Juicy Rebound (IceCats Book 1)

by Toni Aleo

  “Yeah,” she says, waving me off. “Can we wait for him in the car?”

  I laugh. “No, I want to see him. Plus, he gave us these awesome access stickers with his name on them. We can’t go to the car. That’s crazy.”

  “It might be busy down there.”

  “Shelli, I’m shocked you’re suggesting this. You live to see other arenas. Come on. Did you get into a fight with Nico?”

  “No, it’s not that. I just want to go to the car, and I want you to go with me.”

  “We can go after we see Chandler, okay?”

  She bites her lip, looking extremely nervous. I don’t get it, and it doesn’t seem as if she is going to tell me what’s wrong. “I just don’t think we should go down there.”

  I look over at her as the elevator dings open. “Why?”

  “I just want to go to the car. He’ll understand.”

  I step onto the elevator. “Go. I’ll meet you there.”

  She groans loudly as she gets on. “Whatever.”

  As the doors close, I ask, “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Okay, whatever.”

  The ride down is quick, and after our passes are verified, we head to the spot for family and friends. It’s a roped-off section so that people are out of the way of the crew that is cleaning and putting equipment away, and it’s a little ways down from the locker rooms. The players have to pass by it to get out to their parking lot or to where the opposing team’s bus is waiting. Our plan was to ride with Chandler to my car so Shelli could take it home. I glance over at her, and she’s rocking back and forth nervously.

  “Shelli, what the hell?”

  She looks at me and shakes her head, but before she can utter a word, I hear a voice I never wanted to hear again for the rest of my life.

  “Amelia?”

  Fear explodes in my stomach as I look to my left where his voice came from. His brows are drawn together almost in disbelief.

  Drew.

  Everything goes cold. My heart stops, and I feel light-headed as he asks, “Amelia, is that you? What are you doing here?”

  From beside me, Shelli says, “Fuck. This is why I didn’t want to come down here. Hold my purse.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chandler

  The goal I got was lucky as all hell, but I’m excited Amelia got to see it. I didn’t see her in the stands; I couldn’t remember where the seats I got her were, but knowing she was there made me play better. Or at least, that’s what I think—I don’t know. It was a good game. A goal, an assist, and one hell of a hit. It was a great night, and I’m ready to keep that going. Just knowing Amelia is waiting for me has me all giddy inside. When Lana used to wait for me, she was usually bragging to the other girls about whatever she made me buy her. She wouldn’t be excited to see me because I was her husband. No, it was because I would take her out to a fancy dinner or something. I know Amelia won’t be like that. She’ll be happy to see me.

  Because she loves me for me.

  A grin quirks at the corner of my lips as I walk down the hall with Nico to where the families usually wait. The hall is full of photos of the IceCats teams from previous years. The team hasn’t won a Cup yet, but it’s coming. When I walk down the hall, I always make sure to count the photos I’m in on the wall with my teammates.

  Six. The number is six, and I’m proud of that.

  “Get the hell away from her!”

  My brows touch as I look over at Nico. “Didn’t that sound like Shelli?”

  He nods. “Yeah.”

  Unintelligible shouting is carrying down the hallway, and I pick up the pace. I reach the waiting area to find Shelli in some guy’s face, while Amelia stands behind her, a look of pure terror on her face as she clings to a purse. I go into protection mode. Apparently Nico does too because we both start to jog for them.

  “Shelli, please,” Amelia cries, but Shelli is pissed.

  “You won’t ever get near her again.”

  “Get the hell out of the way, Shelli. I just want to talk to her,” the guy says. I don’t know him. He looks like the guy who scored in the game, but other than that, I have no clue who this dude is.

  “She doesn’t want to speak to you!”

  “Can she tell me that?”

  “No!” Shelli yells, her face bright red. For a little thing, she sure is scary when she’s mad. “You aren’t speaking to her, and if you don’t back up, I’m gonna do what I’ve been waiting to do for years.”

  The guy laughs. “What’s that? Nag me to death?”

  “What the hell is going on?” Nico asks.

