Page 19 of Between the Pipes

CHAPTER 16

SAM

As much as I want to get the rest of the story of Chase’s past and the douchecanoe that was dumb enough to let this man get away, I can’t help worrying about Isaiah. It’s been over an hour and still he hasn’t come back home.

“I think we should go out looking for him before it gets dark,” I mutter and drop my forehead to Chase’s shoulder. I’m above average height for a man, but Chase is at least four inches taller than I am which is insanely attractive to me.

Over the past month, we have been talking and texting, getting to know each other better. And the fact that the physical package is just as attractive as the man underneath is killing me right now. Part of me wants to strip him back down and just take him up against the kitchen counters – much like we were on the way to doing when Isaiah walked in.

I don’t even know why I didn’t stop Chase when I saw the kid in the doorway. One look at Isaiah’s face and I knew he wanted us both. It was intoxicating having an older man on his knees for me while the younger man obeyed my commands, forced to watch but not touch – not even himself. I’ve never been into humiliation or voyeurism, but something about that moment just set me off and I want to explore it more with both of these men.

But first, we have to find Isaiah…

“Okay, has he developed any type of bestie on the team yet? He tends to latch onto someone at the start of the season and is inseparable from them unless they get traded away.”

I shake my head. “No one. The kid keeps to himself – doesn’t even talk to Roger despite the fact that the squirt damn near follows him around like a puppy. The only person he interacts with outside of the coaches is Walendziewicz, but I have no idea if that’s because they’ve connected or if it’s just because he’s the other tendie.”

Chase scowls at me and heads to the front of the house. I follow him, totally intending to apologize for whatever I said that upset him. Pulling his coat on, he turns to me.

“If he doesn’t have someone on the team to turn to, he’ll go where his comfort is. You take the arena. I’ll take the arcade at the mall.”

“The arcade?” I pull my coat back on and grab my keys off the hook on the wall. “Why would he go there? He hasn’t gone anywhere except games or practices since he moved in since he doesn’t drive and public transit doesn’t exactly make it out this far.”

Chase rolls his eyes and opens the door.

“Just because he hasn’t been there yet doesn’t mean he’s unaware of its existence, Sam. And there is a thing called rideshare that he can use to leave without an escort,” he snarks at me before climbing into the driver’s seat of his car. “As for why the arcade, he likes the fast paced action games because they help him stay sharp with his observation skills.”

I’m still standing in my doorway with my jaw practically to my knees while Chase pulls out of the driveway and heads toward the shopping districts. I hurry to lock up the house, making sure to only lock the deadbolt that Isaiah can open with his code in case he ran out without his keys. Tearing out of the driveway, I make my way to the arena.

It only takes me forty minutes to get to the arena, but I am not surprised to find it dark and locked up tight. I knew that he wouldn’t be here. Pulling out my phone, I start shooting off texts to him when my call goes straight to voicemail.

Me: please call

Me: we’re not mad at u

Me: u did nothing wrong

Me: I’m worried about u

Me: please answer me

Me: I’m sorry

While I’m not getting a message rejection, I’m not seeing that they are being delivered either. I need to get back home. It’s not safe for him to be out here all alone, especially since he doesn’t know where anyone else on the team lives or where he could possibly go for the night. All of the hotels are booked solid thanks to the holiday, and the few remaining rooms were snatched up by the Tridents for the night so that they don’t have to travel back to Tallahassee immediately after the game.

The Tridents… Jones!

I close out the texts with Isaiah and open up a new one with Brayden Kim. We send the obligatory holiday and birthday texts to each other, but otherwise I’ve never had a reason to reach out to him outside of our time at work.

Me: It’s Sam Talbot in case u don’t have my nbr saved.

Me: Charming took off and I need to get in touch w/ Jones

Me: U got his nbr?

BK: lemme make sure he’s good with u having it first

The suspense of waiting for a response is killing me, so I close out that text to check in with Chase.