Chapter 24
RUSH
The buzzer sounds and the crowd cheers as Flash passes me the puck. I’ve been playing like a champ tonight—well, both of us have—and I know the reason for that is sitting front row behind the glass next to my baby brother.
The two of them together look adorable. Nora’s stolen one of my jerseys while Tommy wears Freddie’s, and the two of them have been smiling—and touching one another—nonstop.
I’m happy for him. Nora’s a breath of fresh air, and she brings out the best in us.
All of us, including shy, quiet Tommy and my stoic, dramatic partner in crime.
Who has also been playing like his life depends on it tonight.
And I know it’s because for the first time in years, he’s got someone rooting for him. For both of us.
I won’t pretend this is going to be all rainbows and sunshine. My brothers and I are openly dating our brother’s ex-girlfriend, and he has no clue.
But I’m sure when he finds out, shit is going to hit the fan. Thankfully, he’s out on that last-minute thing, so we’ve got a day or two to figure out how we’re going to do this.
Right now, it’s just the high of being together, of agreeing that this is going to happen, that we’re all riding on. But eventually it’s going to progress, and I know that.
Because while I agreed to date Nora, I want more than to be her boyfriend, and though I don’t know how Freddie or Tommy feel yet about the idea of this being more serious…I know we’ll have to talk about it at some point.
But right now, I can’t focus on the thought of marriage and kids with Nora.
I have to focus on the goal in front of me.
I find my opening with ease and don’t hesitate to take my shot. I make it with flying colors because that’s who I am. They don’t call us Rush and Flash for nothing.
The crowd cheers, jumping up and down, and I see Nora smiling with excitement as Tommy throws his fist in the air. And then he kisses her.
I wish I could say I didn’t enjoy the sight.
Knowing he saw us feels weird to think about, but I can’t deny that watching her kiss him makes my damn dick twitch. And I suspect the same thing would happen if she kissed Freddie.
Seeing another man touch what’s mine…it’s not the first time I’ve been in this sort of situation. I’ve had plenty of threesomes with men and women. Enough to know that I like it when other men touch what belongs to me.
When they fuck what belongs to me…
I have to shove the thought away, because I need to stay focused on the game. It’s not over yet, by a long shot.
Flash gives me a knowing look as we take our places. We’re tied with the other team right now, so we need to really amp up the plays.
Every time I skate past, I look at Nora, finding my confidence in her gaze. Freddie and I give it our all, laying everything we have on the line because I know neither one of us wants to lose this game in front of our girl. Not today.
The Badgers play well, though. Despite the fact that they’re our biggest rivals and their forward happens to be the man who ended up with Freddie’s ex, Vicki.
Freddie never talks about that time in his life, which I get.
I don’t know all the details, but I’m not stupid.
Given how quickly Kreuss and Vicki came out as an item and were expecting, I’d garner there was some definite overlap.
Which is why every time we play the Badgers, Freddie’s always extra on edge, but tonight with Nora in the crowd, he’s downright ruthless.
And I love seeing him like this. Badass.
The game goes into overtime, and it’s still a damn tie.
“We need to cinch this,” Chris says as we huddle together. “Think you can get a clear shot off Kreuss?”
I shake my head. “No, he’s cutting it too close for me.
He knows my moves, he’s been shadowing me too close all night.
” I look at Freddie. “Think you can cinch it if I pass to you? Fake him out first, then you take it? You’re closer, plus he won’t see you taking the shot coming because the set-up is always me. ”
Freddie’s eyes gleam with excitement. “Fuck yes. I will take that son of a bitch down.”
Chris smiles as we all agree and put our hands in, ready to break.
The tension can be felt as we spar off, and just like I thought, Kreuss shadows me, fixing to block my shot.
I dance with the puck, seeming to shoot to Flash, but instead turn and aim for Chris.
He retrieves it with precision, Kreuss turning to look at him, and Chris’s pass is so smooth, it’s like damn butter.
Flash grasps the puck and wastes no time shooting past Kreuss’s blind spot, and their goalie has no time to block.
The buzzer sounds off, and everyone cheers. We won!
I skate to Freddie, pulling him and my teammates into a victorious embrace.
“Good job, Flash,” I say with a wide grin. Freddie’s smile is enormous. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this happy.
When we finally get out of the locker room, I practically run for Nora. Freddie flanks me, still bearing his wide grin, and I don’t think twice about picking her up and spinning her around.
