Chapter 14

Mo

My sister stole my car.

Yanking out my phone, I jab her phone number.

"Stella speaking!"

"I stepped outside my apartment this morning and do you know what I saw?"

Her laughter flows through my phone, "I thought the handwritten note was a nice touch! Ellsworth and I just need to borrow it for the weekend, my jeep is currently out of commission."

"And you didn't think to ask if you could borrow my Cadillac?" Pinching my brows together, I stare at the hastily scrawled note I found tapped to my front door this morning.

"That's what the note is for! To explain the situation and send some sibling love in your direction."

A low murmur echoes through the phone, telling me Cody is nearby.

"Why didn't you take Cody's car?"

"It's in the shop right now."

My left eye starts to twitch so I squeeze my eyes shut.

"I need my car today. The team is hitting the road in an hour."

Background noise cuts through before Stella's upbeat tone hops back on.

"Take the bus with the team. Problem solved."

Gripping my phone tighter, I let out a growl, "You know damn well why I can't take the bus with the team. Turn around now."

"It'll be good for you. Father always tells us the only way to grow-

-is to push past your comfort zone, I know."

I finish her sentence and she falls silent. I soften my voice and try for a different approach, "Stella. Do me this one favour and bring back my car. You can borrow it any other time."

She hums, "Take the bus, Mo. I have a good feeling about this."

My frustration unleashes and I snap, "This isn't funny. Get your ass back here right now or I"ll call the cops."

"And they would arrest me for what? Having the spare key?" She laughs and I resist the urge to smash my phone against the kitchen wall.

"Sorry, Mo. Take some motion medicine and hope for the best."

"Stella, I swear to God-

"See you soon!" She blows me a kiss and hangs up the phone.

Taking a deep breath, I put my phone back on the table. I can feel my anger threatening to unleash itself, but I lock it down with a few deep breaths.

Think, Mo. Don't let the emotions rule you.

Shaking the lingering turmoil from my body, I glance at my watch and quickly formulate a new plan.

Thirty minutes to get my things in order. Ten minutes to get my ass over to the university and onto the team bus. Because thanks to my sister, driving to the away game is no longer an option.

I wait until the last possible second to board the bus. Climbing the narrow stairs, recycled air immediately fills my nose and I make a beeline for the seat directly behind the driver.

"Coach Mo! Come back and chill with us. We're playing cards against humanity." André waves at me from the last row but I ignore him and plop down in the first row.

Shifting uncomfortably, I curse my sister for the umpteenth time as my legs press into the ripped leather in front of me. Taber University lives and breathes on a tight budget, so it came as no surprise that the team bus was a regular, ugly, yellow school bus.

Laughter rings out behind me but I don't bother turning around. My shoulders are almost as wide as the seat itself and I can barely move from the claustrophobia already pressing down on me. Reaching for the window next to me, I pry the rusty metal frame open as far as it will go, but it doesn't offer the faintest breeze.

Sweat coats my forehead as panic sinks in, the nausea already rising in the back of my throat. I'm going to be stuck in this airtight cylinder for over two hours with no fresh oxygen to think of.

Forcing myself to swallow, I quickly grab my air pods out of my bag and jam them into my ears. Restarting the podcast I was listening to this morning, I try and focus on the narrator's voice as the bus pulls out of the parking lot.

Our Tiger chant breaks through my podcast and I risk a glance over my shoulder to see Nico and Wes walking up and down the aisle, hyping up the boys. My eyes linger on Nico's snug jeans as he walks by the group of rookies, the ripped material hugging his lower body perfectly.

The bus jerks forward and my eyes snap back to the front, my stomach contents swirling from the rocky motion. Grabbing my bag again, I pop two pills into my mouth and swallow them dry.

Don't feel, just think.

The opposite use of my mother's wisdom puts a smile on my face, the memory of her soft features and bright smile flashing through my mind. She was the light to my father's dark, the warmth to his chill.

For my mother, it was dancing that made everything better.

For me, it was my mother.

My thoughts drift away as we hit the highway, the smoother roads easing my body as my mind takes me back to a time when my mother was alive.

"I got you something." My mother's eyes sparkle with excitement, her hands tucked behind her back, "Close your eyes."

I shake my head with a sigh, "Aren't I a little old for surprises?"

She smiles, "No one is ever too old for surprises."

"Pretty sure father would disagree."

Her smile only brightens, "Your father loves my surprises. Now, quit being stubborn and close your eyes."

I groan, making a show of closing my eyes, "Happy?"

She taps my nose, "Just because you're off to university doesn't mean you get to be cheeky. Okay, open them."

I slowly open my eyes, seeing my mother's unbridled excitement radiating from every pore in her body. The sight has me smiling before I see anything else.

