Chapter 94
GAbrIEL
Istep into the soccer house, tension pulling at my shoulders.
I’m not sure what I’m walking into, but from the looks of it, Julio is waiting for me.
If I know him at all, he’s already fuming about Adriana bringing Kenji.
I honestly don’t know how I overlooked that.
The guy’s denied anything going on between them for years but fuck—we all know there’s something.
He made that pretty obvious with how pissed he was when he found out about the double date in the first place.
The air inside feels heavier than usual, thick with anticipation, like it’s charged and just waiting for the spark to ignite. My fingers tighten around the grocery bags as I scan the room, searching for the first sign of trouble.
But instead, my eyes latch onto her.
Cecilia stands by the staircase, wearing one of my hoodies, her smile hitting me like a shot of pure sunlight.
Her eyes light up the moment they meet mine.
I don’t even pause to think. I just react.
Everyone and everything else in the room fades for a second.
The bags of groceries I’m holding drop to the floor with a thud, and I close the distance between us in two long strides, sweeping her up into my arms.
She giggles, her legs latching around my waist as I lift her feet off the ground. Her laugh melts away the weight on my shoulders, and I tighten my grip on her thighs, pulling her closer. Cecilia wraps her arms around my neck, her body warm and familiar against mine.
“Missed you,” I murmur, pressing my nose into the curve of her neck. The sweet, familiar scent of her coconut shampoo fills my senses. Fuck she smells good.
“I missed you, too,” she whispers back, her breath warm against my skin. I hold her there for a moment longer, just breathing her in. The noise of the others talking dulls to a background hum, and I find myself just wanting to stay in the moment.
When I finally set Cecilia back on her feet, I lean forward and capture her mouth in a kiss.
I mean for it to be quick, just a taste, but the second her lips meet mine, I’m gone.
Her lips are soft. Her mouth so inviting.
She tastes like cherry cola—sweet and fizzy, and before I can stop myself, I deepen the kiss, pulling her closer.
It’s not enough. It never is. This desire between us bordering on desperation. I really wish we weren’t about to have a house full of people right now.
A throat clears, and I pull back, blinking away the haze of Cecilia’s lips. I glance up to find Adriana standing nearby, Kenji right next to her. Adriana raises an eyebrow, amusement stamped across her features while Kenji offers a small wave.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Adriana says, though it’s obvious she isn’t. There’s a hint of something guarded in her smirk but if I had to guess, it has nothing to do with our impromptu PDA and everything to do with the read she has on Julio’s mood.
Kenji, on the other hand, looks relaxed. His hands are shoved into his pockets as he watches us with a smile on his face. The guy doesn’t look like he has a care in the world. I almost envy him.
I force myself to release my girl, nodding to Kenji. “Hey, man.”
Cecilia steps out of my arms, her delicate fingers slipping into mine, and I turn my attention to the real problem—Julio. He’s across the room, his jaw tight, nostrils flaring as he watches Kenji like he’s some kind of intruder. The tension is rolling off him in waves, heavy and hot.
I already know today is going to be a long day.
“Have you met everyone yet?” I ask.
“He hasn’t,” Adriana answers for him. “Some people have been too busy brooding to introduce themselves.”
I wince. Did she really just call J out like that? Adriana isn’t dumb—she knows exactly what she’s doing. But provoking Julio? Not the best idea.
“Julio, this is Kenji,” I say, keeping my tone casual, like introducing these two isn’t a recipe for disaster. “Kenji, this is Julio.”
Julio’s jaw clenches tighter, the muscle ticking in his cheek. His dark eyes narrow, but he grunts in acknowledgment. “Sup.” The word is clipped, cold. He’s not even trying to be friendly, not even a little.
Kenji, to his credit, doesn’t seem fazed. “Nice to meet you,” he says, sticking out his hand. “You’re the Captain, right?” Julio takes a beat too long to respond, but finally, he shakes Kenji’s hand—a little too firm, too aggressive. Typical.
“Yup,” Julio mutters, his expression unreadable. At least he bothered to respond.
Kenji’s smile doesn’t falter. “Sick, man. I’ve heard a lot about you.” The admiration in his voice seems genuine, but Julio’s expression doesn’t budge.
Before Julio can make shit any more uncomfortable, Felix bounds over, throwing an arm around my shoulders. “You gonna introduce me too?” he asks. Felix never fails to lighten the mood, even when shit’s about to hit the fan.
“Kenji, Felix,” I say, grateful for the interruption. “Felix, Kenji. There. You’ve been introduced.”
