Page 4 of Twisted Ruck

I wasn't sure if that was possible. If Bruce didn't die of natural causes, then there was a nefarious reason for his death. If we didn't find it quickly, we would spend the rest of our lives looking over our shoulders, waiting for us to be next.

Chapter Two

Chelsea

We barely saida word on the way to the stadium. Everyone was lost in their thoughts, staring out the window as Dusk Bay rolled past.

I was so deep in my head, I didn't realise we arrived until we stopped in front of the security gate. The attendant opened it and waved us through, her expression as grim as ours.

"Looks like it's true," Frost said softly from the front seat beside Storm.

"Yeah," Storm said. "Looks like." He reversed the SUV into a parking space and killed the engine.

In silence, we climbed out of the vehicle and closed the doors behind us with four distinct thumps.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I stood beside the SUV, my hand on the door handle. It might be better if I waited in the car.

"I can throw you over my shoulder and carry you in if you like," Storm suggested. He took a step towards me and lowered his shoulder as though he was about to do just that.

I held up my hands to ward him off. "I can walk. Nothing will raise eyebrows faster than you carrying me in there."

"In case you hadn't realised already, I don't give a shit about raising eyebrows," he said. But he straightened, grabbed myhand, tucked me to his side and headed towards the staff and players entrance.

"That's one thing we love about you," Frost said. "You give no shits. You go on being you and everyone else can get fucked."

Storm grunted. "That's me. No shits or fucks given. What you see is what you get."

Frost fell in on the other side of him and Dallas walked beside me, more or less surrounding me with a wall of muscle.

"Maybe we shouldn't hold hands," I said. "It might look like we're?—"

"Together," Storm finished for me. "We are. You finished your practical training. I'm over here giving no more shits about what people think about us having a relationship with you. I'm not going to act like there's anything wrong with it, because there isn't."

"As soon as they know we're together, they'll start digging into my past," I argued. I was tempted to pull my hand out of his, turn tail and run.

He held me tight, not letting me draw back. "We'll deal with it. Come on. We're right there anyway."

He was right, we were too close to the door for me to bolt now. A handful of players and staff lingered just inside, and outside, talking amongst themselves in low voices. Their expressions all matched ours. Sad, confused and occasionally angry.

Most barely gave us a glance as we stepped through the open door, into a wide reception area that led to a bank of elevators.

Jay and Ramsey stood near the wall, watching us with guarded expressions. They silently appraised my body, like they always did, but nothing in their expressions indicated Atlas told them I used to work at Flirts. Not yet, anyway.

Jay's gaze lingered on me before turning to Frost and becoming colder. He was clearly still angry Frost kissed Atlas.Atlas hadn't said much about Jay during our date, so I had no idea where they stood with each other.

As for Ramsey, he was always a mystery to me. Doctor Stuart completed his physical, so I was yet to have a conversation with him. As far as I could tell, he didn't do conversations with anyone. I only heard him say one or two words at a time.

Not everyone was as open and warm as Frost, I supposed.

"Hello," I greeted them both. I saw no reason not totryto be friendly.

Jay's gaze dipped to where my hand was in Storm's. He rolled his lips a couple of times before looking back up. "Morning."

It wasn't the friendliest greeting, but it wasn't unfriendly either. He seemed to be wondering what the hell I saw in someone like Storm Keller.

He nodded to Dallas. "Tex."

"Jay." Dallas nodded in return. "Goat. S'up?"

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