Chapter Twenty-Nine
Gwen
I grabbed some food, then sat down right in front of the lecture hall in NYIT’s math building. Students filled the rows, mostly because of the free food. Some professors also gave extra credit for attending. This was the last one of the semester, since finals were next week. I waved to a few people I knew.
Marlee, who was on the student committee that planned our speaker series, took the mic and everyone quieted down. “Hi, thank you so much for coming. I regret to inform you that Agent Whittaker couldn’t come.”
There were groans, and disappointment zinged through me. What? I’d been waiting all semester for this speaker.
“However, we were able to get a great replacement. Please welcome, from the It’s Accrual World podcast, JoeCountant.” She beamed and everyone applauded.
My brother Joe, in a T-shirt that said, I said you were an asshat, not an asset, came out. Inwardly, I groaned. Of course they did. But no one knew he was my brother, and I wasn’t the only one who liked his podcast.
However, he had my number now. He could have warned me.
“Hey everyone, I’m so happy to be here. This place is amazing, which would be why my brother didn’t get into NYIT. I went to university in Toronto.” Joe had our mom’s dark-brown hair, though it was just a bit wavy, not curly, and it hung in his eyes, which were blue, like Babo’s. People chuckled at his joke.
Marlee sat next to me and whispered, “This is going to be fun, I know he’s your favorite.”
It was fun. Joe was the charismatic and entertaining brother, and it came through in his speech. While he grinned at me from behind the podium, he didn’t call me out, for which I was grateful.
Every word made me miss him so much.
He ended with a Q & A, then a couple of people stayed to ask him questions. I hung back and helped Marlee and some others clean up.
“Buttons.” Joe gave me a big hug when he finished.
“You couldn’t have warned me?” I didn’t let go of his hug, thinking of all the times he’d watched movies with me, or done the activities I’d wanted, even if he was ten years older.
“What fun is that?” Joe grinned. “I really did get the call yesterday. I said yes to get me out of a boring-ass meeting. Well, and to see you.”
“I missed you.” It came out almost a sob. He, too, had spent time with me, while I’d been recuperating after the kidnapping. Sneaking out the window had been his idea. Joe had even bought my ticket back to New York.
“I missed you, too, Buttons. Ditch class and hang out with me?” He held me at arm’s length. “I can teach you to use this thing called a phone, so when you miss me, you can call me.”
“Call you?” I made a face. “Download insta-chat, so I can talk to you like a normal person. I have nothing until my game tonight.”
His handsome face brightened. “Is this a game you’re playing in? Can I come?”
“Maybe.” I grinned. “But if you’re sending pictures to the dads, I should get my pink skates from home.” Maybe my pink mask. Not sure if they’d let me wear it, but I could get away with the skates.
“Let’s go.” He grabbed my bag.
“Which brother didn’t get in here?” My eyebrows rose as I led him out of the math building.
“Luca.” He grinned. Then his look softened. “Luca’s proud of you though.”
I flinched.
Joe squeezed my shoulder. “He’s really sorry. Luca didn’t realize the harm he did by taking away your scholarships. Also, he wasn’t the one to deny you the ability to re-apply. He didn’t lie to the dads either. That was all Dario. Luca just told Dario to not renew the fund, when Dario asked him about it, after you sent in your report.”
“You made me send you reports.” I scrunched up my nose. It was just two a year, and I hadn’t thought much of it. But knowing it was my family made it feel different.
“We loved those reports, Buttons. Matty ripped Luca a new one, and when the dads found out about all this…” Joe shook his head. “Anyway, Dario was also the one who was mean to you, every time you asked for help. The dads fired him and Maricella’s not speaking to any of us, so suffice to say she won’t be joining us for Christmas. Thank fuck.”
The air whooshed out of me. “The dads fired Dario?”
The dads didn’t actually own the law firm, but I’m sure they owned many of the lawyers.
“Yeah. Luca got a lecture. Pretty sure he’s trying to figure out a way to make it up to you. He didn’t know you didn’t know it was them.” Joe squeezed my shoulder.
