"Annoying as h.e.l.l too," Lucy decides.

"Ugly as h.e.l.l," Jayden says with a shake of his head, which throws everyone into fits of laughter.

"Whatever, dude. You're just jealous I'm hotter than you!"

But no one pays me any mind, and soon I'm laughing too as I look around the table at the people I love. I know I need to go soon; I need to set up and get ready for tonight, but as my gaze goes from person to person surrounding me, I decide I want to be nowhere else but here. Why would I want to change this insanity when they are my reason for smiling? No one can come close to my family. But as soon as that thought comes, a pair of turquoise green eyes appears in my head and then I'm really smiling.

Not sure what that's all about, but I want to find out.

And that means no matter how much I don't want to leave, I have to.

Because I gotta save a beer for No Dating Diane.

After dinner, we only stay a little while longer before I say good-bye to everyone. As much as I want to hang out and chill, I have to get back to the house to prepare. My phone has been blowing up with questions from some of the guys, and honestly, I'm really reconsidering taking this leadership position. But I can't. Both my brothers were captains of the Bullies before they went into the draft. It helped them in the long run-h.e.l.l, there is even talk that Jayden will be the captain of the Nashville a.s.sa.s.sins when the famous Shea Adler retires. That's huge, and I want that. I want that security, so I need to work for it.

That's the one thing about hockey.

It's the only thing I'll truly work for because it's my one true love.

Hugging my sisters-in-law and then my sister, I kiss Angie before loving on my mom and sending an awkward wave to Coach. I'm trying not to be weirded out as I watch Coach help my mom clean the kitchen. Nope, I just wave and don't make eye contact. But it's weird, like, really weird.

"Do you think they're dating?" I ask as Jude and Jayden walk with Markus and me out to my car.

"I don't know. It's odd," Jude says, crossing his arms over his chest as Jayden nods.

"Baylor didn't know anything. I asked."

"Does she think so?" Markus asks and Jayden nods sullenly.

"Yeah, she said for her dad to clean up and be sober for something other than hockey, that means he likes her. Not sure how I feel about that."

"I don't like it," Jude decides.

"It's weird," I say once more as I lean against the car, and they all nod in agreement. When Jayden's eyes fall to my BMW, I see the question in them before he asks it.

"Where'd you get the wheels?"

I look down at my beauty of a car, the fading sun shining on the blue finish before I cross my own arms to match my big brothers' stances. Markus must have felt the tension thicken in the air because he's moved to the side of the car, almost as if he is trying to hide. But he is almost seven feet tall, a huge, burly dude-there is no hiding him if he tried.

"Dad bought it for me," I say simply, because I have nothing to hide. Did I ask for it? No. But really, what nineteen-year-old turns down a new BMW?

Not this one.

Jayden looks away as Jude shakes his head in disgust. "He's trying to buy your love, Jace. I hope you see that."

I shrug. "Sure, but I needed a car. I'm too hot to be walking. Come on, dude."

"So buy one. I told you, you can buy my bike off me."

"And I said you could buy my car off me."

I roll my eyes. "So either I pay you two or I get a free car? A slick, woman-getting one at that. I think I'll go for the free, guaranteed p.u.s.s.y-wagon."

I'm trying for a joke to lighten them up, to make them see it doesn't matter, but all my comment does is p.i.s.s them both off. But I don't want to fight. I really don't. What do they expect? If they were my age, they would have done the same. h.e.l.l, they did before my dad was a cheating b.a.s.t.a.r.d. "I'm doing the same thing y'all did."

Man, I shouldn't have said that.

Jayden is in my face in seconds, taking me by my shirt and lifting me up onto my toes. While Jayden is the chillest dude I know, he has a temper. And anything that deals with my dad brings out the crazy. "I worked for everything I have, and you know that. I didn't and don't take free handouts, especially from the d.i.c.k that broke our mother's heart."

Jude's hand comes to Jayden's chest, stopping him, but his green eyes are wild and locked with mine. It is true; Jayden does work for everything he has because he wants to. Before, he didn't want to owe anyone anything, and I respect that, I like that about him. But I don't owe my dad s.h.i.t.

"I never said you didn't, Jay. I'm just saying, if Dad wants to buy my love, he can go ahead and try. I'll answer the phone and say hi, but it doesn't mean I like him much. I just needed a car."

"Then you should have worked for it. Things aren't gonna get handed to you because of who you are. You've had this easy life, Mom spoon-feeding you, up your a.s.s twenty-four seven. Coaches dubbing you as the golden player and not making you work for things. You have been given everything, and soon there will be no one to do that for you. You have to work for what you want," Jayden stresses. This isn't the first time I have heard this.

