Page 31 of Unbroken Promises

I know my brother is speaking from a place of concern, a place of love, even if it is a bit misguided. So, I make an effort to soften my tone with what I say next, holding in the snarkiness that so desperately wants to push through to the surface.

“We have been through this before, Caleb. Thisismy home. And you know why I won’t go back there. I can’t. Besides, I’m not going to let some faceless creep try to scare me away. I’ve made a life for myself here. I have people counting on me. I’m not just going to give that all up because some weirdo thinks that they have the right to try to invade my space and try to scare me away. I’m stronger than that.”

Resolute determination fills my voice, and I try hard to shove down the concern that lies close under the surface. I can’t let Caleb see how much this stalker situation is starting to get to me. I am strong. I have survived worse. Caleb may be stuck on the East Coast for business but there is strength in numbers, and I still have a whole team of people on my side, helping me. Between Finn and Jonathan, QT, and all the other security personnel at Finn’s company. We will find a way through this, we have to. Ihaveto.

Caleb squints at me through the screen, his head tilting slightly. “You sure you don’t want me to come over there, then? I could come over for a bit, you could stay at my place?” Caleb is referring to the penthouse apartment he bought last year. Now any time he visits, he has his own bachelor pad where he can crash instead of my tiny apartment. And I don’t have to worry about any of his various. . . guests that he likes to entertain when he is in town. He may be done with hockey, but the hockey fans aren’t done with him.

When I was still in college, he got by with staying in hotels anytime he came to visit, or renting out places if it were for a longer stay, since he knew he couldn’t get me to go back east to see him. Even though he continued to try. But after I movedto Seattle, when Sierra moved back east for her residency program and QT and Wolfie moved into their own place, I had to find something for myself.

Bash and Caleb were both always bitching about how small my apartment is, they don’t understand why I wouldn’t just use the money left for me to invest in a bigger space (i.e. a penthouse apartment or mini mansion like something they both own). Finn and Jonathan both insisted that I could move in with either of them as they also have huge penthouses of their own. But that isn’t me and it never has been.

Despite how my parents chose to live, a life of lavish excess and luxury, I didn’t want that for myself. I just want something simple, something homey. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. And I absolutely refuse to use the money that Caleb insists should have been my portion of father’s estate. He blew everything away on his gambling addiction and then tried to sell me to the highest bidder to regain his fortune. And unfortunately, the highest bidder was my abusive ex Bradley and his sleazy father.

After our father disappeared not long after Bradley’s death, Caleb stepped up to take his place at the head of the family corporation. It was a long and painful process, but Caleb eventually rebuilt what my father lost and the company went on to flourish under his leadership. So, while Caleb insists that money is owed to me from father’s estate, Caleb is the one who worked his ass off to rebuild everything my father had lost; if anything, that money belongs to Caleb, not me.

Besides, it makes my skin crawl even thinking about it. About using anything connected to my father, for rebuilding my new life. My father, his finances and shady business dealings, are a part of my past, not my present or future. Besides, I’m only one person, and except for when I have Wolfie over for the occasional sleepover, I don’t often have guests stay over, so there has never really been a reason for me to invest in a larger space.

“Caleb, I’m fine. Really. I know you’re worried and just want me to be safe. But the truth is, there is nothing that you could do differently by being here in person than what Finn and Jonathan have already done. I already have some of their top trained men living on either side of me in this building. There is additional security that they have now provided on-site at my building round-the-clock, and every inch of my home and business are covered in their top-of-the-line security systems.

“In addition, Finn and Jay are both checking up on me, almost as frequently as you are. Even if you rearranged your insanely busy schedule, it is not going to offer much in terms of physical security for me. I love you and I miss you. And of course, I would love to see you if you came here, but don’t upend your entire work scheduleand life just out of some misplaced sense of brotherly duty or desire to keep me safe. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself. I have been for years.”

