Page 104 of Treacherous
I laugh, nodding in agreement.
“Come with me,” Sam begins. “I’ll give you a tour of the bottom floor while we wait for Jayden.”
The other boys disappear, while Sam and Cooper guide me further into the house.
Everything is open, with the entrance leading to a hallway with many doors on the right-hand side. Sam informs me that there is two bedrooms and a laundry on that side, while a left turn leads to the lounge, dining and kitchen.
Although a wall separates the kitchen and dining areas, there is a massive entryway between each room.
The three of us end up in the lounge room, sinking into the comfy couches. The boys point out that the main bathroom is through the door at the end of the room before continuing to the conversation as if we have been friends for years.
A smile lingers on my lips–it’s strange and unfamiliar, but I like it. Lakewood University could become the best thing that has happened to me.
Chapter 2
Jayden Allen
Senior year was supposed to be a breeze.
Pass my classes. Win the Frozen Four. Graduate and start my career with the Lions–a Los Angeles-based NHL team. All these tasks sat in the front of my mind like a checklist, each one waiting to be ticked off.
Now, the only images flashing in my head are red hair, hazel eyes and her tall figure, with the outline of toned muscles on her abdominals and arms. Willow fucking Rogers. The woman who has been driving me up the wall for over a decade with her unpredictable and chaotic nature.
I force the lump in my throat down, back into the vault buried deep inside me. Even thinking about going through life without a plan or routine has me sick.
It is one of the reasons I can’t stand Willow.
Control keeps me grounded, while a loss of it places me on a path of destruction. This is one of the attributes I share with my twin sister, Jaz. It is why I’m striding into her house without a care in the world.
Surely, she knew Willow was moving to Lakewood. The two women have been inseparable since meeting at elementary school in Meadow Beach, the small coastal town we grew up in.
Jazmine and her boyfriend, Theodore, recently moved into this house, which is, conveniently, only fifteen minutes away from the Hockey House. I twist the door handle and search the house.
I end up in the lounge room almost immediately. Looking around the room, I swear under my breath.
I’m a fucking asshole.
Today was Jaz and Theo’s housewarming party. After seeing Willow in my driveway, she was all I could think about, so this event slipped from my mind.
Everyone stares at me as I stand behind the couch, frozen. My sister looks at me, a slight frown on her lips.
I grit my teeth, fists tightening. “Did you know?”
Jaz tilts her head, eyebrows raising at my question. She doesn’t seem to know that her best friend has decided to move barely two blocks away from her. Why would Willow not say anything? I shake my head, not likely that I care about the answer.
“What?” She replies.
I inhale, gulping the breaths down. “Willow fucking Rogers is moving to Lakewood University. She is our new winger.”
Jazmine’s eyes bulge, like they might pop out of her head. She turns toward Theo, their eyes flashing as if they are exchanging a secret message.
My sister and her boyfriend both know Willow and I can’t stand each other. The prime example being last year when I yelled at her for having no regard for Jaz, deciding to interrupt her life for a night of partying.
In hindsight, I was too harsh and only wanted to make sure Jaz was okay after struggling with her mental health for years.
I take a deep breath, remembering the second thing I need to say. “And she is moving into the fucking Hockey House,”
A lump forms in Jaz’ throat. “I promise, I had no idea, Jay. I haven’t talked to Willow in weeks.” She pauses. “Willow said she had family things going on. I didn’t think anything of it.”
