Page 23 of Bad Ruck

Storm shook his head. "You're a fucking nightmare. You won't be done until we all look like idiots."

I wasn't sure who he directed the comment at, but there was no heat behind his words. He might even wear the outfit with pride.

"I wouldn't mind a duffel bag," Jay said. "Those are useful."

"I could put my medical equipment in one," I said. "But I'd settle for a Dusk Bay Smashers bag instead." People would stare if I had a bag with Team Awesomest written down the side. They'd stare harder if I had a matching outfit.

Storm pointed a finger at me. "Finally, some common sense. I already have all the shit for our team. Including the socks."

"What about the underwear?" Frost teased.

"There is no fucking Smashers underwear," Storm said. He looked almost horrified at the idea. As though merchandise underwear wasn't already a thing in the world. As if he didn't wear boxers with superhero characters on them. Not often, but I'd seen him in them once or twice. It was a cute look on him.

"Yet," Frost said ominously. "I'm going to suggest that to Coach tomorrow. Storm will be first in line to buy some."

"Sounds like you'll be first in line," Jay said to Frost.

"I would be, but I'll hide behind Storm, so he can be first," Frost said. "Or I could hide behind you, so you can be second."

"Now they're arguing over who is going to be first and second in line to buy underwear," Storm complained to Atlas.

Atlas chuckled. "What next? Smashers watch bands?"

"Now that's something I'd like," Storm said thoughtfully. "It would go with my phone case."

"You have a Smashers phone case?" Atlas frowned.

"Shit, yeah, I do." Storm leaned forward to pull out his phone and show the case to the other guy.

Atlas looked impressed. "That's sick, bro. I'm going to have to get one for myself."

"Now you're part of the team," Frost said.

"Exactly." Atlas nodded. "Since I'm one of us, I might as well look like it. Does that come in different colours?" He nodded towards the phone case. "Wouldn't want to get ours mixed up."

I leaned back against Frost while they talked about phone cases and other random team merchandise. For a while, the fear and death were put aside. Not forgotten, but not at the forefront of the conversation, giving us all a chance to breathe.

For now.

Chapter Nine

Chelsea

Unable to sleep,I slipped out of bed and walked as quietly as I could to the kitchen for a drink of water.

Glass in hand, I stepped through the living room and over to the window that overlooked Dusk Bay. The lights of the city twinkled, reflecting on the expanse of water that disappeared into the horizon.

"This is all a lot, isn't it?" Ramsey's voice was soft in the otherwise silent space.

I startled and turned around, almost spilling my water all over me. I'd missed the dark shape that sat in an armchair facing the window. Fortunately for me, he was friend, not foe.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." He pushed himself to his feet and closed the gap between us.

"You're lucky I wasn't one of the guys," I said. "They might have struck out first and asked questions later."

He chuckled. "Nothing I couldn't deal with. I knew it was you. No offence, you're not built like a professional men's rugby player."

"No, I'm built more like a professionalwomen'srugby player," I said. I took a sip of my drink and turned back to the view.

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