Face-Off at the Altar

by Toni Aleo

  Markus’s heart crashed into his stomach. “Oh,” he said, the air knocked out of him. He had always thought of himself as a team player, but then, had he been a team player since he came to the Ninjas?

  “We’ve been in talks with Coach Saint, and even he believes you aren’t a team player, that you’ve been partying too much, and that you come to practice worthless. I haven’t seen this. Did you have a bad practice today? Yes, but everyone does. Usually, with this much stacked against you, I would just let you go. I wouldn’t give you this opportunity, especially since your contract with us is almost over—you’re a free agent as of the end of December—but Jayden truly believes you can get the job done. So instead of doing what I normally do, I’m listening to my captain. Now it’s on you. Are you who I’m looking for?”

  It was a lot to process, and Markus felt like he was drowning. Had he really just gone to shit since he’d come here? Who was this person she was speaking of? Because the Markus Reeves he knew was awesome and, above all, a team player. Yeah, things had to change, but those things didn’t matter in his life anymore. His future was on the line, and he wasn’t going to squander it.

  “I am,” he said simply, his heart in his throat. “And I’m going to prove that to everyone.”

  Including himself.

  After getting the details on when he was leaving, Markus walked out of the office as Coach Saint walked in with a couple of other guys. They looked at him, and he looked back. They were his linemates, and he wondered if they were his competition going up to Nashville. But as soon as he thought it, he knew that was the problem. He was looking at everyone around him as competitors and not as his brothers. And it was because of that he was now known as not a team player.

  Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he called Jace.

  “Bro. You going?”

  “I am,” he said, and Jace let out a whoop of excitement. “But apparently, no one believes in me.”

  Jace paused. “Huh?”

  “Yeah, I guess I got a bad rep. I’m not a team player.”

  “So prove them wrong,” he said simply, and Markus grinned when he heard Jace’s daughter hollering for him.

  “Daddy! Juice! Now!”

  “Demanding little thing, huh?” Markus laughed as Jace groaned.

  “You have no clue. She knows who runs shit,” Jace sighed.

  “And it’s her?”

  “Completely,” he groaned as the sound of the refrigerator opening and closing reached Markus’s ears. “But, you got this, dude. You didn’t fit with the Ninjas, but you’ll fit with the Assassins. When do you leave?”

  “Tomorrow, actually.”

  “Wow. Cool, go in there and show them you’re it. You got this.”

  “Yeah, you’re right.”

  “So you’ll practice with the team this week, folks go off to Worlds while we all go to Lucy’s wedding. Seems to me that God was at work with that one. Now you’ll be home for all the festivities and see everyone,” he said, and Markus nodded. He had planned to leave for Jace’s sister Lucy’s wedding on Friday night. Based on the quick turnaround, he would miss everything but the ceremony. He had been upset about it, but at least he would have been there to see Lucy and her groom say “I do.” But now, he could be there all week. Which was good since Jude, Jace’s other brother, and his wife, Claire, were flying in for the week. It would be like old times, all of them together.

  Maybe Jace was right, this was a sign from God.

  “Even though I’m sure Mekena would think differently,” Jace laughed then, and Markus’s heart stopped.

  Mekena.

  Mekena fucking Preston.

  The girl he screwed over royally.

  “Yeah, I bet she would,” he said dryly, swallowing hard. “Maybe we can be civil.”

  Jace scoffed. “Yeah, sure, she’ll just forget that you banged her sister and take ya back.”

  Markus cringed. “Don’t sugarcoat it, asshole.”

  “Oh, I won’t because Avery does not let me forget that you’re an asshole.”

  “What? I thought she loved me!”

  “Eh, when Mekena’s not around, Avery’s okay. But when she is, they all hate you.”

  Markus groaned. “It wasn’t even my fault.”

  “’Cause your dick fell in her sister?”

  “Fuck you, I’ll talk to you later,” he bit out, his eyes narrowing to slits. Jace knew the truth. He knew how it all went down, yet he still was giving Markus shit. He knew that Jace had told Avery the truth, but he was pretty sure she didn’t care. In her eyes, Markus was scum, and she was probably right.

