forward my uncle is, he doesn’t say much and is always so in control of himself. Everyone else around us, especially my dad, is loud and opinionated. While my uncle always stands back, observing. My aunt Bailey is like him, but she lives in Washington and we really only see her around the holidays.
“It wasn’t always easy. Is there a reason you want to know?”
I look down at the ice, scraping it with my blade. “If I tell you, can it stay between us?”
“Of course.”
I push off the boards, gliding backwards because I feel like I need the distance to say anything else.
“Rae and I have kind of been seeing each other.”
Brent doesn’t say anything right away, and I recognize the way he’s waiting for me to continue without pushing. It’s kind of amazing he’s my mom’s brother because they’re so different. I know they both grew up in a shitty situation, but since Brent was the oldest, he took on a parental role to all his siblings. My mom is the youngest and they all did what they could to protect her.
I continue, “She’s also been seeing Asher.”
“And you aren’t sure if you’re okay with that?”
“No, I am. I just don’t know if it can last.” I cringe at the admission.
“Why not?”
