Pucking Road Trip (Bay Rebels #3)

Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

Captain’s Hall, Freedom

S hay

Every time that I think I can’t become more obsessed with Robyn, I fall harder.

The way that she watched me yesterday on the ice, as if I was both a god but also the man who she’d die to protect, shook me.

But then, I’d do anything for her.

Fucking anything.

And that’s lucky, since it turns out we’ll be traveling and living together on this road trip, because apparently, D’Angelo and I are still a risk, blah, blah .

I didn’t really listen to that part.

The important thing is that this is going to be a brilliant road trip.

I have no bloody clue why the others are concerned about it.

Twenty-four seven Robyn and D’Angelo…? What’s not to love about that hot combo?

I groan, stretching out.

All my muscles ache after the intense training session with Colton yesterday, even after the ice bath followed by Eden’s massage.

Stick No Carrot is a bastard.

He pushes me harder than anyone, even Robyn’s dad. On the other hand, he clearly wants me to achieve my best. He just has harsh methods.

I’ll work hard and prove myself to him. I won’t lose this opportunity to learn. I’m so fucking lucky to have this place on the Bay Rebels.

Nowhere has truly felt like home before. It’s overwhelming to have that now.

I knew that playing in the NHL would be tough.

If I want to succeed here, I’ll need to suck it up.

And I will.

It was the same at college, especially being the shortest on the team along with my brother.

You learn to deal.

Now, I’m the newbie.

When you’re bottom of the ladder, you accept your place and the ass kickings.

I love that D’Angelo’s a glowering over-protective captain, however, who tries to shield me from the worst of it.

But I don’t think that he really gets it about my brother and me.

I don’t blame him because it’s hard to talk to anyone outside therapy about the full details of our past.

It’s too private.

When your early memories include hearing your twin brother being beaten, while you’re locked next door and banging and screaming until you lose your voice to get to him, then a coach’s words can’t hurt you.

I refuse to let the monsters from my past devour me in the present.

If that means taking shit from Colton and turning it into learning points that improve my career, then that’s what I’ll do.

It’s early morning, but I’m already dressed in a red t-shirt and jeans. I’m too excited about the news of the road trip to sleep.

I squirm on my messy, unmade bed on the bottom bunk. I link my hands behind my head.

My bedroom with Eden is the smallest in the mansion.

I chose it because of the metal framed bunk beds, which meant that I could share with Eden. They also reminded me of our beds in dorms at college.

The luxury and size of Captain’s Hall makes me uncomfortable.

I’ve never even visited anywhere this large before. Eden has at least cleaned wealthy homes in his college job as a cleaner.

It makes me antsy living here sometimes.

I can’t help feeling D’Angelo is going to realize that I’m trash dirtying up the place and kick me out.

But I can relax in this small room with its bunk beds.

There’s a closet and mirrored chest of drawers and wardrobe against one wall.

My gaze darts to the open door out to the corridor.

Eden and I never close it.

Being in rooms with closed doors with no escape is triggering for both of us.

On the far side of the room is a large, arched window with gray drapes.

Pale morning light shines through over Eden. He’s standing next to the top bunk, tidying it with military precision.

He’s only dressed in black leather trousers.

The light from the window streams over his bare chest, gleaming on his silver nipple piercings. It lights the flames of the stunning phoenix tattoo on his back.

“Mum can’t believe that we’re going to be driving across America.” I grin.

Eden glances at me out of the corner of his eye. “When did she call?”

“Yesterday, when you were in your physiotherapy session with Cody. Sorry, Dee, do you want me to get you next time?”

Eden thinks for a moment and then shakes his head.

I kick him lightly with my foot, and he stares down at me. “Mum and Dad say hi. They asked loads of questions about you. Don’t worry. I kept the Twin Code and fielded.”

“I’m fine.”

“Sure. That’s what I told them.”

He’s not fine.

After all, Eden’s standing there in a sling with cracked ribs and an expression that’s more shuttered than normal.

Plus, he’s still struggling to find his feet after his hockey career ended.

