Chapter Twenty-Three

Monday morning arrived. I'd had a lazy day with Dylan on Sunday watching movies and eating Chinese, then headed back for a night of recovery in my bedroom at the brothers' house.

My body had ached, but in a good way, and I was still on a high from my first set of multiple orgasms, plus I kept thinking of the way Dylan had controlled his own climaxes and found pleasure over and over again. It had been unexpected and fascinating. A dizzying set of new experiences, and it made me feel, finally, like I'd taken the time to explore some of my inner kink.

"Good day to you," Ben said, wandering into the kitchen and running his hand through his shower-damp hair. "Sleep well?"

"Yes, I was exhausted last night."

"Dylan will do that to you." He raised his eyebrows at me.

I stirred my tea, not ready to talk about my time with their teammate just yet.

"What will Dylan do to you?" Theo meandered into the kitchen slipping on a Viper t-shirt at the same time.

"Exhaust a woman."

"Have you seen him exhaust many women?" I asked.

"No, not personally." Ben shrugged. "He's been celibate since that rink bunny incident…well until you invited him to your hotel room in Cardiff, that is."

I nodded, even more impressed at Dylan's stamina.

"He get kinky?" Theo asked.

"Why do you want to know?" I sipped my tea. A tremble went down my spine and settled in my butthole. It was a strange sensation that matched a memory.

"You're ours as much as his." Theo poured coffee, but his attention was on me. "Why shouldn't we know?"

A flush went up my chest and neck, and I pushed at the sleeves on my sweater, shoving them up to my elbows.

"Ah. That's pretty telling." Ben reached for my right hand and held it high. "You still have marks on your wrists. He tied you up, right?"

"Is that a problem?" I swallowed and l ooked from Ben to Theo.

"No." Theo shook his head. "As long as any pain was good pain."

"He didn't hurt me, not at all."

"You sure?" Ben asked. He rubbed his thumb over the faint red marks on my wrist and a small bruise that I'd inflicted on myself by yanking at the binds.

"Yes, I'm sure. I'm not a masochist."

"So you didn't do anything you didn't want to?"

"No." I tugged my hand from Ben's. "We had sex the way we all had sex. You knew that was going to happen and it did."

"Not quite the way we did it." Theo bit on his bottom lip. "That was a threesome, remember."

"Of course I remember." I took some bread and popped two slices into the toaster.

"We don't mean to pry, as long as you're okay," Ben said.

"I'm fine. I had fun with Dylan."

"Good." Theo paused. "Did he use a condom?"

I stared out of the window at the sunlight reflecting on the pool.

"Did he?" Ben asked. "We did."

Lying wasn't in my nature. Never had been. Whenever I'd tried I'd stuttered and blushed so I knew there was no point trying. "No."

"What?" Ben snapped.

"Fuck." Theo slammed the refrigerator door shut. "That is so uncool."

"It's okay, guys." I turned to them. "I get a six-monthly depo injection, and he didn't come inside me anyway."

"That's not the point. You wanted us to use condoms so it should count for him, too." Theo banged the milk carton onto the counter.

"Just drop it, okay." I folded my arms with my fists clenched. "I didn't discuss my sex with you with Dylan so why should I discuss him with you?"

The brothers looked at each other, frowns etched on their brows.

"I have a point." I tipped my chin. "Don't I?"

"Yeah, fair enough." Ben shrugged. "As long as you had a good time and you're okay." He nodded at my wrists. "I'd prefer you to not come home with marks on you."

I resisted saying that I'd felt very much at home with Dylan, too. It was clear he adored me and only wanted what was best for me. He'd told me he loved my smile, and unlike agents and photographers and journalists who'd said that over the years, I believed Dylan. He rarely smiled, but when I did, it brought a tilt to his lips. They twitched and curled up slightly. That was how I'd known he'd meant it.

"So what are you doing today?" Ben asked, clearly trying to stop thinking about me being tied to a bed and fucked over and over by Dylan.