"You"re going to love it." She claps her hands, barely able to contain herself.

I look around the room, letting out a confused laugh, "Mom, there's nothing here."

She smiles coyly, "Check your pockets."

"You know, most people put the surprise out in front of them."

Chuckling, I reach into my pocket and find a piece of paper. She waits patiently as I read it, the warmth in my chest expanding with each box on the list.

"Do you understand what those names are?"

I nod, my throat painfully thick, "You found all the dance clubs near Taber University."

She nods, motioning for me to flip the paper over, "Dance clubs, bars, and other areas I thought were worth noting. Now you have something to do when you aren't busy training or studying."

Swallowing the emotions clogging my throat, I pull her in for a hug, "Thank you, mom. It's perfect."

She squeezes me tightly, "You can scope out the dance floors for when Stella and I come to visit."

"I can't wait."

The drone of my podcast fades away and it takes me a moment to realize that one of my air pods is gone.

"You're missing out on team bonding."

Turning, I see Nico holding the stolen item with a smirk. I hold out my hand, turning my gaze back to the road ahead.

"I'm too old for team bonding. Hand it over."

"What you listening to?" Nico inspects the earbud, letting out a low whistle, "You've got the latest Apple tech. Nice."

"Comes with the job."

He slides into the seat across from mine, making himself comfortable, "You work for your dad, right?"

"Yes."

"What's that like?"

My brows furrow, "It's fine. Can I have my air pod back?"

"Please."

"Excuse me?"

He grins, "You didn't say please."

I stare at him, "Give me that air pod right now or I will come over there and get it myself."

Nico's grin grows wider, "Promise?"

Before he has the chance to think, I lunge across the aisle, throwing myself on top of him. Using my bodyweight to pin him against the worn leather seat, our chests are completely flushed together as I look at him with narrowed eyes.

"Never present a challenge you can't win, Montez."

He stares back at me, those dark eyes studying my face as I slowly extract myself from his body. The bus jerks around a corner just as I go to standup and I have to grab the back of Nico's seat to steady myself. It's only when I make eye contact with Hunter do I realize I'm facing the wrong way.

My stomach lurches as the bus takes another corner and only one thought races through my head.

I'm going to kill my sister.

Nico

Mo drops into my seat like a man possessed.

His immaculate skin has turned a ghastly shade of white and the sheen of perspiration on his forehead is making my own stomach cramp up.

"You okay, Maurice?"

I press myself into the window, trying to give him more breathing space. These bus seats were made for children, not two grown men.

Mo doesn't respond, just stares ahead as if the open road might be the divine answer he's looking for. I sneak a glance to the back of the bus to call for help, only to find my co-captain slumped awkwardly in his seat, mouth open, fast-asleep.

Useless, I tell you.

Grimacing against the uncomfortable position, I offer Mo his stolen air pod with a weak smile.

"You won. Fair and square."

His lips remain clamped shut so I do what any desperate man would do in this situation: I grab his hand.

Mo looks at me in surprise, "What the hell are you doing?"

Intertwining our fingers, I start rubbing soothing circles on the back of his hand.

"I'm distracting you."

"It's weird. Stop it."

Ignoring him, I continue tracing gentle circles with my thumb, "You just took my hand holding virginity. Congratulations."

His lips twitch, "You've never held hands before?"

I shrug, "I prefer more explicit displays of affection."

"You could give me a blowjob if that would make you feel better."

I burst out laughing, "How considerate of you."

Mo flashes me a grin and I swear I've never wanted to give road head more in my life.

Leaning closer, I whisper softly in his ear, "Babe, if these seats had an inch more space, I would already be on my knees."

"Be careful there, Montez. You don't know who you're dealing with."

Grinning, I release his hand and let my fingers run up his thigh teasingly.

"I know exactly who I'm dealing with, Maurice. Give me a time and place and I'll be on my knees, waiting for you." Reaching the bulge in his jeans, I give him a firm squeeze.

Mo is quick to grab my hand, "Unless you want me to bend you over and fuck you against that window in front of all your teammates, I suggest you don't touch me again."

My balls tighten at the thought, "Promise?"

"I already told you, Montez. Never present a challenge you can't win."

Mo doesn't spare me another glance as he stands up and walks back to his seat. I stand up to follow suit but he calls my name before I can make it past his seat.

"Montez."

I pause, turning back to look at him.

"Don't get in your head tomorrow. We will need you present on the field if we have any hope of beating the Dinos." He pauses, weighing his next words carefully, "Just remember you are playing for more than just yourself out there."

The complete one-eighty leaves me at a loss for words, so I simply nod and head back to my seat at the back of the bus. I stare at the back of Mo's perfectly styled hair for the rest of the drive, wondering why our assistant coach had to be my perfect type.

