Chapter 30

1 week later…

Mo

Stella doesn't bother holding back her shriek.

"I knew it! I knew this was going to happen."

Cody chuckles from beside her, "I'm just glad I won't have to hypothesize about your sex life anymore."

Stella slaps his chest, "Don't pretend you weren't as equally invested. You were cheering for Nico just as much as I was."

I watch the couple go back and forth, their familiar bickering putting a smile on my face as I take a sip of my whiskey. Even before Cody and Stella got together, they always found something to argue about.

I used to find it sickening to watch.

Now I find it endearing.

Clearing my throat, I break the current showdown with a question that's been lingering at the back of my mind for a while.

"How did you pick Nico as my partner if you didn't know I was into men?"

Cody grins and leans back in his chair, looking at my sister. Stella quickly drops her gaze to her nails and studies them intently.

"I figured it out during winter break."

I narrow my eyes, "That's funny because I don't remember bringing a guy home for you to meet."

Stella hums, tapping her fingers on the table, "How strange."

Cody barks out a laugh and earns himself a glare. I tilt my head, refusing to look away until my sister meets my eyes.

"Fine. I looked through your messages and saw the names of your hookups. Most of which were male."

I blink, "How did you get into my contacts?"

She grins, "My facial recognition is programmed into your phone."

Cody shakes his head and takes a sip of his beer, unsuccessfully hiding his smirk behind the glass. Ignoring my friend, I slide my hand across the table.

"Give me your phone."

Stella groans, "But Mo-

"Phone. Now." I hold out my hand, waiting for her to pass it along, "If you have access to my phone, I get access to yours. It's only fair."

"Fine." She pulls out a sparkling pink case and places it in my outstretched hand, "But the only thing you're going to find are all the nudes I send to Ellsworth."

Cody chokes on his drink and I swivel my head to look at him.

"Are you kidding me right now?"

Stella reaches over and pats my arm, "Don't worry, this is an equal partnership. Cody sends me just as many."

Jesus Christ.

Cody finally catches his breath and gives me a weak smile, "I don't save them."

I cross my arms, "Like that makes it any better."

Stella gasps, looking at her boyfriend, "You don't save them? I put a lot of effort into taking those pictures."

Cody rubs his neck, looking anywhere but my darkening expression, "Let's talk about this later, Stel."

She shakes her head with a huff, "And to think I saved all of yours. What does a girl have to do around here to have a man keep her nudes?'

"Did someone say nudes? Count me in."

Nico plops himself down in the chair next to me and despite the current topic of conversation, my lips pull into a smile. I've noticed this has become a tendency whenever Nico is around.

Smiling. Laughing. Feeling less on edge.

The strangest thing of all is I still feel like myself. All my core values have remained the same, most of my priorities have as well, the only difference is the face that looks back at me in the mirror each morning is no longer my father's.

It's my own.

Nico throws his backpack on the ground, steals my drink, and shifts closer to Stella. All without saying a single word to me.

"Whose nudes are we talking about?"

She sighs, "Mine. And Cody's."

"Ooh, I would love to see what the captain is packing under there." Nico throws me a wink and I do my best to burn a hole through the side of his head, "See if it compares to my own lacrosse player."

Cody pales beside me and I grimace, "Enough. Phones away and let's have a normal conversation that doesn't include nudity."

Nico pouts, "Buzz kill."

Stella nods in agreement, "That sums Mo up well."

Throwing me a lifeline, Cody turns to me with a wry smile, "How's the job hunting going?"

I shrug, "It's going. I've applied to a few remote positions in Vancouver and reached out to a few connections, so there shouldn't be a problem finding something that fits with my coaching schedule."

Nico pipes up, "He heard back from three different companies but the salary they offered him was too low."

Stella smiles, "He knows his worth."

I smile back at her, understanding flowing between us. Jonathan may have fallen short in his role as a father, but when it comes to being successful in business, he certainly gave us the tools to standout.

"Have you heard from him?" My sister tilts her head, watching my reaction carefully, "Since you last spoke."

I shake my head, automatically glancing at my phone. Ever since I walked out of Jonathan's office, I've been waiting for my letter of termination to make its way into my inbox, but so far there's been nothing.

