Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
ZALEA
THREE YEARS EARLIER
“This is bullshit,” Zale snaps, tossing his board into the sand. “You don’t even know what you’re doing. Coach Lawson was way better than you—and he sucked.”
“Careful, Evans,” Gabriel warns, his voice low as he stares down my brother. “You’re about to earn yourself a seat on the sidelines at next week's competition if you keep this up.”
Zale scoffs. “You’d never risk losing. That’s all you care about.”
Gabriel steps closer to him, tension rolling off him in waves. “Do you really want to test me on that?”
Zale doesn’t answer as they face off, eyes locked, both waiting for the other to make the first move.
“Alright, you two,” Kairi cuts in, pushing herself up from the sand beside me. “Let’s remember why we’re here. It’s one of our final practices before competition day, and I don’t plan on wasting it watching you two measure egos.”
This has become routine over the past year. At first Zale ignored Gabriel completely, or spent entire sessions glaring at him from the lineup instead of surfing. Now he hunts for reasons to provoke him. Today is no different.
“Aren’t you going to say something to them?” Maliah whispers beside me.
I stare at the two of them, jaw tight. I’ve tried staying uninvolved, but the team never lets me forget that Zale is my brother, and Gabriel is…well, unofficially, my ex.
“No,” I mutter, pushing to my feet and brushing sand from my legs. “Their problems aren’t mine.”
I grab my board and shove through the narrow space between them on my way toward the water, forcing them apart.
“Look,” Zale hisses, “Now you’ve pissed off my sister.”
“Me?” Gabriel shoots back. “You’re the one acting like a child.”
I tune them out, wading in until their voices fade beneath the crash of the surf. I toss my board into the water, climb on, and paddle toward the rest of the team waiting beyond the break.
“Let me guess,” Koa says as I settle beside him. “Those two again?”
“Yep.”
“It’s like clockwork with them,” Colton mutters.
“Yep.”
Griffin folds his arms over his board. “They’re going to tear this team apart if something doesn’t change.”
I don’t respond because I’ve already run through every possible solution in my head, and the only one that might actually work is me leaving the team.
It bothers Zale that Gabriel still has access to me after everything that happened, even if it’s strictly professional now. And being the protective, and stubborn brother that he is, he’s determined to make Gabriel’s job miserable until he quits.
But I know Gabriel would sooner kick Zale off the team than walk away. And I know, just as clearly, that the only reason my brother is still on the team is because of me.
But Griffin is right, something needs to change.
After practice, I pass on the team's invitation to grab lunch and make my way toward the Shredder House to shower and change. Unlike Zale, who couldn’t wait to move out of our family home, I don’t live here.
It’s hard enough being around Gabriel during practices and competitions.
There’s no way in hell I could handle sharing a living space with him too.
But every now and then, when he’s not around, I allow myself to indulge in the luxuries his residence offers—like the fully stocked gym, the pristine bathrooms, and the endless food.
I slip inside and make my way toward his room. It’s no secret he has the best bathroom in the house, and by the time he gets back from lunch, I’ll be long gone.
His bathroom is the size of my bedroom at home. There’s a massive two-person shower with rainfall heads mounted in the ceiling, customizable lighting, and built-in speakers that make this place feel like a spa.
I connect my phone to the speakers and queue up my self-care playlist before undressing. Steam curls in the air as I step inside and turn on the water, warmth pouring over my skin instantly.
It must be nice to live like this every day. To not have to wait for your water to heat up, or worry how you’re going to pay next month's rent—not that I even pay rent yet since I still live with my parents.
Gabriel has the kind of money that every professional athlete dreams of. The kind I want. And someday I’ll have it, whether it’s with this team or on my own.
The lights suddenly shut off, replaced by a fluorescent purple glow. I jump, spinning around to find Gabriel standing near my discarded swimwear, finger resting casually on the control panel.
His gaze is dark, completely and utterly focused on me as his eyes trail slowly down my body—pausing at my pebbled nipples—and then back up.
“I thought you were going to lunch,” I say, folding my arms across my chest to try and hide at least some part of my body.
His brows lift, amused by my modesty. He’s seen me naked many times before, but this is different. Isn’t it?
“I changed my mind when I heard you weren’t going,” he says. “Again.”
He walks toward me, stripping off his own clothes like this is completely normal.
I swallow, fighting the urge to lower my eyes as he steps into the shower, turning on the second head a few feet away.