Felix grins wide, his gold chain catching the light. “Ah, you’re the hockey guy, right?” At Kenji’s nod he adds, “Don’t worry. We won’t hold that against you. For today at least.”
Kenji laughs, shaking Felix’s hand. “Thanks, man. Appreciate it.”
We make quick introductions to the rest of the guys, Atticus and Deacon trailing down from upstairs to join the group. The tension in Julio’s posture is impossible to ignore, but I do my best, focusing instead on keeping things moving.
“Felix and I grabbed the meat,” I say, pointing to the bags I’d unceremoniously dropped earlier. “J, why don’t you get the grill going?”
Julio’s eyes flick toward the bags, then back to me. For a second I think he might push back, but then he jerks his chin in a nod, turning toward the kitchen to get things prepared. At least cooking will give him something to focus on other than glaring daggers at Adriana’s date all day.
The doorbell rings, saving us from any more awkwardness, and my teammates start pouring in.
The tension eases as the house fills, the smell of grilling meat wafting in from the backyard. I grab a beer, crack it open, and take a long pull. Things are settling down. Good.
“You good?” Cecilia asks.
I nod and press a kiss to her temple. “I’m perfect,” I tell her. “You’re here.”
She smiles up at me, and I resist the urge to kiss her, barely. When the doorbell rings again. Layton—a junior who plays center back—opens the door and Adam and Asher walk in.
The sight of them pulls me up short. They’re here, standing in my house, and it feels … strange. Not bad, exactly, but not comfortable either.
My new stepbrothers are greeted by Layton and Atticus at the door before they spot Kenji and make a beeline straight for him. I exhale a breath of relief watching as Asher claps Kenji on the back like they’ve known him for years. I guess they kind of have, considering they all play hockey together.
I watch them for a second, the way they laugh and joke like it’s nothing.
Like being here, in my home, isn’t at all a problem for them.
A knot tightens in my chest. I wish I could explain how them being here makes me feel.
I see Asher shove his brother’s shoulder jokingly and then Adam elbows him back.
It’s playful and fuck—I don’t know. I think … I think I miss that.
“You invited them?” Cecilia says beside me, her tone cautious.
I grunt, taking another pull from my beer. I’m not much of a drinker, but today? I’ll make an exception.
Cecilia winds her arms around my waist, her warmth seeping through the thin material of my shirt. “I’m glad,” she says. “They seem nice.”
“Maybe,” I hedge, my eyes flicking back to them. “I’m going to make my rounds, say hello to the guys. You want to come with me?”
“Nah,” she tells me. “You go do your thing. I have Adriana.”
I steal one last kiss before heading toward the grill, where Julio’s flipping the carne asada with an intensity that borders on murderous. I offer him a beer, which he takes with a grateful nod, but his scowl doesn’t budge.
“Didn’t think you’d go through with it,” Julio mutters, his eyes flicking in the direction of Adam and Asher.
I shrug, taking a long swig from my bottle. “Yeah, well. Maybe I’m growing up.”
Julio huffs a laugh, shaking his head. “Proud of you, man. Letting them in, giving them a shot. That’s a big deal.”
I shoot him a sideways glance. “Maybe you should take your own advice,” I tell him, tapping my bottle against his. “You know, give Kenji a shot. He’s not that bad, and Adriana seems to like him.”
Julio grumbles something under his breath, flipping the meat with more force than necessary, and I roll my eyes. It’s the closest thing to agreement I’m gonna get from him today.
After a few minutes, I spot Asher making his way over to me. He looks a little awkward, like he’s not sure if he’s intruding, but I lift my chin, signaling him over. May as well get this part of the day over with.
“Hey,” Asher says, his voice casual, but there’s a cautious thread beneath his carefree demeanor. “Thanks for the invite.”
“Yeah. No problem.”
We stand there for a beat, the sounds of chatter and sizzling meat filling the silence between us. “I know—” His mouth twists and he tries again. “I get that this is probably weird for you,” Asher begins, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s a little weird for me, too.”
I take a slow pull from my beer, studying him. “It’s fine.”
He nods, but his expression is unconvinced. “Adam was really excited when we got your text. It meant a lot to him. You reaching out like that. So, I guess I, uh …” He stares down at his feet for a moment. “I just wanted to thank you. You didn’t have to reach out but … I’m glad you did.”
I glance across the yard where Adam’s laughing with Kenji, and something shifts in my chest. I get it. Asher cares about his brother the way I cared about mine.
“You look after him.”