"I hear you," I groan because he's been preaching that s.h.i.t to me, hard, since last year. He took the divorce the hardest, and I get it. But d.a.m.n, I'm tired of the broken record. "But I don't know what the big deal is about taking a car when I need one to get around campus and s.h.i.t."

"Because you don't need that a.s.shole for anything." His voice is full of venom, and it's obvious who hates our dad the most.

It's the big dude who has my shirt clenched in his even bigger hand.

"He's our dad." I don't know why I say that. To them, he isn't. But to me, he is. I want him to be the man I loved for so long, not the cheating b.a.s.t.a.r.d he is now. I'm still hoping he'll turn back into that man. I know it's dumb to hope that, nave even, but I really wish it would happen.

"No. He's a sperm donor, and you best remember that because if you keep on, he'll hurt you. I promise you that," Jude says this time, and it kind of surprises me. While he doesn't get along with my father, he hardly ever talks badly about him. It's usually just Jayden and Lucy. "We just want you to stand on your own two feet. You've been fed with a silver spoon your whole life. One day, you're gonna have to support yourself, bro. Better start preparing for that. Mom isn't going to be there to clean up your messes forever."

I nod. "I got this."

And I do. I'm good. I want to enjoy my last year of fun before it's time to adult, but these two don't want to give that to me. They want me to be them, and it's not realistic. They had their time of fun, living off my dad. Why shouldn't I get that? Because of a divorce I have nothing to do with? That's not fair. I get what they are saying and I'm watching my back, but I'm not gonna refuse a free car. Or money.

"Have you gotten a job?" Jayden asks and I shrug.

"Working on it."

That has both of them rolling their eyes, but my dad said he'd send me money. Why do I need a job? I'm not telling them that, though. I need to focus on hockey; I need to have fun. I'm still a kid, d.a.m.n it!

"I hope so," Jayden says and then his arms come around me, hugging me tightly. While he does have a scary temper, he loves harder. That's Jayden for you. You take the crazy with the real good. He's a good brother. A pain in the a.s.s, a broken record, but a d.a.m.n good brother. "I love you. Call me if you need anything."

"Love you," I mumble as he hugs me, and I know he'd rather I call him than my dad, but it's just easier. I feel like my dad will give me what I want with no strings attached and no lecture. But with Jayden and Jude, I will have to pay them back, own up to what I need, and I don't want their disappointment.

Jude takes me into his arms next, hugging me tightly. "I love you, Jace. We just want you to be a good man, you know that?"

"I do," I say back and he hugs me harder. "And I love you too."

Pulling back, he looks deep into my eyes, urging me to listen. "It seems great now. He's doing everything, sending money and buying you s.h.i.t. But he'll burn you, and then what will you have? Nothing. So get it together now, prepare yourself, because that money train won't last. Believe me. He's burned us all. Plus, you don't want to be that guy, the one who depends on other people. You are stronger than that."

For f.u.c.k's sake, I'm nineteen, people. Let me be a kid.

I can't say that, and as I bite the inside of my cheek, I nod. "I hear you."

"Good. I love you, dork. Call me if you need guidance on how to pick up chicks. I know you're struggling with that." His face breaks into a grin, and before I can push him away, he is tackle-hugging me again, squeezing me tightly.

"Remember, don't be a fool, wrap up the tool...if you can even get that far," Jayden jokes, and I break from Jude to push hard against his chest as he laughs, smacking the side of my neck with his big hand.

"And remember there are two holes. One is good, the other is also good, but most of the time, girls freak the h.e.l.l out," Jude says between laughs.

"Plus, the b.o.o.bs are not handlebars, they are love cushions." Jayden cups his own chest and I roll my eyes.

These guys are f.u.c.king sixteen-year-olds, not men.

"You guys are a.s.sholes," I say as Markus wheezes on the car.

"Hey, we are trying to help," Jude says. "Can't send my brother out to lose his V-card and not know what to do."

My jaw drops. "Dude, I'm not virgin."

"Of course not," Jayden says with a wink. "I'm sure some girl will believe that."

Closing my eyes, I take in a deep breath as I shake my head. I want to chase them, but then my phone is vibrating in my pocket with text messages, and I know I need to go. Pulling it out, I see I'm right. Without looking up, I say, "I hate you both."

"But we love you, Jace, so much," they say together in a repulsive way that sets my teeth on edge. I swear they were put on this earth to drive me bats.h.i.t.

Still though, I love them. "You guys don't want to come tonight?"

Jude scoffs. "No way, Claire would throw a b.i.t.c.h fit."

"And Baylor would help," Jayden laughs. "No, we are gonna hang with Mom. Be old and s.h.i.t."

