18. Drake

The weight of recent events hangs heavy in my office as I sift through paperwork and contemplate the challenges that lie ahead. The threat of losing the team looms on the horizon. As I wrestle with these thoughts, the door to my office bursts open, revealing Emma"s determined figure.

"Drake!" she exclaims, her eyes ablaze with intensity.

I look up, surprised by her sudden entrance. "Emma, what"s—"

"Don"t you dare keep things from me, Drake. I need to know what"s going on with the team."

"Emma, I—"

"No excuses!" she interrupts, frustration evident in her voice. "I"ve been dealing with my own chaos, and the last thing I need is to be blindsided by more problems. Tell me what"s happening."

I take a deep breath, recognizing the fire in her eyes.

"Loughlin," I begin, choosing my words carefully, "is threatening to take over the team. He"s trying to exploit the recent controversies and seize control. The only thing I can figure is that if he makes me look incompetent then I will sell my share of the team for cheap, the league wouldn't give me a choice. Rumor has it he has a grandson that can't get his shit together and Loughlin is trying to do this to give the team to him for cheap where they both make money."

Emma"s eyes widen in disbelief. "Take over the team? You never said anything about this before."

"I didn"t want to burden you with more stress," I admit, my tone apologetic. "They're also just assumptions from research Callie has been doing."

She scoffs, frustration etched across her features. "Burden me? Drake, we"re supposed to be a team. You don"t get to decide what burdens me or not. Open, honest communication at all times."

I lean forward, my palms pressed against the desk. "Emma, I—"

"No," she interjects, her voice rising. "You should"ve told me. I deserve to know what"s at stake. I thought we were in this together, that we could rely on each other."

"I didn"t want you to worry unnecessarily. Loughlin is a blowhard, and he won"t actually go through with it. It"s just a threat," I explain, attempting to assuage her concerns.

Her frustration intensifies, and she takes a step closer. "I don"t care if it"s a threat or not. You should"ve told me. We"re supposed to face these challenges together. The camaraderie we share should mean something."

I stand, the tension between us palpable. "Emma, I"ve been trying to reach you. You"ve been distant, not accessible. How was I supposed to tell you about this when you"re—"

"When I"m what?" she snaps, her eyes flashing with anger. "Dealing with my own chaos? Trying to navigate a life that"s suddenly turned upside down? You think I'm not invested? Drake, this is my fault. Zane started acting out more, when I came back to Willow Creek. You started getting targeted. Kade got into a fight. All of this is because of my chaos, it's like it's drawn to me and I can't block it."

"Emma, I didn"t mean it that way," I try to explain, my voice strained.

She shakes her head, frustration etched across her features. "You"ve been shutting me out, Drake. I thought we had something more, something built on trust and shared challenges. If you can"t see that, then maybe we don"t have what I thought we did."

"Emma, I—" I begin, but she doesn"t let me finish.

"No more excuses," she declares, turning to leave. The camaraderie we once shared feels like a distant memory, slipping through my fingers.

Frustration boils within me as I reach out and grab her arm, preventing her from leaving. "Emma, wait," I implore, desperation in my voice.

She glares at me, her eyes ablaze with defiance. "Let go of me, Drake. I don"t want to hear any more excuses or explanations."

In that charged moment, something shifts between us. The fake relationship we once took for granted seems to hang in the balance, tested by the trials we face. The intensity of our emotions, the frustration, and the unspoken desire create a charged atmosphere.

Unable to contain the torrent of emotions, I pull her closer, our faces inches apart. The camaraderie that once felt strained now simmers with an unspoken intensity. "Emma," I murmur, my voice low and heated.

She meets my gaze, a mix of anger and something else flickering in her eyes. "Don"t think a kiss will fix everything, Drake. The trust we had can"t be repaired that easily."

But I can"t resist the magnetic pull between us. In a moment of fiery desperation, our lips collide, the weight of our unspoken desires and frustrations finding release in the heat of the kiss.

As our lips part, the air crackles with the residue of our heated exchange. The emotions that swirl between us won't stay down, regardless of how hard both of us try.

"Emma," I murmur, searching for words to bridge the gap.

