“Yeah,” Steele said with a welcoming grin.

“I guess so,” said Kaden. Without another word, he stood, stretched, and walked away, down the hallway to his room.

“What’s wrong with him? Does he think I’m guilty?”

Steele and Easton exchanged glances.

“Don’t know,” Easton said.

“Me either, but you’re welcome here. Don’t take him personally. He’s been off for a while now. Pretty sure some woman is yanking his chain.”

“I’ll get my suitcase from the car.”

About a half hour later, I was lying on the bed in my new room and staring at the ceiling. My mind wouldn’t let me sleep. Too many things bounced around in my head, including Jock’s anger toward me, his unfaithful wife, and his hot sister, especially his hot sister. Of all the women to be attracted to, I had to pick her. I wanted her, no doubt about that, but the repercussions wouldn’t be worth it. Jock would hate me even more. But, damn, she was epically sexy. The image of her throwing one long leg encased in tight black leather over the seat of that motorcycle was burned into every working brain cell I possessed. The woman was even sexy in her polo and pants, folding towels, and she was the last thing I needed in my life.

This was my big shot to make it in professional hockey. Complications weren’t allowed, especially when I already had too many to mention. Adding one more wasn’t an option.

Chapter 5—Worst Company

~~Geneva~~

I owed my brother my life, or at the least, my self-respect. He’d rescued me from an untenable situation, and now I was going to return the favor.

Last fall, Weasel, my boyfriend of one year, had beat me unconscious, he’d roughed me before and been verbally abusive, but he’d never gone this far.

When I’d met him, he’d been a mechanic for my dad’s shop, and I’d worked for my dad doing the books and scheduling. Weasel had been tough and raw and hot as hell. I fell in love for the first time in my life. I was crazy about him, almost obsessed with him.

That summer, his new status as a prospect for the Sacred Hearts changed him. He became increasingly unreliable at the shop because of demands placed on him by the club. My father and he had agreed to part ways amenably.

Things slid downhill fast after that. I was pretty sure Weasel was into some shady stuff and doing whatever he could to get in good with the club. He started becoming a different person. He’d always been an outlaw, but this went beyond that. He hinted I should provide his friends with sexual favors and be willing to work the streets to earn money for him. Still, I stayed.

I thought I could handle him. Then he beat me and left me writhing in agony on the living room floor for hours. When he finally returned, he had a friend with him who had some medical expertise and took care of me. Looking back, I probably should’ve gone to the hospital. Still, I didn’t leave him.