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

“Good morning, devil girl.”

I spin around with my heart in my throat. In an attempt to cover my bare legs from Malaki, I spill half my matcha on the floor. The green foamy liquid lands with a splash in between us, and I stare in shock.

He chuckles behind the rim of his coffee mug. “Don’t bother covering up in front of me.” His smile grows wider. “I heard you and Kane going at it like rabbits all night long.”

My face warms.

“Kane must’ve forgotten to mention that you were home,” I say with a bitter tone.

“No, I didn’t.” His voice comes from behind me, and I’m swarmed with butterflies. “I just didn’t care.”

Malaki throws his head back and laughs loudly. “You’re fucked up.”

I turn and shoot Kane a dirty look. “Kane!”

He shows off his cocky smile before tossing a towel on top of the matcha beneath my feet.

“How loud was I?” I worry, watching Kane kneel below me to wipe up my mess.

It’s a nice view—one that reminds me of last night after we left the arena.

We lay in the quiet calmness of his room for a while before he suddenly flipped me on my back and kissed me senseless. He took his time with me, caressed my curves, his lips everywhere, and massaged my sore muscles before lying me down and bringing me to the edge of insanity.

“Loud,” Malaki answers for Kane.

“Loud enough for my brother to hear?” I ask, panicked.

I pray he stayed out at the bar until well after Kane and I were done.

“Hopefully,” Kane murmurs from below.

I shoot him a look. “Do you want to ruin your friendship with him?”

He shrugs. “Do you really think he’ll be that against the idea?”

“Of you fucking his sister so hard the bed creaked?” Malaki snickers. “Yeah.”

Kane’s lips flatten. He slowly stands and tosses the towel over to the sink. All I can stare at are his rippling muscles moving against his bare chest, thanks to me stealing his t-shirt. “I think we should tel⁠—”

Suddenly, our attention is pulled to the apartment door.

My heart falls.

Malaki spits out his coffee, and Kane, as poised as ever, remains unbothered at the sight of my brother strolling into the apartment.

The moment River sees me, he does a double-take.

A line of confusion digs in between his eyebrows.

“I thought you worked today?!” I exclaim.

Oh my god. I’m in nothing but panties and Kane’s shirt.

“What the hell are you doing here”—River looks at my half-naked outfit—“in nothing but…that.” His hand wafts up and down in front of him with disgust.

Shit.

He immediately turns to Malaki, who is sitting on the couch with wide eyes. “Are you fucking my sister?” he asks him.

Kane steps forward, but so do I.

“Yes,” I quickly say, attempting to save the situation before things get hairy.

The tension rises in the apartment, but I can’t tell where it’s coming from.

River? Or Kane?

Malaki plays along because he’s not living in a world of delusion by thinking that River will be completely unfazed by Kane and me having sex. It’s a tale as old as time. Your brother does not want you to mess with his friends, no matter how old you are.

“Sorry, bro.” Malaki stands from the couch and starts to head to the kitchen. “It was a one-time thing.”

River quickly steps forward and blocks him from coming toward me.

Malaki stops mid-walk. He straightens his shoulders, unsure of what my brother is going to do.

“Are you about to punch me for having your sister naked in my bed? Should I brace myself?” There is a hint of amusement in his tone, and I’m pretty sure he’s the only one who thinks this entire ordeal is funny.

River shakes his head. “I’m not going to punch you. I’m protecting you.”

A laugh bursts out of Malaki’s mouth. “From your sister?”

“From Kane,” my brother answers.

I turn and lock onto Kane over my shoulder. His smooth expression is long gone, and in its place is anger. One would assume that Kane is playing along with our made-up scenario, but with the way his jawline is sharpening and his fists are flexing at his sides, I’m not so sure.

“See.” River snorts. “Kane is more protective over my sister than I am. Never once in high school did I have to throw a punch. He was always there first.”

Malaki’s mouth turns up on its side. “But what if Kane was the one to fuck your sister? Then what?” he asks.

My brother spins to face Kane and me. With Malaki behind him, he looks at Kane and puts his hands in his pockets with his eyebrow raised.

“He wouldn’t fuck Daisy.”