  “Nothing. Stay out of it, Merryweather,” Shelli sneers, but Nico is already at her side, glaring at the guy. Amelia’s tear-filled eyes meet mine, and relief floods her face. I’m not sure what is happening, but my first instinct is to protect her. She drops the purse before coming toward me. My arms are already open, ready for her as she slams her body into mine. I kiss the top of her head, and I’m about to ask what’s going on. But when I look up, it’s just in time to see Shelli kick the guy hard in the nuts before slamming her palm up his nose.

  “Holy shit,” I gasp, but Amelia buries her face in my chest.

  “Make them stop.”

  Pretty sure Shelli just took care of that, because the guy falls to his knees as she glares down at him. “Exactly what my daddy said to do to assholes who don’t know how to treat women. Don’t you dare come around my cousin again! She left your sorry ass for a reason.”

  Anger courses through my veins in seconds, and I narrow my eyes. “Is that Drew?”

  Amelia is crying as she looks up at me. “Please. Don’t.”

  I press my lips together, and I’m trying really hard to control my anger. “I can rip him limb from limb. Right now.”

  I said I’m trying.

  She shakes her head against me. “Please, Chandler. If you love me, you won’t.”

  Well, that’s unfair.

  “Shelli did it,” I mutter against her hair. “And she’s getting arrested now.”

  Her shoulders droop as the sobs rip through her. She pulls away from me, her eyes narrowed to slits as she looks over to where Drew is on one knee, struggling to take in deep breaths. I wouldn’t mind kicking him again. To the left, Shelli is being held by security, and Nico is trying to reason with them.

  “I want to press charges. She assaulted me.”

  “Oh, that’s rich, you wife-beating fuckface!”

  Excuse me, what?

  I look at Amelia, but she won’t meet my eyes. She is shaking as she glares at him. “For real, Drew. She’s my cousin!”

  There is blood streaming down Drew’s face as he holds out his hands toward Shelli. “She hit me!”

  “Don’t do this,” Amelia pleads. “You know how emotional she gets.”

  He gets to his feet, and when he takes a step forward, toward her, I step between them. “Back up, fucker,” I snarl, and I almost sound like Sadie when a woman comes around. Well, not Amelia. My girl loves her.

  The asshole looks me up and down. I don’t know what the hell Amelia saw in this guy, but it is what it is. He’s almost my height, a touch bigger, but he looks like he fell face first down the ugly tree. His eyes are a weird blue color, and his nose is all sharp angles. Like the penguin from Batman. My parents say I upgraded? Shit, they should see this guy.

  “Chandler,” Amelia pleads, her hand sliding into mine.

  “Not doing anything. Just standing here.”

  “I’m trying to talk to her,” the asshole says, and I scoff.

  “And?”

  Amelia comes to my left. “Please don’t do this to her.”

  “Go to dinner with me, and I won’t. I just want to talk to you. Clear the air.”

  I would have laughed if Shelli’s loud cackle hadn’t filled the space. Everyone is standing around, the Wild players and the IceCats. Oh, look, the state police are here too. Wonderful. “Um, no. I’ll go to jail before she
puts herself anywhere near you.”

  “Shelli,” Amelia pleads with her, but Shelli holds her wrists out toward security. “Please be quiet.”

  She shrugs so defiantly that I have no choice but to think Shelli Adler must be the baddest chick I know. “Send someone to bail me out because you left him for a reason. He won’t ever be near you alone again.”

  Amelia sighs loudly while tears stream down her face as she looks at Drew. “I have nothing to say to you.”

  “You haven’t cashed any checks, and you won’t return my calls. We need to talk.”

  “No, we don’t.” Her voice is so meek, it hurts me. “I have nothing to say to you. Stay away from me.” When she turns, I don’t move until she pulls me along. “Chandler, please come on.”

  I meet the asshole’s gaze with my own, and I glare. “Stay away from her.”

  “Who the hell are you?”

  “The man who will kill for her, so watch it.”

  “Chandler,” Amelia begs, and finally I follow her to where Shelli is being arrested. “I can’t believe you, Shelli.”

  Shelli shrugs. “Eh, like he said, I’d kill for you too. Apparently, since I’m not sleeping with you, it isn’t as romantic.”

