Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27

ELENNA

"If you’re not careful, Coach, we’re gonna get used to winning." Coast playfully rammed his shoulder into Aidan’s upper arm.

Aidan shoved him off and smirked. "It’s about time you got used to winning. I was starting to think you guys didn’t know any different." He levelled a finger at Coast’s nose. "I knew you had it in you."

"You believed in us." Coast wobbled on his legs and crossed his eyes while he regained his balance. "Thank fuck you did cause the asshole before you didn’t."

He actually threw his arms around Aidan and gave him a hug before staggering away.

I laughed and shook my head at the very drunk centre. Truthfully, most of the guys were drunk and I was halfway there. Even Aidan indulged more than he usually did.

At the same time, he was on guard, watching the exits whenever people walked in and out. That after assuring me that Hazards, the popular pub, was one of the safest places in the area. Almost as safe as our apartment. Considered neutral territory at the very least, the place was full of folks employed by the Brantley family.

Daisy Lasalle sat in the corner with one of her boyfriends, Ric DiMarco. They shared a table with his brother Phoenix. Her other boyfriends were nearby, along with Mannix Cassani, Ares Turner and Ice Miller, with their girlfriend Kennedy Knight.

Anyone who tried to screw with that seven would find themselves regretting it, much less everyone else in here.

"I think he likes you," I teased.

Aidan actually laughed. Not just a restrained chuckle, but a genuine, relaxed laugh. "He’s a good guy when he has a rein on his arrogance. And a fucking good centre."

Evidently neither Orion nor Finley told him what Coast said in the locker room, because Aidan wouldn’t be so full of praise for him if he knew. He’d haul him aside and threaten him with who knows what.

"And completely oblivious to the crush Sinclair has on him." I nodded to my friend who stood nearby with Wren, her eyes on Coast.

"That sounds like Coast," Aidan said. "He always knows where the puck is on the ice, but he doesn’t have a clue about shit like that. Just as well it’s not the other way round. If they’re meant to be, they’ll figure it out."

"It might be too late by then." I noticed Javey watching Sinclair, drink near his lips. He hadn’t taken a sip for at least the last ten minutes. Nor had he taken his eyes off her.

"You know what?" Aidan turned and slipped his arms around my neck. "That sounds like a problem for them, not us. I have no interest in getting involved in the love lives of anyone else." He kissed me slowly.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back. When we came up for air a couple of minutes later I asked, "What about Fin and Orion’s love life? You wouldn’t have suggested they kiss each other if you didn’t see something there."

He looked smug. "I wasn’t wrong. I know Finley has dabbled with other men in the past. Orion, he’s figuring things out. They needed a little nudge. Maybe nothing will come of it, but I gave them a start. You know they wouldn’t have kissed if they didn’t both want to. They’re as stubborn and hardheaded as each other."

"Hello pot, I hear you talking about the kettle," I teased. "In this case, kettles."

"That’s what you love about us," Aidan said. "We don’t give up or give in easily. Not when it comes to things that really matter. Love and hockey."

"You’re right, that is what I love about you," I said. "Although, you could add chocolate to that list." Whatever the list was, chocolate should probably be on it somewhere.

"Forget chocolate, I should have added fucking." He nestled his face in my hair. "Don’t ask me what order they go in."

I laughed and rested my head against his shoulder. "I wouldn’t dare, just in case you decided hockey came first. Then we might have a problem."

"No problem, you come way before hockey," he said. "Just don’t tell the team I said that. Coast and Tiger will pout at me."

"Shit," I said with such an alarmed tone, he drew back and looked at me, eyes wide. "Heaven forbid they pout at you."

He smacked my ass so hard it stung. "Don’t be a brat. I thought something was genuinely wrong."

I pouted at him.

He smacked me again. "I think I should take you home, tie you up and spank you until your ass is bright red."

"They’d notice if we snuck out early," I pointed out. They wouldn’t really, everyone was too drunk to care. Those who weren’t were having too good a time to pay attention to us.

"I don’t care." Aidan glanced around. "I don’t want to leave Fin and Orion here tonight." He was confident the Fiorellis would wait and meet at the appointed time and place. Honour amongst thieves and all that. But trusting them could easily end badly for everyone.

I spotted Orion and Finley to one side of the room, playing pool with Lex and Bray. Judging by the expressions on their faces, Finley was winning. He probably convinced them he didn’t have a clue how to play and encouraged them to bet big against him. He was sweet on the outside, but on the inside he was as devious as anyone else here. And just as happy to take their money.

Aidan took my hand and led me over to the table.

"Just in time to see me whip their arses," Finley said cheerfully. "For once, I’m having a good night."

