More Than A Game (The Kings of Kroydon Hills Book 2)

by Bella Matthews

  “We all do. But that’s not a choice we get to make, Murph.” He takes his eggroll back from Nattie, who just stole it. “I know you were closer to Jamie than I was and this is hitting you harder. But we all feel it, and we’re all going to get through it together.”

  Sabrina’s hand reaches for mine, and she squeezes.

  We eat quietly for a few minutes until Nattie points her eggroll at Sabrina and asks, “Brina, what are you going to do about your parents?”

  I’m pretty sure this is one of those land mine situations. Step carefully and be ready for the explosion.

  “Well, after my mom called today—”

  “Wait, what?” I interrupt her. “When did your mom call?”

  “Before Pysch.”

  Nattie smiles. “Ha ha. I knew before you, Murph.”

  I throw a wonton across the table at her, but Brady catches it and pops it in his mouth.

  “Hey! Focus, people.” Sabrina has a surprisingly calm tone in her voice. “Like I was saying, before I hung up on my mother today, I told her I’d call her when I was ready to talk. I’m not ready. So, that’s that for now.”

  I turn to face her. My voice softening, I ask, “What did your mom say?”

  “She was a bitch. She basically threatened to cut me off if I didn’t go home to talk to them tonight.”

  “Maybe you should go.”

  Sabrina glares daggers at me. “You can’t be serious.”

  “I just mean you can’t not talk to them forever, right? You might as well try to get this shit fixed. It’s gonna eat at you the longer you let it go on.”

  She turns to fully face me. “I was there, Murphy. I heard what she said to you. I will not let her get away with threatening you in an attempt to control me and my life. If I give in to her demands, she’s won. She’s gotten her way. If I don’t stand up for myself and you right now, she’s the one pulling my strings. Screw that. I’m nobody’s puppet.”

  Rocky must not like hearing Sabrina get upset either. She paws at her leg. Brina looks down and rubs the dog’s head. “You wanna go out? Come on, girl. I’ll take you out.” She places her napkin on the table. “I’ll be right back.”

  We all watch quietly as Sabrina grabs Rocky’s leash and leads her outside.

  Bash clicks his damn tongue, and I want to rip it out of his mouth. “Smooth move, Murph. Real smooth.”

  “What the hell did I do? I don’t want her to not talk to her parents. Yeah, they’re assholes, and her mom was a bitch to me, but I don’t care what she says, so long as that girl outside is with me and in my bed at the end of the day. Jesus. Look at the last twenty-four hours. What if something happened to one of her parents and she wasn’t talking to them? Do you think she’d ever forgive herself?”

  I look at the three of them and see three stunned sets of eyes looking back.

  “What?” I ask.

  Brady, Nattie, and Bash look at each other before Brady answers, “Just caught us off guard, Murph. You’re not usually the voice of reason.”

  “Yeah,” Nattie adds, stabbing a piece of broccoli. “It’s a little weird.”

  “Whatever. You guys still suck.” Standing, I push back from the table, grab our two containers, stick the lids on them, and shove them in the fridge. Then I look back at the table and warn my roommates, “Those leftovers had better still be there later.”

  Bash holds his hands up, pointing at Nattie. “No promises, man.”

  “Shut up, Bash. That happened one time. One freaking time I ate your sesame chicken, and you’re never going to let me live it down,” Nat pouts.

  “Whatever, guys. Brina left most of her dinner. When she’s done being pissed at me, she might be hungry.”

  Nat leans forward. “Oh? From all the makeup sex?”

  I look at Brady. “Can you make her stop talking?”

  Brady laughs and reaches for Nat’s hand. “Yeah. I can think of a few ways.”

  I turn to walk away, just as I hear what I’m guessing is Brady getting a face full of something. Rice maybe?

  Then I hear Bash, “Hey, that was my eggroll.”

  A throat clears behind us.

  “I’m not pissed at you.” Sabrina takes Rocky’s leash off as she enters the kitchen. “I’m just so mad at my mom, and it seems really inconsequential in light of everything that’s happened in the past few days. I’m sorry if I made you think I was mad at you.” She leans up and kisses my cheek.

