30. Knox
Knox
Practice just ended and the locker room is loud in a way that usually settles me. Sticks clatter into bins. Music blasts from someone’s speaker. Half the guys are talking over each other while stripping off their gear before hurling tape, gloves, and shoulder pads into their stalls.
Normally, this part of the day feels easy.
Today… not so much.
As soon as I return from the shower, River tosses his phone onto the bench in front of me.
“Damn, McNichols,” he says. “You getting domesticated on us?”
I don’t bother looking up. “Not sure what you’re talking about.”
Oliver leans over from the next stall with a wide grin. “Oh, you know exactly what he’s talking about, lover boy.”
With a tap of the screen, he turns it toward me.
I catch the Railers Rumors logo from the corner of my eye. It’s a photo of Chey and me at the zoo. She’s wrapped in my arms as my mouth slants over hers.
My jaw tightens before I can stop it. When I kissed her yesterday, it had nothing to do with the press. In that moment, I forgot all about the fake dating arrangement. I wanted to feel the firm pressure of her mouth beneath mine, so that’s exactly what I did.
Simple as that.
Then again, nothing about that woman feels simple.
Jax lets out a low whistle from across the room. “No wonder you didn’t want Callahan making moves. You had a secret fling going on.” He nods. “Sneaky. I like it.”
“It’s not what it looks like,” I mutter, drying myself off.
River snorts. “Interesting. Because it looks like you’re trying to corrupt innocent children at the zoo.”
A few guys snicker, and I ignore them.
Jax drops onto the bench beside me. “I kind of feel bad for her.”
I glance at him, knowing I’ll regret the question. “Why the hell do you say that?”
He jerks his shoulders. “Come on, McNichols. We all know how you are. She’s hot, you’re into it, and in a couple weeks she’ll be old news.” He flashes a dimpled grin. “Hope she realizes the ride won’t last forever.”
A hush falls over the locker room. Not because they disagree with Jax, but because they don’t.
Which is the problem.
In the past, they wouldn’t have been wrong. That’s always been my MO. No strings or promises. No women sticking around long enough to expect anything serious in return. They come into my life, we have a good time, then we both move on.
It’s clean and easy.
And it’s always worked just fine.
Except when it comes to Chey, none of it feels clean. Or easy. And it sure as shit doesn’t feel temporary. Which is a hell of a thing to realize in a room full of teammates staring at me like they’re all waiting for me to prove them right.
Oliver leans back against his stall. “Damn. Jax might’ve actually said something insightful for once.”
“Not true! I say insightful shit all the time,” Jax fires back.
Zane groans from his locker while dragging a shirt over his head. “Gigi was pissed the night of the event.”
I glance over, brows drawing together. “Why? Because she had you for a date?”
He scowls. “You’re hilarious. No. She wanted everyone to talk about the new dress she designed, and all anyone’s yapping about is you and Cheyenne.”
River barks out a laugh. “Poor Gigi. How devastating not to be the center of attention.”
Oliver presses a hand to his chest. “I’m not sure how she’ll recover. That’s some tough stuff.”
Zane glares. “She’s threatening to boycott Railers events if other celebrities are going to steal the spotlight.”
River and Oliver shake their heads.
“It totally makes sense now why you weren’t interested in the Cheyenne look-alike at VYCE,” Jax says.
I grab my boxers and drag them on, not in the mood for one of his fishing expeditions. “Drop it, Wilder.”
He raises both hands. “Come on, man. How long has this been going on for? Inquiring minds want to know.”
Oliver smirks. “I mean, I’m kind of curious too.”
Steele nods, deciding to jump into the conversation. “In the past, you’ve always been allergic to commitment.”
I pull on the rest of my clothing. “I was never allergic. I just hadn’t found someone I actually wanted to spend time with. Someone who fit into my life.”
The room goes silent as a dozen pairs of eyes continue to watch me.
Well, fuck.
Maybe that came out a little too fast and a bit too honest. And judging by their expressions, my teammates realize it too.
Laiken, who’s been lacing up his shoes in the corner, finally glances up. “And she does?”
I should probably shut down this convo or laugh it off. Instead, I say, “Yeah. She does.”
The silence that follows that admittance is deafening. What’s worse is that hearing the words out loud shifts something inside me because I actually mean them.
River shakes his head. “Holy shit. I never thought I’d see the day.”
“And there you have it, folks, McNichols is officially off the market,” Oliver says with a laugh.
“Hardly,” I mutter, slinging my bag over my shoulder. “Wedding bells aren’t ringing just yet, okay? Take it down a notch. A few of you get wifed up and suddenly everybody else has to follow suit.”
Jax grins. “So, what you’re saying is she’ll be gone by next month?”
My lips press into a flat line. That’s exactly what all of them expect. And if this were anyone else, they’d be right.
“We’re not serious,” I say, even though the words feel like a lie the second they leave my mouth. “We’re just taking everything slowly.”
It’s a ridiculous thing to say about a relationship that was never supposed to be real.
Laiken folds his arms. “Famous last words.”
“Another one bites the dust,” Steele adds.
“Please,” I mutter, heading for the door before this turns into even more of an inquisition. But as I leave the room, Jax’s words stick with me.