She pulls away, her eyes locked onto mine. "Don"t mistake a kiss for resolution, Drake. We have a lot to figure out."

As I step back, my eyes meet Emma"s, and for a moment, everything seems suspended in time. I pull her into another kiss.

It absolutely will fix everything.

The door to my office swings open.

"Drake," Chasity says as she and Callie barge into my office.

Emma and I jump apart like we're two high schoolers who got caught making out.

Everyone's expressions are a mix of surprise and discomfort.

"Sorry, I didn't realize you were here, Emma," Callie says, her eyes darting to my sister.

Chasity, on the other hand, stands frozen in the doorway. Her eyes narrow as she takes in the scene, and the camaraderie that usually binds us is replaced by an awkward tension.

I clear my throat, attempting to regain composure. "What"s up?"

Chasity"s gaze shifts from me to Emma, her features hardening with an unspoken intensity.

"What the hell is going on here?" Chasity demands, her voice sharp.

Emma, sensing the shift in dynamics, takes a step back, uncertainty and vulnerability in her eyes. Emma looks ready to run and Chasity looks ready to pounce.

I glance at Callie, hoping for some assistance, but she looks just as bewildered as the rest of us.

"I can"t believe you"re falling for such a selfish, immature brat. I can't believe you expect me to be okay with this."

"Chasity, you don"t understand," I protest, my frustration mounting.

"Oh, I understand perfectly," she retorts, her gaze shifting to Emma. "And as for you, Emma, I never thought you"d stoop this low. Engaged to my brother? Really? You're a gold digger and he's too stupid to realize what you're doing."

"It's not like that," I interject. "Chas, take a breath."

"And don"t think I forgot about you not showing up at my wedding. You were supposed to be my maid of honor, Emma! But you couldn't even be bothered to call."

Emma"s silence speaks volumes, and the camaraderie between them feels irreparably damaged. Chasity"s words are a harsh indictment, and the weight of unspoken pain hangs heavy in the air.

"I had my reasons, Chas," Emma finally speaks, her voice barely a whisper.

"Reasons? You abandoned me on one of the most important days of my life. No reason is good enough for that betrayal."

"Chasity, please, let"s talk about this," I urge, attempting to mediate the escalating conflict.

She glares at me, her anger unabated. "This is between me and Emma. Stay out of it."

Chasity turns back to Emma, her voice dripping with scorn. "You"re not the person I thought you were. You bailed on my wedding and now you have the nerve to pop in as though you did nothing wrong and manipulate my brother? Everyone always told me you were selfish and I always stuck up for you."

Emma, tears streaming down her face, finally speaks, her voice choked with emotion. "Chasity, I never meant to hurt you. I had my reasons, but I understand if you can"t forgive me."

"Forgive you? I don"t even recognize you anymore."

The room is suffused with the weight of their unresolved emotions, and I feel a sense of helplessness in the face of the fractured camaraderie. Emma, overwhelmed by Chasity"s accusations, turns and runs out of the room.

"Emma, wait!" I call after her, but she"s already gone.

Chasity looks at me, her expression cold. "You"ve got a lot to answer for, Drake. Falling for someone like her? I never thought my own brother would betray me like this."

"Chas, I've always loved her. The beef you two have doesn't include me."

"How does it not include you? You should be loyal to your sister, not some dumb bitch!"

"Chasity," I start in a low growl.

Callie, who has remained silent throughout the exchange, finally speaks up. "Drake, maybe it"s best to give them some space right now."

Chasity storms out of the office and I plop down into my desk chair. I put my head on my desk and take a few deep, cleansing breaths.

"What just happened?" I murmur.

"There's a lot of hurt that is still there for Chasity. She's not really mad at you …"

I sit up and look back at my cousin. "Callie, I can't choose between the two of them. It's not fair to me to even be put in the middle of this high school drama."

"I agree. I'll talk to Chasity. I might even be able to talk to Emma and see if she's willing to sit down and talk to Chasity."

"This is too much," I sigh.

Callie nods. She walks over and squeezes my shoulder before she leaves me alone with my thoughts.

This needs to be fixed and quick.