I’m proud of him, however, for working hard for D’Angelo, facing his social anxiety, and finding his voice more than ever before.

I bite my lip. “Just think though, Mum and Dad have never been outside their county, let alone on a plane. But now we’re in America and are about to go on this big adventure. It’s my dream come true.”

“I’m sending my first paycheck to them.” Eden looks fierce. “I want them to go on holiday. Like we are.”

Our adoptive parents have worked hard all their lives to afford to take us into their home, even paying for us to skate at the rink, when they realized what good therapy it was for us in different ways. They then helped support us through college alongside my scholarship, despite having almost nothing themselves.

They deserve the world.

“I think that the words used about this road trip are brutal , nightmare , and death . Definitely not holiday. But yeah, let’s both send as much as we can of our first month’s salary back to them. I’ll tell Mum that it’s for a holiday because otherwise, you know them, they’ll spend it on something sensible.”

“By plane,” Eden adds. “Abroad.”

“You’re right. They’ll be too sensible about where they choose to go as well.” I push up on my elbows. “It should be somewhere hot, relaxing, with those drinks that have little umbrellas in them.”

Then I kick Eden with my foot again because otherwise he’ll add other clauses like to an island with cats.

Eden glances down at me. “What?”

“We’ll have enough between us soon for everything that they need. They won’t have to work two jobs or worry about rent.” I settle back with a happy sigh. “What’s the first thing that you’ll buy for yourself?”

Eden never thinks of himself.

He never has.

Eden looks startled like the thought hasn’t crossed his mind.

He fiddles with a leather bookmark, which is marking the place on an open book that lies on top of his covers. “Myself?”

“And no cheating by saying a new kitten t-shirt that you then give to our Robyn to wear at night.”

Eden’s gaze scans across the room for a moment longingly, before he answers, “A bookcase for in here.”

Fuck, I should have thought of that.

D’Angelo gives me any stupid shit that I ask for.

Seriously, I said that it was boring waiting for toast in silence. The next day, D’Angelo had a toaster installed that was also a radio.

I even asked D’Angelo for a bunch of quiet sex toys for us to take on the road trip and like the cut x-rated sex toy buying scene out of Pretty Woman , he went on a buying spree for everything my kinky heart desired.

Yet Eden has never asked for anything.

My heart clenches. “You could ask—”

“No,” Eden says, sharply. “I want it to be mine.”

He slams shut the book, hugging it to his chest.

“Is that another of Robyn’s book club recommendations?” I ask.

Eden’s stormy gaze settles on the cover. “It’s The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.”

I wrinkle my nose. “Romance, right? Boring shit.”

Eden’s lips twitch. “Actually, a dark adventure about suffering, false imprisonment, and revenge.”

My eyes widen.

I can see why Eden would be drawn to that.

He’s darker than I am.

I swallow. “It doesn’t include burning anything down, right?”

“Sadly not.” Eden drops the book onto the bed. “Anyway, revenge does more damage to the avenger than the avenged.”

I perk up. “You really think that?”

Eden snatches his gray t-shirt from the end of the bed and drags it over his head. “Of course not. That’s a line from the book.”

I settle back onto the bed with a pout. “So much for learning from literature.”

Then I notice that Eden is squinting against the light.

I leap out of bed and rush to the drapes, yanking them closed. “What pain level are you?”

Eden rubs his hand across his temple. “Three.”

“Dee,” I limp back to Eden, as my muscles protest, resting my hand on his shoulder for a moment, “you know that Cody’s rule is that you mustn’t go over level four. How about I get you some pain meds?”

“I’ll get them myself in a minute.” Eden peers closely at me. “You were limping. Pain level?”

“Three.” I smirk. “Circle of Twins. We’re identical, after all.”

Eden scowls. “I could burn Colton.”

See, it’s always burning with my brother.

“How about subscription bombing instead? The fun kind of petty revenge. We sign Stick No Carrot up to every newsletter that we can think of. Scientology, penis enlargement, and Martha Stewart.”

“Do it.” Eden gives me a long look. “Is he hurting you?”