She’ll be gone by next month.
Everything inside me pushes back hard enough to be almost physical. And I don’t know what the hell to do with that.
By the time I hit the hallway, my grip on my bag has tightened. The truth is that I don’t know how to explain this situation to myself, let alone anyone else. All I know is I want to get home. That thought hits me halfway down the corridor, and I slow for a second before frowning.
Home.
Not back to my place.
But to her and the space we’re sharing.
That’s new.
I scrub a hand along my jaw and keep walking. Instead of heading for the exit, I turn toward the front offices, stopping outside Evelyn’s door before knocking.
Her voice rings out a second later. “Come in.”
After stepping inside the bright space, I close the door. The team owner sits behind her desk, glasses perched low on the bridge of her nose, looking over something on her tablet. She glances up and smiles when she sees me.
“Well, this is certainly a surprise,” she says, removing the glasses. “Should I be concerned? You only come looking for me when you’re in trouble.”
A lopsided smile tugs at my mouth as I drop into the chair across from her desk. “That only happened a few times during my first season. I’ve matured since then.”
“Debatable.”
I huff out a laugh and rub the back of my neck. “So… I have a question.”
Her brows lift. “All right. Sounds serious.”
“It’s not,” I say automatically, which only seems to pique her interest even more. “I wanted to know if Cheyenne could watch the next game in the suite.”
“Oh?” She leans back in her chair.
I jerk my shoulders, as if it’s no big deal. “With all the attention she’s been getting lately, I figured it’d be easier if she wasn’t out in the regular seats.”
Evelyn studies me for a long moment. “Well, this is certainly a first.”
I frown. “What is?”
“You asking to have a woman in the suite.”
I open my mouth as an excuse hovers on the tip of my tongue.
She’s Britt’s sister.
Practically family.
It’s not that big of a deal.
Instead, I say, “Yeah. I guess it is.”
Her brows rise higher. “I can only assume this woman is special.”
I hold her gaze for a second before sidestepping the comment. “I want her to be safe.”
It’s one hundred percent accurate, but what I don’t say is that I’ll focus better if I know exactly where she is. That I’m already rearranging my world around her. That the thought of her sitting unprotected in a crowded arena has panic rising inside me.
She folds her hands on the desk. “You’ve never asked for something like this before.”
I give a half shrug. “Guess there was never a reason.”
“And now there is?”
Air leaks from my lungs as I consider my response. This woman has known me long enough to spot bullshit from a mile away, and there’s no point pretending she doesn’t see straight through me.
“She’s dealing with some stuff right now,” I say carefully. “And I’m just trying to make things a little easier.”
Understanding flashes across Evelyn’s expression. “I’m sorry to hear that. Cheyenne is welcome in the suite any time she’d like. I’d be happy to have her.”
Relief spirals through me. “Thanks. I really appreciate it.”
I push to my feet, ready to get the hell out of here before this woman decides to dig any deeper into my personal life. I’m almost afraid of what she’ll find.
I’m halfway across the room when there’s a knock.
Evelyn’s attention shifts past me. “Yes?”
The door opens, and Hugh steps inside, stopping short when his gaze lands on me.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“You’re not,” I say quickly, already moving aside.
It would be impossible not to notice the subtle shift of energy in the room.
Hugh leans one shoulder against the doorframe, his attention never deviating from the woman seated behind the desk. “Would you happen to have a minute?”
“Unfortunately, I don’t,” Evelyn says, rising to her feet with one smooth motion. “I’m late for a meeting.”
His brow ticks up. “Are you now?”
“Yes,” she says with a cool smile. “Whatever it is will have to be discussed at a later time.”
Something that looks suspiciously close to amusement flickers across Hugh’s face as he takes half a step farther inside the office. “I think you’ve been avoiding me.”
“That’s not true at all. I’ve been busy.”
“With team business?”
“With life,” she says flatly.
His gaze drifts over her face, as if it’s possible to pick through her private thoughts and figure out the truth. “Those aren’t the same thing.”
For one second, the cool polish in her expression cracks. “I’m sure whatever this is can wait.”
Hugh’s mouth curves, but there’s only sadness in his expression. “That’s the problem, Evelyn. It’s already waited long enough.”
The atmosphere turns even more tense. I just want to escape before the situation becomes any more uncomfortable.
Have I heard rumors about the team owners? Sure. But I’ve never put much stock in the gossip. Only now do I realize I might be wrong about that. These two have enough chemistry to blow the world to smithereens.
Although, I’m not interested in sticking around and watching that happen.
I clear my throat. “So, I’m, ah, going to take off. Thanks again, Ms. K.”
Neither glance my way as I slip into the hall and close the door. For a second, I stand in the corridor before pulling my phone from my pocket and checking the notifications.
No new messages.
The urge to call Chey and hear her voice hits hard and fast. Just to check in and make sure she’s okay. And maybe because I want to.
Fuck.
Instead of giving in to temptation, I shove the phone back into my pocket and head for the exit, picking up my pace.
What I want right now is to get home.
Back to the penthouse.
Back to her.
And the fact that it no longer feels strange?
That might be the craziest part of all.