Rush the Edge: A Brother’s Best Friend Hockey Romance (Blue Devils Hockey Book 3)

I search for my phone on the blackjack table while I wait for the rest of these idiots to make their wager. My vision blurs a little, and my hands are slow as I pat both my pockets.

Where is it?

All I want to do is reread the texts from River.

I scoff so loud the dealer glances at me with a furrowed brow. I should have the texts memorized by now because I’ve reread them at least fifty times.

River confirmed Daisy’s confession and explained how difficult the last year and a half has been for her. Then he confides in me, as if I’m equipped to give him reassuring words of comfort.

“Stupid,” I mumble.

Lupus.

Her immune system attacks itself, potentially damaging her organs.

My skin is crawling, and it has nothing to do with the liquor rushing through my veins or the fact that I’m at a casino.

I study the man with broad shoulders past the dealer who has a woman with light hair pinned to his side.

Daisy?

I shake my head and right my vision.noveldrama

Clearly, my buzz is starting to wear off.

I raise my finger at the cocktail waitress who’s been eyeing me all night. She and the bouncer both glance at me every few minutes. They’re either both into me or they’re hearing little whispers in their ears from the men upstairs about how I’m going to rob them of all their money. Little do they know that I’m only here because I need to make up for what I gave away earlier, thanks to the real gambler of the family.

“Don’t get another drink.”

I peer over my shoulder, and Malaki is standing there.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“You invited me.”

I did?

His face screws. “You’re worse than I thought.”

“I’m fine,” I grunt.

I brush him off and turn back to the table. It’s my turn. Thinking back to my cards, I glance at the dealer’s card once more before flicking my chin. “Hit.”

A darkness fills me when I take the card from him. Gambling runs in my blood, and I know better than anyone that it’s a dangerous thing to play with.

“You’re going to feel like shit tomorrow,” Malaki warns from behind.

I shrug without looking at him. “At least I don’t look like shit.”

“Oh, thank god,” he mutters.

Yes, thank god.

I grin while watching my opponents fall like flies. I win.

“Told you I’m fine.” I smirk over my shoulder, except Malaki is no longer standing there.

Instead, it’s some sort of magic trick, because surely, Daisy fucking Sullivan isn’t actually standing at my back with big round eyes full of worry.

The longer I look at her, the more my skin itches.

Why is she here? At the casino? Dressed like she’s heading to a baseball game or something? Ripped jeans, a long sleeve shirt, and an LA Dodgers hat. She stands out like a nun in a brothel.

Just look at her, commanding the attention of every male in the room. They’re all wondering who this mysterious woman is in the middle of a hazy casino, hiding her perfect face beneath a baseball cap.

I’ve got an answer for them.

She’smine.

Anger scorches the soles of my feet as I stand up and turn for her. I’m a foot away when some older man with rings on every other finger hooks his thumb into one of her belt loops and pulls her into him.

The alcohol in my veins suddenly disappears, and I’m more focused than ever.

I faintly hear Malaki in the distance. “Shit. Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

Everything moves in slow motion.

The man pulling Daisy toward him. Daisy angling her chin to get a better look.

The never-ending slot machines stop their buzzing, and the place seems to empty. I grab the man by the collar of his suit and pull him toward me. “Let go of her.” The lethal bite to my tone could be heard by a deaf person.

My heart pounds violently.

I suck in the smoky air of the casino and try to ground myself before I really lose my control. Two wrinkled eyes that his Botox can’t even begin to hide swim with confusion. “Oh,” he says, “I didn’t know she was with you.”

She’s not.

Daisy’s warm hand falls to my arm. It’s soft and grounding. I love and hate it at the same time.

“Kane.”

One word.

That’s all it takes for me to cave.

I release my culprit slowly, lifting one finger at a time, leaving his wrinkled shirt behind.

“Come on,” she begs. “Let’s go. Please.”

A hot thought flows through my head.

I like it when she begs.

What I don’t like is the disappointment lingering in her dreamy blue eyes. My teeth work over one another the longer I stare at her face. Why did she have to come here?

“Go home, Daisy,” I demand.

Beneath her hat, worry mixes with the shadows.

Before she can say anything, I lower my voice. “What are you even doing here?”

“I called her.” I raise my glare to Malaki.

Never mind the fact that this is a form of betrayal, but he called her?

I flex my jaw. “You have her number?”

Since when does he have her number? Did she give it to him?

Shit, maybe I am a little drunk.

“Jesus Christ.” Malaki presses my phone into my chest, and I quickly shove it into my pocket. “I grabbed her number from your phone. You’ve got that crazy look in your eye that you get on the ice, which is exactly why I called her to come get you to leave.”

“You called herto get me to leave?” I laugh through the anger. “Yeah, nice try, but I’m not leaving.” I turn to Daisy. “Especially with her.”

Malaki shakes his head.

I hope he chokes on his defeat.

Suddenly, he’s tossing his keys to Daisy. “Here.”

She catches them with ease.

“You get him home. I’ll catch a ride with your Uber…” He turns to a random woman who I’m just now seeing.

“Her name is Reese,” Daisy says. “And you better tip her well, Malaki.”

“You get him home”—he nods at me as if I’m not standing a foot away from him—“and I’ll give Reese whatever she wants.”

Beneath the brim of her hat, Daisy crooks her eyebrow at me. Malaki’s keys swing around and around her finger, and it’s clear she’s waiting for me to make a move toward the exit.

My blood sings with her attention on me, which is never a good thing.

I narrow my gaze, and she mimics me.

“I’m not ready to go,” I say, just to see what she’ll do.

Her nose wrinkles with disgust. “You’re more than ready to go. Come on.”

“Make me.”

Why the fuck am I playing games with her? Again?

“Kane,” she warns.

I smirk. “Daisy.”

She sighs with annoyance.

I know I have her interest, because she glances around the casino like she’s trying to come up with a plan to get me to leave. Little does she know, I’m not leaving until she begs me to.

“Should we play another game, little devil? Maybe you can redeem your loss from the other night?” I reach forward and grab a hold of her chin to tip her face for a better look. “Oh wait. You didn’t really lose, did you?”

Daisy’s cheeks burst with embarrassment. Or anger. Maybe both.

She slaps my hand away, and I can’t help but chuckle.

Meeting one of my brother’s high rollers tonight in order to pay him off might just have been worth it to end it with Daisy scowling at me.

“You want to play more games, Kane?” Daisy shakes her head. “Haven’t you played enough games for tonight?”

I pretend to think. “Not yet.”

Daisy’s nostrils flare. When her arms cross against her chest, I know we’re about to go toe to toe. “Is your brother around here somewhere? Hoping you’ll win back all the money he’s probably lost again?”

She strikes a nerve, so I strike one right back.

I lean down and put my mouth next to her ear. “Go home, little one. I don’t want you here.”

By the way her jaw unhinges, I know I’ve pissed her off. I used to call her little one when River was around. I did it to irritate her, but it was also because it threw River off my trail. I couldn’t have my best friend sniffing out my interest in his little sister now, could I?

“You let me know when you’re ready to go, bookie.” Daisy pats my chest a couple of times, right over my heart.

I follow her swaying hips all the way to her final destination, which just so happens to be near a group of men celebrating a bachelor party.

All but one of them takes a look at Daisy. I can tell they’re making silent bets on who can score the pretty girl in the baseball cap.

I hate to admit it, but I think Malaki was right.

Daisy will get me to leave, or else I may end up in jail.