Chapter 9
Cassie
The blood starts coursing through my veins as I sit in the grandstand and wait for the referee to drop the puck. I’m already on the edge of my seat and I hate myself for being so interested. I’d rather sit here and sulk about what a jerk Jax has been rather than practically drooling at the thought of getting to watch him play again, well in person, I must admit that I have stalked a few of his games online and kept up with the headlines.
Jax looks up at me just moments before the whistle is blown, the same way he used to when we were kids but instead of the loving smile, I get a smirk and I know without a doubt that he can see the excitement in my eyes. Shit, if ever there were a time where I wasn’t so obvious, now would be great. The smirk is mostly hidden by his helmet making it too hard to tell if it is a good one or a bad one, though my guess would be it’s a big ‘F U’ and taking enjoyment in my misery.
I desperately want to look away but I just can’t. I’m too intrigued by the game, or is it by Jax? Either way, I’m screwed and not in the good way.
His eyes lock on mine for an impossibly slow and agonising moment before he snaps his attention back to the game.
Relief rushes through me and I hate that I feel that way. I should be stronger. I’ve been away from him for three years and yet he still has this strange ability to pull me in. He hasn’t spoken to me all week and all of a sudden thinks he has the right to manhandle me and remove me from my dance class. I should be fuming, I mean, I get why he wouldn’t want me to be seen in a skimpy outfit and dancing on a pole but seriously, he doesn’t want me so what’s it his business?
So how do I show my anger? I sit here like a good little girl, excited to see him play. What the fuck is wrong with me? I desperately want to go along with Brianna’s ‘fight for Jax’ plan but I feel he is just too far gone, I ruined my chances when I left and now I have to deal with it. Brianna is so damn sure that I’m going to win him back but I know that I tore him to shreds and sometimes that’s just too much to handle. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m going to try with everything I have but I’m so damn afraid that it won’t be enough. But, on the other hand, after his little stunt today, I might wait a week or two before I really start to try.
The whistle is blown and the game is on, taking my inner thoughts and anger away.
It’s not even thirty seconds into the game and my jaw is already on the floor. Holy. Shit. Jax is amazing and I mean ah-freaking-mazing. I’ve watched as many games as I could over the last few years but they don’t do him any justice, I mean, last year it was all about the ‘dream team’, Miller and Tank, so that’s generally who was shown but here, seeing him in the flesh and witnessing for myself just how much he has improved is incredible and honestly has me a little turned on.
I watch as Jax effortlessly steals the puck from the opposition and I am reminded of the time he had played that same trick on me. It was deathly freezing and he had convinced me to go for a skate on the lake that ran behind our houses and just like all the times before that, he had let me think I was winning for a moment before he would swoop in, steal the puck and take off like a bat out of hell until he scored. And just like all those times, I can imagine him, underneath that helmet, laughing and taunting the other player about how simple it had been.
I watch on in delight as he scoops around the back of the goal and comes flying up the other end. My heart starts pounding as an opponent comes right for him, the intention to slam him into the wall extremely clear but Jax quickly sidesteps the guy with some pretty impressive footwork and continues on his way.
Two more come for him but Bobby has got his back. Moments before collision, Jax flicks the puck to Bobby, avoids being nailed by the opposition and gets back to work. With Bobby facing a similar situation, he flicks it back towards Jax, who continues it on to some kid who is charging up the centre of the ice. The kid shoots the puck forward and the buzzer sounds, signaling the first goal of the match.
I can’t help but get to my feet and cheer, my hands flying up as I start jumping up and down with the rest of the crowd around me. “Who is that kid?” I shout to Brianna over the noise.
“That’s Xander, he’s a new transfer. I don’t really know anything about him but man, he has some skills,” she says proudly before getting back to cheering for Bobby.
I catch Jax’s eye and a smile is somehow pulled from my body. He beams back up at me, clearly overtaken by excitement but I just don’t care. The smile breaks my heart but it’s the very same smile he used to give me and for a moment I can pretend he is the old Jax. The crowd finally settles down as the ref gets set up to continue and once again, I find myself on the very edge of my chair.
