Chapter 14
It’s been raining all day, and I’ve been staring out the window for most of it.
I’m hours into my melancholic daze when I realize how pathetic I must look.
I’m no better than a lovesick girl in a scripted tragedy.
No man has ever made me feel like this, and it kills me that I’ve allowed anyone to hold such power over my emotions.
I don’t think it would hurt so much if he were any old asshole.
The problem is that Teddy is such a great guy.
In fact, he’s the perfect man. Aside from the fact that if my brothers found out we were together, they would kill him, anyway.
This isn’t a normal family with normal protective older brothers…
they really would kill him. And there’s nowhere in the world we could run that they wouldn’t be able to track us.
The Santoris are ruthless when provoked, and my sweet Teddy wouldn’t stand a chance against them.
I’ve never really minded being born into this madness, but suddenly being a Mafia princess feels more like a prison sentence.
For the first time in my life, true resentment festers in my heart for my beloved family.
A knock on my door brings me out of my sorrow-filled reverie. “Come in,” I mumble.
“Hey, Sis! I haven’t seen you all day. I thought you might want to watch an episode of our, um, show before we all leave for the game tonight.”
I don’t need to turn around to know which of my brothers has come to cheer me up, and the sound of his sweet voice does just that.
With the first genuine smile I’ve managed all day, I turn to face my only younger sibling.
“Leo, you know you can call the show by its name. Just say you want to watch Keepi—”
“Eh! Nope! Our show is perfectly fine, thank you,” he says, flouncing down onto my bedroom sofa and grabbing the remote.
I sit on the opposite end of the sofa and plop my feet in his lap. “Fine, let’s get to it then. We have a few episodes to catch up on. You going off to college has really put a pin in our TV time.”
Leo takes a foot and starts to massage, doubling down on his ‘best brother’ title. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t act like you miss me when I’ve been here all day, and you haven’t even bothered to say hello.”
“I didn’t know you were here!”
“How was I supposed to know you wouldn’t come downstairs all day?
You’re never holed up in your room like this!
I finally decided you must be on your deathbed or something, and I ought to come say my goodbyes before it’s too late.
Can you imagine if I let you die without saying goodbye?
You would haunt me for the rest of my life if I let that happen! ”
I roll my eyes, kicking him in the side with my free foot. “Oh, whatever, asshole. I’m fine. I just needed a little alone time.”
“Yeah, I can see that. You’re usually ready to go and fully dressed with your jersey on hours before the game.”
Looking down, I realize I’m still very much in my coziest, holiest old shirt. “I don’t think I’ll make it to the game tonight—”
“What do you mean you aren’t going to the game? You have to go so I have someone to talk to. Pleeeeassseee…”
“Okay,” I sigh, giving the best smile I can. “I’ll go, but just because you’re here.”
Leo pushes my feet off his lap and pulls me to sit beside him, before wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “Are you okay?”
I burrow myself under his arm, fighting my earlier tears. “Yeah, I think it’s just that time of the month.”
“Okay, Sis,” he says, but I can tell from his tone that he didn’t believe my lie. “In that case, you’d better start getting ready. Nonna is planning to leave in an hour.”
“Fine, but you better not watch our show until I’m back in here.”
“You’d better hurry then!” He gives me one last squeeze before pushing me up. “I’m giving you twenty minutes to change, then I’m starting the next episode whether you’re back out here or not.”
I chuckle as I scurry into my closet to throw on my outfit for the night.
I usually dress casually for the games since there’s no reason to try to impress anyone with my brothers there, but the thought of seeing Teddy gives me an idea.
I skip my usual leggings and sneakers that I pair with my custom Santori jersey, and opt instead for a belted dress and knee-length leather boots.
It’s not quite as sexy as what the skate chasers wear, but a bit more elevated than my standard.
Before walking out, I throw my hair up in a messy ponytail and put on a bit more makeup than my usual natural look.
“Damn girl, are you trying to get half the men in the arena killed? Gabri and Nikki are going to have their hands full taking care of everyone who looks at you a little too long. Who are you trying to impress?”
My face flushes as I snatch the remote from him and sit down. “I’m not trying to impress anyone! Sometimes dressing cute makes a woman feel better. You wouldn’t understand.”
Leo laughs. “Whatever you say. You look fantastic, though!”
We get thirty minutes into our show before we’re called to leave.
All five of us pile into the car, and the steady conversation is a perfect pick-me-up for my mood.
My parents’ banter, along with Leo’s jokes and Nonna’s occasional inappropriate comments, keep me laughing so much that I almost forget the cause of my blues.
That is, until the game starts. Then it becomes impossible to forget my melancholy.
Traffic held us up a bit, so we missed the pregame announcements.
Thank goodness I didn’t have to see his picture towering over me from the Jumbotron, but even without seeing his face, there’s no mistaking who’s playing goalie.
God, how did I miss that it was him all this time?
Even in full equipment, he’s undeniably Teddy.
