Page 20 of Our Hearts to Break

“Yeah, rich fuckers,” he shoots back. “You come into this town and throw around your money. Try to bully the locals. And, of course, you always get your way because money rules the world. But not this time. You can’t buy me.”

Arms crossed over my chest, I glare at this ignorant motherfucker. “Then, what do you want?”

The oaf plops down on the bed and stretches out his long legs. “For starters, I’d like to not wake up in the middle of the night to you and River sucking each other’s dicks.”

I wave my hand to dismiss him. “Just say what you want so I can get some fucking sleep.”

“I’m failing Financial Accounting. It’s a required class for my major… and I can’t seem to figure it out. Coach is threatening to bench me. And I’ll lose my scholarship if I don’t maintain my GPA.”

I shrug. “So? What do you expect me to do?”

“Your dad has the ear of the dean and the faculty.” Waters lays back on the bed in his boxers, legs crossed at the ankles. “Half this campus has your last name or River’s on it. Make a call. It won’t take much on your part. In return, I won’t tell anyone that you two are fucking homos.”

“I’m not gay,” I grind out.

He sits up and cracks his knuckles and jaw. The sound is gross and sends a shiver down my arms.

“Keep telling yourself that, Brooks. All the puck bunnies you and River drag through this house don’t hide the truth. Everyone on the team talks about your homoerotic sexcapades, but no one but me has the balls to say it to your faces.”

The air drains from my lungs. “Everyone?”

He nods. “Even Coach thinks something’s up with you guys.”

Until recently, I didn’t know I liked men. How could my teammates or coach? I never gave off gay vibes, whatever the fuck that even means. Maybe it was River always staring at me in the shower or those side glances across the room.

Fuck.

I have to protect River. No one can know about us, or he’ll freak the fuck out and do something irrational—like leave me.

Our teammates wouldn’t out him when we’re close to another Frozen Four victory. They need him more than River needs this team. He could have played in the NHL years ago but chose to stay. They will keep his secret for a bit longer.

But Waters… he’s desperate and might do something stupid. I don’t trust him not to fuck with our lives for a payday.

“I’ll get your grade changed,” I tell him, confident my dad can work his usual magic. “And then, we’re even. Got it.”

He bobs his fat head. “Try to keep it down over there. I need my beauty rest.”

The balls on this asshole.

ChapterEight

NATE

River fallsasleep with his head tucked under my chin, snoring softly on my bare chest. A tiny smile tips up his top lip. He looks so peaceful, unburdened by nightmares and horrific memories. What I wouldn’t give to sleep through the night.

I brush the dark hair off his forehead, wondering if he’s dreaming about me when he mumbles something unintelligible under his breath.

“I love you,” I whisper and kiss his forehead.

He knows how I feel about him. We’ve never been shy about our feelings. But the words have more meaning when I say I love him after all the time we spent exploring each other’s bodies tonight.

My fingers trail down the smooth ridges of his abdomen, a featherlight touch that makes River shiver. I hook my arm around him, close my eyes... and drift to another place.

I hear a dull thump that pulls me from a dream. My bedroom is dark, save for a sliver of light peeking beneath the closed door.

Someone makes a strange noise. A whimper or a cry. It sounds like they are in pain. Then, something hard hits the wall in the spare bedroom.

I jump at the sudden intrusion and slide out of bed. More noises follow me to the door as I peek into the hallway. A woman yells, and I leave my room to investigate the source.

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