Page 21 of Dirty Play

K. I left you a ticket. Pick it up when you get here.

She may be an absolute pain in my ass, but Harris is right. My sister isn’t sitting in the nosebleeds when I have a set of tickets that are never used. Well, unless Gwen wants to go to a game, but lately she hasn’t been able to make it.

Not that I expect her here tonight, not after how I treated her the night of Ellie’s birthday. I’ve picked up my phone no less than fifty times a day since that night, but every time I go to text her, I put my phone down, remembering she’s better off without me. The sooner she realizes it, the better.

For her.

The thought of hurting her causes me physical pain, and knowing I intentionally hurt her makes it even worse. I wish I could tell her I regret fucking everything up. I wish I could tell her the night I spent with her was the best night I’ve had in a long time, all because I spent it with her.

But that’s not me. I don’t get the girl at the end of my story, and I realized that a long, long time ago.

“Good game,” Kylie says, wrapping me up in a big hug as I walk out from the locker room, her face lighting up when she sees me.

Her excitement somehow makes me feel even worse—like I’m the world’s worst brother.

“Thanks, Ky. Glad I could help Trevor get one last win before retirement. It was just a bonus to get another shutout. Although I think our win pales in comparison to Ellie’s pregnancy announcement just now.”

“Yeah, I wasn’t surprised when they said they weren’t coming out tonight.” She smirks.

“I don’t think anyone was,” I tell her with a smirk. “How was the ticket? Did you have any trouble picking it up?”

We’re both standing by the locker room doors while everyone else has started to move their celebration further out, slowly making their way to their families or out to the bar to celebrate. We’ve made it through post-game interviews and the team meeting at the end, so now we are free.

We have a couple odds and ends to finish up this week, but the hard part is done, and we get a much-needed break.

“Nope, it was easy. Your seats are amazing, though. I’m sure Brandon will be jealous when I tell him.”

“Where is he? I thought you two didn’t go anywhere without each other?”

“He’s on a work trip. He works a lot,” Kylie says, and I see the sadness in her eyes when she says it. I can’t help but feel like I’m not protecting her yet again.

“Lame. Harris says you’re coming out tonight?”

“Yeah… I mean, if that’s okay. He texted me and asked, and I stupidly assumed Harris had checked with you, but of course he didn’t because it’s Harris and he’s reckless,” Kylie starts to ramble, and I just hold my hand up.

“Let’s go, Kylie, it’s okay. I mean, you are my sister and all.”

“I am?” she deadpans before walking toward the doors.

The bar is busy as usual, especially after a game, but we’ve tucked ourselves away in a corner to relax and celebrate. A few hours in, and that’s what everyone is doing. Rex and Sawyer came out, along with Cassie and Max, and I can’t help but feel disappointed Gwen decided to not come out tonight. I’m not surprised, though—I doubt she wants to be around me much. And who can blame her after everything that happened? It’s just way more fun when she’s here.

Kylie has proven she still fits into any group, no matter how long it’s been or even if she’s never met them before. She’s out laughing with Cassie on the dance floor while Harris and Miles make fools of themselves doing dance moves that have no business being in this decade.

As much as it’s been a little uncomfortable for me, it’s been nice getting to see Kylie and catching up. In the car on the way to the bar she found her moment to talk, word vomiting the entire drive about how much everyone misses me, how Vince isn’t the same, always angry now. How my parents are just sad a lot, always talking about how much they miss me.

It broke my heart when she told me how hard it’s been for her since I left. Seeing the sadness in her eyes and how broken she looked—it hurt. I don’t want to hurt her; I just don’t know how to fix this.

She made me promise to consider going home for my parents' anniversary party, even if it is just a short trip. The brat even made me pinky promise, and it was at that moment I knew the chances of me going back to Ivy Falls were much higher than they had been in years.

“I’ve given you time to figure your shit out. Now it’s time to tell me what the hell happened to you two,” Sawyer says as she slides into the spot next to me that’s been empty for the last twenty minutes. “Because based on her side of the story, I want to punch you in the dick, but I’m willing to hear your side before I determine punishment.”

“And whatever is it you’d like to talk about?” I ask, prolonging the torture this conversation could bring, knowing at the end of it, there’s a good chance I’m getting dick punched. I also just feel like pushing her buttons. I knew eventually, one of Gwen’s attack dogs would come for me, but truthfully, I thought it would be Cassie. Cassie is a bit scary, if I’m being honest, although it’s all out of love. Sawyer, on the other hand, has a bit of a soft spot for me. Rex probably told her a bit of my life, so hopefully she’ll take it easy on me.

“Cut the shit, Williams. What the fuck happened with you and Gwen?”

I sit back, grabbing my drink in one hand while I stare at her, “Based on your tone, you know exactly what happened. So, I think you’re really trying to figure out why it happened, am I right?”

Her glare says enough, and anyone with a soul probably just felt it getting sucked away like a Dementor’s kiss. Lucky for me, I don’t have a soul.

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