19. Braxton

Tonight had been all about Jaxon, but in true selfless-big-brother form, he shared the spotlight. Not once, but twice, he'd set me up for goals. The only one I'd earned on my own merit was the final one—a gimme goal on an empty net. It wasn't the most respectable hat trick in the history of hockey, but it counted just the same.

And sure, it didn't hurt knowing my girl was in the stands watching.

The clock hit triple zeros, the horn sounded right before the team's victory song blasted through the arena speakers, and we lined up to congratulate Reed in net.

Jaxon snuck up behind me, shaking my helmeted head with his gloved hand. "Hell of a game, man. You'll remember this one forever."

Yeah, but not for the reason you think.

He was right. I would remember this game forever. But it wouldn't be my accomplishments that stood out in the forefront of my mind. It would be the praise raining down on my brother while I faked a smile, pretending for all the world to see that he was my idol, that I couldn't help but follow in his footsteps. Only I knew that was all a lie, a fa?ade, so I didn't look like a toddler having a temper tantrum because their older brother had something they didn't.

Deep down, I was happy for him. He had earned the accolades he'd received throughout his career. I only wished it wasn't shoved in my face every minute of every day.

Giving Reed a tap to the pads with my stick and congratulating him with my helmet pressed to his, I skated to the bench where the hallway led to the locker rooms beneath the arena.

Jaxon followed directly behind, carefully stepping on the protective flooring so we didn't trash the blades on our skates. When I came to a screeching halt, he barreled into me, knocking me off balance, and I dropped to my knees.

"Shit. Sorry, Braxton." An arm looped around mine, dragging me back to standing. "You all right?"

"Yeah," I said in a daze, dread settling in my gut.

"Good. Let's get moving. We've got a party to get to and the press to deal with first."

Moving around me, Jaxon strode down the hall, finally viewing the reason for my sudden reluctance to continue my trek to the locker room.

"Hey, Dad."

I knew my parents were in town, but this was the first time I'd come face-to-face with Michael Slate since my professional debut. Judging by his stormy expression, I was in for it.

Seriously? I'm trying everything to make it through this day in one piece.

Blowing out a breath, I trudged toward what promised to be harsh judgment from my father. It was nothing new, but maybe some small part of me had hoped that proving myself in the league—yeah, okay, I could admit Jaxon was padding my stats—would be enough to have him back off a bit. But I guess that was nothing more than a pipe dream.

Jaxon had just finished giving Mom a hug when Dad's booming voice echoed off the concrete walls. "What the hell is the matter with you? Tonight was about your brother. And you made a conscious effort to turn it around and put yourself in the spotlight!"

My mom's jaw dropped, and she yelled, "Michael!"

Even though she was loud, it was the soft gasp that demanded my attention. And there, standing beside Natalie, was the girl I'd begged to attend tonight—the girl I was falling head over heels in love with—with her brilliant blue eyes widened at my father's outburst.

My jaw clenched. It was one thing to explain living in Jaxon's shadow, quite another for her to have a front-row seat to the reason it bothered me so much. It was more than I could handle.

"Nat, get her out of here," I forced out through gritted teeth.

"Braxton—" my sister-in-law began, understanding in her eyes.

"Now!" I raised my voice, the control on my temper hanging by a thread.

Ducking her head, Natalie did as I asked, tugging Dakota down the hallway and out of sight.

Half expecting Jaxon to rip my head off for yelling at his wife, he turned on our father. "What the fuck, Dad? Braxton had the game of his life out there tonight."

Undeterred, the man who gave me life spat back, "On your night."

"Seriously? You think I care? It stopped being my night the second the puck dropped. The pomp and circumstance were more than enough. Too much, really. But it was important to the fans, to the organization, so I let them run with it. And if tonight's celebrations highlighted anything, it's that I've been playing this game for a very long time. Long enough to know that it's about the team, not individual players. I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without the incredible guys on the ice by my side. And that includes Braxton."

Dad opened his mouth to respond, but I cut him off. "You know what? Fuck you. I'm done with this shit."

Storming past my parents, I made it halfway to the locker room before Jaxon was hot on my heels.

"Braxton, slow down. That was not okay what he did back there."

I scoffed. "I should be used to it by now. Been dealing with it my whole life."

Stunned, Jaxon blinked at me. "What?"

"Do you really not know how he's treated me since the day he laced skates onto my feet?" When he didn't respond, bitter laughter slipped past my lips. "It's okay, Jaxon. You and I grew up with very different fathers. Enjoy yours because I'm done with mine."

With that, I stormed off. I didn't give a shit if I got fined for refusing to speak to the press. I was done for the night.

Just when I think it can't get any worse.

Freshly showered, long after everyone else had left, I walked to the parking garage attached to the arena toward my car. All I wanted to do was go home and knock back a couple of stiff drinks—get drunk enough to black out so I could forget this night ever happened.

But it would seem God had other plans.

Dakota was leaning against the side of my car, her sad blue eyes tracking my progress across the lot. I couldn't even fully appreciate how amazing she looked in my jersey after what had just happened.

What I wouldn't give to erase the scene in the tunnel from her memory. Not only was I a grown man being dressed down by my father in public, but I had lost my cool and snapped at Natalie when she'd done nothing wrong. In fact, she was the only person in this world who understood how I felt.

Something broke inside of me when I saw Dakota.

I was so ashamed.

Ashamed that I hadn't fought back.

Ashamed that I couldn't give her the same kind of life Jaxon gave his family.

Ashamed that I didn't believe in myself.

Closing my eyes, I exhaled deeply, trying to calm the storm swirling inside. An emotional breakdown would be the cherry on the top of this shit sundae of a day.

Arms circled my waist, and a warm weight pressed into my chest.

