Hockey With Benefits

Cruz’s team won both games. Friday and Saturday.

Gavin’s fraternity threw a rager for one game, and a party for the other. I didn’t know the difference, but they reassured there was one. I went, which was easier because Blaise had gone back to Cain on Friday. Zeke stayed for the weekend, and so did Kit, but she hadn’t reached out to me. She stayed at the Kappa house except for Saturday. As soon as I saw some of the Kappa girls at Gavin’s frat, I took off. Zeke called to find out where I was that night, so he came over. Zeke fit in so well that if I hadn’t known better, I would’ve assumed he knew Skylar from high school. The two bonded in a weird way, that only strengthened when he stayed the night at our house that night. Skylar asked three times when he was leaving on Sunday because she wanted to make sure they exchanged numbers. Zoe had a perplexed look on her face the whole time, but she never said anything to me.

Sunday happened and we all went out for lunch before Zeke was taking off.

My roommates, all of them, and Gavin joined in.

Once we sat down, I glanced at the empty seat by Zeke. He draped a hand over it. “I’m taking off from here. I told Kit if she wants a ride, she needs to get her ass here.”

She came in a few minutes later, her bag in hand with a few other Kappa girls.

She skimmed the restaurant until she saw us. Her face tightened. She said something. The three other girls all looked our way, but there was no more room at our table except for the one seat. I watched as the hostess approached. They gestured to us, and before long, they were being seated at the closest booth to us, which was in the other section of the place.

Kit and one of the other girls came over. Her friend went to the far end of the table, waving at Wade, and Kit slipped into the empty seat by Zeke. “Hey.”

He was watching her. “Hey.”

The two stared at each other, like they were mentally having a conversation before Kit looked to me. “We didn’t talk all weekend.”

“You threatened me.”

“I told you I broke up with my boyfriend, and he cheated on me.”

Again. “You threatened me.”

“Far be it from me getting involved in chick drama, but–” Zeke stopped talking as Kit and I both looked at him. “What?”

Kit said, “You get involved all the time.”

I added, “You start it half the time.”

He grinned. “Both good points, but I want to point out that you took away Mara’s chance to be a friend by first threatening her. I know your man’s been cheating on you for a while, but I also know that you’ve been aware of it for a long time too. Got a feeling Mara knew too.”

Kit’s mouth opened as her eyes snapped my way. “Is that true? Did you know?”

I shrugged. “You caught him, like, four times this summer. Also, I always thought you were in an open relationship until Thursday night.”

Her face got red, and her eyes bulged out. She reached for a piece of bread and began shredding it to pieces. “Would’ve been nice if I knew this was the community outlook on my relationship.”

My stomach shifted. “Why was this latest cheating the final straw? Was it the final straw?”

“He fucked Ria and Penny. At the same time.”

I sucked in my breath. They were both from our high school friend group.

“Damn.” That was from Zeke.

Kit shot him a look. “Sorry, Zeke.”

He gave a disjointed nod, which made sense. He and Penny weren’t in a relationship, but the two slept together a lot. “No. I mean, nah. I never laid claim to her and vice versa.”

Kit let go of her bread, putting it on her plate. It was half torn up. “He fucked them both, for an entire weekend. They were there when I called him. Apparently, he put me on speaker so they could hear the conversation.”

That was the last straw. Not the sex. He let them hear what I knew Kit would’ve never shared with them. Our whole friend group was messed up. Sex was nothing to us, but real emotional sharing, that was precious.

“I’m sorry, Kit.”

Her eyes filled up with tears, but she brushed her hand over her face. “It’s whatever. Done with by now. About time too.”

I pulled my phone out.

“What are you doing?”

I hit send, then turned my phone around to show Kit and Zeke.

Me: Brian, a heads-up. Ria fucked Kit’s boyfriend with Penny all weekend long. Kit told me. Thought you’d like to know.

“That’s very messy of you.” Kit grinned.

My phone buzzed back as I shrugged.

Brian: Thanks for the heads-up, but I knew. Got a steady girlfriend now. Not Ria.

I chuckled, showing Kit and Zeke the phone again.

“Right on. Good for my boy.”

I asked Kit, “How’d you find out?”

“Saw that they were at his college for the weekend and got suspicious. You’re the only one that doesn’t keep in touch. Everyone else is hooked in on a group chat and they tell us where they’re partying. Also, I’m not counting Blaise because he hated everyone except you two in school. But anyways, I called around, finally got his roommate on the phone and threatened him. His girlfriend is a Kappa, and the roommate spilled the beans. Told me everything. They made a video.”