“An apology is fine. Everything worked out in the end.” My arms wrapped around myself. Luca wouldn’t apologize, because in his mind he did nothing wrong.
“He was grumpy that you sold the Mario D’Angelo card he gave you,” Joe added.
I rolled my eyes. “I sold most of them, including my signed Maria Barilla rookie card. Because a girl has to pay bills. I got it back. It’s framed and on my wall.”
He was Luca’s favorite player. I think my family knew him, once, because Luca said Mario gave him the card. My brother also told me stories about him.
“So, where are we going?” I asked.
He checked his phone. “According to Isa, I should take you gift shopping. Who do you still need to buy for? Your boys? Gift exchanges? Friends? Any of the nieces and nephews? The dads? I’ll get whatever you need.”
“I don’t give a lot of gifts, and most just get homemade cookies. Which have been made and handed out. Also, I’m only doing presents for people I like.” While I had fewer expenses, because I paid no rent, I didn’t want to waste my hard-earned money on ungrateful people.
“Okay.” Joe shrugged. “I don’t have kids, so it doesn’t matter to me. But prepare for problems.”
My eyes rolled as I led him toward the subway. “No matter what I do, there will be problems. Some people never learned that wish lists aren’t order forms.”
When I’d spent December with the Dads after everything at the lake house, some of my nieces had taken issue with my gifts–and me.
My eyes teared at the memory. “I’m not an affair baby, right?”
Joe stopped short. “Who the fuck told you that?”
“Chiara, and her kids.” While I hadn’t expected everyone to treat me like Matty and his family, I hadn’t been prepared for some of my nieces to be mean. Those ones were all old enough to know better.
He pulled me to him. “You're not an affair baby. Promise. You don’t think Mom would cheat on them, do you?”
“Never. But it would explain why Maricella hates me, and why I don’t know which dad is mine.” I looked up at him.
Joe rolled his eyes. “Yeah, no one’s gotten the opportunity to tell you. They were fighting about whether or not to offer it to you about the time you went out the window.”
“Oh. Do you know?” I frowned as I kicked some snow on the ground.
He shook his head. “My money’s on Popi. You’re a badass like him.”
“Popi’s a badass?” Huh. Mom had told me stories about seeing him fight back when they were courting. I’d always wondered if it was Papa, because he was so hard on me–like he was with Matty.
Joe raked his hair with his hand. “Let’s go someplace where you can get your shopping done–department store, favorite street of shops, whatever.”
“Okay. Sure. I need some suggestions for the dads anyway. Hey, what’s my limit? There’s a gift exchange I really want to take part in, but I can’t afford it. I didn’t want to ask one of the guys or Isa, since Isa helped me out for the last gift party.” For some dumb reason, I was sad about missing out on the fancy MASO holiday party.
“As long as you’re not buying a boat, it’s fine.” He grinned, then he paused. “Wait, is this for the Knights? I mean, we could work out a boat.”
I chuckled, imagining the Knights having an exchange with a boat-level budget as we went down the stairs to the subway. “No. It’s actually for the Knights’ mates and significant others group. But it’s more like a purse from Faun or a week at a fancy spa. I’m not sure if a boat is allowed. Snowmobiles and animals aren’t.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s fine. That’s about what you need to get Isa,” he added, as I led him to the right platform.
“I got Isa’s gift.” I frowned. One of the MASOs made beautiful bracelets with beads representing your children and mates. Flavie was getting one, too. Since Sof would be there, and I didn’t have any issues with her, she also got one, but it wasn’t as fancy. My other sisters didn’t get any. But I’d get one for Luca’s omega even though I didn’t know her well.
“Yeah, so you were entered in our sibling gift exchange. I think Luca has you. You have Isa, which is why she told me to take you shopping, because we know you’re on a student budget,” he told me.
“I said I don’t want to participate, because I can’t afford it. I’ll just get presents for whom I like. Technically, I’m still in university, so I don’t qualify for your exchange. I don’t expect presents from everyone.” This. This was what I had to deal with. No one ever listened, and they all thought they knew better than me.
Asshats.
The subway train pulled up, and we got on.
