Page 63 of Rinkmates

Mercer’s eyes widen almost imperceptibly, and for a split second, I swear I see a flicker of fear in their depths. But then it’s gone, replaced by a mask of cool indifference. “What if I tell you that I’m willing to pay youa lotof money?”

“Then I tell you again that I don’t want your fucking money. I’ll be there for him nevertheless, and he’ll tell me where and when he needs me.”

“Noted,” he says, waving at me in dismissal. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a team to manage.”

I give a curt nod and spin on my heel. Shit. My heart pounds in my throat and my hands shake with adrenaline. I have no idea what I’ve just gotten myself into, but one thing is clear: I don’t like it when Riley gets hurt. But the most startling part is, why would I fight for him like this when I’d never have the guts to do it for myself?

Nineteen

RILEY

Ibang on the bathroom door again, desperate. “Lia, come on! Open up, I’m about to burst! I mean it.”

“I’m shaving!” she calls back over the pounding water, and for fuck’s sake, this one bathroom situation is my nightmare. Having an expensive apartment is great and all, until you need to replace items and find out they take forever to arrive because they’re handmade. I considered just buying something from IKEA, but since I’ve already paid for it, I guess I’m stuck waiting.

“I need to look flawless for our dress rehearsal tonight! Grace is going to kill me otherwise,” she yells.

I sigh, hopping from foot to foot. Damn my genius idea of not installing doors that open from the outside. “Woman! It’s an emergency!”

“Fine. I’m hurrying up.”

“Faster!”

“I. Said. I’m. Hurrying. Up!”

I bang at the door again. “Open it or you’ll regret it!” Well, I guess I’ll regret it because I’m going to pee in my pants.

All I get in response is an annoyed hiss.

I give the door one last frustrated kick before my eyes land on Oscar in the corner. Desperate times…

I run, open my jeans, and—she’s yelling my name, but I don’t care anymore, all I care about is making it to the plant in time. In my peripheral vision, I notice the bathroom door flying open, steam billowing out as she stands there in that pink bathrobe I forced her to wear in the bathroom as a safety measure, hair tied up high. And I hold my dick with the biggest smile there is, relieving myself into her hideous plant.

I shrug. “I told you to let me in.”

And for the first damn time, Liora James is left speechless and without a clever comeback.

“You’re a caveman, Riley Huntington,” she says, throwing a towel at my head. “If Oscar dies, you owe me a new plant.”

I sigh in relief as my bladder finally empties, then tuck everything back into my jeans, grinning like the cat who got the cream. This was so worth it, if not for saving my bladder, then for that look on her face. “I told you to open the door.”

“I swear, if I see your dick ever again—”

“You’ll give it a kiss, baby?”

She snorts, muttering something while finally storming off in a huff, blonde ponytail swishing.

I barely have time to toss the towel aside before there’s pounding at the front door. Jayce and Derek barge in, our rookie Shane trailing behind them.

“Party time!” Shane bellows, arms full of beer. “Last chance to let loose before the play-offs, boys!”

I watch as they dump the booze on my kitchen counter. Maybe getting trashed is what we need to smooth things over after that fight at practice. Or maybe it’s the dumbest idea we ever had.

Derek approaches me as I stock my fridge with some of the beers. “Hey, man, about the other day…sorry, again. I was way out of line. I know you’ve been through a lot. No hard feelings?”

I almost huff out a laugh. Growing up with ice-cold parents and an obsessive need to be the best—he doesn’t know the half of it. But I clap him on the back anyway. “Water under the bridge. Let’s just focus on bonding as a team tonight, eh? God knows we’ll need it for the postseason games.”

As the guys start setting up for the party, I survey my apartment. It’s about to get wild in here. I know not everyone from the team is coming—lots of the married guys are spending time off with their families. But our core crew always rounds up some other friends to get rowdy with when we have the chance.

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