"For once, my ass," Bray growled, but he was grinning. "I know a fucking shark when I see one."

Finley made a show of looking around. "You see an AGL player? Oh, right, I see Storm Ryan over there with Andre."

Bray grinned and shook his head. "Not that kind of shark, dickhead. The kind who pretends he can’t play pool and then takes everyone’s money. Orion, why didn’t you warn us about him?"

Orion shrugged and took a sip from his bottle of beer. "If you can’t spot a scam a mile away, that’s your problem."

"You didn’t know, did you?" Bray asked.

"In case you didn’t notice, he’s taken my fucking money too," Orion said.

Finley grinned. "Hell yeah, I have. That’ll come in very useful, thanks guys. You up for another game? Double or nothing."

Something I’ve noticed about professional athletes, they were all as competitive as hell. Even when they knew someone was better at something than they were, they couldn’t seem to resist the challenge.

"You’re on." Bray placed the triangle on the table and started to carefully position the balls.

Orion nodded and grabbed a piece of chalk to rub over the tip of his cue.

"I’m out," Lex said. "This is too rich for my blood." He crossed his arms over his burly chest and stood back to watch, and sip on the drink in his hand.

"Aidan?" Finley raised an eyebrow at him questioningly, then turned the expression on me. "Elenna?"

I raised my hands. "I have no idea how to play pool."

Finley grinned. "We’ll teach you, won’t we Aidan?"

"Sure." Aidan picked up a cue for himself and handed me one.

I frowned at it. "Which end is which?" I caught Bray in the corner of my eye, grinning.

Finley chuckled and turned the cue the right way. "You hold it like this."

He showed me how to lean over the table and rest the cue on my hand, with the other at the end of the stick to push it forward. "Aim for the balls, and hit as hard as you can. Try to only hit the ones on the table." He grinned and covered his groin with both hands.

"Okay, I guess I can try," I said with as much uncertainty as I could manage. I drew the cue back and drove the tip into exactly the right point on exactly the right ball that I’d intended.

It hit with a thud and split the triangle of balls in every direction. Two of them went straight into pockets, one on the side, the other on the end.

I straightened up. "Did I do all right?" I asked sweetly.

Bray laughed. "I told you I knew a shark when I saw one. She has that vibe."

I grinned at him. "I couldn’t resist. How much was that bet for again?"

"We didn’t make one," Finley said. "If you beat me, I’ll eat you out."

"And if you win?" I asked. I had a feeling I knew the answer, but I decided to humour him.

"I get to eat you out." He grinned bigger. "It’s your turn again."

Who could argue with a bet like that? If I lost, I got orgasms and if I won I got orgasms. That was my idea of a perfect win-win situation.

"I’ll make you the same bet," Aidan said to me.

"Me too, but with sucking my cock," Orion said. His gaze was firm on mine, like he was resisting the urge to glance towards Finley. After a few moments he frowned and turned to Bray, the message obvious. ‘Don’t make any dickhead remarks about my girlfriend.’

Bray raised his hands, beer in one, cue in the other. "A hundred bucks is plenty for me. I don’t want to end up having the shit beaten out of me by three guys with pool cues. Or a woman who actually knows how to use one." He jerked his head towards me. He didn’t actually look worried, but it was just as well he was sensible and respectful. The night didn’t need to end in violence. Especially not amongst teammates.

"Good answer." Finley patted him on the shoulder. He waved for me to have my next turn.

I leaned over the table and proceeded to show no mercy on any of their asses.

"Where did you learn how to play?" Lex asked, clearly impressed with my ability to hit balls with a stick.

"I used to work here," I said. "Behind the bar. When the place was closed, the staff would stick around for a drink and a few games. The guys thought I couldn’t beat them, so I made it my mission to learn how to do just that. Taking their money was sweet."

He smiled and nodded. Unlike the quiet, angry types like Orion, or Aidan, he was the shy silent guy who was taller than most of the players, and wider too.

He was a goalie before he had to retire due to injury. He seemed to have devoted his life to making sure no other players got injured like he had. While injury was inevitable, he could at least help to reduce the severity and the amount of time the guys spent off the ice.

"I’m here for any woman who can shut up a guy with a big mouth," he said.

"Me too," I agreed. I idly wondered if he would get along with Wren. She was a ’take no shit’ kind of woman and he seemed the sort to appreciate that.

I’d introduce them if I got the chance. Although, he might have to fend off Tiger if he was interested.

I should probably focus on my own love life before I worried about anyone else’s, but I wanted my friends to be happy and the guys on the team were quickly becoming friends, even family.

If I helped them to live happily ever after, then there was no harm in it.

Right?