"Lame-a.s.s b.i.t.c.hes," I tease, walking around to my car. "Fine, go put your tampon in, but if by chance you change your mind, come on out and watch your baby bro pull girls left and right."

Markus heckles. "You couldn't pull a wagon. Really, guys, he sucks at pulling girls. You failed him."

I glare as Jude and Jayden chuckle. "I don't like you."

"I looooooooooove you," Markus laughs as Jayden cups my shoulder.

"Don't worry, young one. The force is strong within you. Your game shall come. I feel it."

"I hate you."

"Just remember, don't stare at their b.o.o.bs." Jude is still laughing.

"And listen to what they say," Jayden adds. "Girls like that s.h.i.t."

"You guys are dumb, and plus, I don't want some boring marriage. I want fun." I get into the car.

"Ha!" Jude laughs. "I had fun for a good long time. Let me tell you, my boring marriage is a billion times better."

I roll my eyes as Jayden says, "I'd take Baylor over a thousand different women. You just wait. There is a girl out there ready to knock you on your a.s.s."

"Yeah, right." I slam the door and wave at them. "I'm sure as h.e.l.l not looking for her."

"You don't have to," Jude calls out to me. "She'll come along and hit you harder than a two-hundred-pound defens.e.m.e.n, you watch."

"And then you'll be saying, man, my brothers were right." Jayden's attempt at mocking me is a fail in my eyes, but apparently Markus and Jude think he's funny.

"Whatever. I don't have time for all that, and I sure as h.e.l.l won't admit that you two losers are ever right."

"You'll see," Jayden calls out as I back out of the driveway. But I just wave, thinking they are both crazy.

But for some reason, those turquoise eyes flash in my mind and I quickly shake my head.

Nope, no girl is worth all that.

Especially when you add in the possibility of admitting my brothers are right.

No way.

Won't happen.

The campus is buzzing with excitement as we head toward the Bullies' house. Every person I pa.s.s is talking about the party and asking who is going. With every step I take toward the house, excitement rattles within me. According to Mekena, this is the party of the year. It is always wild and so much fun. There is already even a video posted on Facebook of people doing keg stands and a big game of broom hockey. It was huge, and it looked like fun. But I can't say I wish I had been there for that.

Since I hate hockey and all.

Well, maybe not the sport...but eh, whatever.

Mekena is excited, though. She is smiling, waving at people, and quickly I realize my a.s.sumptions of her were wrong. She is a people-pleaser and she obviously knows everyone. She hugs and kisses a lot of our cla.s.smates as we make our way across the quad. Soon, I learn that she went to high school here in Nashville. Along with that, her sister is a senior here and took her to all the parties last year to get her ready. While my home life is s.h.i.t, Mekena's isn't. She loves her family, and her sister is basically her best friend.

Lucky b.i.t.c.h.

G.o.d, how I wish I'd had a sister. Someone I could confide in, someone to tell about my newest crush, and someone to hold me when that boy breaks my heart. We'd go shopping and share clothes; we'd be two peas in a pod. Man, how amazing it would be. Instead, I got three huge brothers who smelled most of the time and made me carry their s.h.i.t after games. No shopping, no heart-to-hearts, and definitely no holding me after a breakup. Nope. Nothing.

But Mekena has all that, and when I come face-to-face with Skylar Preston, the only thing I can think is, holy c.r.a.p, they are twins. Just Skylar is thicker...a lot thicker than Mekena. Not fat, but I'm pretty sure the girl could bench me over her head.

Kind of scary.

Especially when she sets Mekena with a look that tells her she is not playing around and also that she is annoyed. "I'm not going to chill with you all night. You're on your own."

"I got this," Mekena says confidently, and that blows my mind. Where was this girl for the last week? I swear, she had her nose in the books, was quiet, and nothing else mattered but getting A's in all her cla.s.ses. This girl is ready to party, dressed to kill, and self-a.s.sured. What the h.e.l.l? "And you know what? You can't chill with me and my friend."

"Oh, poo." The sarcasm is strong in Skylar's voice, but worry is still in her eyes. "Remember, don't take drinks from dudes unless you know them, and even then, be careful. You start feeling weird, drop the cup and find me. Don't do drugs here. They are mostly laced with something. And also, don't end up getting raped, please. Be smart. This ain't your first rodeo."

"Yeah, I know. Don't worry."

Skylar isn't convinced, though, and she rolls her eyes. "So who are you trying to holler at? I know you didn't leave your books for a party unless it was for some guy."

Oh...that makes sense.

Mekena's cheeks flush with color as she shrugs, which makes Skylar laugh. "Oh gosh, please tell me it isn't Markus," she says, twirling her hair on her finger. "Aren't you over him yet? It's been like a year."