"Nothing much. I'll catch up with Trevor when he's awake in London and touch base about Mae's shoot. That should be this week."

"Come to the rink." Theo peeled a banana. "We're having a game, just amongst ourselves, but it will be fast-paced. Fun."

"Sure to be some other wives and girlfriends there." Ben pointed at Carly's scarf that was folded on the counter. "You can take that back to Carly."

"Yes, good idea. And I'd like that, to see you all play."

Experience had taught me to dress warm for the rink even when the sun was blazing outside. I put on jeans, added a t-shirt under my sweater, and grabbed the Donna Karan quilted jacket I'd bought a few days previously. I added gloves and a bobble hat into my Fendi purse.

The rink had a different vibe to it when I arrived with Ben and Theo. All the players were whizzing around passing several pucks back and forth so fast it was hard for me to see them.

I walked to the players' area where Eduardo and Dylan were hanging out and fiddling with a helmet.

"Hey," I said.

"Ah, ma choue, it broke my heart not to see you yesterday." Eduardo pressed his hand to his Viper sweater.

"I missed you, too." I smiled, enjoying his easy grin and the pleasure in his eyes when he'd spotted me.

"You good?" Dylan asked gruffly.

"Yes." I nodded. "Fine, thank you." I nodded at the rink. "Seems like everyone is warming up. Why aren't you?"

"This cage is warped," Dylan said, holding up the helmet. "Need to fix it."

"I see."

"Did you hear about the shoot yet?" Eduardo asked. "For Mae's fashion line."

"Yes, I actually just got a message from Trevor, he's up early for some reason, and it's tomorrow afternoon, at Reveal House on Banyan Way. Do you know where that is?"

" Oui , I have been there before." Eduardo's grin widened. "I will take you, practice finishes early tomorrow."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, it will be fun. And it is not too far, thirty minutes or so."

"Great, I appreciate it, but only if you're sure."

"I am sure. I want some time with you." He gestured to Theo who was slicing past with the puck, a blur of red and white and an expression of sheer determination. "Everyone else gets you, but not me."

"I am sure we can make up for lost time." I bit on my bottom lip and thought of how I'd had a daydream earlier about being alone and naked with Eduardo. My current need for sex was not abating.

I didn't want it to.

" Oui , do not make plans with these guys tomorrow." He pointed at Dylan then out at the ice.

Gina appeared at my side. "Why, what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Oh, hey," I said, "I'm doing the shoot for Mae."

"She is really stoked that you're doing it." Gina squeezed my shoulder. "With your face on the brand it can't fail to be a success."

"If I can help out, then I'm happy to."

"It's really good of you."

"And I will book a restaurant for afterwards, to celebrate the shoot," Eduardo said, tapping on his phone.

Gina gave me a nudge and a grin.

She presumed Eduardo and I were an item, and she was right, but what Gina didn't know was that I'd also been having sweaty, naked fun with Ben, Theo, and Dylan. And as far as I was concerned it could stay that way. My business was my business, and that was the way I liked it.

"What the…?" Eduardo said, his eyes narrowing at his screen. "I…Dylan…" He passed the phone to Dylan but looked at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Yeah, what?" Gina added, stretching to try and see the phone screen.

"Fuck!" Dylan threw me a glance and then shot a murderous glare out onto the ice. "What an idiot." He dropped the helmet onto the bench and then shot out onto the rink.

"What is it?" I asked again.

Eduardo directed the screen my way.

"Oh shit." I grabbed it from him. There was an up-close picture of Theo and I on the bench in the park. My legs were over his lap, my feet bare, and his arm was around my waist. He was pulling me close for a deep kiss, and it was clear I was enjoying it immensely by the slant of my head and the tip of my torso.

"Is that Ben?" Gina asked.

"No, Theo," I said.

"But I…" She stared out at the ice.