The game continues at the same pace with Jax and his team annihilating the opposition. Brianna and I spend the whole game cheering and booing at all the right times and by the end of the game, I’m pretty sure I’ve lost my voice but I don’t care. The boys have come out champions and I couldn’t be more damn proud, no matter how much I try to hide it.
As everyone starts piling out of the grandstand, I jump up to join the queue. “Where do you think you’re going?” Brianna asks as she kicks her feet up onto the vacated chair in front of her.
“Um… Home?” I ask, a little unsure.
“And how do you suppose you’re doing that? The boys drove us here, remember?” she smirks.
Shit. In all the excitement, I’d completely forgotten. I take my seat beside her and we wait for the boys to start making their way from the locker room. The longer we sit here, the more I dread it knowing it’s going to be some awkward conversation between me and Jax, but if I’m lucky, he won’t be there and Bobby can just slip out to drive us home.
Hope starts to course through me as I watch the exit for the hallway that leads to the locker room. Shortly after, the boys start trickling out and sure enough, Jax is right beside Bobby. Damnit, that’s what I get for wishful thinking. Brianna grabs my hand and pulls me along as she rushes down the stairs towards the boys.
She instantly finds Bobby and gives him a beaming smile as she crashes into him with a massive hug. “Congratulations,” she squeals, jumping up and down in his arms and nailing him in the chin with her head. They both cringe in pain as she steps back out of his arms. “Ouch,” she whines, rubbing her head.
“Yeah, no shit,” Bobby replies, lifting his hand to his chin.
Which is when it gets awkward, well for me. “Ah,” I say, wanting to be anywhere but here. “That was a great game,” I say to the boys but keep my eyes trained on Bobby.
“Great?” he laughs, “It was fucking legendary.”
His attitude is infectious and immediately has the awkwardness leaving me, right until Jax turns around when a few girls ask for his attention and start throwing themselves at him. My eyes immediately fall to the ground as I do my best to look anywhere but him.
Bobby notices immediately and does what he can to get my mind off the impossible. “So, what are you girls doing tonight?” he asks.
“Well, I was hoping you were going to take us home,” I say.
“Ah, no,” Bri interjects, “We’re going out, but it would be cool if you could drop us home to get dressed first,” she adds, fluttering her eyes at her twin brother.
“No way,” Bobby says, “I’m not your chauffeur. If you want a lift somewhere then it’s either home or to Micky’s with us. I’m not waiting around for an hour while you girls do all your girly shit.”
I watch in delight as Jax’s back straightens out when Bobby suggests we tag along to Micky’s and a grin spreads wide over my face. There’s no way he would hook up with some chick while I am there… Right? “You know what Bobby,” I say, “I think we’d love to come to Micky’s with you.”
Bri’s face instantly lights up. “Yeah, I’m totally up for that,” she agrees.
“Cool,” Bobby says, completely not picking up on my little plan.
Jax slowly turns around with tonight’s hussy firmly clinging to his arms. The sight kills me but I ignore it as he narrows his eyes on me. Game on. “What are you doing, Cass?” he questions, suspiciously.
I look at him as innocently as ever. “What do you mean? We’re coming to celebrate with you guys.”
“Don’t bullshit me. I taught you that trick,” he says as if he knows what I’m up to.
I shrug my shoulders. “Don’t stress, Jax. If you don’t want me there, that’s cool. I totally get it,” I say, then turn my attention to Bri. “What about that new club we were talking about? I know it’s a bit seedy but should be fun.” I ask, she gives me an excited nod and I turn to Bobby. “Could you drop us there?”
Bobby and Jax’ faces instantly drop. Jax steps out of the hussy’s hold and takes a step closer towards me. “There’s no way we’re dropping you off there,” he practically growls.
I shrug innocently as I take Bri’s hand and start to turn away. “Ok, I’m sure someone around here is heading that way, we’ll catch a lift. See you later, guys.”
“Wait,” Jaxon growls as I turn back around to face him, “Fine, come to Micky’s then.”
“Oh… ok, then,” I smile and turn to leave. “We’ll meet you guys at the car.”
Bobby nods, while Jax looks after me realising he just got played.
“Hook, line and freaking sinker,” Bri laughs as we head out the doors, “How the hell did you know he was going to fall for that?”