  Brady wraps his arm around Nattie’s shoulders. “How come you never apologize to me?”

  “Because I’m never wrong,” Nat answers smugly. Then she steals his egg roll.

  Sabrina grabs her bottle of water from the table. “I’ve got to go finish my paper.”

  Bash groans, closes his eyes and shakes his head. “Is that code for loud monkey sex?”

  “Get your mind out of the gutter, Sebastian,” my girl laughs. It’s kind of a pitiful sound, but she’s trying. “Loud monkey sex comes after the paper is done.” She smiles at the shocked look on Bash’s face, then walks up the stairs.

  God, she’s perfect.

  Sinclair – Murphy Family Group Text

  Coach Sinclair: Sorry for the group text. This seemed like the best way to get this information out. We got a letter from Cooper today. It appears he’ll be home a week before Christmas until January second. Katie and I would like to get married on New Year’s Eve at the Ritz Carlton. We want to start off the new year as a family. We’ve reserved the entire thirtieth floor for the night.

  Declan: Did you really name the text chain, Dad?

  Nattie: Aww, Dad! That’s perfect!

  Coach Sinclair: You and Brady will have two rooms.

  Nattie: What?

  Declan: Don’t waste your money, Dad.

  Coach Sinclair: I’m ignoring everything you say, Dec.

  Declan: I feel the love, Dad.

  Mom: Aiden, feel free to invite Sabrina. The girls can room together.

  Annabelle: I don’t think I’m supposed to be on this text chain, but congrats!!

  Coach Sinclair: I added you to this, Annabelle. You and Tommy are family, and we would really like it if you’d both be there.

  Annabelle: I . . . I don’t know what to say.

  Nattie: Say you’ll come, Belles. It’ll be fun, and you already closed the studio for that week.

  Annabelle: We would love to. Thank you so much! Tommy will be so excited.

  Mom: Annabelle, we’d really like Tommy to be the ring bearer. If he’d want to.

  Annabelle: He would love that. (BTW I’m not crying right now. That’s someone else)

  Mom: Aiden, please tell Sebastian we’d like him to come as well.

  Carys: Can I bring a friend?

  Mom: We can discuss that later.

  Carys: How’s that fair?

  Murphy: Sucks to be the youngest, Care Bear

  Nattie: I love you, Daddy!

  Coach Sinclair: I love you too, honey. Now go tell your boyfriend he’s bunking with Murphy!

  Group Text:

  Nattie: Hey, Hey, Ladies. My dad just announced the wedding date, and it’s New Year’s Eve.

  Chloe: Woo hoo! Big Daddy Sinclair’s really putting a ring on it!

  Nattie: Zip it, Chloe. Kathrine has had a ring on it for months now.

  Chloe: Maybe he’s putting a ring somewhere else. I hear older guys are all about the Prince Alberts.

  Nattie: Oh, gross!

  Sabrina: Yay! That’s great, Nat.

  Nattie: Oh, Annabelle . . .

  Annabelle: I knew this was coming . . . What, Nattie?

  Nattie: Should we expect you and Declan to sneak away for some secret nookie?

  Chloe: WTF! When did Belle and Dec have secret nookie? Why didn’t anyone tell me?

  Sabrina: If everyone knew, it wouldn’t be a secret.

  Nattie: It was last weekend!

  Annabelle: IT WAS ONE TIME!!!

  Nattie: We’ll see about that.

  41

&nb
sp; Sabrina

  Nattie and I decided to switch it up this week and go to a hot yoga class at the crack of dawn Thursday morning instead of our regular Wednesday morning class. This is so not something we’re going to be doing again. I have no idea why anyone likes this. I can only imagine this is what the surface of the sun feels like. I’d rather my toxins stay firmly in place if sweating them out means going through this fresh hell again.

  As we lie on our mats, trying to will our bodies to move, I manage to turn my head slightly before speaking. “I need water.”

  Nattie opens her eyes. “Screw water. I need coffee, but it needs to be iced.”

  Ten minutes later, we look like drowned rats in the campus coffee shop. It’s cold and raining outside, which actually felt pretty stinking refreshing, all things considered. When our waitress brings our orders, we thank her and dig in.