"I'm a single woman and I'm keeping my options open," I managed through clenched teeth. The article was on BuzzFeed and would be everywhere by now. And when I scrolled down, the photograph of me and Eduardo had also been published along with a headline Pippa Bentley Drops Stateside and Takes Bites From The Vipers.

I didn't read anymore. I didn't need to know what the gossipmongers would have said about me. It wouldn't be nice, it never was. They pedaled in lies and speculation and ill-gotten photographs.

Damn it, I hadn't even thought to check for a photographer, I'd been so caught up in Theo's good news and then relaxing in the park with him.

I'd gotten slack. Comfortable. Presumed that because I wasn't in the UK I wasn't under such scrutiny.

I was. Clearly.

" Merde ," Eduardo said, "This is not going to go well."

Theo had come to a stop on the ice near the bench and removed his helmet. Dylan sliced to a halt next to him, his expression dark and dangerous as shards of ice hit the wall.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Dylan jabbed his finger at Theo's chest.

"What are you talking about, man?" Theo asked with a frown.

"You got papped, with Pippa at the park, and now a picture of you kissing her face off is all over the damn internet."

"Fuck, is it?" He looked at me, and his eyes narrowed. "I didn't think—"

"No, you didn't think, asshole." Dylan gave Theo a hefty shove. "You know she likes privacy."

I gasped; the aggression in the shove was obvious.

"Fuck." Eduardo dashed onto the ice.

But before he could put himself between Theo and Dylan, Theo had thrown his gloves to the ice and shoved back. "Don't fucking push me, douchebag."

"What you call me?" Dylan growled.

"Douchebag. I saw the fucking marks on her wrists, and you didn't use a—"

Dylan reacted like an enraged cobra and snapped a fast punch at Theo's cheek.

I wasn't sure if it was because Dylan was crazy mad or wanted to shut Theo up before he mentioned condoms in front of everyone who was listening.

Theo staggered backward, but only for a second, and then he hurled his bulk at Dylan. "Think you're so fucking hard."

His punch landed in Dylan's abdomen.

Dylan hunched forward, and Theo grabbed his sweater, dragging it up his back. Eduardo yanked at it, too, trying to get Theo off because Dylan had grabbed Theo's pants and was wrestling to get him to the ice. Their skates were slipping and sliding as they grunted and huffed and fists flew.

"Jesus." Ben whizzed into the fray, chips of ice flying from his blades. He didn't wait to find out what was going on, just piled into the struggle, shoving at Dylan to get him off Theo.

Dylan aimed another punch at Theo but hit Eduardo.

"Asshole," Eduardo said, cupping his hand over his nose.

"Yeah, you deserved that, you got papped with her, too." Dylan snarled. "Fucking clueless Frenchman."

"You motherfucker." Eduardo sent his own punch forward, and it got Dylan on the chin.

Dylan grunted and went to the left, came back with a right hook that caught Ben.

Ben's lip split, and rage thundered over his face. He pummeled into Dylan, blood dripping and fists pounding.

Eduardo fisted Ben's sweater, dragging him back, but Theo was adding to the fight and doubling Ben's attack.

And then a bunch of other players appeared. Rick, Raven, Wolf, Brick, Dustin in his goal pads, and a couple of coaches. They swarmed around the fighting men then lunged in, heaving and shoving at them.

"Break this up!" Gina shouted and hung over the boards. "For fuck's sake, you're on the same damn team. Break this up! Now!"

The four players were dragged apart. Bloody, sweaty, and angry.

I released a breath. My heart was trip trapping along, and I was suddenly hot and clammy in my warm coat.

"Can someone tell me what in the devil's name is going on?" Gina demanded. "Start talking, fast…" She circled her hand in the air. "Come on. One of you. Quickly."

Mike, one of the coaches, passed Ben a tissue. He wiped absently at his lip and smeared blood onto his chin.

