The Replay (Boys of Richland #3)

26. Cecilia

cecilia

. . .

The barbeque looks to be a hit. Some of Gabriel’s teammates toss a football around the yard, while others sit at the outdoor tables eating food and relaxing. I move through the crowd, my eyes scanning the open space when I catch a glimpse of Kenji laughing with a few of the guys.

“He seems to be fitting in,” I tell Adriana.

“Mmm …” She makes a noncommittal sound before taking a drink of her beer. I shudder just thinking about the taste. I haven’t touched a drop of alcohol since the party with Austin last summer. And despite knowing that I’m safe—that Gabriel would never let anything like that happen here—I’m not sure I ever will.

What went down that night wasn’t the result of alcohol. I know that, so my aversion to it seems a bit silly. But drinking feels like a slippery slope, and despite the progress I’ve made, I’m not sure I’m capable of letting loose like that. Not with this many people around. With so many unknowns.

Even now there’s an itch beneath my skin. This sense of urgency that I need to leave. To find somewhere safe. But I know it’s just the fear. I haven’t had a panic attack in weeks and I’m not about to have one today.

“You doing okay?” Adriana asks, her head tilted to the side as she looks me over.

“Yeah. Of course.” My voice is a little too breathless. A little too high.

“Julio still doesn’t look happy, though,” I tell her, hoping to divert her attention. Her head twists in his direction, and her lips press into a thin line.

“He’s such a child,” she snaps, nostrils flaring. “And I swear to god, if he doesn’t stop acting like such a prick, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind.”

“Maybe you should.” As soon as the words come out of my mouth, I immediately regret them, but it’s too late to take them back.

Adriana’s eyes brighten, a determined look washing over her face. “You know what?” she says, “You’re right. I should.”

“No, no. I?—”

“I’ll be back,” she tells me. “I’m going to tell this cabrón it’s time he pulls that stick out of his ass.”

“Adriana, wait!” But she’s already stomping across the yard and I’m sorry, I don’t have a death wish. I’m sure Julio can take care of himself because no way am I going to be foolish enough to go and follow her. That man is on his own.

My eyes flick toward the far side of the yard where Gabriel stands with Asher, the older of his two new stepbrothers. I watch them for a moment, worry crawling up my spine. Gabriel’s back is straight, his shoulders tight and even from this distance, I know he’s uncomfortable.

Asher says something, and for a second, Gabriel’s mouth quirks into a smile, but it’s fleeting. After another minute or two, Asher walks off, heading back over to his brother, Adam, as Gabriel watches him go.

His hand tightens around the neck of his beer as he pulls the bottle to his lips and takes a slow drink.

I make my way over to him, the knot in my chest pulling tighter. "Hey," I call softly. ”How’s it going?"

He glances at me as I approach, his expression unreadable for a moment before he shrugs. “Fine.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Fine?”

His lips pull into a tight smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “All good, baby.”

I study him for a beat longer, considering whether or not to pry. I’m curious to know how his talk went with Asher. But it’s obvious Gabriel doesn’t want to talk. Not when we’re surrounded by people at least.

Instead, I nudge his arm lightly, offering a small smile. “Good. I’m glad everything is going smoothly. The guys seem to be having a good time.”

“Yeah.” Gabriel draws me into his side, and I sink into his embrace. “This was a good call,” he says. “Thank you.” He presses his lips to my temple, and I exhale a breath of relief. But just as I allow myself to relax, Adriana’s voice slices through the air like a whip, sharp and cutting.

“You are such an asshole!”

Her words ring out, turning heads like an arrow ripping through silence. I turn in time to see Adriana standing in front of Julio, her face flushed with anger, her eyes blazing. She’s gripping Kenji’s hand so tightly her knuckles are white, and every muscle in her body looks ready to snap.

The world around us seems to freeze. The casual conversations stop, the laughter dies, and every single person in the yard stares.

Julio doesn’t shout back. He doesn’t even move. He just stands there, jaw clenched, nostrils flaring, his hands at his sides like he’s barely holding it together. And then something flickers across his face, something that surprises me—disappointment. It’s not the reaction I was expecting. I was waiting for the explosion. For the anger to erupt, but instead, there’s just ... defeat.