River answers so confidently I almost choke on the taste of Kane still inside my mouth from last night.

“We made a pact years ago, and Kane is too loyal to break it.” My brother chuckles.

A pact?

About me?

“What?” I ask. “A pact?”

River chuckles. “Well, yeah. I didn’t want him fucking my sister…” He pauses. “I still don’t.”

Knife to chest.

In the worst way, I want to turn and yell ‘See!’ at Kane, but I quickly move on.

“How many other guys in high school did you make a pact with?” I ask, fully invested now.

“I don’t know…” He pretends to think and shrugs. “All of them.”

“Oh my god!” I huff. “Are you kidding me?”

River tries not to laugh. His mouth flattens, and he glances at his partner in crime.

I spin and glare at Kane.

He doesn’t look guilty at all. In fact, he looks pretty damn proud of himself with that arrogant smile.

“Anyway,” River sighs. “I have the morning off because I made Ted take my shift.”

I cross my arms. “You clearly didn’t make a pact with him since you gave him my number!”

Kane steps forward. “Wait, what?”

River puts his finger up. “Actually, that’s why he has my shift this morning. He asked for my phone with some bogus excuse, and instead, he looked up your number so he could text you like a fucking creep.”

“Time to get a new number,” Kane grumbles.

An annoyed breath rips from my lungs.

“I’m fully annoyed with men today.” I grab my mug of matcha and head for the door, bypassing all three guys.

“Where are you going?” Kane asks.

River leans against the counter with his hip, unbothered by my tantrum, while Malaki tries not to laugh.

I stomp the rest of the way to the exit and turn with my hand locked on the doorknob. “I made a pact with my plants!” I snap. “I’m going to go water them and tell them all about how irritating you three are.”

“Hey!” Malaki scoffs. “What did I do besides give you multiple orgasms?”

River glares at him. “You’re pushing it.”

“I agree,” Kane growls.

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

“You know what…” I try not to smile with my sudden payback. “You’re right, Malaki. You can come with me and learn all about plants.”

Surprise washes over his boyish face, and he quickly strides forward. “Here…let me.” He grabs onto the door and opens it for me while Kane and River remain in the kitchen.

“Put some pants on!” Kane shouts.

Malaki snickers as the door shuts. We rush to the elevator, and when we’re fully enclosed, he nudges me with his elbow. “So, tell me,” he says, “was I good in bed?”

I can’t hold back my laugh. “The best.”

“Good. Tell Reese that, will ya?”

I roll my eyes, and we head into my apartment, where I tell him all about my plants and Reese.

Kane

Are you still mad at me, little devil?

I scowl at my phone as soon as the message pops up.

Me

Shouldn’t you be getting ready for the game?

Away games are always a nice breather for me. It gives me a chance to relax in my own space without wondering what Kane is doing upstairs. I pull open my journal and scribble some less than ideal symptoms I’ve been having lately before flipping to the back to work on my goals page.

It’s the same worn piece of notebook paper that I’ve had since high school.

New notebook but same piece of paper, just paperclipped in the back, splattered with matcha stains and new and improved goals throughout the last several years.

I’m no closer to achieving them than I was before moving to Chicago, but my grandma always said dreaming was good for the soul, so I’ve never stopped.

My phone goes off again, and I put the journal down.

Kane

I’m not playing tonight.

I sit up a little taller. Worry sits on my shoulders.

Me

What? Why? Is everything okay?

Why wouldn’t Kane play? Is he hurt?

Kane

We’re seated for the playoffs. Coach is keeping a few of us off the ice so we don’t get injured before the series starts.

I jump to my feet and furiously text him.

Me

Are you serious?! When did this happen? The playoffs?!

As the mascot, I should know this. But I’m too busy with thinking about a particular Blue Devil instead of their record.

With the remote in my sweaty grip, I turn to the sports channel and wait until the commentators begin talking about the current seats.

Oh my god.

I cover my mouth with my hand.

There they are.

The Chicago Blue Devils are going to the playoffs!

The men in their pressed suits talk about how it’s a miracle that the Blue Devils are going to the playoffs through the screen. They discuss the recent trades and how they’ve slowly become one of the most sought-out teams currently.