“Wait. What?” I jerked upright.

“His roommate sent it to me.” Her shoulders slumped even farther down. “I watched it. He was fucking Penny when I called, and he put me on speaker as he finished. You can see Ria cracking up in the background, but he stuffs a pillow over her mouth.”

“Is there sound?”

She shook her head. “One good thing about the whole thing, but no. No sound, just video.”

“Um–” Zeke held up a finger.

“I’m not sending it to you.”

Zeke pouted.

“I deleted it anyway, all of it. The roommate said it was just the one copy. I don’t think Ria and Penny know, but I’m not releasing that. That’s just messed up.”

“True.” Zeke shook his head, sighing. “That sounds hot, though.”

“What are you guys talking about down here?” Wade came to our end, pulling an empty chair over from another table and flipping it around. He dropped down, resting his arms over the back as he straddled it.

Kit looked around, but her friend had rejoined their booth.

“Yo, man.”

“Yo.” Wade gave Zeke a chin-up nod.

“Zeke,” Skylar called for his attention, so Zeke tuned in her way.

Kit was saying to Wade, “I was just telling Mara about how I’m newly and really real single now.”

Wade’s grin was slow as he glanced between us. “What does ‘really real’ mean versus just being single?”

I snorted a laugh.

Kit shrugged, seemingly appeased by now, “Just a relationship that was on and off and now it’s very, very off. Permanently.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s whatever. I didn’t lose too much on him.”

“Ah.” Wade’s eyes filled with understanding. “One of those types of relationships.”

“Yep.”

“And you?” His question was directed at me.

I sucked in my breath, knowing these questions would be coming, but I wanted to keep the conversation about Kit. “What about me?”

I’m none of your business. I’m no one’s business.

“You and the hockey player? You guys a thing now?”

I frowned, lifting a tight shoulder. “It is what it is.” Totally not an answer, but that wasn’t a question I had plans to answer.

Wade frowned.

Kit’s eyebrows slammed down.

“I knew before the pictures came out.”

“What?”

“Saw him leaving your place one night. It was obvious what he’d just done.”

I frowned. “He saw you?”

He nodded. “I said something to him.”

“What’d you say?”

He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. He told me it’s none of my business and he was right, it wasn’t. Isn’t. But couldn’t help picking up on weird tension with you lately. You and him okay?”

Kit started laughing.

Wade threw her a weird look.

“Sorry.” Her hands went up, but she couldn’t stop laughing. “Mara doesn’t do personal. You don’t know your roommate if you’re asking about who she’s fucking. Mara never wants anyone to know anything about her life, which made me feel horrible when I found out about your mo–”

“Stop!” I snapped out, cutting her off.

My heart started pounding.

Confusion flashed over her face. “But–”

“That shit never needs to be talked about.”

I felt my mom. It was like she was there, in the room, and she was making a scene like she used to when I was a kid.

Wade knew about her, just not that she’d really been my mom. He and the others only asked the next day about the ‘con woman,’ but that’d been it. I told them it worked, and she went away.

I hadn’t enjoyed lying, but it was easier.

Normal moms were precious, and cherished. They were loving.

Not mine.

If she kept coming…

She’d make a scene.

And another scene.

And another.

If she took advantage of them? Tried to sleep with them? Conned one of them? Stole from them?

They would ask me to leave.

She came, and everything went bad.

I sighed, pulling out my wallet. “Sorry, guys. My appetite is gone.”

“What?”

I threw some money on the table to cover my food that hadn’t come yet.

Kit stood, lifting her arms for a hug. “What just happened?”

“I just need to go. I’m sorry.” I hugged her back. “Stay strong. Don’t say anything about my mom, and have a safe trip back.”

I was totally cutting my losses here, and being a shit friend, but I needed to go. A panic attack was impending. I could feel them by now, knew how long I had, and I needed that time to get away to my place.

Zeke was next. “Thank you for coming.”

“You okay, Daniels?” He angled his head to see my face as we hugged.

I nodded, avoiding his gaze. “I’m good. Just–be safe heading back. Don’t get arrested too many times.”

His grin was rakish. “You know better.”

I laughed, but it only made the tightness in my chest get tighter. “I do. You should memorize your boy’s number too.”

“Nah.” He said it so softly. “Maybe I enjoy knowing you’ll always be there for me?”

My gaze jumped up, but I saw there was understanding looking back at me.

