Page 16 of Released from the Sin Bin

“Maybe.” I shrug.

As soon as Holly goes back to work, Braydon leans into the woman to continue setting up his hook up for the night.

“You good? I’m going to head out.”

“Yeah.” I ignore Gentry and push off the bar to have a word with my little brother.

“Carter.” He holds my shoulder back. “Come on, don’t start shit tonight.” I shake him off and keep going. “He’s been drinking. It’s not worth it.”

This is a family problem, and it doesn’t concern Shawn fucking Gentry.

“Bray.” I lean between a couple of other freshmen on our team to get to him.

“Carter, come on.” Gentry tries again, but I shake his hand off me.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I eye the puck bunny that gives me a long once over. “Did you forget Holly is right fucking there?”

The guys on my side of the table back away to give me room.

“I’m not doing anything.” Braydon grins at me. “At least I don’t fuck married women.”

He thinks he has me, but I don’t care.

“You think you’re untouchable,” I say, leaning down to get closer so that no one else will hear what I say. “You’re just like him. A fucking weak ass prick that prays on innocent women.”

Braydon’s mouth tightens in a straight line. His jaw ticks, and his hazel eyes pierce into me. They’re the same color as our mom’s and only a smidge lighter than Janisa’s.

“All you're missing is a punching bag.” I pound on my chest and raise my arms out. “Take your shot, Bray.”

“Fuck you.” He stands abruptly, knocking over his chair.

Hands from our teammates grab his arms to hold him back from coming after me, while a few grab mine to drag me away.

“Come on, Braydon!” I shout through the bar as I’m being forced back. “Don’t be such a baby.”

“You’re a shithead, Carter,” he shouts back at me.

“You just had to start shit with him.” Creed grunts as he pulls me out of the bar with the help of Gentry. “Get your ass home and sleep it off.”

He’d been sitting at the end of the bar, watching over everyone on the team to keep anyone from getting into trouble.

“Fuck this.” I shake them both off and head for my car.

“Carter, come on man. Where are you going?” Gentry calls after me, but I quickly get in and peel out of the parking lot.

I need to do something to take the edge off, and it looks like I won’t get to fight my brother tonight.

The hockey house will be overcrowded with guys celebrating our win, and I don’t want to deal with that either. I’m too far gone to find someone to stick my dick in, and I’ll wind up hurting someone. I’m so wound up, I won’t be able to control myself.

Without thinking much about it, I wind up at my parents' house. Dad’s car is gone. I bet he and mom are at some function for his job. There’s always something they need to attend and miss our games for.

I break into his home office surrounded by dark stained oak walls and shelves covered in law books. The musky scent of his cologne and cigars fill my nostrils to make me gag, but I quickly open the hidden cabinet beneath the first shelf that blends in with the paneling on the wall.

I grab what I can, not sure of how much time I have. Four bottles should be enough. More than enough for him to notice.

It’s late by the time I get to the park. I haven’t done this since high school. Back when I was a virgin, and before I found other ways to release my anger.

I sit on the hood of my SUV, looking up at the statue of my legacy. A young Terrance Pierce. The son of Briar Creek Valley in his glory days as a starter on the Drexton Hall Huskies. A forward that made it to the minors only to be cut for what I’d guess is a womanizing alcoholic.

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