“Come on, you have to give me more credit than that,” I say, looping my arm through hers as we head through the carpark. “I grew up with three overbearing, overprotective big brothers and Jax grew up idolising them. He is like a carbon copy of all three of them. It’s simple math really.” I laugh.
“Screw the math, it’s freaking awesome.”
“As if you’ve never done that to Bobby?” I ask as we finally reach his truck and drop the back to sit up in the tray.
“Yeah, I guess,” she says. “He is overprotective but not nearly as bad as the three of your brothers. Bobby would usually just let me tag along and then drive me home or get in a Taxi with me when he thought I’d had enough.”
I shake my head at her and give her a wide grin. “Not anymore, sister.”
We wait a little while longer and eventually the boys come strolling out of the ice rink looking like they own the place but at least Jax seems to have ditched the hussy. My eyes quickly and greedily travel up and down Jax’ body before he has time to notice and damn, he well and truly has become a man.
The boys dawdle purposefully slow while Bri and I watch them with unimpressed scowls, “Hurry it up, you lazy asses,” Bri calls out, earning herself a smirk from Bobby.
I sit and watch until they finally make it to Bobby’s truck. We trade places with the boy’s hockey gear and jump out of the back. Not a word is spoken until we’re on our way. “Xander was on fire,” Bobby comments to... well, I don’t actually know who he is talking to.
“Yeah, he was,” Jax replies casually.
“Could be a good choice for Captain next year,” Brianna says.
Bobby snorts while Jax turns around to face her. “Don’t get ahead of yourself,” he laughs, “It’s only the first game of the season.”
“Just saying,” she says. “He looked pretty good from where I was sitting.”
“Why? You interested in the kid?” Bobby questions eyeing his sister through the rear-view mirror.
“Pft, no,” she scoffs then eyes me with a knowing grin, “I have my eye on a much, much bigger prize.”
“Like who?” Bobby asks.
“None other than Carter Waters,” she announces proudly.
Jax turns to me for the quickest moment before he breaks into a laughter that absolutely warms my heart. “You’ve got to be joking right?” he asks Bri, “The guy is the biggest player around.”
“I know,” she grins.
“What, and you think you’re going to be the one to tame that beast?”
“Hell yeah,” she announces proudly. “With all the girls he has been with, can you imagine how good he would be in bed.”
“Ugh, Bri. I don’t want to hear this shit,” Bobby whines as he pulls into the parking lot then turns to face me in the back. “Can you talk some sense into her, please?”
I hold my hands up in surrender and grin. “Don’t look at me, I’ve already tried,” I tell him. “She knows all about the kind of guy he is but do you think that changed her mind?”
“Hell to the No, Motherfuckers,” Bri announces. “That man is exactly what this Mumma needs. Now quit whining, you can consider me officially warned,” she adds before opening her door and hopping out. “I’m ready for a good time.”
Bobby groans as the rest of us pile out of the car. We walk to the door with Bobby and Brianna fighting over her undying love for Carter. Bobby reaches for the door and ushers us all in and I am instantly in love with the place.
The bar is packed with people who are very clearly Dragon’s fans and who all stand and cheer as Jaxon and Bobby walk through the door. The boys grin and a beer is thrust into both their hands.
We follow along as the boys lead us to a massive table in the back of the bar and I instantly recognise the rest of the team. They all start saying their hellos when two faces at the table draw my attention. “Hey, you’re Miller and Tank,” I say with a slightly star-struck smile.
“Yeah, Hi,” Miller smiles while Tank just nods his head “You’re a fan?” he asks.
“Sort of,” I say, “I’m…” I look towards Jaxon before thinking better of it “Nobody, just, yeah, I guess I’m a fan.”
“Oh, whatever,” Bobby says, already halfway through his first beer. “This is Logan Water’s little sister.”
“Shit, I’d say your more than just a fan,” Miller says as the rest of the boys at the table go quiet and start gawking at me. “I played with Logan for 2 years before he graduated. He was always talking about his little sister.”
A warm smile crosses my face thinking about that big goofball. “Hope it was all good things,” I laugh.
“Mostly,” Miller comments. “Said you were trouble.”
Jax scoffs at that and finds a seat at the table. “That’d be right,” I groan.
Miller smiles and then introduces me to his girlfriend, Dani who then pulls Sophie into the mix.