I flinch back. “He’s pushing me. I’ll survive.”

“We always do.”

Eden cards his fingers through his slicked back hair. It’s only one gesture, but I can tell that he’s nervous.

Today is important to him.

He’s never spent an entire day by himself with a girlfriend.

I know how much Robyn means to him. Yet these emotions are new and frightening to Eden.

“You look good, bro,” I reassure him. “So, you’re the lucky bastard who gets to spend the first day with our Robyn. What have you planned?”

“Secret.”

I rock on my heels. “Whatever you do, she’ll love it. She just wants to spend time with you and truly get to know you.”

Eden’s brow furrows. “But why?”

There’s so much beneath that question.

I reply, softly, “Because you’re worth getting to know.”

Eden doesn’t reply.

Suddenly, there’s the sound of water turning on in the bathroom, which is next to our bedroom.

My face lights up, “She’s showering.”

And that’s not voyeuristic since it’s through a wall, sort of.

“Hmm,” Eden replies, dreamily.

Then like most mornings, our little mermaid breaks into an off-key version of Justin Timberlake’s SexyBack .

Time to break out the dance routine, hoping that this morning it’ll make Eden laugh.

I have spent my life as the class clown because you’re less likely to be rejected or bullied that way.

It hid the fact that both Eden and I were genius level smart. Few teachers believed it anyway.

Charm with a dash of comedy and a smile.

It’s the magic formula that I discovered would stop kids, teachers, and other adults from wanting to abandon, reject, or hurt Eden and me, since Eden couldn’t talk until he was twelve.

I had to talk twice as fast and loudly to make up for my twin.

I’ve spent my life hoping that if I can draw the attention onto myself, then I’m the one who’ll be beaten and Eden never will be again.

In high school and college, it worked.

Seeing Eden with his arm in a sling, however, I hate that it failed when we thought that we’d found our lucky break together.

If I clown now, however, it also gets Eden to laugh.

I’ve always done anything to get him to do that.

I lip sync along to the song.

Then I break into the dance routine, which I’ve perfected over the weeks. I give a slink of my hips, adding in over the top stripper moves.

I ignore the protesting scream of my muscles, sliding into the splits because I’m insanely flexible (I hope to show Robyn the advantages of that).

As I leap to my feet, grinding and wriggling my ass, I have a happy day dream that Robyn can see me.

That she’s in her shower right now, having a daydream of me , dancing for her.

And that she’s as obsessed with me, as I am with her.

I’m obsessed with her curves, flame red hair, and beautiful green eyes.

That my dance is making her so hot that she beckons for me to join her in the shower.

Her dancing boy.

The water cascades down her gorgeous curves, clinging to her pretty tits that I long to lick, and kiss, and suck.

Instead, she passes me a soapy sponge, and I wash her — serve her.

My red-haired goddess.

I worship her.

Robyn’s singing breaks off.

Sadly, I’m back in the bedroom with only my hard cock pressing against my jeans as a reminder of my fantasy.

I collapse to the floor, panting.

Show over.

Eden rolls his eyes, but they’re twinkling with amusement.

Robyn does need a thorough education in real music. Then I can dance to something decent.

I’ll lend her my Arctic Monkeys albums.

Maybe I should start a music club with her. Eden shouldn’t have all the fun with his book club.

We could sit around on the couch making music recommendations like The Strokes. We could listen to the same iPod, which I’ve always wanted to do with someone. Then we could have a chat about who we think the next big thing will be and what our favorite gigs have been.

I give a small smile.

I’m definitely suggesting that.

I take a deep breath in and then out to slow my heart rate and catch my breath.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t make my cock get the message. It’s still uncomfortably pressing against my zip.

Today wasn’t the day to go commando.

I lean forward to massage down my thighs, working out the knots with a grimace.

Then my stomach grumbles.

Instantly, Eden looks grim. “Breakfast. I should have been cooking already. I won’t let you be hungry, Shay. I swear, no one in this family will starve or live in fear. You’re safe from the monsters now.”