Truthfully, I don't know how to feel about the situation. My father may have crossed a line but he's still my father. I no longer view him as a role model, but he"s still the man my mother once loved. And as pathetic as it sounds, that fact alone makes me think I could forgive him.

"I've heard nothing yet."

Stella sighs, "You will. It just might not be what you expect."

Before I can answer, Nico lets out a groan, "Babe, why do you insist on drinking this shit? It's tequila or cocktails. There's no in-between."

I give him a pointed look, "You could always buy your own drink."

He perks up, "Round of tequila everyone?"

Cody frowns, glancing at the clock on the wall, "It's 1 PM on a Sunday."

"So?" Nico nudges me, his dark eyes twinkling, "There's no time limit when we're celebrating."

Stella brightens, "I'm in."

I look at her in shock, "Are you sure?"

She takes Cody's hand, giving him a small smile before turning to face me.

"I've been working my way up to this. Last week, I had one of those slushy drinks."

Nico lets out a hoot and snags the attention of our waiter, "In that case, what are we waiting for? Tequila for the table, please."

My chest starts to ache as I watch my baby sister take her first shot of alcohol since the accident. Her hand never leaves Cody's as she takes a hesitant sip before pulling a face and tossing it back. Cody whispers something in her ear that has a smile replacing the grimace and I feel something inside me break.

Stella doesn"t need me anymore.

Feeling like my chest is collapsing in on itself, I excuse myself from the table and hastily make my way to the bathroom. My breathing grows ragged as I yank open the door, and my knees give out the moment it shuts behind me.

I collapse to the ground, struggling to catch a breath as my throat thickens to the point of suffocation.

What the hell is happening to me?

I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to push the emotions back down, but its no use. My control cracks then shatters as unwanted emotions break past the surface, the years of repression ripping apart my barriers like a man starved. My hands start to shake as I gasp for air, the pressure in my chest building until all I can hear is the angry thud of my heart.

My chest caves inward as the wave of grief crashes down on me and a broken sound escapes my throat. The foreign noise echoes around the empty bathroom and it takes me a moment to recognize what"s going on.

I"m crying.

For the first time in twelve years.

"Mi amor? Are you alright?"

I jerk back against the door, forcing it shut with my bodyweight. My vision refuses to clear as more tears stream down my face.

"Not now, Montez."

There"s something wrong with my voice, something missing, but I don"t have time to decipher it before another wave of sorrow hits me. I hunch over as sobs overtake my body and the next thing I know, the blurry outline of Nico"s jeans step into view.

I jerk away, turning my head so he can"t see the streaks marking my cheeks.

"Get out."

Instead of answering, Nico sits down beside me. He shifts around, knocking our shoulders together as he makes himself comfortable and a bolt of anger goes through my system.

"I told you to leave." Refusing to look in his direction, my teeth snap together, "Get the fuck out."

I refocus on my breathing, the age-old trick that has kept me in control all these years. The trick gets thrown out the window as every memory I"ve ever had with my mother flashes through my mind like a time capsule, her carefree laughter ringing in my ears as I try and fail to get a reign on my body.

"I"ve never been good at following instructions." A warm arm wraps around my shoulders, pulling my shaking body closer. He presses a kiss on my neck, whispering softly in my ear.

"Let me in, Maurice. Let me take care of you."

Shaking my head, my heart starts to ache as I fight to hold on. My mother"s face flashes behind my eyes, her colourful dress twirling in front of twelve-year-old me as her voice echoes through my mind.

Stop thinking, Mo. Just feel.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I finally let go.

Falling against Nico, I stop fighting and let the tears flow freely. Pitiful sounds escape my mouth but Nico accepts them all, murmuring to me in Spanish until the pressure in my chest softens and slowly disappears.

My body sags as the emotions drain out, Nico"s soothing touch the only thing that"s keeping me from melting to the floor.

"Feel any better?" Running his fingers through my hair, Nico plants another kiss on my neck, "This is the first time I"ve seen you look less than a ten."

A watery laugh escapes me, "I hate you."

"It is always good to know whether or not you"re an ugly crier. And you, my gorgeous boyfriend, most certainly fall into the second category."

I huff another laugh, letting the warmth of his embrace chase away the remaining shakes. Once I"m somewhat certain there won"t be another episode, I push myself up to sitting and clear my throat.

"Thank you. For not leaving."

Nico smiles and reaches over to smooth out the crease between my brows.

