Page 48 of Bite Your Tongue

When I don’t answer, he moves a little closer. “I saw you a few weeks ago, you know.” His eyes narrow. “In Florida, at the club with Smith’s little sister.”

“And?” I utter back. “So what?”

He cocks his head to the side. If I didn’t know Kolt the way that I do, I’d probably piss myself right now because he’s so fucking intimidating. But I do know him, and when it comes to his teammates, he considers us family.

Just another reason why his injury has been so hard on him. I think he feels like he’s letting us down by not being able to play.

“And I’m not a fucking idiot. I know what I saw. And what I saw was two people who are either having sex or have recently.” His eyes bore into mine. “Just don’t let Sawyer find out through the game of telephone, Cambridge. It’s his sister, and you know he’s been through a lot with her.”

I study his face, wondering how much he knows when it comes to what Rowan did. I’ve felt like a piece of shit for carrying around the secret about the sex tape and keeping it from my best friend and for also not telling Saylor that I saw it. I’ve wanted to so many times, but I know that it’ll change everything.

“I know,” I finally utter. “I am going to tell him. But she and I are just friends.”

His eyes remain hard. “I bet,” he says lowly and flatly before finally walking away.

He’s right though.

Whether Saylor and I are just friends or not, I need to tell Smith. But we’re about to take the ice, and the only thing he needs to be concerned about right now is helping us win this game. But right after the game is over, it’s time to tell him. He deserves to know.

The locker room is buzzing after the win we just had. It was a close game, and even though those are mentally and physically the toughest, they are the most rewarding. Some of the guys have left, and only a handful of us remain. Though we just won, Smith seems uneasy about something as he stares down at his phone.

I can’t wait until the perfect moment though—there will never be one.

Taking a few steps across the locker room, I keep my bag slung over my shoulder. “Hey, good game, man. Do you have a second?”

He seems distracted, but eventually, he tosses his phone into his bag and nods. “Yeah, yeah. What’s up?”

I swallow roughly. He could take this great, or he might get mad at me. Smith can be a wild card, and I’ve seen how the dudes who end up on his bad side fare. I’d rather not be one of them.

“So, for Christmas, I actually traveled to Charleston to hang out with your sister.” After the words rush from my mouth, suddenly, my throat feels dry, and it’s hard to swallow. “We’re just friends; she isn’t looking for anything more than that. But we both thought you should know.”

Confused, he frowns. “You traveled to South Carolina, but you’re just friends?”

“Well, yeah,” I say. “Saylor is adamant that she doesn’t want a man in her life right now. But we get along well as friends, so that’s what we are. Friends.”

I know I’m rambling. I also know that half of what I’m saying probably doesn’t even make sense, but here I am.

His eyes narrow, growing a little darker. “Look, man, I love you like a brother. You’re a good dude—I know that much …” He pauses.

His words are meant to be a compliment, but because of everything I’m keeping inside about the video, I don’t want to fucking hear them.

“Saylor might tell you she wants to be friends, but I know my sister. She doesn’t have friends who are guys. She falls in love. She becomes borderline obsessed. Then, when you leave her, she’ll be upset. She’ll be awkward at functions you both have to be at.” He drags his hand down the back of his neck. “This isn’t my first rodeo of one of my friends getting close with my sister. Probably won’t be my last either.”

I understand what he’s saying—completely. I know how she can be; I’ve heard the rumors. Hell, even Saylor has told me before that she’s boy crazy. I don’t give a fuck though. The girl needs a friend right now, more than ever.

“It’s not going to be like that, Smith,” I say evenly. “You have my word.”

It’s not going to be that way because I’m far more interested in your sister than she is—or will ever be—in me.I know better than to tell him that; that’d probably make shit worse.

He shrugs, holding his arms out at his sides. “All right then. I trust you.” He throws one arm around me, pulling me against him and slapping his palm against my back. “Don’t fuck with my sister though. Okay?” he says roughly in my ear.

“I won’t,” I somehow muster, knowing that I’m downplaying the fuck out of whatever is going on between Saylor and me.

“Good,” he says, releasing me and grinning. “Because I know where you live. Oh, and I also protect your ass on the ice.”

He pats my shoulder like he’s joking, but still, I cringe. I guess I really, really had better not fuck this friendship up.

That’s not going to be easy, seeing as I think I might already be in love with his sister.

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