  “So, how was Murphy after the memorial last night?” Nat asks before taking a bite of her bagel.

  I swallow my coconut water and sigh. “I’m not entirely sure. He’s been a little closed-off since Monday. I think the stress of switching positions is getting to him, but he doesn’t want to talk about it. How was Brady?”

  “He’s Brady. He feels like he needs to shoulder this for the whole team.” She shrugs. I guess she’s used to this.

  Nat rips off another piece of bagel. “The election’s in less than two weeks, right? Is your mom still calling? She’s got to be losing her mind.”

  “Nope. Now she’s resorting to making Penny do her bidding. Pen texted me yesterday, begging me to come to dinner this weekend. She said Mom is sorry and wants to talk.” I move the granola around in my Greek yogurt while I mix in the little cup of raspberries. “My mother has never been sorry for anything she’s ever done, not one single thing in her entire life. Penny would never have said that if she wasn’t being told to write it.”

  “Brina, you may not want to hear this, but I think you should go.” Nattie wraps what’s left of her bagel in the wax paper and pushes it away. “Tell them you’re bringing Murphy with you if you want, but go. Give them a chance to fix this, or go and tell them what you’re willing to accept and what you aren’t. But either way, you need to go. This is the world you want to be in after graduation. This is politics, so be political. Make it work for you. I mean, seriously, think about it. If you cut yourself off from your parents, I’m pretty sure your political aspirations are over before they’ve really even started.”

  Damnit. When did Nattie get so intuitive? “I know that you’re right, but I really don’t want to deal with this.” I push away my yogurt.

  “But you know you have to.”

  “I do know I have to. I just don’t want to.” I sound like a petulant child. “I guess we could go Sunday. The stress surrounding this weekend’s game will be over. I can’t imagine that my dad will have a ton of free time in his schedule anyway, so dinner won’t be able to last all night.” I mull it over in my mind. “I guess it could work.”

  “I think you should, Brina. Don’t let it get worse. My mom and I were never crazy close. Not even before I moved across the country. But now, it’s worse. Now, when we try to talk, it’s strained and forced. Don’t let that happen. I mean, she’s a fucking psycho, but she’s still the only mom you’re gonna get.”

  “You sure you’re not Catholic, Nat? You can guilt trip with the best of them. The nuns have nothing on you.”

  She lifts her bottle of water to toast. “Amen, sister.”

  I clink my bottle to hers. “Amen.”

  Murphy and I are studying in his room later that night. We’ve fallen into a comfortable routine. I haven’t slept in my own bed once this week. It’s basically turned into my drop spot for my books and clothes. I run in and switch them out when I need to. I’ve started to live out of my overnight bag, which is working for now. I need to get some laundry done soon though.

  Murphy’s wearing his Clark Kent glasses and sitting at his desk while I sit crossed-legged on the bed, my MacBook on my lap, and Rocky snuggled up next to me. I’ve been stealing glances at his sexy profile all night, and it’s definitely messing with my concentration. I’ve read the same paragraph three times now, and I couldn’t explain what it said if someone offered me a million dollars to do it.

  When he closes his book and stands from the desk, I know I’m done for the night. Both muscular arms reach above his head as he stretches out, and I force myself not to drool. I wonder if my heart will ever stop skipping a beat in his presence.

  Murphy moves toward me. “I’m done. I can’t read this shit anymore.” He crosses the room and sits down on the edge of the bed. “Do you have much more?”

  I set the laptop down next to me and shift closer to him. “Nope.”

  His strong hands grip my waist, and I’m moved to straddle his lap. “You coming to my game this weekend, Princess?”

  “I sure am. I got my jersey with your name on it from the campus store. I even got it big, so I could fit my hoodie under it. Do you know how cold it’s supposed to get this weekend?”

  He shakes his head no.

  “There’s a freaking chance of snow. Winter is coming really early.”

  “Okay, Jon Snow. I’ll keep you warm.” He leans his forehead to mine, then kisses me. It’s slow and sexy and absolutely intoxicating.

  I place both hands on his chest and push back slightly. “Aiden, wait. My sister sent me a message. They want me to come to dinner Sunday night.”

  “Are you going to go?” He tightens his grip on my waist.