  It wasn’t like he had told Mekena’s sister no.

  But he never said yes either.

  Jace laughed. “Fine, fine. But, hey,” he said, and Markus paused, not hanging up on his friend.

  “What?”

  “Congratulations, bro. I know you’ve got this. So don’t let me down, all right?”

  Markus smiled. “I hear ya. Thanks, bro.”

  “Anytime. And don’t think too much about Mekena. She’ll never stop hating you.”

  Markus’s smile dropped, his brow furrowing. “I hate you.”

  “Just a friendly reminder!” Jace sang before the line went dead, and Markus tucked his phone into his back pocket.

  While he knew Jace was right, he couldn’t help but wish he wasn’t. Markus didn’t want Mekena to hate him. He wanted her to love him, to care for him, to be his, but that ship sailed when he got in bed with her sister, Skylar. No matter how drunk he was or how persistent Skylar was, he should have said no.

  That is, if he had known it was happening.

  But none of that mattered. He had one goal in mind now and that was to be an Assassin.

  Especially since he was swearing off women anyway.

  When the knock came at the door, Mekena eyed it suspiciously.

  Mr. Right didn’t even move.

  A part of her didn’t want to answer it; she wanted to ignore it. But if it was her mother, she knew she wouldn’t go away. If by chance it was Skylar, though, ignoring her may work. Before she could make that choice, the door cracked open and Libby popped her head in.

  “Hey there, buttercup,” she said, sliding in and shutting the door behind her. “Still a no-go on dinner?”

  Wiping away a stray tear, she nodded. “No-go.”

  She hadn’t realized how much seeing her sister was going to hurt. She knew it would suck. She hadn’t laid eyes on the woman in over a year nor had she spoken to her, but seeing the smug grin, hearing her poor excuse for why she did it, her callousness to the situation sent Mekena into a tailspin of epic proportions. It was like her heart was breaking all over again.

  And she still had to see him.

  Man, she was screwed.

  “You got your angry bun on top of your head, so I guess I should have known the answer, huh?”

  Mekena scoffed, cupping her hair that was in a very messy and maybe a bit angry bun. “Guess so.” Pushing her black-rimmed glasses up her nose, she read the same sentence she had been reading in her book for the last ten minutes and begged her tears to stay back. Skylar didn’t deserve them. Nor did he. No, she had to keep those for herself.

  “Do you wanna talk about it?”

  She didn’t even look at her aunt. “Why in the hell would I want to do that?”

  Libby laughed. “Hell, I don’t know. That’s what everyone always said to me.”

  That made her glance up. Unlike Mekena, Libby wasn’t the least bit sad. She didn’t even look affected anymore about what had happened. Mekena guessed that since it had been over twenty-five years, Libby had healed. Did that mean it would take twenty-five years for her? Clearing her throat, she asked, “What did you say?”

  Libby laughed. “I was an asshole and said to fuck off, that there was nothing to speak of, that I didn’t care. But I think Linda always knew I was a bit broken. I know she still blames herself, and it’s been eons.”

  Looking away, M
ekena swallowed hard. The story of how her father and mother got together wasn’t a secret. Aunt Libby and Stan dated all through high school and even into college. Everyone was convinced they’d get married, have little babies, but then they got into a huge fight and broke up. Two weeks later, he started dating Linda, and then a week later, they were married. It was nasty, and Mekena still remembered the way her grandma would speak of it all. How everyone hated Stan—and even Linda for a little while. Though they promised that nothing ever happened when he was with Libby, everyone was pretty sure that was a lie.

  “Do you blame her?”

  Libby shook her head. “No, I never did.”

  “No?”

  “No, I knew she wasn’t lying to me. I knew she wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. They clicked and we didn’t. I always knew they had something, I just didn’t think he would pursue her after me and that they’d get married so quickly. We were together for almost six years, so it hurt.”

  “But you forgave her?”