That made the ball of emotion shove even higher in my throat now. I had to swallow to breathe around it. I grasped his shirt, and said thickly, “Thank you, Zeke.”

“Anytime,” he whispered back. “I’ll cover you here.”

I let go but patted his chest. After that, I couldn’t get to my car fast enough. I was almost there, crossing the parking lot before I heard my name being called.

Wade was coming after me. “What’s your deal?”

I saw Zeke in the doorway, but I held up a hand. He gave me a nod, stepping back.

I frowned. “What’s your issue?”

He drew up short at that. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve been told that I don’t do personal. There’s a reason. Now, you brought up that you knew about me and Cruz before everyone else and you’re asking me if he and I are okay? How is that any of your business? And you’re following me.”

“I’m your friend.”

“No, you’re not! I don’t throw that word around easily. I don’t let a lot of those in, and even less since I had one turn his back on me. You’re a roommate, and you’re an acquaintance, and you’re a hangout friend. My real friends, they don’t push. Maybe it’s too much that I’m asking for that consideration, but I’m not in your business. I’m not asking who you’re fucking or how you and her or him are doing? I don’t do that. I don’t wade into people’s business unless they’ve made it known that’s what they want. I don’t do friendship contracts. You want to fuck me? Is that what this is about?”

“If he doesn’t, I wouldn’t mind a go.”

I tensed.

Flynn Carrington was coming from his vehicle. A few other Alpha Mu guys had ridden with him, including his little brother, who was frowning at me.

Wade stepped closer to me. “Carrington.”

He didn’t pause as he walked past us. “Kressup. You throwing your hat in the ring?”

I growled, but Wade touched my arm, blocking me from the rest of the guys as they passed. “Imagine that. You being a dick. The world spins another day.”

His little brother stopped at Flynn’s question, glanced my way, back to his brother, before throwing me an inscrutable look.

“Look at that. Dry sarcasm. Good for you.” Flynn turned to walk backwards, his smirk a half grin. “By the way, how’s your girl? Oh wait…” The grin was gone, and it was just a smirk.

Wade tensed. “You mean Rosa, the girl I liked before she woke up in your bed, naked and no memory how she got there? That girl? Who was so devastated after her medical exam that she quit school and moved back home?”

Oh whoa!

I had my own gut instincts, as well as so many others saying something. But to hear it confirmed and from another guy, that was major.

Flynn ground to a halt. “Those are big words to throw around unless you got proof to back it up?”

Wade’s face was like cement. “That’s the problem, isn’t it? You say your place doesn’t have cameras. Her friend said she wandered in there alone.”

“I was never in my room that night. I’m the one who found her. Remember?” His gaze was hard right back. “I never touched your friend.” His eyes slid to mine, taking in Wade’s hand on my arm. “Funny. I thought she was already spoken for. Look at you, Little Daniels, getting all these guys to line up for you. Guess they’re all content to wait for their turn. Just so you know, I’m not a wait-in-line kind of guy.”

“You fucking asshole.” Wade started for him.

I got in between them, my back to Carrington, and I placed my hands on Wade’s chest. “Stop.” I said it low and calm, but insistent. “You can’t get into a fight with him, not guys like him.”

Wade was grinding his teeth.

I dug in. “He’s too connected, Wade. Too much money. Too much family influence. Trust me. I know guys like him. How he’s acting, he knows he can get away with almost anything right now.” As much as I was trying to talk Wade into having a cooler head, my heart ached for that Rosa girl.

His nostrils flared, but Wade stopped pushing.

Carrington laughed as he went inside, “Thanks for having my back, Daniels. I owe you one.”

I glared at him, but he was gone. All his brothers too. His little brother stood to the side. Our eyes met, and he flinched, looking away.

“I don’t want Miller coming to our house anymore.”

I tucked my hands back to my side. “I’m not the one inviting him, and he’s not Carrington. He’s not a predator.”

Wade’s eyes were still a little feral. “Aren’t they all?”

“No. They aren’t.”

He growled. “You know what? Your idea to cut and run, good choice after all.” He gestured beyond me. “I can’t go in there or I’ll be leaving in handcuffs, but, God, if I go and study right now, I’ll be thinking about him and what he did to Rosa.”

“A bar,” I said it, not thinking.

His gaze sharpened on me. “What?”

“We should go to a bar. Lots of stimuli. It’ll help keep your mind off of Carrington and your friend.” I lifted a shoulder, knowing, just knowing I should’ve kept my mouth shut. “We can study there. Great idea, right?”

It was a horrible idea.