Unsteady

by Peyton Corinne

“Kelley’s not normal. And if you don’t know what’s going on in that fucking rink—”

I knew itt

“Sadie’s gonna be mad,” Oliver says, standing beside his brother, his backpack sliding off one shoulder. The look he gives me is wary at best. “She hates when people know about him.” Liam looks worried at that. “But she likes Rhys.” “Exactly.” His brother chuckles before staring back at me with that same skeptical gaze. “Sadie sent you here?”

I hear some fussing in background, before Matt fucking Fredderic is back. “We’re, um, studying right now.” His voice drops, like he’s farther away from the phone, and I can just make out a quiet, “It’s Rhys, princess—I can handle it.”

PRINCESS????

“Yeah,” he mumbles, his little hands reaching up to play with the ends of my hair as they loop around my neck. “I wish my dad wanted to play with me.”

Cryibg

While Liam is almost plastered to me, like he wants to be invisible, Oliver is suddenly standing like an army sergeant, glancing warily at her as if he’s worried she’ll get too close.

STOPP

“Is she nice?” Liam asks, his voice a little softer as my dad turns and waves to my mom, who stays there.

Dont make me cry

“That’s nice,” Liam mumbles quietly. “What is, bud?” He tucks his head into my neck. “That you have a mommy. And a nice one.”

“Yeah, bud, I’m very thankful.” I am now, and always will be, because this kid is hurting my soul.

“I know how hard it can be to accept things when you’ve spent your life working very hard for very little. Saving up and still ending up hungry.”

dip—“I want you to try it first, and if you hate it, we have tons more you can try.”

“I hope I was the best helper today. Then maybe she’ll wanna keep us, Ollie.” Oliver flips his head, his tone biting as he chews out, “Stop it, Liam. They’re strangers.”

STOPPPPP

Liam yawns audibly, slumping back and mumbling, “I think I wish Anna was my mom. I think she’d love me a lot.”

“I don’t want anyone to take us from Sadie.” Liam looks at me, eyes still red and teary. “You’re not gonna make us leave Sadie, right, Rhys?”

“No.” I check the light again, before turning in my seat to look them both in the eyes. “Never. You and Oliver will always be with Sadie. I’ll make sure of it.” I’ll just make sure she’s not alone in this ever again.

“Beautiful, okay? You are so strong.” If possible, my smile grows wider. But then he adds, “See how capable you are when you’re not so distracted? Leave the stupid boy in the past, yes?”

LET ME ATHIM

It doesn’t matter. I’ll give Coach Kelley every part of myself to succeed. But I won’t give up my brothers.

I don’t know how I’ll manage it. But I know I will, somehow. Because those two boys deserve so much more than this.

And she’s there. Beautiful—like always—in a way that catches in my throat.

Like she thinks she could show up out of the blue and I’d drop everything for time with her, and she’s right. It’s just how our arrangement was before—and still is for me.

“Be mad. Yell at me if you want, but it’s not going to stop me from caring, and it’s not going to stop me from trying to help you, no matter how many times you push me away.”

“I don’t want you to keep me away, okay? I want to be part of your life.” “No,” she chokes out. “You don’t, Rhys. It’s messy and way too complicated.”

“Sadie, if you told me you were joining the Witness Protection Program, I’d ask, ‘Where are we going?’ and ‘Can I pull off a beard?’ ”

I’ve dreamed about this moment for months; dreamed about Sadie for months. It feels surreal to really have her here.

“Your bed is so comfortable,” she moans as I settle my weight between her thighs. “Sleep here forever, then,”

“The entire hockey team is in my kitchen,” I whisper. My hand trails along her side to tuck against the soft fabric of her thong and tug it down over her hips. “So maybe I should let you scream as loud as you want, Gray. Then there’ll be no mistaking who exactly you belong to.”

I know I can love her. I just don’t know if she’ll let me. But for now, this—her like this for me, soft for me—that’s enough.

“Are you sure?” My chest aches and I copy her move, except my hand caresses and cups her cheek. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

It’s never been like this before, so simple and perfect and playful. More than sex; something else is forming between us.

“That’s my girl. So good, baby.”

The way I feel about her is real, so deep it feels like a cord looped from inside me to her, tethering me to her.

I’ll take any bit of her she’ll give to me—a dog begging for scraps, until she lets me in. I’m patient. I can wait.

“You have no idea how many times I’ve imagined you in that shirt.”

But I’ve decided. He’s worth any of it—and if he doesn’t mind how fucked up and messy my life is, how little time I can afford to lose, then I’m not telling him to go.

“Hold on, Gray,” he pleads, groaning as I suck beneath his ear. “Baby, please.” The soft name makes me want to giggle, and twirl my hair, and bask in everything that he is.

“If it was just a hit,” I start, “then what happened after?”

I want to tell him that I want him to use me forever, but I know he’s confessing something deep. Showing me that this thing between us isn’t just shared pain anymore; it isn’t emotional release. It’s something real. Something precious.

Rhys kisses my cheek and tangles my hair around his fingers, bracing my head. “Being with you—hell, just being around you, was the only time I felt anything for a long time.”

My temper flares, but I don’t know how amendable the team would be to me pushing their precious puck bunny down the stairs. Or clawing her eyes out—though I don’t think my short nails will hold up to her sharp ones.

All I know is that he’s never going to be just my friend—with or without benefits. He’s always going to be more.

“Yeah,” I say, trying to ignore the pinch of discomfort when they both go silent. “I’m his girlfriend.”

EEEEEEEEK

“I don’t think I’ve ever been happier, Gray,” he whispers. Another kiss to the corner of my mouth. “My girl.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. All that woman wants to do is scoop you all up and take you home in her pocket.”

“No. She thinks the same thing we all do. That you shouldn’t have to.”

You haven’t done something for just you since Liam showed up.” She’s right. I hate how much she’s right. “Well, except for Rhys. That was definitely for you. And you deserve it; you deserve him.”

“Hey, look at that. Their captain managed to get himself back on the ice,” he yells. “How many hits does it take for you to toughen up, pussy?” “Let’s see you take one, asshole,”

IM DEADDDD

The boys around him make a collective “ooh” as if they’re watching a 2000s rap battle begin.

“Does the brain damage hurt his ability to fuck? I’ll volunteer if you need—”

GET HIMMMM

I kick him in the balls, swift and hard, and then watch with a satisfied smile as he trips over Ro’s feet and falls on his ass.

lets see if that Hurts HIS ability to fuck

“Stop it!” Ro squeals, jerking forward between their seats so her head is level with theirs, a mop of curls cascading like water around them. “He’s not a fucking object. Shut the hell up and stop spreading rumors you know nothing about.”

The Waterfell boys are dominating, the clock is dwindling, and I’m… I’m very aroused.

HUHHHHH