We're at the restaurant and Soonil walks by, distributing another round of beers on the table. Well, six of them since Brandon has joined us. Demi's not drinking since she's the last to compete.

We all knock bottles and glasses. “Congratulations,” they all say in unison.

“Thanks.”

“Awe, is that a blush.” Mia reaches forward, grabbing my cheek like I’m a child.

I smack it away as my phone starts ringing. I move in closer to Demi to check the screen. “I'll be right back.”

She nods.

Heading outside I answer the phone. “Hey, Mom.”

“Congratulations, baby.”

My back hits the building and it slides down until I'm sitting on my heels.

“You watched.”

A high-pitched laugh rings over the line. “Of course, silly, why would I not watch? Your brothers say congratulations, too.”

“Are they there?”

“No, you know they have a lot going on, but they said they'd hit the highlights.”

“Tell them thanks.”

Thanks for nothing. They can't tell my nieces and nephews you're going to miss whatever to watch your uncle score a Winter Classics medal. What the fuck is that?

“When will you be home?” my mom asks.

Ah, the moment of truth. “I'm not sure yet. Within the next couple months or so. Do you need something?”

“No, we're good.” She pauses which means there is something she needs. “So, since you got silver, does that mean less money from sponsors, or—”

Of course. Such bullshit. It all comes down to the money. How could I let myself get excited thinking that she was genuinely happy for me?

“No, I get the same.”

“What happens if you decide not to compete in the next one?”

I frown. “Why are you so worried about my career?” I stand up, readying to chuck my phone in the garbage can. Then my mind shifts to Demi and me teaching her to throw baskets when she tosses something away and that brings a small smile to my lips.

“I just wanna make sure you're okay, that you have a future. You know how many athletes get hurt.”

“Hey Mom, I gotta go. I'll call you later, okay?” I have my hand ready to pull the phone away from my ear, click the fucking red button and forget this call even happened.

“Wait... Dax.”

I close my eyes, take in my last calming breath because it will be my last for a while.

“Yeah?”

“I hate to ask you this today of all days, but can you loan your mom some money? I'm behind on rent and your brothers say they’re tapped out. You know I'm good for it.”

I'll just add it to the tally that will get paid back never. “It’ll be in your bank account tomorrow or the day after.”

“Oh, baby, you're too good to your mama. I promise it will be the last time.”

I roll my eyes. Sure it will.

“Anything else?” I ask.

“No, sweetie, talk to you later.” She hangs up.

No ‘I love you.’ No ‘congratulations again.’ No ‘I’m proud of you.’ All she really gives a shit about is whether or not claiming silver is going to diminish my ability to help support her.

Tucking my cell phone into my pocket, I push my family issues aside. They'll be there until the day I go tits up. I should put a stop to it, but I'd probably give my mom my last dollar.

I head back into the restaurant thinking that my saving grace is the fact that I get to go taste Demi's lip balm. I'm smiling like a dude who's whipped as I weave through the crowd back to the table. My footsteps stop, spotting a dark-haired guy sitting in my vacant seat, chatting up my girlfriend.

Upon further inspection, I notice it's that French fuck, Julien or whatever his name is. Why the hell is he with her? How can she even entertain his company?

Breaking the distance, I stand at the edge of the table. “You're in my seat.” I glare down at him.

He looks up, Demi's gaze follows. There's no guilty expression on her face. That’s one good sign, I suppose. I’m not used to being on this end of things.

“Oh, hey, I heard congratulations are in order,” Jackass says.

I stare blankly at him, waiting for him to get out of my seat.

“Julien was just leaving,” Demi says, kicking the leg of the chair as a hint to Frenchie to get the fuck up.

“So, hop to it. Out of my seat.” I grab the back of the seat, pulling it out a little.

“Dax,” Demi says with concern in her voice.

“I asked politely the first time.”

The rest of our friends are staring up at me. I'm positive the guys see the steam coming out of my ears. I want to body slam this guy. How does he think he can hit on Demi after everything he did?

Julien stands up, eye to eye with me, but muscle to muscle, I win.

Demi watches. “Thanks, Julien, I'll think about it.”

“You'll think about what?” I look around Julien to Demi.