His chin dips and with a shake of his head, he turns his back and heads through the glass slider and back into the house.

Without another word, Adriana pulls Kenji with her, storming toward the gate, her back rigid as she practically drags him out. I watch them go, my heart sinking into my stomach. Whatever just happened, it wasn’t good.

I glance back at Gabriel, who’s staring at Julio, his jaw tight, but his expression torn. He doesn’t know what to do either.

“I should go check on her,” I say, my voice quieter now. “Make sure she’s okay.”

Gabriel’s eyes never leave Julio, who’s staring at the floor now, his shoulders sagging like the weight of whatever just went down is crushing him. He nods, but there’s a heaviness in his gesture. “Yeah ... maybe it’s a good idea. I’ll go in too and check on J.”

We slip through the house, the buzz of conversations rising again as the yard returns to some semblance of normal, but the tension follows us, wrapping around my chest like a vice. Things are weird between the two of them, and I had no business getting involved in any of it. I wish I’d just kept my mouth shut.

We move through the living room and kitchen, past people who have no idea what just happened outside. I half expect Adriana to be fuming somewhere out front, trying to calm down, but as I reach the front door, it’s obvious she’s not here. She actually left.

I pull out my phone, typing a quick text with shaky fingers.

Me: Are you okay? What happened?

My phone buzzes a second later, and I glance down.

Adriana: I’m fine. Julio is a dick and you can tell him to go fuck himself.

Yeah, so, I won’t be doing that.

Me: Do you need to talk? I can meet you at your place if you want.

I frown as I reread my own text. I don’t really want to leave. I was looking forward to spending some time with Gabriel but if Adriana needs me, I’ll be there. Quality time will just have to wait.

Adriana: That’s ok. Kenji’s with me. We’re going to do our own thing. I’ll talk to you later.

Me: kk

“She good?” Gabriel asks, peering over my shoulder.

“She says she’s fine,” I tell him. “They’re just gonna go hang out on their own.”

Gabriel nods, but I can see the tightness in his expression. Whatever happened with Adriana and Julio isn’t fine and it’s not okay. Julio looked … wrecked.

“Well,” Gabriel’s voice is softer now, edged with something that pulls at the corners of his mouth, “since we’re inside, and things seem to be going fine out there …” He steps closer, his hand slipping around my waist, his lips grazing my ear. “Maybe we could sneak upstairs. Get some alone time. Just the two of us.”

I blink, half-smiling despite myself. “Are you serious right now?”

His grin is pure mischief. “Completely.”

I shake my head, laughing under my breath. “Gabriel, you’re hosting a barbeque for your team. It’s supposed to be a bonding experience. You can’t just abandon them to sneak off and screw?—”

“Who said anything about sneaking off to have sex?” His eyes widen with exaggerated innocence. “Maybe I just want to cuddle. Talk about our feelings.”

“Uh-huh.” I roll my eyes, but I’m fighting a smile. “Sure. Because you’re the picture of wholesome intentions, right?”

“Damn straight.” He steps closer, pressing his forehead to mine, his voice dropping to a low murmur. “I’m a pure, innocent man.”

“Right.” I laugh softly. “Pure as sin.”

Gabriel’s grin widens as he leans in. His lips brushing against my ear, sending shivers down my spine. “You know you want to go upstairs with me. Nobody has to know we snuck off for a quicky,” he tells me. “It’s okay every now and then to be a little bad.”

His words send heat rushing to my cheeks, and I swallow the urge to melt against him. He’s good at this. Too good.

“You,” I say, pulling back just enough to meet his eyes, “are staying here and being a good host. No sneaking off. Besides, weren’t you going to go check on Julio?”

“Fine.” He sighs, dramatically, like I’ve just broken his heart. “But you owe me for this.”

I laugh, grabbing his hand and steering him toward the staircase that leads to not only Gabriel’s but also Julio’s bedroom. “Go check on your friend. And then get your butt back outside before your teammates think their Captain and Striker have ditched them.”

“I’m going. I’m going.”