Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
CALLUM
- Present Day -
“ Y ep. She’s mine.” Jonah says with a nod and a smug-as-fuck look that I want to punch right off his goddamn pretty-boy face.
The hell she is. Sutton doesn’t belong to you. She doesn’t belong to any man. Hell, if anything, she’s mine! Fuck this!
“Sutton and I go way back.” I cut in, not wanting to hear what else that fucker has to say. “She’s my sister’s best friend.”
Hoping that will shut everyone up, I give them the bare minimum as far as details go.
It’s my own damn fault that Danica had her little outburst in the first place.
One night at their house with way too many fucking drinks last season, and she had me spilling my guts - our whole sordid history - to her.
Damn if the woman isn’t a fucking witch.
I don’t tell shit to people, but one night hanging out at their place and she had me blabbering like a toddler that won’t shut up.
Bash only looks more confused, Quincy, speculative.
Nate’s head has been bouncing back and forth like he’s watching a goddamn tennis match, and Theo is the king that rules over us all, looking on with smug satisfaction like the damn piece of work that he is.
Of course Theo knows the whole damn story too.
He had been out of the room at the time, working on grilling some steaks for us, but I have no doubt in my mind that the second the two of them were alone Danica had to have spilled the beans.
The two of them are so in love it’s disgusting.
“Anyways. . .”
Sutton’s voice cuts through the angry haze I was sinking into, and instead, I hone in on what she’s saying.
“Well, this has been fun and all, but I really have to get going. It was nice meeting all of you. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
Shifting slightly, I watch as she tilts her head up to look at Jonah.
“Can you walk me out?”
“Yeah, Baby Girl. I’ve got you.” He looks at our little group that has gathered, nodding in acknowledgement. “I’ll see you guys at the bar.”
“What? No! You aren’t gonna come hang out with us?” Bash throws Sutton his best puppy dog eyes, and suddenly several voices are all talking over one another.
“You have to come out with us!”
“It’s tradition after a win.”
Sutton just shakes her head, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear in a nervous gesture I have seen a thousand times.
“Sorry, guys. Maybe another night. I’ve really got to get going.”
Jonah doesn’t let her say more. I watch in silence, teeth grinding, fists balled at my sides to try and stop myself from punching in his face as he steps back, grabbing her hand and leading her down the hall.
She’s walking away again. Leaving again. The only difference is this time, she won’t be walking out of my fucking life, never to be heard from again. I won’t let her.
“You could have fucking told me.” I snap, not waiting for a greeting.
“Well hello to you too, dear brother. Good game tonight. I’m doing fine, thanks for asking by the way.”
I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose as I bite down my frustration.
I love my little sister. And under almost any other circumstance, I would literally bend over backwards for her; but right now, in this moment, she is seven and I’m ten again, and I want nothing more to make her miserable, annoy the hell out of her, start an argument with her or something just because she’s being a little brat and she damn well knows it.
Unfortunately, that won’t get me anywhere, and right now I need answers that only she can provide.
Sometimes, I don’t want to be the older, more responsible sibling.
Blowing out a breath, I try my best not to snap at her, knowing if I do, she won’t tell me shit.
“Hi, Lena. Thanks for the congrats. I’m glad to hear you’re doing well, as if we hadn’t just spoken hours earlier. Oh and speaking of ‘speaking earlier’, why didn’t you fucking tell me that Sutton was back in town and going to be at my game tonight?”
Okay, so maybe I didn’t do my best at biting back my frustration.
My words definitely came out in more of a shout than a question, per se.
But is she for real right now? She fucking knows .
She knows everything . And she knew Sutton was going to be here and didn’t bother to try and tell me?
What the hell kind of little sister am I dealing with?
“Um, excuse me .” She draws out the words, her own voice laced with annoyance.
“ I tried to tell you to say hello to her earlier. It was my nice way of trying to let you know that she would be there, but no. You were too busy to keep talking on the phone with your sister long enough to actually get through the whole conversation. It’s not my fucking fault that you couldn’t be bothered to let me finish my damn sentence. ”
“Hey! Language.”