“Nothing,” she says.

“It sounds like something.”

“Hey, let's go outside.” Beckett stands, placing his hand on my chest.

I grab his hand and drop it to his side. He looks over to Grady and Brandon for reinforcements. He doesn't want this to get out of hand, but I do. I'm jonesing for a fight after talking to my mom and Julien has a fucking stamp on his forehead that says, ‘hit me.’

“You trying to get back in her pants?” I ask.

“Dax,” Demi sighs.

Grady’s chair screeches on the floor and the people around us are starting to notice the commotion and mill around.

“Because let's get something straight.” I walk so I'm chest to chest with him. “That position is filled...by my dick.”

“Dax!” Demi slams her hand on the table.

“Holy shit,” Skylar says, staring at Mia with huge eyes.

Mia smiles like she's got some kind of hidden secret she's been locking up for years and it's all finally coming out.

“Oh, really because I don't think she'd be thinking about my offer if you fulfilled all her needs,” the idiot says.

“Get the fuck out.” Grady places his hand in front of Julien.

He's too late because my fist is cocked back, ready to hit this motherfucker square in the jaw.

“No.” Beckett grabs my arm.

Julien laughs, and I fight against my friend’s restraint.

“She'll never go back to you,” I say, and he continues to laugh squeezing Demi's shoulder before he leaves our area.

“I'm going to fuck him up,” I yell at his retreating back.

Demi stands up, grabs my hand and yanks me, pulling me out of the restaurant in the other direction.

“Where are you taking me? My alpha side turn you on? Wanna quickie behind the building?”

She doesn't laugh. Actually, no one laughs except a guy we passed on the way out the door. He found my joke hilarious. As he should.

She pushes the door open and tosses me out. Well, I allow her to toss me because let's get something straight, if push came to shove, I've got about a hundred pounds on Demi.

“What the hell was that?” she points to the restaurant.

“Are you seriously going to go out with that vag badger again?”

She closes her eyes and shakes her head. “That what?”

“Vag badger.” She just stares at me, so I continue. “You know a guy who badgers a girl again and again until she lets him in her pants.”

She inhales a deep breath and squeezes the bridge of her nose for second.

“After the way he treated you, you’re actually considering seeing him again?”

Demi crosses her arms and I’ll admit, I glanced at her pushed up tits. But only for a second.

“If I did go out with him, what concern is it to you?”

“What?”

She steps closer to me. “This is just sex, correct?” She waves a finger between us. “I can see other people, remember? Those were your words.”

I wince at the memory but straighten my back. “You want to see him?” I grind out.

“That's not the point, Dax.”

“It sounds like you want him. My cock not cutting it anymore?” A group of girls walking by giggle and run into the restaurant.

“Will you please quiet down.” She steps closer to me again. “You made these rules.”

“If I made them, I can change them.”

She laughs. “You want to change the rules now? No doubt to benefit yourself.”

I hook my finger into the waistband of her jeans and pull her toward me. She doesn't fight it and I didn't expect her to. Her face isn't holding that ‘I hate you Dax’ look I've seen enough times to recognize. “Can you not date anyone else until after the closing ceremonies?”

She rolls her eyes, her hands landing on my shoulders. “What are you going to give me if I agree?”

I nuzzle my head into her neck, licking up her throat. “Orgasms aren’t enough?”

She shakes her head. “How about one dinner date?”

“Dinner?” I murmur into her soft skin.

“Dinner.”

We've done dinner a zillion times together, so I'm surprised she didn't ask for more.

I pull back and shrug. “Sure.”

She steps closer into my body.

“Tomorrow night, dinner.”

“Can we go back to my room now?” I mumble in her ear. “I feel like make-up sex with you is going to be phenomenal.”

She smacks my shoulder. “We barely fought. Maybe you should have make-up sex with Julien.”

I lick my way up her throat to her mouth, hovering and staring at her bright green eyes. “You are so fucking hot when you’re mad at me. I forgot what it was like when you hated me. Take me back to my room and punish me for being bad.”

She laughs but doesn't decline. Instead, she links her hand with mine and we head in to grab our coats.

Ignoring the snide remarks, I go celebrate my silver medal with a few gold medal performances.