"We're already here?" Wes blinks at me sleepily, his dark hair matted from where he was slumped against the window.

"Welcome to Calgary, Sleeping Beauty."

The bus rolls to a stop and a collective sigh of relief sounds along the team. This road trip was tame compared to some of the ones we will have to do later this season, but that doesn't stop us from complaining.

"Taber needs to invest in a bigger bus." Hunter grumbles as he stretches his legs, his lacrosse bag precariously balancing atop Wes' seat.

Wes grins and pokes the bag so it falls onto the stretching forward.

"You need to invest in a better attitude."

"Dick."

I laugh, grabbing my bag from the floor and joining the line filing out the door. Our bright orange team sweaters are a shock to the grey backdrop of the hotel parking lot as we all assemble outside the bus for a quick debrief.

Wes takes the lead, reminding everyone to be respectful and to save the hotel bar for after our game tomorrow night. I tune him out as he goes over the check-in time for warm-up tomorrow, letting my eyes drift to the man standing off to the side.

He's typing away on his phone, the aviators perched on his nose giving him the bored expression of a movie star. At 6'2, I'm used to being one of the tallest guys in the room, but Mo is a whole different level. Height-wise, we're the same, but the bodybuilding physique and commanding presence instantly makes him the most eye-catching person in the room.

He lifts his head and stares in my direction. The reflective sunglasses make it hard to tell who he's looking at, but based on the way my skin is burning, I'd bet my life savings his eyes are on me.

"Anything you want to add, Nico?" Wes glances over, jolting me out of my lustful thoughts.

"Nope, you covered it all. Let's kick some ass tomorrow!"

Pumping my fist in the air like a girl at a rock concert, the team rewards my efforts with a cheer. The group breaks to grab their respective gear and we all funnel into the hotel lobby. Mo disappears almost immediately while the rest of us are left to sort out our key cards.

"Dude, I'm supposed to be with Preston."

"Hunter, you're on the third floor with Millard."

"Why does Millard get to be on the third floor?"

I groan, listening to the chaos that is Taber's varsity team. Wes is in the middle of the mess trying to appease everyone when I walk over to the woman manning the front desk.

"Hey…" Sneaking a glance at her name tag, I paste a bright smile on my face, "Darlene. Could you do me a favour and help my friend out? He's a rookie captain and needs some help."

The middle-aged woman looks at me, her eyes narrowed behind wire-rimmed glasses.

"What team do y'all play for?"

I glance down at my jersey, the snarling tiger mascot hard to miss, "Taber Tigers, ma'am."

"Who?"

"Taber University. Down south?" I gesture towards my sweater in hope her eyesight is better than her hearing.

She sniffs, "Never heard of them."

I force my smile to stay bright, "Have you ever eaten corn?"

A hand claps my shoulder, moving me aside. I stare, aghast, as Mo easily slides into my position and gives the woman a wink.

"Hi Darlene, I need a printed list of all the accommodations booked under Taber University please."

The woman blushes, giving him an eager nod, "Of course, how many nights are the reservations for?"

"Two."

She starts typing away on her computer while I turn and stare at the man beside me.

"Since when are you charming?"

He smirks, tucking his aviators into the collar of his shirt, "I'm always charming. Just not to those who annoy me."

And here I thought this man couldn't get any hotter.

Darlene slaps a piece of paper down on the table, all but throwing herself across the counter.

"Here you go."

Mo grabs the sheet and gives her a warm smile, "Thanks Darlene. Have a lovely evening."

She beams like she just won the lottery, "You as well."

My jaw is still on the floor when Mo marches over to the rowdy group of boys and starts calling out the sleeping arrangements.

"Hunter, you're on the third floor with Millard."

André pouts, but keeps his mouth shut when Mo shoots him a look.

"André and Preston are on the first floor."

The two rookies pull a face at each other but take the card Wes holds out to them. Mo continues down the list, his tone leaving no room for argument as each player gets assigned a room and a roommate.

"And lastly, Nico and Wes are on the second floor." He puts the list down, giving everyone a glacial stare, "I trust everyone is capable of making it to their rooms on their own."

Echoes of yes coach go around and Mo gives everyone a nod.

"Good. In that case, I will see you bright and early on the field tomorrow. Don't be late."

The team dissembles and heads for the elevators. Wes falls in step beside me.

"How is he so good at that?"

I give the poor man a pat on the back, "He's a control freak who was raised to bark orders. You didn't stand a chance."

Wes groans and follows me into the elevator, "I used to be organized before I started university. Then it all went to shit."

I laugh, "First year really kicks you in the ass, hey?"

"First year and all the ones after."