Clipped by Love (Bellevue Bullies #2) Read online

  When he stands and comes toward me, I suck in a deep breath, not wanting to allow him to affect me. But let’s be honest, I’m fighting a losing battle here.

  Standing tall, he looms over me as he says, “Go. I want to make sure no one messes with you, and I want to set an example. So go.”

  “It’s not your job to make sure,” I snap back and he shrugs.

  “You’re right, it’s not, but I am. So either you can go or we can both sit here in our funk, marinating. The choice is yours.”

  I can see in his eyes that he isn’t going to move. Turning from him, I grab my shower caddy and my towel before heading to the shower without even a second glance at him.

  When I’m about to enter the shower though, I hear someone say, “Jeez, Sinclair, you trying to hit that?”

  Jayden scoffs. “Why? Because I respect a girl, I obviously want to fuck her, yeah?”

  “Yeah,” someone says. “No one does all this unless they want some ass.”

  “For your information, I don’t want to fuck her. I don’t know what you guys think of me, but last I checked, I’m not some douche. I respect people because my momma raised me like that. I would do the same for you bastards. So shut the hell up and get out of here.”

  That has some of the guys laughing and others calling him a pussy, but all I can think is that maybe I was wrong about him.

  And the thing about that is…I hate being wrong.

  “So did you see that goal?”

  Nodding my head, I laugh as my brother beams at me. During the game against the Ducks, Jude did an awesome toe drag before shooting top shelf. It not only resulted in a goal, but it was on the NHL highlight reels. It was pretty sick.

  “Yeah, dude, badass,” I say, complimenting him.

  “Dude, I jumped up when it went in. I was like, mind-blown by it! I’m so practicing it tomorrow after camp,” Jace practically yells beside me. Shaking his head at our overzealous little brother, Jude’s grin only grows.

  “Speaking of camp, how’s that going?”

  It’s like a light switch. One second I’m grinning, the next I’m grumbling. Camp. Fucking camp. “Baylor is stressing me the hell out” is what it should be called.

  “Dude! No shit, you will never guess who is on our team!” Jace yells, and instantly, I punch him in the chest.

  Oops.

  “What the hell!” he wheezes as Jude laughs, and I wave him off.

  “I didn’t even hit you that hard,” I say, and he’s gasping for breath.

  “Says the Hulk! Fuck! I’m telling Mom, you big asshole,” he snaps before getting up and actually crying to our mother.

  “Are you serious?” I yell at his retreating back. “Be a man!”

  “He is such a fucking pussy,” Jude says with a shake of his head. “When’s he gonna realize telling Mom doesn’t scare us?”

  Looking at him skeptically, I laugh. “Why you lying?”

  He laughs at that and shrugs. “She can’t get me in California.”

  “The hell I can’t, Jude Marshall! Don’t care that you’re getting married and play professionally, I’ll knock you into next week!” she yells, and I scoff at Jude’s worried look.

  “Told ya,” I say as my door opens and my mom pops her head in, her arms full of laundry.

  “Can you not act like ten-year-olds and be adults? Keep your hands to yourself.”

  “Can he stop acting like a whiny little brat?” I ask and she shrugs, almost like she’s thinking the same thing, but she’s doing her job as a mom and at she least tried. Before anything else can be said, the door shuts and I roll my eyes.

  He’s such a little baby.

  Looking back at the screen, I shake my head. “I’m gonna kick his ass.”

  “You should. I mean, how is he even making it at camp?”

  I shrug. “I have no clue. He’s such a little bitch.”

  “For sure,” he says, nodding in agreement. “But no, really, what’s the reason for knocking the air out of him?”

  Running my fingers through my hair, I let out a long breath as I hold his gaze. I’ve been waiting for the last two days to talk to Jude. I can’t talk to Jace about it because he just laughs and taunts me, but Jude will know what to do. He can help me get rid of these feelings and fight for what I want. Because the good guy in me wants to say to her, take it. Take everything from me. While the asshole is saying, I will murder you. It’s almost like I have the angel and devil on my shoulders.

  Annoying as hell.

  “Baylor is on our team.”

  It’s a simple statement. But to some, like me, it has the power to knock them on their ass.

  Like I knew it would, his jaw drops as he sputters questions at me. “What do you mean? Baylor, the chick from the beach? How? When? Why? You’re joking, right? Did you talk to her? Oh shit!”

  Leaning against my hand, I shrug. “Dude, I have no clue. It’s like God thought, hey, he’s focusing on his career and he’s doing good; let’s throw a kitchen sink at him.”

  Jude scoffs. “I mean, it can’t be that bad.”

  “She wants captain.”

  “The fuck?!” he screeches and I nod, not even having the gusto in me to tease him for squealing like a girl.

  “Exactly. And then we had it out, and I apologized for the way shit went down.”

  “Good—”

  “But still she snapped at me, screaming, and I don’t think she’s forgiven me. Then she’s saying I’m defending her because, of course, the guys are being dicks to her because they are scared of her talent. I make them wait so she can take showers, and they are so fucking pissed. So maybe I am.”

  “Whoa, what? She’s showering with y’all?”

  “Yeah,” I say, almost like I’m giving up. “It’s so damn stressful. If she was just some regular girl, I don’t think I’d be so torn up about it, but because it’s her…I’m freaking out and threatening lives. Dude, it’s been real.”

  I expected him to guide me. To be the big brother I need, but instead, he laughs. “You’re so fucked, dude.”

  “What?” I actually yelp, and he laughs even harder.

  Wheezing for breath, he shakes his head before looking up at the ceiling. When he starts to laugh again, I glare, crossing my arms over my chest as I watch him. I don’t know what the fuck is so funny, but he is pissing me the hell off. I’m half tempted to hang up on him, but maybe he’ll stop laughing and actually guide me. But by the way he’s laughing, I have a feeling I have a better chance of getting sucked off by Baylor than getting any kind of guidance out of my brother.

  Maybe I am fucked?

  Wiping his eyes free of tears, he looks at me and shakes his head. “You’re such a good dude. You know that, right?” I don’t answer, and he smiles before going on, “You are doing right, bro, better than I would have. I would tell her to fuck off and make her eat my dust because no one is taking my position. But you, you’re gonna do that while protecting her. It’s sorta cute.”

  “Not what I need to hear here,” I remind him, and he scoffs.

  “What do you need to hear, then?”

  “I need to know what to do.”

  “What to do?” he asks. “Jay, you’re doing it. You quit your job, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You’re focusing on your game?”

  “Yeah,” I agree again.

  “You’re doing right by your team? Being a leader?”

  “Yes, and I think by doing what I am for Baylor, it shows that. But it’s not only for the captaincy.”

  “Oh, I know. You’d do it for anyone.”

  “Right,” I say and Jude shrugs.

  “Then what else do you want?”

  Looking at him like he’s an idiot, I ask, “What to do about Baylor?”

  He returns the look before holding his hands up. “What do you want to do?”

  My face scrunches up before I yell, “I have no fucking clue!”

  “So how am I supposed to help you with th