"For you, Maurice, I will always stay." He tilts his head, dark eyes studying me intently, "It was Stella drinking the alcohol, wasn"t it?"

I sigh, giving him a resigned nod, "Watching her take that shot felt like she was letting go of the past. It felt like she was letting go of mom. Like she was leaving us behind."

"Awe Maurice."

I shake my head, falling back against the door, "It"s ridiculous because I am genuinely happy Stella has moved on. I couldn"t be happier that she"s making a new life for herself, one where she can leave the consequences of her past in the past."

"But now you"re wondering where does that leave you."

"Exactly. She"s got Cody, Lou, an entire support system that doesn"t include me." I frown as I repeat the thought that triggered this meltdown in the first place, "Stella doesn"t need me anymore."

Nico taps my nose, "You"re only looking at half the data, Maurice. Even though it might look and feel different, your sister will always need you."

"How do you know?"

He smiles, "Because that"s what it means to be family. Stella might not rely on you the way she did after the accident but that"s a good thing. You don"t have to be her caretaker and protector anymore. You can finally be the one role you were meant to be. Her brother."

We fall silent, staring at each other on the bathroom floor of Taber's only sports bar. My skin starts to itch from my dried tears but I don't make a move to wash it off.

Feeling back on steady ground, I take a calming breath and nod, "You"re right."

"Am I ever wrong?"

I roll my eyes and haul myself off the ground. My ringtone bursts to life just as Nico climbs to his feet and he shoots me a horrified look.

"Babe, not to ruin a sentimental moment but why are you still using the basic ringtone that comes with the phone?"

I raise a brow, pulling my phone out of my pocket, "Why would I waste time choosing a different one?"

"There are so many things wrong with that answer. The first being you"re a sad, old man." I shoot him a glare but Nico blows it off with a smirk, "Good thing you have a hot young stud who can change it for you tonight."

"You"re ridiculous."

"You love it."

Ignoring him, I glance down at my phone and freeze when I see the name of the caller. My stomach drops as I press accept and mentally steel myself for an unpleasant conversation.

"Father."

"Maurice." There's a beat of silence and I hear papers shuffling in the background, "I called to let you know your contract for an extension has been approved."

I blink once, twice, thinking maybe I misheard him. Nico widens his eyes at me, the question in his eyes the same one that's running through my head.

"What changed your mind?"

Jonathan sighs, "It would be inconvenient for all those years of training to go to waste."

Holding back a disappointed sigh, I give Nico the smallest shake of my head.

"I see."

My father clears his throat, his discomfort echoing down the line, "Along with your contract approval, I've decided to accept this new… relationship of yours. It's what Charlotte would have wanted."

Nico gives me a thumbs up and I roll my eyes.

"The gesture is appreciated, father." I pause, scanning my boyfriend's face for the answer I'm looking for, "But the thing is, I don't want to work for you anymore."

A slow smile spreads across Nico's face and it's all the motivation I need to keep going, "Consider this my official resignation. I'll send the paperwork this evening."

There"s a brief silence before a harsh voice returns, "Think about what you're saying, Maurice. You're throwing away a remarkable income as well as a promising future."

"No Jonathan. I'm throwing away the future you laid out for me. If you want to be a part of my life, it will have to be as my father and not my employer."

Angry words fly down the line but I press end before they have a chance to register. Tucking my phone back in my pocket, I turn to see Nico grinning at me.

"Babe, that was fucking hot. How do you feel right now?"

I stare back at him, my face breaking into a wide smile.

"I'm finally free."

Nico

Lacey leans closer, her lips pursed in concentration.

"Stop moving."

"I'm not moving!"

She lifts a delicate brow, "How can you not be moving if you're speaking?"

I huff, falling silent and letting her finish my eyeliner. For someone who rarely wears makeup, Lacey has the hand of an artist when it comes to application.

She pulls away, squinting at my eyelids so I give her a flutter.

"How do I look?"

Lacey lets out a laugh before putting away her weapon of choice.

"You tell me."

I jump off her bed, racing to the bathroom to check out my girl's artistry. Letting out a hoot, I'm in the middle of rejoicing when the toilet flushes and a very unimpressed Cecelia comes walking out of the stall behind me.

"Why are you always here?"