  I can’t help but laugh.

  Amelia shakes her head. “You’re insane, but I love you so much.”

  “I love you,” Shelli says simply. “And I won’t let you go back to any situation where Drew has a chance to manipulate you. I won’t allow it to happen, especially not when you have him now.”

  She nods her head toward me, and Amelia’s gaze meets mine. There is such love and appreciation in her eyes. I know she’s trying to ignore Drew, who is running off at the mouth to the cops, but I can see his presence is bothering her. Her lip starts to quiver, so I wrap my arm around her neck and kiss her temple. “It’s okay,” I whisper against her head. Then I look to Shelli, “We’ll get you out.”

  “Cool. But hey, do me a solid,” she says as they start to escort her away. God bless Nico, he’s still trying to convince them to let her go. “Let’s try not to let my parents find out. They’ll be pretty upset.”

  “Baby, I’m coming to get you out!” Nico calls once the cop tells Nico to get out of his face.

  Shelli rolls her eyes. “I've done told you not to get attached. We’re just screwing.”

  It’s hard not to laugh at the expression on Nico’s face. It’s somewhere between shocked and pleased. “But I love you.”

  Shelli laughs. “You love yourself too much to love anyone else.”

  Nico shrugs as he looks back at us. “I’m gonna get her to marry me.”

  I want to tell him he’s an idiot, but then Drew’s words catch my attention. “She’s insane, always has been. She’s the reason my ex-wife left me.”

  I feel Amelia tense up beside me as she buries her nose in my chest. “Can we leave?”

  “Yeah.” I kiss the top of her head. I know I promised not to tear that fucker limb from limb, but it’s really hard to keep my hands off him.

  Especially when I’m pretty sure he put his hands on my future.

  Amelia hasn’t said a word since we arrived at the Molten police station. She sits beside me, her head on my shoulder and her hands in mine on my lap. I’m trying to give her the chance to explain to me what the hell happened, but I don’t think she will. I think she’s worried about Shelli, and I understand that. Her phone and Shelli’s have been ringing off the hook since we got here. Pretty sure word got back to their family. Stupid Twitter.

  Nico walks away from the window with some paperwork and falls into the seat beside me. “It’s gonna be about an hour before she is released.”

  “They’re charging her?” Amelia asks, and Nico nods.

  “Assault. But her lawyer thinks it won’t go to court. We’ll see.”

  Amelia bites into her lip, nerves visible on her gorgeous face. “My uncle is gonna flip his shit.” And just like that, her phone starts ringing again. She shakes her head. “I can’t even explain to them what happened.”

  “Yeah, I’d shut my phone off until she’s out, and then she can call them,” Nico says as he leans back in the chair. “I’m gonna take a nap. Wake me when my love is out.”

  I roll my eyes. “I think this love of yours is one-way.”

  Nico grins. “She’ll fall for me. Don’t you worry.”

  Amelia lets go of my hands and leans forward on her knees, cupping her face. “I can’t believe she did this.”

  “She loves you,” I remind her, and she shakes her head.

  “He isn’t worth it.”

  “Eh, I wouldn’t mind taking a swing at him.”

  Nico nods, even though his eyes are closed. “I wouldn’t either. Bastard.”

  Amelia doesn’t agree. A sob shakes her body as she stands and heads toward the door.

  Nico lets out a loud sigh as I get up to follow. “Good luck with that.”

  I ignore him as I go after Amelia. The coolness of the night air hits me in the face as I try to catch up with her. I hear her crying as I chase her onto the bridge that connects to the police station to town. Whoever thought it was a good idea to build a police station in the middle of a lake, I’d have to say was a genius because it’s cool-looking. But it damn sure does make it colder out here. I’ve almost caught her when she whips around, tears streaking her face as she holds her stomach.

  “I was doing so great, and then he had to come along,” she cries before bending down, hugging her knees as she buries her face in them. I squat beside her, but when I try to hug her, she shakes her head. “Please don’t.”

  Wow, that hurts.

  An ache starts in my gut as I watch her cry.