"I'm right here." Three simple words, and they cracked my heart wide open.

Fuck. She knew what I needed better than I did. Our connection was the only thing anchoring me.

Pressing my lips to the top of her head, I inhaled her scent.

How could I not believe in fate when she had walked into my life at the exact moment I needed her? She took my mind off the stress and pressure of playing with Jaxon, giving me the perfect distraction. Not only that, she'd become my outlet. For so long, I'd kept my feelings inside, but I didn't have to hide with her. She saw me for who I was, never once asking me to be more.

Tightening my grasp, I held onto her for dear life. So long as I had her, I didn't need anything else.

Swallowing back the pain, I whispered into her hair, "I'm sorry you had to see that."

With her face pressed to my chest, Dakota's words were muffled. "I'm not."

Stunned, I pulled back enough that she could peer up at me. "You're not?"

She shook her head. "It was the wake-up call I needed. All these years, it's nagged at the back of my mind, wondering why my dad didn't care enough about me to want a relationship with me post-divorce. Today, I realized that maybe I was better off." She reached up to cup my face. "But I hate that I had to watch you suffer to see that."

"It's fine." I sighed. "I'm used to it."

Dark blue eyes searched mine. "It's not right. No child should be used to their parent verbally abusing them. Making them feel like less. You don't deserve that."

Leaning down, I pressed my forehead to hers. "Thank you for being here tonight."

Fingers stroked my cheeks. "I wish you'd told me about Jaxon's celebration."

"I didn't want you to feel obligated. I wanted you to come to watch me play because it was what you wanted. Not because it's what you thought I needed."

"You were incredible out there tonight." Her voice was filled with reverence.

"You don't have to say that. Jaxon made me look good."

Hands gripping my face, she forced my head back. "Honesty, right?"

Releasing a heavy breath, I confirmed, "Yeah."

"Then believe me when I say it was you I was watching all night. Not your brother. It was your name I was screaming in the stands. And it's your name and number I'm wearing on my back. How many times have you told me it's a team game? Would you be downplaying your role if you were the one giving the assists to Jaxon?" She arched an eyebrow.

"No," I grumbled.

She was right. Jaxon's presence tainted my perception of my own game. I was seeing things that may or may not even be there because I expected them to be. Jaxon took care of everyone in his life, so it only seemed logical that he would go out of his way to look out for me on the ice. But so long as we were out there together, I would never know for sure if I earned any of it on my own.

"I don't know what I did to deserve you," I breathed out, dipping my head to brush my lips against hers.

It was meant to be a quick kiss, but she deepened it, slipping her tongue inside my mouth. Groaning, I gripped her hips, trying to bring our bodies closer. She drove me insane in all the best ways. Her heart and soul only added to the physical attraction I felt for her.

Breathless, she broke away. "Is it crazy to think we were exactly what the other needed?"

Nuzzling her neck, I whispered, "Not at all."

There was a smile in her voice. "And to think I almost wrote you off as nothing more than a cocky, self-absorbed, asshole athlete."

Smirking, I couldn't help myself. "Maybe we can keep cocky in there."

Her laughter rolled over me like honey, thick and sweet. It was the most beautiful sound in the world.

Stepping out of my arms, she took in my appearance, still dressed in my gameday suit. Smoothing her hands over the lapels, her eyes darkened. "You look nice."

"Oh yeah?" I did a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree turn so she could get the full experience.

"Mm-hmm." I loved the way she devoured me with her eyes.

"Come to more games, and you might catch me like this more often," I teased.

"Don't tempt me." Dakota bit her lip.

Clicking my tongue, I used my thumb to tug that lower lip free. "But that's half the fun."

Rolling her eyes playfully, she snuggled back into my chest. The comfort she brought to my life was powerful; I wasn't sure I'd be able to live without it now that I had gotten a taste.

"Don't you have a party to go to?"

"Not in the mood."

I was slowly coming out of the fog from the evening's earlier events, and seeing everyone again so soon would only set me back. Knowing Natalie, she'd corner me, wanting to talk about it. I needed some space and distance from our group. Dakota was more than enough.

But with the holidays fast approaching, I knew I couldn't avoid them for long.

"Dakota?"

"Yeah?"

With hope tightening my chest, I asked, "Would you come to Minnesota with me for Christmas?"

"What?" She stepped out of my hold.

I ran a hand through my hair, damp from my post-game shower. "Normally, everyone stays close for the few days we have off, but this year, the Comets are playing the Minneapolis Freeze. Usually, Nat and the kids will travel out there when we play them because my parents are close by. So, Jaxon got the idea to go out as soon as the break starts. We get three days off, and then we can meet the rest of the team once they travel from Hartford. I'm supposed to go with them. But I don't want to without you."

Dakota shifted on her feet. "I don't know. The idea of spending time with your parents? After what just happened?"

Stepping forward, I took her hands in mine. "The last thing I want is to see my dad right now, trust me. But the kids are growing up so fast. Especially the older ones, and I don't want my issues to pull me out of the magic of the holidays with them. We can stay with Jaxon and Natalie, and do our own thing on Christmas Day when they go to dinner at my parents' house. Please?"

Squeezing my hands, she said, "Okay."

"Really?" I tried to curb my desperation to hear her say yes. But who was I kidding? The idea of her coming home with me would be the greatest gift I ever received.

"Yeah." She gave me a small smile. "Let me know the flight details, and I'll book a seat."

If there had been any nagging doubts that her athlete-hating was a front—a way to seem less eager—they were put to rest by that single sentence. Not only did she have no clue how Jaxon Slate's entourage traveled, but she was offering to pay her own way.

My love for her grew by the minute. Each time she opened her mouth, it only cemented that she was the one.

This might just be the best Christmas of my life—our first Christmas of many.