Tommy gives me a raised eyebrow, but otherwise doesn’t say anything, which for him says a lot. I let Nora down and give him a hug too. Only, I don’t pick him up. That would be weird.
“You guys were great out there!” Nora says with excitement.
“Well, it helps when you have your own cheerleader,” Freddie says with a wink and Nora’s cheeks pinken.
It’s adorable.
I throw an arm around her and Tommy as I guide us all out of the arena into the parking lot. “We should celebrate,” I say. “Drinks on me.”
“Sounds great,” Freddie says with a smile.
I look at Tommy. “You in, number three?”
Tommy wrinkles his eyebrows. “Number three?”
I smack him in the chest. “Well, you’re not number one, that’s me.”
Tommy rolls his eyes. “I thought Freddie was number one. He’s the oldest.”
Nora giggles. “If we’re picking numbers, I want number one.”
I lean in and kiss her cheek. “Absolutely, baby, you can be number one. I’ll be number two.”
“Like hell you will,” Freddie grumbles, but I can hear the humor in his voice.
“I should be number two,” Tommy says. “Two is my lucky number.”
“I’m not ranking third,” I whine. “Not happening.”
“You know…” Nora says with a sweet smile. “Three is actually the luckiest number.”
I look at her with a smile of my own. “Really?”
She nods. “Zayne did this whole new age tarot numerology thing a few years ago and said the number three is supposed to represent luck because of it being complete and whole. Like a holy trinity thing.”
“I like that,” I say as we stop in front of Freddie’s Lexus. “Holy trinity. You, and us.”
“There’s four of us, it can’t be a trinity,” Tommy says plainly. “It would have to be a quartet.”
I pull Nora into my arms and kiss her, not giving a shit about Tommy’s details. As far as I’m concerned, no matter what the number is, I’m the luckiest guy in the world because I have her.
“Round of drinks at Rose’s,” I say as I get into the driver’s side of the Lexus.
Freddie doesn’t argue, and that is telling. He never gets in the passenger side unless he plans on drinking.
A grin splits my face.
Tonight is going to be the best night ever.
One round of drinks turns into two, and two turns into three. Thankfully, Tommy calls it at two, since one of has to be the responsible one according to him.
Whatever he wants to call it, I’m fine with, seeing as I’m feeling better than I have in ages.
Nora wraps her arms around me, kissing me as we dance. Freddie comes up beside us, putting his hand on her back as he says, “Time to head out, guys, bar’s closing.”
I turn to see the place is starting to dim its lights and everyone’s working their way to the door.
Tonight is perfect. We won our game, celebrated with our girl…
Our girl.
The words hit me square in the chest like a damn puck.
She is our girl. Not just mine, but…
I watch as Freddie casually slips his arm around her waist and pulls her away from me.
I watch as she falls into him. Tommy finds my gaze and nods as if he’s had enough of this, and perhaps he has.
He’s not one to drink much, and he offered to be our driver so we could have fun, but I’m sure it’s not all it’s cracked up to be managing the three of us while being the only sober-ish one.
I follow Freddie and Nora out of the bar, the cool air kissing my skin like a balm to my soul.
“Come on,” Tommy says as he opens the back passenger door, gesturing for Freddie and Nora to get in. Freddie has started a new round of tonsil hockey with Nora, and I can’t help but chuckle because I haven’t seen Freddie like this in a long time.
Happy.
And that makes me happy too.
Nora kisses Tommy on the cheek and whispers something in his ear, and he smiles, his green gaze lighting up. Freddie pulls her into the back seat of the car, and I round to the passenger front and get in.
The drive home isn’t far, but it feels like forever as the radio blares and we sit in amicable companionship.
It should feel weird, and I know that, but it doesn’t.
It feels right.
When we pull into the driveway, I’m out of the car in a flash, opening the door to help Nora out. She stumbles only a bit, nearly into my arms.
Freddie grumbles something incoherently, but I don’t pay attention to him. I lean in and kiss her, because I can. Because for once, I don’t feel like I have to hide how I feel, and I like how that feels.
I pull her against me and she snakes her arms up around my neck.
Freddie pulls her away from me only slightly, and it’s like slow motion.
He grasps her chin in his hand and pulls her to his lips.
I watch as she kisses him, barely a few inches away from me.
Watch as she parts her mouth for his tongue, and I can’t deny the jolt of energy that surges through me.
It’s hotter than it should be.
I shouldn’t think that. I mean, he is my brother, so it should be weird, but somehow it’s not.
It’s hot as hell.