I don’t know how well I am getting through to him, but I can see when he finally comes to terms with the fact that he isn’t going to win this battle, not today anyway. There is still a grim set to his jawline, worry in the depths of his green eyes that are so like my own, but he nods in begrudging acceptance.

“Okay then.”

Slightly thrown off kilter by his lack of further argument, I just sit there staring blankly back at him.

“Okay?” Needing to make sure I heard correctly, I question his response.

He just points his finger at me, jabbing it at the screen. “But if I think for one minute that you are in real danger, if things escalate any more, I am going to fly over there to come get you myself. I’m not kidding, Smarty. You’re all the family I’ve got.Weare all we’ve got. And I’m not going to risk losing you to another fucking psychopath.”

He’s wrong, though. Our parents may not be in the picture anymore; after having totally cut off our mother and removing her from our lives, but our family is bigger than that. And I know he knows it too, he’s just scared. Which is why I won’t let him see my own fear. I owe him that much, at least.

Chapter Thirty

Theo

Anticipation rushes through me as a wave of adrenaline courses through my veins. The beat of my heart is pounding in a synchronous chorus with the cheers of the packed arena. It’s moments like this that I live for, this is why I love what I do. Going into the third period, we were tied 2-2, and now we are down to the final two minutes of the game, pushing forward for that winning goal.

I drive the puck hard down the ice. Kingston, a defender for the opposing team, crashes into me, slamming both of us into the wall as we fight for control of the biscuit. Bruin and Marsh are at my side in an instant, shoving away the opposition and clearing a path for me once more.

With a carefully practiced move, I send the puck to Helmsy and break away from the tangle of bodies trying to crash into me once more. As one of the fastest players in the league, I have spent years honing my speed and agility, and I feel the wind pushing back as I rush forward, nimbly avoiding their star defenseman as I go. They don’t call me “Slick” Giovanni for nothing. Pushing myself, I make a run down the ice towards the opposing team's goal and Helmsy, “Hotshot,” banks hard to the left, sliding the biscuit between the opposition before they knew what hit them, as he makes a pass back to me.

Swinging my stick, I fake a shot to the right, sending their goalie diving into a butterfly, trying to block the oncoming puck with his legs, but I quickly shift and pull a Howitzer, firing the puck into the top left corner of the net instead. The red light signals our winning goal as the buzzer sounds the end of the game. Myteammates all slam into me, patting my head, my back, my shoulders, wherever they can reach as we join the crowd in celebrating our win.

After exiting the locker room a short time later, I am dressed down in casual sweats and a tee as opposed to the game day suit, we are required to wear before the start of each game. Shouldering my bag, I make my way down the long corridor. It has been a long night at the end of a couple long-ass weeks spent juggling my games and practice with trying to keep a close eye on my girl from the shadows. I need to get back to my hotel room so I can shoot off a message to check in with Tony, see if there’s been any updates on my girl’s stalker situation or the fucking blackmail situation that still seems to be making very little progress.

“Good game out there, Giovanni.”

I come to an abrupt stop, my shoulders tense as I roll my neck from side to side. I have to fight the urge to clench my fists as I slowly turn around.Fucking Jonathan.

My eyes widen in shock as I see who is standing with him. “Caleb. Bro.” I make my way forward to give my old friend a hug when I am knocked back by a sucker punch to the jaw. “What the hell was that for, asshole?” Gritting out the words as I rub away the ache in my jaw. That was a fucking low blow, even for him.

“Stay the fuck away from my sister, Giovanni.” Ah. So, he heard about our little run-in last week.

“You fucking narc on me,Jonathan?” My voice comes out in a taunting sneer and I force down my satisfaction at the sight of him stepping forward, only to be pulled back by Caleb. If he wants to fight, then let’s fucking go. “What is your problem, asshole?”

Jonathan takes another step forward, only to be restrained by Caleb once more. “You. You are my fucking problem! You just couldn’t stay the fuck away, could you? It wasn’t enough for you to break her fucking heart. You had to waltzback in like the fucking psycho that you are just to screw with her head, and toy with her emotions.”

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