Water spills over his skin, catching the coloured light, and outlining his muscles in a way that makes it hard to breathe.
“Is there a reason you’ve been avoiding team outings this year?” he asks, washing his body like my presence isn’t affecting him at all.
“I like to decompress after practice,” I say, slowly turning toward the wall instead of gawking at my ex’s naked body.
My coach’s naked body.
“And what possessed you to decompress in my shower today?” he continues. “Judging by how easily you operate it, I’m guessing this isn’t your first time.”
Busted.
I press my lips together. “You’re right. I shouldn’t be here.”
I reach for the knobs, but his hand warps around my wrist, stopping me. I look up and realize he’s so close that I can feel his breath.
“I never said you shouldn’t be here,” he murmurs. “I wouldn’t ever say that.”
I hold his gaze. “We both know I shouldn’t.”
He nods slowly.
“Because of Paul.”
My brows furrow in confusion. “Paul and I aren’t together. We haven’t been since high school, and I haven’t spoken to him since that day you came back to town for good.”
Gabriel jerks back. “He called you his girlfriend.”
I laugh softly. “He was trying to piss you off. You know he never liked you.”
“But you let me believe it.”
I shrug. “I was mad.”
“Was?” His expression turns hopeful as he searches my face.
Gabriel hurt me in ways I still don’t know how to fully forgive. But anger was never something I carried well, and the truth is, I miss him. He was my best friend once and he still knows more about me than anyone.
I can let him back in while also being careful to protect myself this time around.
“Grudges are overrated.”
He grins so wide that it makes my heart ache in the best way, but I shut down the warmth in my chest really quick, because the only way I can guarantee that he won’t break my heart again is to keep him at a safe distance.
I know I have to put up walls to do that, but it’s the only way I’ll be able to still keep him in my life without falling apart.
I roll my eyes with a small smile of my own and go back to washing my body. Despite Gabriel wanting me to stay here with him, it’s probably best that I get out before sex gets involved, and before I lose control.
But before I can do that, I feel him behind me. He moves my wet hair aside and presses a soft kiss to my shoulder.
“Gabriel,” I whisper.
This isn’t mind versus heart. This is mind versus desire, and my horny-metre is at its max whenever he’s around.
“Tell me to stop,” he murmurs against my skin. “And I will.”
My brain screams for me to do exactly that, but instead I turn to face him.
“Kiss me,” I demand, and he does.
His lips meet mine, urgently but careful, hands cradling my jaw as he deepens the kiss and backs me into the cool tile. I gasp at the temperature shift, and he pulls back just enough to breathe.
“I miss you,” he says softly, forehead resting against mine. “I’ve missed kissing you.”
Tears prick the edges of my eyes because I’ve missed him too. More than I want to admit.
“Oh, yeah?” I murmur, sliding my hands down the hard ridges of his abdomen until I wrap my fingers around his hard length. “Show me.”
He doesn’t hesitate as he cups my pussy, inserting a single finger inside of me. I gasp as he works it in and out before adding a second one.
“God, I forgot how fast your pussy gets wet for me,” he says, pulling both fingers out and tasting them as I watch.
When he’s finished licking his fingers clean, he grabs onto the back of my thighs and lifts me up. I wrap my legs around his waist and he spreads my opening as he lowers me onto his cock. My head drops back as he slides in, filling me with a warmth I haven’t felt in two years.
“You feel even better than I remember,” he groans. “I’m never pulling out.”
I cackle as he shakes his head, doubling down. “That’s fine. I’m on better birth control now.”
There’s a pause as we both remember why that became necessary, but he doesn’t linger on it. He pounds into me, every thrust sending bolts of electricity throughout my body.
I’m too overwhelmed to notice that we’re moving out of the shower, dripping water all over the tiled floor. He walks into his bedroom, still carrying me, and tosses me onto his bed.
“We’re going to soak your sheets.”
He grins as he leans over me, sliding back inside of me with ease. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, baby.”
He thrusts so deep, I’m positive the tip of his cock is hitting my cervix, and it feels so fucking good, I could cry. My pussy starts to flutter from the impending orgasm.
“Look at you,” he chuckles. “You’ve been missing getting fucked like this, haven’t you? Your pussy is practically screaming at me to make you come.”
“I’m not even close,” I lie, but only because when I do come, I want it to be because he’s giving it everything he has.