  Libby smiled. “She’s my sister, my blood. And like I said, I knew she didn’t do anything to hurt me. She followed her heart. I can’t blame her for that. I think I always knew that Stan and I wouldn’t work long term, that we were too much alike to actually make it last.” She paused, a grin sitting on her lips. “I think we got lazy, and the fear of starting over kept us from breaking up. But then we had that fight about the laundry soap, and that did it. Stupid fight, but if it hadn’t happened, I would be in a loveless marriage and I wouldn’t be an aunt to you, my sweet girl. So in reality, it worked out just right.”

  Reaching out, she took Mekena’s hand and kissed the back of it. “Linda was made for all that mothering shit. Me, I’m the cool aunt who tries to stab your dad every other year. Good times, I tell ya.”

  Mekena grinned. “Please don’t do that this visit. I don’t think I can handle it.”

  “I know, my love. I’m sorry,” she said, her hand coming up to cup Mekena’s face.

  Mekena’s book fell to her lap as she let out a breath. Libby’s eyes were knowing, almost like she wanted to say to forgive Skylar. But surely, Mekena was reading her wrong. A lump formed in her throat as she blurted out, “Please don’t tell me to forgive her.”

  “Fuck no, not at all,” Libby laughed, shaking her head. “No, what she did, that was heartless and nothing but a betrayal. That girl has been jealous of you since you were born, and she’s a whore like your father.” She paused, holding her hand up. “That last bit might be frowned upon, so please don’t tell your mom I said that.”

  Mekena smiled. “I won’t.”

  “Good.” She shook her head and looked down at her lap. “I get so mad when I think about it. You’re such a sweet girl, such a good heart, and I don’t understand how someone could hurt you like that.”

  Mekena’s eyes filled with tears. “I want to forgive her,” she whispered, her throat closing. “She’s my sister. But I can’t. I feel such anger and hatred in my heart. I hate that. I don’t want to feel like that, but I can’t let it go.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry, Kennie.”

  Swallowing hard, Mekena closed her eyes. “What would you have done?”

  Libby hesitated. “Well, eh, we all know I have a bit of a violent streak, so maybe I’m not the person to ask.”

  Mekena looked up, smiling, and Libby laughed. “Just keep doing what you’re doing. You’re living, not letting this hold you back, and that right there is enough. Time will heal all wounds, my love, don’t forget that.”

  “I am letting it hold me back,” she admitted almost in a whisper. “I ran. I sometimes don’t even feel like me.”

  Libby paused. “Well, I didn’t know that, and that’s not okay.”

  “I know, and I don’t know how to fix it. Maybe I should forgive her. Let it go?”

  Looking up hopefully, she knew immediately that her aunt Libby was the wrong person for this kind of advice. Especially when she held up her hands, an evasive look on her face. “I mean, I would beat her ass and cut her. But again, you’re asking the most unstable person alive.”

  “Yeah, but you’re my unstable person,” Mekena said softly, and Libby grinned before gathering her in her arms.

  “Come here, sweetheart,” she said gently before holding Mekena close and kissing her forehead.

  Leaning into her aunt’s embrace, she closed her eyes as Libby said, “Kennie, you’re amazing and beautiful, smart to boot. I’m lucky to have you in my life, but you’re killing me, Smalls. I can’t have you not being happy, so we need to find a solution here.”

  Scoffing, her eyes stayed shut as she snuggled deeper into her aunt’s arms. “Not sure how to do that.”

  “What do you want?”

  She didn’t even have to hesitate. She knew what she wanted. “I want to let go of this anger. I want to live the life I want, and I want to love it.”

  “Okay, how do we do that?”

  “That’s the problem. I don’t know.”

  “That is a problem,” Libby agreed, kissing the top of her head once more. “Do you think it starts with forgiving her?”

  “Maybe, but I can’t.”

  “Then don’t. You’ll know when you can,” she said, pulling away to look at her. “It took me three weeks to talk to Linda and over two years to talk to Stan. The only reason I did was because I wanted to hold Skylar, and he was holding her.”