  “I told them I would only go if I could bring you with me.” I move my hands to his face. “Would you mind coming? I guess I really should have asked you first.”

  “You don’t even have to ask, Princess. I’ll follow your lead on this. Whatever you need, I’m there.”

  His hands move to my ass. “How much longer do you have to study?”

  I wiggle in his lap against his growing erection. “About an hour.”

  “Is it too soon for a distraction?”

  “Nope.”

  This time Murphy attacks my mouth. It’s not sweet or slow. He tries to lean me back on the bed, but I land on Rocky, causing her to yelp and jump down. She runs for the door and starts scratching to be let out.

  His gorgeous green eyes glare at the dog. “We need to make a rule that Rocky isn’t allowed on the bed.”

  “Yeah, no promises there. Us girls have to stick together. It’s two against one.”

  Murphy jumps up and lets Rocky out into the hall, then locks his door. “This bed isn’t big enough for you, me, and the dog. Not with everything I want to do to you.”

  “Promises, promises.”

  42

  Murphy

  We only have a walk-through the day before the game. No pads. No hitting. Just a walk-through. It’s the only time we touch the stadium field other than game day. I was hoping that when we got off the practice field, we’d be able to pull our shit together. How we can fuck up a walk-through is beyond me, but we managed to do it.

  We haven’t had a single good practice this entire week, and today capped it all off. It’s been a clusterfuck of epic proportions. We’re so far removed from the team we were the last time we set foot on this field two weeks ago, I’d laugh if I wasn’t so fucking angry about it.

  As we walk out into the parking lot, Bash nods at Brady and me as he climbs into his H2. “I told Sammy I’d catch up with him for a late dinner. I’ll see you guys at the house later.”

  “Tell your brother we said hi, man. Been a long time since we’ve seen him.”

  Bash revs the engine of the Hummer and leaves.

  Turning to me, Brady asks, “You want to get something to eat? Nattie said Chloe, Sabrina, and she were going to dinner and then to the movies to watch some chick flick.”

  “Yeah. Sabrina told me they’d be home late. Wanna grab some pizza?”

  “Sure. Home, huh? Did we gain a new roommate?” Brady is smiling as he says it, s
o I know he isn’t upset.

  “Nah, man. Not a new roommate. Not yet. I don’t know though . . . I just want her with me.”

  We both climb in the Escalade. “I get it, Murph.”

  When we sit down at the local pizza place, I smile at the text vibrating on my screen.

  Group Text:

  Cooper: Hey, assholes. I finally have my phone and computer back.

  Cooper: Damn, it’s been a long two months.

  Murphy: Without sex or without a phone?

  Bash: No phone means no porn.

  Brady: Who needs porn?

  Cooper: Not a word about my sister, QB.

  Brady: Fine. Congrats on making it through, man. Wish we could be there Monday.

  Murphy: Yeah. Don’t trip crossing the stage.

  Cooper: It’s not high school graduation, genius. There’s no stage.

  Bash: We’re proud of ya, Coop.

  Cooper: So, what did I miss? Fill me in on everything.

  Bash: Murphy’s in LOVE

  Murphy: Bash is marrying a TRAIN WRECK

  Brady: I kiss your sister ALL. THE. TIME

  Cooper: I fucking miss you guys!

  Later that night, Brady and I are lounging on the couches watching ESPN when the front door opens and the girls spill through. Laughter bounces off the walls, making me smile before I even see them. I lean over the couch and see Rocky run over to Sabrina and Nattie, wagging her stubby tail and going in circles around their legs.

  Chloe squats down in front of her, letting her sniff her hand before Rocky starts to lick it. “Oh my goodness! Aren’t you just the cutest thing ever?” She scratches behind her ears and down her back until Rocky rolls over and presents her with her belly. Then she reaches into her purse and pulls out a toy.

  I lean further over the couch to get a better look. “What the fuck is that?”

  Sabrina and Nattie start laughing again. Rocky prances over to Brady and me, dropping her new toy at our feet before she walks in her circle, deciding which spot she wants to take up on the floor. When I reach down and pick up the toy, she lets out an impatient whine. I hand it to Brady, shaking my head and cupping my balls.