“Pfft.” I can almost see her eye roll from here.
“You do realize I am a grown-ass adult, right? Just because you’re my big brother doesn’t mean you have to treat me like I’m still five.
Anywho. . . as I was saying. You’re the one who hung up on me, genius.
Had you let me actually say what I wanted to say, you would have at least had a heads up that Sutton was about to be rudely thrown back in your life. ”
Fair. She has a point, and I have to begrudgingly own my part in it.
Just like everything else that’s happened.
I inhale deeply, blowing out another long, slow breath.
Calm. Cool. Collected. That’s what Sutton used to say when she was flustered.
I just have to channel that energy. Calm. Cool. Collected.
“ Alright. Let’s try this again. Dearest little sister, light of my life, bringer of all the news - good or otherwise - could you please explain to me what the hell is going on right now?
Because I was just blindsided by the girl of my dreams, a literal blast from my past that I never thought I’d see again, suddenly appearing at my game.
In the family section. Wearing another man’s jersey.
And to top it off, after the game, I had to listen to Adamare gush over how wonderful she is and how cute a couple the two of them make.
So please, elaborate .” My words are clipped as I bite them out, and I am trying my damnedest not to clench my teeth.
“Okay, so. . .” there is a moment of hesitation in her voice, and for a second I’m worried she isn’t going to explain. But, after what feels like an eternity, she continues. “Sutton and Jonah have known each other and been super close for years.”
“Yeah, I got that bit, thanks. ”
“No, like. For years . Like literally since the summer she disappeared from your life.”
My heart nearly stops at the painful reminder of that night .
The night she walked out of my life, even though I hadn’t realized its significance at the time.
I’d taken our friendship for granted, thought we would work through our issues like we had in the past, that she just needed time to cool off.
But one minute she was there, and then she was just .
. . gone. Ghosted me. I’m so lost in my own memories that I almost don’t catch Lena’s words as she continues.
“Well, anyway. They initially met that summer, but didn’t really get to know each other until they reconnected in the fall when they both started at University of Michigan.
Anyway, he became a sort-of lifeline for her.
Actually, it’s really kinda funny because she had sworn off all hockey guys, as you can imagine after what happened and-”
“Lena! Focus!”
She hesitates momentarily, catching herself before she goes off on a long-winded side-story.
Her tone is sheepish as she continues. “Well, anyway, they became really close over their time at U of M, in spite of the fact that he was a very popular hockey player already signed on with the NHL. That’s important to note, by the way.
All of you dumb hockey players really did a number on her, especially you . ”
I open my mouth to protest, but she cuts me off.
“Now, I know that was never your intention. But it is what it is and you can’t really change that.
Anyway, Sutty had sworn off hockey guys altogether despite him trying to convince her otherwise repeatedly.
And boy did he try ,” she snickers under her breath and I cringe at the innuendo in her tone.
I can only imagine how he might have tried. The thought makes me nauseous.
“And then she started dating this one guy, he was a real peach . I actually met him once when I was visiting her over there. Anyway, that’s not my story to tell, but let me just say he was bad for her. Like really bad for her. And when she needed someone?”
She pauses now, probably to catch her breath.
“ Well , let’s just say that Jonah really showed up; he was there for her when she needed someone the most. So yeah, even though their relationship is.
. . unconventional, when he was due to fulfill the terms of his contract with the Sabretooths, she didn’t hesitate when he asked her to move here with him.
I don’t think she was thrilled about it, though.
Honestly, after the shit she went through over here, I’m surprised she was willing to ever set foot on the west coast again.
He’s probably the only person she’d even be willing to consider doing it for, to be honest; myself included. ”
Her long-winded speech has my mind reeling, and I scramble to follow everything she said, slowly connecting all of the pieces. Wait -
“Why am I just now hearing about this?”
Her sudden silence is deafening.
“Lena. Why haven’t you told me any of this before?”
Still nothing.
“What am I missing here? Just tell me. Please .” I am desperate to know whatever it is she isn’t willing to say, desperate for any information about the person who dug her way into my heart and then left me to bleed out slowly. . .