I give her a beaming grin, my raised spirits no match for the negative aura of the evil roommate.

"Because I love seeing you, CeCe."

She rolls her eyes, pushing past me to wash her hands. I step to the side, doing my best to radiate friendly vibes as she stares me down in the mirror.

"Your eyes look good." Giving me a half-smile, she points to my jaw, "But your facial hair could use some work."

Ignoring the temptation to check the mirror, I let my grin grow wider, "Was that a compliment I just heard? CeCe, I think we're starting to become friends."

Another eye roll.

"You talk too much."

And with that final comment, she turns and stomps back to her room, leaving me to double check my beard to make sure it didn't suddenly become patchy.

The wicked witch of the dormitory was lying through her teeth because I look hella good tonight.

At my request, Lacey kept the eyeliner as minimal as possible, leaving on just enough to make my eyes look darker than usual. I'm not sure how Maurice is going to react when he sees the slight addition but I figure we will cross that bridge when we get there.

"You look perfect." Lacey smiles at me from the doorway, her baggy hoodie hanging off her lanky frame. She would make an incredible ballerina if it weren't for the fact she didn't have an athletic bone in her body.

"Thank you, mi amor. It's perfect." I run over and scoop her up in a hug, "You're perfect."

Lacey laughs, squeezing me back, "Just try to remember when the doubts creep in, communicate with him. Don't have a meltdown on the sidewalk and run away again."

Well said.

"You got it." Pressing a kiss against her forehead, I give her one last grin before grabbing my wallet and heading for the door.

"Have a good second first date!"

"Red looks good on you."

Maurice does a scan of my body over the hood of his car, his arms resting atop the Cadillac. My dick presses against the zipper of my dress pants as I take in the casual dominance of his relaxed position.

As if reading my thoughts, Maurice pushes off the massive vehicle and walks around to greet me properly. My mouth goes dry as I take in the shoulders outlined through the fitted material, the pale blue colour of the shirt a perfect match for those devastating eyes.

Letting my hands brush over the silky material of my own shirt, my lips pull into a grin, "An admirer got me this."

He comes to a stop in front of me, an amused smile painting his lips, "Is that the same admirer you tried to return it to?"

"Maybe." I step forward, soaking in the view, "Or maybe it's from a different admirer."

A brow goes up, "I'd hate to see what the other guy looks like."

I burst out laughing, barely catching my breath before Maurice steps forward and captures my lips with his. His tongue traces the seam of my lips and I open them, letting him claim every piece of me. Sucking on his bottom lip, I'm about to shove my hands down his pants when Maurice pulls away with a scowl.

"Stop distracting me. We're going on a date tonight."

I grin, my hands cupping his ass, "Somebody is feeling out of control."

"Give me two minutes and I'll show you out of control."

Giving his ass one last squeeze, I plant another kiss on his lips before pulling away, "You've got tinted windows. We'll make up some time on the road."

Maurice reaches up and grabs my chin, tilting his head in study, "Are you wearing makeup?"

I gulp, sending up a prayer that the dark sky and my scruff will be enough to hide the flush suddenly spreading over my cheeks.

"I wanted to do something different tonight."

He stares at me silently, the expression on his face unreadable. I sigh, feeling oddly disappointed, "I can take it off."

He frowns, catching my arm before I can turn away.

"Why would you do that? It looks good."

"Really?"

"You know how I feel about repeating myself." Maurice smirks, reaching up to touch the corner of my eye, "But yes, it looks good. It will make your eyes pop when you're sucking me off on the drive to the club."

I huff out a nervous laugh, "So you don't think it's too… gay?"

"Did you not hear a word I just said?"

He lets out an exasperated sigh, "Just because I'm bisexual doesn't mean you have to lean into your masculine tendencies. I'm not with you because you're a guy, Nico. I'm with you because you're the only person I can't stand being around almost as much as I can't stand being without."

And there goes my heart.

My face splits into a grin, "Does this mean you don't hate me anymore?"

"I wouldn't go that far." Maurice grins, officially engraving his name on the memory box marked forever, "But I'll let you in on a secret, Montez."

My cheeks start to ache from all this smiling but I soldier on, feeling stupidly in love and certain about who I want to spend the rest of my mornings arguing with.

"Do tell."

His smile widens, mirroring my own.

"I wouldn't want to hate anyone else."