Page 40 of My Brother's Teammates

Hudson pressed into my back and rested his hand on my hip. “Do you need some air, Jenny?”

I tried again to settle everyone. “No, I’m okay. I- I’m fine. Really.”

Landon, seeing that the rest of the lecture hall was staring, seemed to hit his breaking point. “As my TA, Ms. Ramsey, I expect you to assist. This is not assisting. Your performance of late has been dismal. If you insist on flirting with students and acting anything but professional, I’ll have to dismiss you and find someone who can do the job. Now, sit down and do your job or go.”

Shame scratched at my skin until I wanted to peel it off and crawl out of there. I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but I was shocked. I’d never been spoken to that way in a public setting by anyone, much less the man who’d left me without a home just a few weeks earlier.

“Whoa, asshole. Watch how you speak to her.” Hudson heard the call of an asshole and decided he was ready to answer, apparently. “The only person being unprofessional here is you.”

“I’d remind you that you’re paid for this job, Ms. Ramsey. I’m sure you can’t afford to lose your income. I suggest you remember the rules of conduct and act accordingly.” Landon looked at Hudson. “And Mr. DuPont, you should worry about yourself. Your name won’t help you pass this class.”

“I don’t know what crawled up your ass, man, but take it down a notch. Jenny isn’t paid by you and she isn’t yours to push around.” Axel gently eased me behind him. “Speak to her with the respect she deserves. You’ve never had a problem with her until she started talking to us more. If you dislike us so much-”

The silence that fell over our little group after Axel stopped speaking was deafening. My hands shook and tears filled my eyes as I felt Axel connecting dots I didn’t want him to. “It’s fine. I’ll just take today off. I’m really not feeling well, I guess. I’m sorry to cause all this trouble. I’ll-”

Axel’s low growl sent a chill down my spine. “You sonofabitch.”

I gripped his arm so hard that he looked down at me. “Please. Axel,please. Let’s go.”

“Outside, all three of you!” Landon had gone pale but as he remembered himself, his face burned an unfortunate red shade. “Everyone else, work together on the project for next week. I’ll be back shortly.”

Axel studied my face for a moment longer and I could see him struggling to control himself. Hudson, on the other hand, was already striding after Landon and if his balled fists were a sign, it wasn’t going to be good when he caught up with the older man.

I swore and rushed after Hudson. I knew I’d be humiliated later but I couldn’t think past the image in my head of Hudson and Axel being arrested for killing Landon. Desperation filled my voice as I called after Hudson.

The two men were only outside for a few seconds before I reached them, but Hudson already had Landon pinned against the wall with his forearm pressed into the other man’s throat. Landon’s eyes were wide and he looked terrified as Hudson spoke quietly to him.

I tried to rush over before Hudson got caught but Axel wrapped his arm around my waist and pinned me to his chest. I struggled and looked up at him, feeling panicked. “Axel, stop him!”

He glared over my head, his big body shaking with fury. “Hudson isn’t stupid, Jenny.”

I looked back in time to see Hudson punch the wall next to Landon’s head before backing away. My heart skipped a beat and I felt like I was going to be sick as Landon looked at me and then rushed away. Hudson kept his back to me for a few seconds longer and when he turned to face me, he was struggling to relax his face. I could see the fury, though.

The reality of my secret being out and the guys probably finding me disgusting left me crushed. If it hadn’t been for Axel holding me up, I probably would’ve just sank to the floor and cried like a baby.

“Alright, baby. You’re okay. Let’s get you out of here.” Hudson nodded to Axel and scooped me into his arms. “We’ve got some chatting to do, huh?”

***Jenny***

Jackie’swasdesertedatthat time of day. After the morning rush and before the lunch crowd, Axel and Hudson had me wedged between them in a booth with no one around to see how pathetic I looked. Jackie, a woman in her sixties who dressed in bell bottoms and tie-dye, had taken one look at me and brought me ice cream. She planted kisses on both guys’ cheeks and then left us to my misery.

I stared into my ice cream and tried to think about what to say. No one had said a word about it yet. It was an elephant sitting on my chest, though, so I had to say something or I was going to choke to death on the anxiety of it all.

“I… I’m sorry.”

Axel cut a glare at me. “What the fuck are you sorry for?”

I blinked at him. Had he missed what’d just happened? “That stuff that just happened?”

Hudson growled and bent a spoon in half. When Jackie appeared out of nowhere and took it from him, he sighed and shoved his hands under the table. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”

“Yes, I do. I made a mess of things. I… I didn’t mean for it to happen. I’m so sorry. I won’t go back to class, obviously, and if you guys just go back and sit silently, he can’t fail you. I’ve read your papers. You’re both passing.”

“I don’t give a fuck about the class, Jenny!” Axel took a deep breath and reached over to take my hand. “Sorry. I’m trying not to shout. You didn’t do anything and I’m not mad at you. I don’t want you thinking I’m angry at you.”

“You should be.” I stared down at my lap and wiped a tear away as it escaped. “I’m mad at myself.”

“When did it start?” Hudson ran his hand over my hair and blew out a deep sigh. “No more secrets.”

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