“Tell me you’re not on a date with Jaxon and falling for his charms?” Sophie says, well on her way to being drunk.
“No,” I laugh as his eyes instantly piece mine. “He is just my old neighbour who wouldn’t let me and Bri go out clubbing after the game.”
“Oh geez,” Dani laughs, “Sounds a lot like someone else I know,” she says eyeing her boyfriend.
I laugh along and get pulled down into a chair beside them with Bri on my other side. Drink after drink is shoved into our hands and before I know it, we’re just as drunk as the girls are.
I feel Jaxon’s eyes on me the whole time, scowling each time I accept a new drink, but I just don’t care. I’m having the best time and Jaxon is here at the table rather than searching for the girl he is going to be screwing later.
Sophie orders a few bottles of tequila and enough shot glasses to go around the table. “We’re playing ‘Never Have I Ever’,” she declares as Tank groans in protest.
I have never heard of the game but by the looks of it, I’m in.
Catching the look on my face, Brianna leans over and starts to whisper. “It’s simple, a question will be asked and if it applies to you, you take a shot. The person with the bottle asks the question.” she explains, “So really, it’s a good way to find out people’s dirty secrets.”
“Sounds good,” I laugh as Dani starts filling as many shot glasses as possible with tequila.
“Ok, me first,” Sophie says with a grin as she grabs the bottle from Dani then makes a show of thinking about her question. “Alright, never have I ever… Been arrested?”
And just like that, the game is started. Pretty much all the boys except for the freshman’s grab a glass and down their shots. My mouth hangs open in shock, how the hell could so many of these guys have been arrested and then I realise it’s most likely for public drunkenness after playing games like this.
Dani stands next and turns her devilish grin to Sophie. “Never have I ever had a threesome.”
“Babe,” Miller groans before scowling and grabbing a shot along with Jax, Miller, and Tank but what shocks me is when Brianna leans across the table and grabs a glass making Bobby’s eyes widen in a mix of anger and shock. I turn to her with a raised eyebrow but all she does is shrug her shoulders, proud of her achievements.
I do my best to ignore the fact that Jax had drunk to that. I had always assumed but still kind of hoped he still had some sort of innocence to him. Dani passes the bottle around the table to me and I stand just as the girls had before me. Narrowing my eyes on Jax, in pure curiosity, I ask, “Never have I ever had a foursome.”
Regret flashes in Jax’s eyes before he turns away. He and Tank each reach for a shot and throw them back to the delight of the table as the boys start congratulating them. Brianna turns to me and I see the question in her eyes. “I’m fine,” I murmur for only her to hear but we both know it’s a lie. I’m absolutely shattered with how different he has become.
With a nod, she takes the bottle from my hands and stands before giving her brother an evil smirk. He groans knowing something embarrassing is coming his way. “Never have I ever gotten drunk at a wedding and screwed my cousin.”
Bobby’s eyes close in embarrassment and his head hangs as the rest of the table crack up in laughter. Reluctantly he reaches forward and takes his shot.
The game continues and I’m lucky enough to only have had to take 3 shots when it comes to Jax’s turn. He grabs the bottle and stands, eyes firmly on mine, curiosity firmly in the depths of his blue eyes. “Never have I ever slept with more than one person.”
Keeping my eyes locked on his, I reach forward and take a shot. Welcoming the burn that comes with it. I’m probably the only one at the table who drinks but I’m too distracted to look. His eyes widen in shock before a mix of guilt and relief take over.
I rip my eyes away from his but suddenly I don’t feel like playing. He takes his seat and passes the bottle. The game continues and I do my best to pretend like I’m enjoying myself but it’s impossible, especially with the weight of his eyes still on me. Luckily the rest of the group are far too pissed to notice. The rest of the game turns extremely sexual so lucky for me, I don’t drink anymore.
The game ends and Sophie demands that she wants to dance. Brianna gets up behind and pulls me along. Getting up, I realise that I’m drunker than I had thought and I put Jax to the back of my mind. I’m here for a good time and I’m not going to let Jax’s question bring me down.
I follow behind Brianna and move out onto the dance floor. The music blasts and I feel the vibration from the beat deep within my bones. We dance and drink for what feels like hours with both Bobby and Jax scowling at us each at every chance they get.