“Some of us are getting you presents, too. We just didn’t want you to feel excluded. I’m paying for whatever you get Isa, so it’s all good. Spend my money, okay?” His look was earnest.
Out of all my siblings, Joe was the only one not mated. I wasn’t sure why. I mean, if Luca and Maricella could find mates, why not him? Luca might be a smidge more handsome, but Joe was nicer and sportier.
“I suppose I could allow you to take me shopping.” I made a long-suffering sigh. “Let’s start at Athlete’s World. I can buy a lot there.” Like my exchange gifts for NYIT and the Knights. Also, if he was paying, there were a few people I’d like to get things for.
Athlete’s World was decorated for the holidays and festive music played.
“Do I get to meet your guys tonight?” Joe asked as I perused the clothing section at Athlete’s World, resisting the temptation to buy myself more crop tops with slightly profane hockey slogans.
“No, they’re at an away game.” I sent a picture of us to them, and I held up a grey crop top that Vicker’s wife, Muriel would look amazing in. I got Vickers in the Knights' gift exchange.
Me
My brother is in town and we're shopping. I should get Vickers a crop top for the exchange, right?
Clark
Pretty princess needs a crop top.
Tenzin
I think you should.
“What are you getting your guys?” Joe asked.
“I got Clark a special edition Captain Everything figure he’d wanted, and Tenzin a nature photography book. I also had a portrait of the three of us done.” Because Grif’s painted them from photos. “Um, I think they’re buying a house. It’s supposed to be a surprise though.”
There’d been lots of whispering this week about accounts and escrows and repairs.
Joe blinked as he tried on a knit winter hat with earflaps and a rainbow-vomit pattern. “You’re all moving in together?”
“I already live with Clark and Tens is across the hall. Matty is being weird about me selling one of my paintings. I want to contribute to the house.” I bit my lower lip.
“That’s a Matty or Dad question. But if you’re not mated or in a pack and you’re buying a house together, you need paperwork, so you don’t lose your shit if you break up.” He twirled a mini-stick like a staff.
“Sure. But they’re it. I’m serious.” Okay, I’d bug Matty again. While I didn’t expect us to break up, the accountant in me understood protecting your assets.
He ruffled my hair. “I love that for you.”
“Why aren’t you married off? Aren’t you all making alliances and shit?” I frowned, as I looked through a display of stickers.
“You read too many novels.” His eyes rolled, and he looked at his phone.
“If you weren’t so old, I’d introduce you to my friends.” I grinned as I added a few things to my basket. Like a cute crop top for Mercy.
Joe snorted. “Isa says she doesn’t want a present from Athlete’s World. Maybe we should get her jet skis out of spite.”
“Oooh.” Those might not be banned by Atty for the MASO exchange either. But I knew what I’d wanted to get for it and I’d take Joe there next, since it was nearby. I could find something nice for Isa at that store, too.
I finished up, we checked out, and Joe paid for it without blinking. Oddly, I didn’t feel bad about it. Just like I hadn’t felt bad about Isa getting the scarves.
“I… I’m afraid to come home. I’ll never fit in.” Tears pricked my eyes as we fought the crisp December breeze while we walked toward the block of fancy stores, where the jewelry shop was.
“You fit, Buttons,” Joe told me, squeezing my hand as we walked into the fancy store. “Maricella can suck it, and I’ll tell her that if she comes and starts shit.”
“You will?” My heart warmed, and not just because the store had the heat on.
“I will.” He squeezed my shoulder. “Promise.”
The forwards from BaySi, the Bayside University for Science and Engineering, were coming at me fast and furious. BaySi was down by one, with a minute left, and they’d pulled their goalie, so they could have an extra player on the ice.
I was ready. While I had to wear my NYIT goalie pads, glove, and blocker, I was able to wear my pink skates and mask.
Boondock and Freight Train went after them and I came out of the net, as the forward from BaySi shot the puck early to avoid Maze stealing it. Before anyone could come at me, I’d stopped it and hit the puck hard .
It sailed over most of the players’ heads down the ice. They skated toward it, but not before it landed right in the goalie-less net.