"Yeah, who fucked whose girlfriend?" Rick asked. "'Cause I'm guessing that's what this shit is about."

"Usually is," Wolf grunted.

Dylan shook Rick off with a rough shrug of his shoulders. He glared at Theo.

Theo's lips tightened, and he glared back.

My stomach did a flip. This was a disaster, and it was my fault. If I hadn't been screwing around with all of them there wouldn't be blood dripping onto the ice right now and four beefy blokes wouldn't all be looking like they wanted to kill each other.

"I reckon it's her, the runaway bride," Brick said and nodded at me.

A sudden need to shrink came over me. Become invisible.

"It's no one's goddamn business," Ben said gruffly.

" Oui, no one's business." Eduardo's face was like stone; he was angry. I'd never seen him like that. "We do not pry on you. On what is happening in your lives." He pointed at Brick.

"We're not trying to kill each other," Rick said, his deep, rumbling voice seeming to rattle over the ice and up the stands.

"We should go," Theo said, glancing at first Ben and then me.

"Yeah." Ben shook off Dustin who had his hand on his shoulder as though ready to stop him throwing more punches. "Come on."

I took a step back, into the shadows, and lifted up my hood. Perhaps I could get out without any more attention. My skin was crawling with shame. I was the center of this fight, a place I'd never wanted to be.

I needed to go and pack, get the heck out of Orlando. It wouldn't take long to throw my things in my case and call a cab. I'd find a hotel for the night then make long-term plans after I'd done Mae's shoot. I couldn't let her down, that would be way too unprofessional.

After collecting my purse, I headed toward the exit. I'd almost reached it when my name was called.

Turning, I spotted Gina hurrying after me.

My stomach clenched. I didn't know her well, but she was a straight talker. If she'd figured out what was going on, she'd tell me.

"Pippa," she said. "You're leaving?"

"Yes, I'm not a fan of violence."

"Hockey's a rough sport." She came to a halt in front of me.

"Even in practice?"

"True, that was unusual; something has clearly riled those four guys."

My heart was thudding, and I clamped my lips together. Saying nothing was surely the best plan of action here.

"Eduardo, Dylan, Ben, and Theo," she said, shoving her hands into the pockets of her cute Armani jacket. "They're usually best buddies. They came to the team around the same time and they stick together."

I nodded.

"Never seen a cross word between them, even if Dylan can be a grumpy bastard and Eduardo knows how to push everyone's buttons."

"I need to go." I gestured behind myself.

"To Ben and Theo's?"

"Yes."

"You enjoying staying with them? The brothers? They are kinda cute."

My jaw tensed. "What are you asking me, Gina?"

She shrugged. "You sleeping with one of them…both of them?"

"Do I have to answer that?"

"No, of course not." She paused. "I just can't tell if it's one of them or Eduardo or Dylan, they all seem…I dunno…distracted by you."

"I guess I have that effect on men, they see blue eyes, blonde hair, long legs and all that."

She shook her head. "Nah, they can have their pick of rink bunnies. Sure, they're not supermodels like you, but they're cute as buttons and will laugh at all their jokes, even the dumbass ones. It's you they like, Pippa, you're on the same level in terms of celebrity, and that appeals, plus you're clearly very sharp to have got to where you have. Guys like that, elite athletes, that sort of stuff turns them on. Grit. Determination. Drive. Success."

I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry.

"So if you're with one of them, or all four, I can't tell. I just couldn't call it. And usually with stuff like this I'd be able to."

"I like them all, and it's clearly a complication." There, I'd said it. "So I'll be off, and once I've honored my commitment to Mae, I'll be on my way. Thank you, Gina, for everything, you really were there when I needed you, when I was backed into a corner, and I'll never forget that." I reached out and squeezed her hand. "Really, thank you."

She frowned. "You're leaving? Orlando?"

"All good things come to an end." I nodded in the direction of the rink. "And you really don't need your players fighting amongst themselves, do you?"