Chapter Ten
Aiden
As the team pile into the locker room I question if this is a good idea.
It’s not for the first time, but Lyndsey thinks it’s better if everyone is on the same page.
It’s my family we have to convince, not the team, and it’s better that we lie to as few people as possible.
I agree with the logic, I don’t want to hide it from them, I just wish she were here with me.
Lyndsey is off telling Ellis the news while I tackle telling the whole team about our nuptials.
I don’t think it’s fair that I have to deal with the reaction of these idiots all alone.
They all file in and take a seat on the benches, looking at me expectantly, waiting for me to give them more game plays or yell at them for something or other, that’s what it usually means when I call one of these meetings on an off day.
Usually, I’m calm and collected when I command my team but this is different.
I stand proud in the centre of the room, my shoulders back and my feet planted apart.
I exude confidence, the braver I look the easier it will be to convince them I know what I’m doing.
I think I do. It’s not like it will be hard to pretend to be attracted to Lyndsey because I am, the only lie is going to be about us being happily married.
I know deep down that this is going to work and I just hope the team don’t ask any questions I haven’t thought about yet.
I’m going to roll with the punches and figure this out as it goes, I can’t predict how my sisters will react so there is no point stressing about it.
The plan is foolproof. Give the bank where my dad’s lockbox is our marriage certificate to gain access to the inheritance.
Spend a couple of nights in my childhood home and visit my grandpa once or twice to show him his son’s stuff.
Easy-peasy. Then we can come home, sign the divorce papers and move on with our lives.
“Okay y’all, I’m just gonna come out and say it.” I clasp my hands in front of myself, trying not to rock on the balls of my feet.
They all look up at me waiting in near silence for me to continue and I can’t help but let the anticipation build, a little bit of drama and panache might soften the blow.
“Lyndsey Stone and I are married.” I bring my hand up to show them the gold band on my ring finger that I slipped on again for the first time since that morning in Vegas.
There is a moment of stunned silence and then the room erupts into rambunctious laughter.
Rook doubles over, his face going bright red as he laughs.
Edge doesn’t laugh as loud as everyone but even he rolls his eyes at my apparent joke.
Felix’s eyes flick between me and the ring, his smile slowly slipping as I don’t join their laughter.
“Wait, why aren’t you laughing?” he asks, and everyone but Rook stops laughing, looking at me, waiting for me to crack a smile.
“We got married, she’s my wife,” I tell them again, and when they all look at me slack-jawed I try once more: “Sorry I didn’t let ya’ll plan a bachelor party.”
My joke falls completely flat but it at least makes me smile.
The guys lose it again but this time they aren’t laughing, the room explodes in uproar.
Yelling, asking if I’m serious. Asking how this happened.
How long has it been going on? I don’t answer their questions, instead I just stand in front of them, waiting for them to calm down instead of adding fuel to the fire.
Once they realise I’m not talking they eye me suspiciously.
“Are you going to let me explain?” I ask, and they all fall silent watching me again.
“Oh, go right ahead. Please,” Rook says, still smiling like this is still fun and games. He really does remind me of a young me. Things roll off of him the way they do me, there is so much levity even in the hard moments.
“So the actual wedding part is a little fuzzy. In Vegas we woke up in bed with each other the day we were flying back home with rings, a marriage certificate and no idea how we got there.” I fill them in on everything.
From our flight home to our meeting with Cassie that Edge interrupted and to Pops’ letter.
The more I explain the more confused they look until I get to the crux of the issue.
“So Lyndsey is going to pretend to be my wife for a little while until I can get Dad’s stuff,” I finish to the silent room.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Edge’s voice cuts through the silence, almost shaking the walls.
He storms across the room until he is toe to toe with me, his face bright red with anger.
His fists clench the fabric at the front of my shirt, pulling me up a few inches until he is right in my face.
“You can’t use her like this, I won’t let you.
” His voice is like gravel as he speaks through his teeth, trying not to yell.
“That’s not your choice,” I tell him, ignoring how tight my shirt is around my throat. I won’t let him think he can scare me out of this. It’s between me and Lyndsey, not him.
“She likes you and you’re using her for this bullshit.” He lets out a humourless laugh. “It’s not right.” The rest of the team watch on silently. I can see Rook over Edge’s shoulder with Felix holding him back by the elbow.
“It’s none of your business, Jay, put me down.” I’m done with this shit. I use his first name hoping he can hear how serious I am, but the rage behind his eyes doesn’t waver.
“Edge, put him down. Now!” Rook yells from behind and I’ve never heard him sound so serious. Edge glances over the shoulder to see all of our team looking at him with worry and it must bring him back down to earth enough that he loosens his grip on me.
“Tell her it’s off,” he tells me, shoving me lightly, his voice still just as angry as before.
“Why? You want to fuck her or something?” I know I shouldn’t say it, I should think more about my words before I say them as captain, but when my emotions are this heightened it’s difficult.
It’s the only reason I can think about why he would care so much about this.
He has only known Lyndsey for about a year and a half and he has never shown any signs of being into her but he is a quiet guy when it comes to relationships. I might have missed it.
“Not everything is about sex,” he huffs, shaking his head before pinning me with a glare again. Rook must have shaken off Felix’s hold because he comes up to stand by my side as Edge continues, “She is my friend, a good person, and she deserves better than this shit.”
“She agreed to it, says she has her own reasons,” I tell him. It’s not like I’m blackmailing her or anything. She told me this will benefit her and I have to trust that she is telling the truth. “It’s just a trip to Texas for a few days and then it’s over.”
“You’re gonna let her go?” He raises a brow at me as though he is giving me one last chance to not make this mistake.
But I don’t believe it is a mistake. I think this is going to be good for Lyndsey.
I don’t see why she would do it otherwise.
She isn’t the type of woman to be pushed around so if she says she is in, then I have to think that she is right.
All she has asked is for us to divorce when we get back and that is something I can offer.
“As soon as we land,” I tell him earnestly. Nodding once, he turns on his heels and storms out of the room, pulling his phone out of his pocket as he does. Probably to call Lyndsey and find out her side of the story, though I know she will tell him the same as me.
Slowly and wordlessly, everyone leaves the room, leaving me with Rook.
He slaps my shoulder once before following everyone else.
I end up alone again, feeling equal parts relieved and in a state of dread.
On one side I’m glad to have this over with, telling the boys was always going to be some kind of battle.
I’m glad to have step one of this plan crossed off.
But that is where the dread comes in. The next step is convincing my sisters that this is for real.
At least with the boys I could be truthful, but lying to Alice, Eden and Celia is going to be difficult.
Those three girls know me better than anyone else.
They have seen me grieve and rage, they have seen me at my highest of highs and there is not a lot I keep from them.
I have always been an open book when I’m close to people and there is no closer than my damn blood.
Alice is going to be the hardest to convince.
Not only is it strange for me not to tell her when I’m dating someone but the idea that I would get married without my twin there is almost inconceivable.
She will be looking for every crack in our story, questioning everything to understand why she was kept out of the loop.
One battle down, a lot more to go.