  “He ruined my life, and just when I thought I had gotten out and I was finally happy again, he shows up and is now trying to ruin Shelli’s. I don’t know what his issue is with me. Am I that horrible?”

  I want to hold her, beg her to believe in herself, but she needs her space. “No, you’re not, Amelia. You’re amazing—”

  “If I am so damn amazing, then why does he insist on hurting me? On ruining everything I’ve rebuilt?”

  “Because he’s a piece of shit, and he couldn’t handle how fantastic you are—”

  “Chandler, I’m not. You just don’t understand.”

  Her sobs are loud and ear-shattering. They shake her whole body, and I don’t know what to do. I know what I want to do, but I don’t know if she’ll let me. Unable to debate anymore, I reach for her, pulling her against my chest, her knees bumping into my thighs. I tilt her face up, taking her mouth with mine, and she falls into my kiss. She clings to me, and I do the same to her. I want to make all this pain go away. I want to kill that dude, but I know she wouldn’t like that.

  I pull back to kiss her nose and then her top lip, ignoring the fact that her face is wet. I know what I am about to ask might not go over well, but I have to know. Especially after Shelli’s comment about Drew being a wife-beater. I clear my throat. “Amelia, what happened?”

  She closes her eyes, more tears leaking out the sides as she leans her forehead into my chin.

  “I know you didn’t leave him because of Shelli.”

  “I did,” she whispers, her voice raw. “I called her in a panic. She came over to check on me, and when she saw my face, she convinced me to leave.”

  Rage rushes through me. “Did he put his hands on you?”

  She nods her head against my chest. “Yeah.”

  I go still against her, and I know she feels it. She moves out of my lap, rising to her feet as she rubs her hands down her face. I stand too, my eyes locked on her as she walks to the railing of the bridge, leaning into it. “I wanted so badly to have what my mom and dad had. Drew and I dated through high school, and it was all like a fairy tale. First love and all that jazz. When he broke up with me, I was angry, but I understood. I wasn’t leaving Nashville. I wanted to go to school and compete locally near my family, but the more he started calling, the mo
re I missed him. I missed him so much. I allowed him to talk me into leaving because I really didn’t think I’d find another love like what we had.” She looks over at me and shrugs. “You terrified me in college. Made me feel things I hadn’t felt before, and I got nervous. Drew was comfortable, and I knew what I was getting. You were a mystery. Not to mention, I was scared of what Ryan would do to you. I didn’t think it would work out, and you are such a good person, I didn’t want to hurt you.”

  I’m unable to speak as she looks away. She rubs her hand along her cheek, catching her tears as she lets out a long sigh. “The first year together, everything was fine. He wasn’t how I remembered, but then I figured we had gotten older and we needed to grow together. I wanted so desperately for him to treat me like his princess that I tried everything. I did everything. Anything he asked, I did. But I wasn’t enough. After we got married and then I lost our baby, things started to change.” It’s apparent the pain is still there. Tears roll down her cheeks in rivers, and her voice is raspy from her sobs. “The first time was when he got sent down to the minors. He came home one day, and I dropped a bowl his mom had given us when I was trying to put it up in the cupboard. He loved that bowl, I guess, and he lost it. He pushed me into the wall and then backhanded me across the face. I convinced myself it was my fault, and he promised it wouldn’t happen again.” She closes her eyes as she takes in a deep breath. “But it happened at least once a month for a whole year.”

  I rub my hand roughly along my mouth as I try to control my anger. Everything inside me says to find him—and bury him. How dare he do that to her? She is an angel. My everything.

  “He’d hit me if I didn’t agree. If I didn’t clean to his standard. And damn it, he got so mad if I didn’t want to have sex with him. It was all so unreal. He didn’t use to be like that, but once he lost control of his career, he went after me.”

  “Because he is a worthless son of a bitch,” I spit out, more for myself than her.

  “I didn’t understand for so long. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Surely, it was my fault. It was all things I’d done that made him angry. But then, the last time he hit me, he really messed up my face. I knew I couldn’t go out because I didn’t want anyone to see me. And that time, he didn’t apologize. He said I deserved it for hitting him with a shoe. I didn’t mean to, though. I was cleaning out the closet, and I hit him by accident.”