14. Barnett

fourteen

Barnett

I 'm not looking forward to tonight's game against my brother's team, the Indiana Freeze. Brock is a dirty player—he always has been and always will be. It's a two-game series, so instead of only having to deal with him one night, I have to deal with him for two nights in a row.

I have just enough time to stop at my apartment, shower, and change before heading back to the arena for the game. The closer I get to my front door, I notice it is slightly open. It's Tuesday, so I know my housekeeper Margret is cleaning, but she should have been done by now.

Cautiously, I push open the front door only to find the last person I want to see sitting on my couch watching television. "What the fuck are you doing in my house Brock?"

"Chill, little bro. Is that any way to talk to your family?"

"We're not family. You gave up that right when you tried to ruin my career."

"What, you're still mad about that little understanding? It's water under the bridge." He waves his hand, dismissing the conversation. "Besides, I need your help with a sensitive matter."

"I'm not helping you so you can get the hell out of my house before I call the police and have you arrested for trespassing." Anger is rolling through my body and I don't know how much longer I can stand here with Brock in my home.

"Come now, you can't be serious with that threat. Your nice old housekeeper let me in, so I'm hardly trespassing. She was so moved by my story about wanting to make amends with my little brother that she let me have all the time I wanted to wait for you."

The thought of Brock having full run of my house makes me sick. I'm going to have to throw out everything, including personal items, and buy new ones. There's no telling what disgusting thing Brock did with my toothbrush.

And poor Margret, I can only imagine what lies Brock told her.

"What do you want Brock?" I give in, knowing the only way to get rid of him is to make him think he's won the argument.

"I want my girlfriend Gemma back. She ran away from me a few months ago, and my private detective tracked her here. But I can't get near her, thanks to those scumbag owners who are taking advantage of my little princess and keeping her under lock and key."

Shit, Brock's ex-girlfriend is Gemma, the sweet ice girl who dates the team's owners? I've seen the four of them together, and there is no way they're going to give her up without a fight.

"And just what do you think I can do to help you get her back?" The pressure behind my eyes begins to build, and I'm not sure I'll be able to fight off the headache Brock is causing.

"I only want to talk to her—let her know that I forgive her and that I'm willing to take her back."

"She seems pretty happy where she's at."

Brock lunges off the couch at me, but I've gotten faster as I've gotten older, and I easily side-step out of the way, causing him to crash into my coffee table. "You little prick. I'm the only one that can make Gemma happy, not those assholes who've turned my princess into a slut—running a train on her day in and day out."

I take a step back. The crazed look in Brock's eyes is something I've never seen before. "Okay, what do you want from me?" I say to placate him until I can come up with a better plan.

"It's simple really. I want you to get Gemma alone before the game tonight so I can talk to her. I'll give her to come to her senses tonight once she sees me at the game."

"And just how am I supposed to get her alone? Colt, Jensen, and Beck stick to her like glue."

"Don't you ever fucking say their names to me again! They tainted my girl, and I'm going to make them pay."

"And if I don't do what you want?"

"Then I'll ruin you and everyone you care about—even that slutty little actress you and your friends are fucking."

I'm not surprised Brock knows about Hadley, but I still need to keep her off his radar. He's becoming more and more unhinged by the second. I need to get him out of my house and fast. "Okay, there's an old storage room on the second floor—I'll convince Gemma to help me get some equipment or something out of there. I'll guard the door while you talk to her."

Brock's crazed look returns to normal. "I knew you would see things my way, little brother. Maybe I'll invite you to our wedding if you're good." Brock strolls out of my house like nothing happened.

I shut the door behind him and lock it, needing a few minutes to digest what just happened. Brock has always had mental health issues, but our parents refused to believe it—always taking his side. Their denial was so toxic I left home when I was eighteen and never looked back.

The only thing that got me through my rough childhood was watching Hadley and her sitcoms about happy families that actually loved each other and got along—not a family with an older brother who made my life miserable.

I couldn't do it. I took one look at Gemma, and I knew there was no way I would let Brock be alone with her, but now my teammates are paying for it—each one taking dirty hit after dirty hit from Brock's teammates, and it's only the first period.

"I warned you what would happen if you crossed me." Brock shoves me up against the plexiglass with a force so strong it almost takes my breath away.

The whistle blows, indicating Brock needs to go to the penalty box for his rough hit on me. I wish I could say it would be a reprieve, and we could get on with the game, but his teammates are just as dirty as he is.

The rest of the period is spent fending off hit after hit from Brock and his teammates. The referees are doing their best to keep the game clean, but Brock and his teammates are used to hiding their dirty deeds.

When the first period ends, Brock skates next to me instead of following his team to their locker room, blocking my way to my team's locker room. "You might want to search 'ice girl on her knees' and see what pops up." He snarls before skating away.

"What's he talking about?" Teagan asks.

I turn around, not realizing she is standing behind me, and I see Caspian and Holden beside her.

"If I tell you, you promise you can't tell anyone. I don't want Gemma to get hurt."

"Gemma? What's she have to do with that douchebag?" It's not the most politically correct term for Brock, but then Teagan never pulls any punches in her honest opinions.

"Brock not only is my older brother, but he's Gemma's ex." Caspian gives me a surprised look. "He came to my house today, uninvited, and threatened me if I didn't help him get Gemma back."

"That prick is Gemma's ex?" Teagan's eyes flash with anger. "She's told us a little about him but not much."

"I'm not sure what he's done, but knowing Brock, it's bad. I need my phone so I can see what he's done."