My song played, and I held up my stick and danced around. A giant inflatable shark landed on the ice. My team came over and we bonked helmets and spun around. Fucking shit. While it wasn’t my first goalie goal, it was my first goalie goal this season. I patted the goalpost. Good post.
Yeah, this made up for me letting BaySi get on the scoreboard.
Bonnie chest-bumped me. “Good job. I hope there are scouts here tonight.”
There could be. With everything going on, teams could be looking at who of their drafted players they might want to sweep up sooner rather than later.
Carlos had been right. More than half of the junior Olympic hockey team that Carson had been on, had been arrested or called out for assault, aggression, and other asshole behaviors. Those who still played had been placed on leave.
Coach Hirata had given us a very stern talk about what would happen if any of us behaved like that.
I felt so bad for anyone who suffered at the hands of those knotheads. Maybe I could convince the MASOs to do something for one of the local domestic violence shelters.
We won the game and Maze came over to me in the locker room.
“Hey.” Anxiousness spiked her incense-y scent. “Um, there’s a chance the Sharks might sweep me up with everything happening. It sucks that goalies can’t be captain, because you should take my place. You’ll help Humpy, right?”
“I will. Take it. You can finish your degree later.” I hugged her tight, happy for her.
“I want all my graduating players over here,” Coach Hirata said to us after we had our post-game meeting.
We gathered over by her.
“Everyone who’s drafted, if you get swept up, don’t hesitate, just text me,” she told them. “Anyone not drafted, who plans on going free agent after graduation, call your agent now. Let them know you’re available immediately and your coach is okay with it. The free agent deadline doesn’t close until December 31st. If it happens, your professors will work with you on finals, so you can get credit for the semester. While I’ll miss you, if you get the chance, grab it,” she told us.
Bonnie frowned. “But we can’t all leave. What about our team? We need to win again.”
“I’d love to explain that we didn’t win the championships because you all went pro early,” she told us. “Great game. Don’t drink too hard. See you Monday.”
I texted Stu. While I wanted to graduate, it wouldn’t hurt to put myself out there. Papa always said that part of success was being ready when the opportunity presented itself.
Joe waited for me, beaming. “Buttons, that was incredible. That goal.”
I hugged him. “Thanks for staying.”
“Anytime. I’m going to go catch my flight, but I'll see you at Christmas. Instafacesnap me anytime.” He grinned.
I rolled my eyes. Joe had let me put some apps on his phone.
“Thanks for buying me stuff.” I gave him another hug. Our shopping trip had been fun, not because he’d bought most of my shopping list, which was helpful, but because it was nice to spend time with him. To remember that he was a good brother.
Okay, suggestions as to what to get the dads helped.
“Off to the bar?” Joe asked.
I shook my head. “Sleepover at Mercy’s.”
“One of your teammates?” He kept pace with me as we walked toward the subway. Joe had literally flown out for the day, with nothing but his phone and a jacket.
“Skate smasher. We’re making cookies.”
“Want me to walk you home?” Joe offered.
I shook my head. “I’m fine.”
We parted ways. It was cold and dark as I walked back to my place from the subway. A man accosted me. I couldn’t see him well in the dark. But something about him said trouble.
“We need to talk.” The oiliness in his voice made my spine prickle.
“Call my lawyer.” I broke out into a run, my building in sight.
“STOP,” he shouted, his voice still oily.
While part of me wanted to stop, I fought it. The door attendant held open the door, concerned.
“Gwen, are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. I’m fine.” I looked to see if he was still following me. But I didn’t see him.
I went up to the apartment and caught my breath. Maybe I shouldn’t go to Mercy’s.
Mercy
We won. Are you coming?
I looked at the stuff on the kitchen counter for me to tie-dye. Yeah, I’d call a car after I texted my lawyer–and my guys–what had happened.
Me
Yep. We won, too .
It was probably a Deloitte lawyer out to scare me. Deloitte Automotive’s stocks still hadn’t recovered from my family fucking with them.
Austin’s words came back to me. The Deloitte family loves to ruin people.
The thing was, my family did too. Well, as long as they didn’t run the government.