All I can do is shake my head as I stare at the man in question, currently in the trenches as the opposing team hits him with a series of attempted goals. With each block, the crowd gets louder, chanting his name.
Williams! Williams! Williams!
Since finding out who he is, I would be lying if I said the thought of having that last name never crossed my mind.
Even knowing I could never belong to him, I dreamed of the what-if.
But a dream is just that, a dream. Our relationship was short-lived, but it was fierce.
The kind of connection that has you believing that soul mates really do exist. That there could be someone made specifically for you, someone who transcends time and space in every lifetime in order to find you.
I was never one to fall for such celestial bullshit, but for a moment, I believed.
More than believing, for those few weeks I knew Teddy Williams, I felt it.
“That new goalie is something else, isn’t he?” Nonna asks, breaking my daze.
Leo speaks up before I can. “Fuck yeah, he’s something else! Have you seen his stats from the Phantoms?”
“Language, Leo!” Mama shouts from where she’s sitting on the other end of our suite.
“He’s impressed your brothers,” Papa pipes up. “They seem to really respect him too, which is an almost impossible feat.”
The crowd erupts when Teddy blocks one last attempt, passing the puck to Gabri and ending the series of assaults. With only seconds left in the game, he effectively assures us the 1-0 win.
As the offense takes control of the puck, Nonna pats my back. “Come on, let’s get moving toward the lounge.”
I look out at Teddy one last time, guarding the net alone on that side of the rink, and I swear I see him look up at our box.
It’s only a split second before the game buzzer goes off, and his attention is back on his team.
I turn back to Nonna with a plastered smile and follow my family out to say hi to Gabri and Nikki before they head into the locker room.
The entire team is on cloud nine as they file into the hall. As always, the boys all hug Nonna and Mama, but leave me alone. I smile and congratulate them, waiting for the only two players allowed to touch me.
“Nikki!” Leo calls out, getting my middle brother’s attention.
Nikki turns in our direction with a grin and picks up his pace. He wraps an arm around Mama and me, then picks us both up and spins us around.
“Great win tonight, baby,” Mama says as he puts us down. She kisses his cheek right before being picked up again by Gabri. “You too, Gabriele!”
Gabri kisses the top of her head and then mine.
Of all the things the Santori brothers are known for, you can never say they don’t love their family.
I’m flooded with guilt as I think about how angry I was with them earlier today.
These men have loved and protected me for twenty-five years.
How could I let someone I’ve known less than a month come between that?
“Cuddles!”
I look up at who Nikki is calling for, only to be met with Teddy’s piercing gaze. One glance is all I need to remind me I would absolutely let him come between us. Because he’s everything. My family may be walls that keep me safe at night, but Teddy is the air I breathe.
Leo steps up to shake his hand. “Hey man, great game! I’m Leo, the best Santori brother.”
Gabri grunts a laugh and ruffles Leo’s hair while Nikki punches him in the arm. “Just remember who taught you everything you know, fratellino.”
Teddy chuckles. “Great to meet you, Leo. Trust me, I’ve heard plenty about the third Santori brother. I can’t wait to have you on the team next year!”
“Yeah, man, me too. I really hope they draft me.”
“They will,” Gabri says with finality.
Nonna elbows him in the side. “Come on, Captain. Introduce us all to the hot new goalie.”
Gabri rolls his eyes, but does as she asks. “Teddy, this is my nonna. Watch out for her, she’s a firecracker. Nonna, this is our new goalie, Teddy Williams.”
“Cuddles!” Nikki yells over Gabri as Nonna pulls Teddy into a hug.
Gabri ignores the interruption and carries on with the introductions. Teddy takes his time talking to Papa and Mama before my brother finally makes his way to me. “And this is my sister, Elia.” It’s crystal clear from his tone that he’s already warned Teddy to steer clear of me.
By some miracle, I’m able to bring my eyes to him without shedding a tear, but the image in front of me breaks my heart nonetheless.
Teddy is staring down at me with an extended hand as if we’ve never met. As if he wasn’t inside me only last week. “Theodore, but you can call me Teddy.”
I take his hand and relish the familiar sparks that only happen when our skin touches. “Elia, but you can call me Ellie.”
“Are you guys doing anything to celebrate the win?” Leo asks.
“Yeah, hitting Roosters for some drinks and then well, we’ll see.” Nikki winks. “Wanna come?”
“Hell ye—” Leo pauses and glances back at me, where I’m barely holding it together. “Nah, Ellie and I have a date with the TV tonight.”
Mama gives the boys one last hug. “Well, we’ll let you boys go get changed.”
The guys jog off to the locker room shouting in celebration, and a part of me breaks as Teddy follows them.
To the locker room to change. Then to go celebrate the win.
There will be countless puck bunnies vying for his attention.
And why shouldn’t he give it to them? It’s not like I could ever join him.
Not while the Santori brothers live and breathe.
My brothers may never allow me to be with Teddy, but little do they know that he carries my heart with him everywhere they go.