Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Everyone stares at me like I’m overreacting. Maybe I am. But damn, that shit pissed me off. Who the hell does Shannon think she is getting in the way? I know she did that on purpose, but there was something about her demeanor that I can’t shake.
“Since when do you give a shit about a girl you don’t even know?” Preston asks me, his elbows on the table.
“I don’t even know her,” I spit back at Preston. “But Shannon needs to stay out of my business.”
“Don’t act all crazy over nothing. I’ll talk to her,” Jamie offers. “But I doubt she meant anything by it. Chill out and go get something to eat.”
“Nah, I’m good. I told Tucker I’d meet him back at the house to tell our dad in person about the suspension. We’re having dinner with our parents. I think my sister’s home from Paris, too.”
Drake peeks up from his plate, his mouth full of food. “Good luck with that, bro. Your dad will have a stroke.” He gives me a wicked smirk. “Say hi to Ava for me.”
The motherfucker winks when speaking about my older sister. She’s a fashion model and is home for the next month.
Preston wiggles his eyebrows. “Yeah, say hello to Ava for all of us.”
I shake my head. “Assholes. Stay away from my sister.”
Jamie doesn’t add fuel to the fire, though he gives me a worried look. “Yeah, good luck with your dad.”
Drake looks at Preston. “Uncle Tyler will get their sorry asses in check.”
“We’ve got our dad covered,” I tell them. “I’m more worried about missing games.”
“No more fucking off,” Preston adds. “We can’t afford to lose you and Tuck for more than two games.”
“Okay, Cap,” I say to Preston since he’s our team captain, raising my hand to my forehead to mock salute him.
He rolls his eyes at me and shoves a forkful of chicken into his mouth. “If Tuck needs help with his classes, all he had to do was ask one of us. You can’t take every test he doesn’t feel like studying for.”
“It wasn’t like that,” I groan. “You guys don’t get it.”
Tucker parties way too much and studies even less. But it’s Tuck, my twin brother, who I would do anything for. They will never understand the bond we share.
Preston drops his fork. “Tuck was too busy getting drunk and hooking up with sorority chicks to study for the test. And so you did what you normally do and bailed him out.” He cocks an eyebrow at me. “Am I wrong?”
I glare at him, not wanting to admit he’s right.
He’s one hundred percent on point. Tucker spends a lot of nights partying at the Delta Sigma Phi house when he should be home studying. He deserves the punishment handed down by Dean Whittaker. But I also earned the suspension when I helped him because that’s what I do.
I press my palms to the table and slide off the chair. “I’ll catch you guys later.”
They utter their goodbyes. I take one last look at Jemma from across the room. She’s busy waiting on her sorority sisters with a bored look. I smile at her pained expression, not because I enjoy her pain but because I see a little of myself in her right now. And now I have to go deal with my father’s wrath and my mother’s disappointment.
Chapter Five
Trent
My dad stands tall, his hands on his hips, his jaw so tight it could snap in half. He glares at Tucker, and then his gaze falls on me. He hasn’t spoken a word in five minutes, the anger scrolling his face. We look like the younger, better-looking versions of our father. That’s what we tell him when we want to get a rise out of him.
But neither of us will ever be like him. We’ll never be as good as him at hockey or perfect as him in every other aspect of life. At least, that’s how it feels sometimes—like we can never measure up to the legendary Tyler Kane. He’s untouchable, so hard to surpass.
Tucker shoves his hands into his pockets, keeping his head down, ready for punishment. “I’m sorry, Dad. I didn’t mean to get Trent in trouble. Blame it on me. It’s all my fault.”
Dad sucks in deep breaths. He clenches his hands at his sides, and his eyes find mine.
“I have enough on my plate,” he growls. “I don’t need this shit right now.”
“Go easy on them, Tyler.”
My mom wraps her fingers around his wrist, and his shoulders relax. No one can calm my dad down faster than our mom. She’s always there to defend us whenever we get into trouble. Maybe that’s the problem. We know we can fuck up, and my father will handle it.
“When will the two of you learn your lesson?” Dad moves his hands to his waist, flexing his jaw. “How many times do I have to smooth things over? You still don’t understand the consequences of your actions. I sent you to college to get an education and some life experience before you hopefully enter the NHL alone. But at the rate you two are going, you will ruin your shot before you even get one. Do you know how much I sacrificed to get where I am today?” He grinds his teeth together, more pissed off than I’ve seen him in a long time. “Huh? Do you?”