A gloss works over my eyes.

With my thumb and finger, I pull the paperclip from the thin, fading piece of paper and flip it over.

There, from several years ago, is Kane’s messy handwriting.

One goal.

That’s all he had written one summer night when he found me on the porch surrounded by bundles of flowers.

Make it to the playoffs as a pro.

I snap a photo and send it to him.

Me

You reached your goal.

I never had any doubt, and although the thought of living this close to him again sent me into a frazzled mess weeks ago, and how irritated I was that he got me the job of the mascot, I’m glad it worked out this way so I didn’t miss this moment in his life.

Kane

I can’t believe you still have that.

Of course I do.

Kane

Remind me to add to it next time I’m over. I have a new goal.

Me

Who said you’re coming over? I’m still angry with you.

My attention is pulled to the TV when they cut to the Blue Devils game. The commentators list the players not playing in the game this evening, and sure enough, Kane is one of them. The buzzer sounds, and the puck is dropped.

I go back to my journal, knowing Kane isn’t going to text back right away, except my phone vibrates again.

Kane

I’ll make it up to you.

I look back to the TV and then my phone.

Me

How are you texting me? Aren’t you on the bench?

Kane

There isn’t much that’ll keep me from you, Daisy-Petal.

Butterflies slip in, but I quietly push them to the side.

Me

Except for a years-old pact with my brother…

I smile to myself.

Me

He has no pact with anyone else on the team, though, so I guess they’re fair game.

I would never do such a thing.

But it’s awfully fun to mess with him—when he’s states away, of course.

There’s a sudden knock on my door, and I freeze.

With anticipation backing my every step, I slowly make my way across the floor and peek through the eyehole.

All I manage to see is a cute baby bundled in pink being held up to the peephole. I laugh and start to unlock the door. I push the disappointment away after realizing it isn’t Kane. The fact that I thought it could be means I’m entering a state of delusion.

I open the door and pull Reese into a quick hug before scrunching my nose at Charleigh. “What are you two doing here?”

She’s carrying a large bag over her other arm that swishes when she walks inside. I hurriedly take them from her and drape them over the couch.

“I have a gift,” she says, excitedly. “And gossip.”

“Oh?” I pull Charleigh from her grip and sit on the floor with her.

My muscles are sore, my joints a little more creaky than usual, but I’ll sacrifice it for Charleigh.

“Sorry I had to bring Charleigh.” She starts to mess with the large bags she brought. “This was sort of a last-minute…favor.”

“Favor? What kind of—” I quickly close my mouth when Reese pulls out a dress from the bag she brought.

By the end, there are three of them draped over the couch with Reese smiling in their presence.

“What is this?”

My phone goes off, and we both look at it.noveldrama

I open my recent text thread from Kane.

Kane

Take your pick. You’re wearing it as my date to the charity function.

“His date?” I say aloud.

And how the hell did he know to text me that right this second? Also, I recall him being there when my brother very clearly stated he would not be okay with Kane fucking his sister.

“Yep,” Reese sighs. “And I’m Malaki’s.”

I gape at Reese. “What?”

She bites her lip. “Yeah, and that’s not all.”

My phone goes off again and I glance down to see another text from Kane.

Kane

And your brother may not have some type of pact with anyone else on the team, but I sure do.

Me

Pact or threat?

Kane

Is there a difference?

I roll my eyes.

Kane

Anyway, it doesn’t matter. I’ll make sure to remind them at the function when you show up by my side.

“I am not going as his date,” I announce to Reese, who is reading the texts over my shoulder. “Everyone is going to think we’re together.”

Never mind River. Surely this goes against workplace ethics.

Reese laughs. “I think that’s the point he’s trying to make.”

The opposite team scores, the buzzer pulling our attention to the TV. Charleigh claps and bounces on the floor.

Kane

Pick a dress that’s easily removable. I’ll pick you up tomorrow when I get back to town.

My fingers race against the screen.

Me

I am not going as your date!

The cameras. The media. Ethics and morals. River!

Reese and I share a look and glance back to the dresses. “Might as well try them on,” she says. “I’m learning that those Blue Devils are pretty persistent.”

I sigh.

That they are.