  Mekena smiled as she nodded, pulling out of her aunt’s embrace as she sucked in a breath. Her heart was heavy, her mind muddled with the hurt and betrayal by her sister.

  After a moment of silence, she looked at Libby. “What if I can’t? Forgive her, I mean.”

  “Then you don’t. Not everyone gets along, Kennie.”

  “But I don’t want to live like that. I’ve never held a grudge, been this mad for this long.”

  Libby shrugged. “First time for everything.”

  Mekena laughed. “You are honestly the worst person to talk to about this.”

  Libby grinned. “I know, but you’re welcome.”

  Shaking her head, Mekena leaned against the wall of her bedroom, taking in her childhood room. Nothing had changed in it. Her old posters of Justin Bieber and other singers still graced the walls, along with an awesome Bill Nye poster and one from Supernatural. Her awards from school were still up, and there were pictures with all her high school friends. High school. It seemed so far away, but then, it was only three years ago. She didn’t even feel like that girl anymore. A part of her feared she didn’t even know the girl she was now, and she blamed that squarely on Skylar.

  “I don’t hate her,” she whispered then, and Libby looked over at her. “I still love her. I’ll always love her, I know this. But I just can’t.”

  “And that’s okay. It’s okay to be selfish sometimes, Kennie. It’s okay to be mad, not to like what someone has done to you. You’ve always lived in her shadow, always done what she said, always looked up to her and, honey child, that’s okay. It’s time for you to find who you are.”

  Swallowing hard past the lump in her throat, she nodded. “That was good advice, Lib.”

  “It comes and goes,” she laughed, and Mekena’s lip quirked at the side. “But really, don’t feel like you need to forgive and forget, no matter what the parent folks say. They don’t know what you’re feeling, only you know. So you do what is good for you, okay?”

  Before she could answer, she heard yelling in the kitchen. “What are they arguing about?”

  “Well, that’s what I came in here for,” she said wryly, and Mekena’s heart dropped.

  “Ugh, what?”

  “Skylar has nowhere to go and wants to stay here since it’s her home as much as it’s yours. Her words, not mine. Stan is fine with it, but Linda is worried about you.”

  Mekena didn’t understand. “She doesn’t even live here.”

  “Ah, apparently, she does.”

  “I thought she was moving out to Vegas?”

  “Yeah, I don’
t know, honey cakes. I’m just telling you what I heard.”

  Mekena’s heart was pounding, and her stomach clenched as she shook her head. “I’m not staying here if she is.”

  “Don’t blame you. Do you want me to go with you?”

  “No, it’s fine,” she said, waving her off. “I know you want to see Mom.”

  “I do,” she agreed. “But I don’t want to see your dad or Skylar. So I can leave, take Linda with me.”

  Mekena smiled. “No, it’s fine. You stay. I have a place to go, and I could use some time alone. Gather my thoughts.”

  “Good idea.”

  “Yeah, it’s out in the wilderness. A cabin. So, yeah, that’s good for me.”

  “A cabin?” she asked skeptically, and Mekena laughed.

  “Yes, the groom rented like forty cabins for all the guests and got me one, but I chose to stay here. But it’s fine. I’m going,” she said, deciding then that it was the best idea for her. Standing up, she started to gather her things, but then she paused. “Mom’s gonna be pissed.”

  “Oh, yeah. I’ll go warn her and maybe trip Skylar on my way,” Libby said, getting up, and Mekena laughed.

  “Don’t hurt anyone,” she warned, and Libby smiled back at her, a little bit of mischief in her eyes.

  “You’re a good girl, Kennie, better than me,” she called to her before reaching for the door. As it shut, though, Mekena fell back onto the bed, looking up at the ceiling. Tears gathered in her eyes, and her chest felt heavy as she sucked in breaths, letting them out slowly. She was pretty sure she was supposed to feel like a weight had been lifted off her after a long heart-to-heart with her aunt, but if anything, she felt more confused. More unsure of herself and even more confused over what to do about Skylar.

  And him.