Fake Dating My Ex's Hockey Star Brother (Maya Scott) novel Chapter 104

KATY’S POV

I practically leap to my feet when the door swings open and Braydon walks in. Without thinking, I throw myself at him, wrapping my arms around him. He hugs me, and I can feel him tense for a second before relaxing. I pull back just enough to cup his face.

“Are you okay?” I ask. “What happened? What did they say?”

Instead of responding, he gently takes my hand and leads me to his room. Once inside, he sits me down on the bed, then turns and starts pulling off his shirt, kicking his shoes aside too. Seriously? Can’t he tell I’m losing it here?

“They didn’t say anything about cops, right?” I ask again, because I hate the feeling I have about this whole thing.

He finally pulls on a fresh shirt but still doesn’t answer. Without warning, he rolls over me, and we both collapse onto the bed. I exhale sharply, blowing my hair out of my face while trying not to get crushed under him.

“You’re like… 250 pounds,” I grumble, breathlessly.

He doesn’t let go. Instead, he shifts and wraps me against his chest, making me lie there.

He pushes my hair back and gives me a small smile, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes or maybe I’m just reading too much into it.

“Everything’s fine, Peach,” he says.

“Sure?” I ask, frowning. “Did your dad give up on it? Or did your coach…”

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” he interrupts. “I’m sure it’s no big deal. Bryan was threatening Cici and he got what he deserved. That’s reason enough for this case to get buried. Besides, I don’t think Cadston would want to lose two students in one year.”

A sigh slips out, and I pull back, running a hand through my hair.

“What?” he asks, tilting his head.

“That’s not how it works,” I say, keeping my voice steady even though it’s hard.

“What do you mean?”

I exhale. “It’s one thing if your dad decides not to take this to the police, but once he does, there’s nothing anyone can do. Not even Cadston can pull a miracle if the state decides to

press charges. And no matter what Bryan did, you’ll still be charged. That’s why people who kill pedophiles or other bad guys still go to jail if it’s not self-defense.”

He pauses, staring at me like he’s trying to process what I just said.

“My dad won’t let it escalate,” he finally says. “He just wants me suspended, or for something

big enough to happen that I fail this semester… so he can get his hands on Pendant.”

“And how sure are you about that?” I press, my stomach tightening. “What if you’re underestimating him?”

“I’m not,” he says quietly. Then he leans forward and pulls me back against him. I settle on his chest as he runs his fingers through my hair, slow and absent-mindly, and presses a kiss to the top of my head.

“You don’t have to worry about me,” he adds. “I know I’ve disappointed you… more than once and my whole life gets messy sometimes. But I won’t let my shit get in your way. I promise.”

I tilt my head to look at him, frowning. “Is that really what you’re worried about right now?” I ask. “How I feel?”

He nods, then he actually smiles. “You’re the only good thing I’ve got,” he says.

Something in my chest gives.

“My family’s trying to tear me apart,” he continues, staring at the ceiling. “Everything feels tight all the time. I can’t even focus on hockey anymore. I’m just… on edge.”

I’m about to text Justin when a flood of notifications pops up on my screen. My heart pounds, and my eyes catch a few words that make my stomach twist. I hesitate for a second, fingers hovering, before finally tapping to open the messages.

UNKNOWN: You need to understand something very clearly.

UNKNOWN: What Braydon did to his stepbrother qualifies as felony assault.

UNKNOWN: The reason he’s not in a holding cell right now is because I haven’t made the call. But he doesn’t grasp the gravity of what he’s done.

UNKNOWN: But you do.

UNKNOWN: You’re a smart girl and that’s why I’m speaking to you and not him.

UNKNOWN: Meet me today at 5:00PM at the Greeze bar.

UNKNOWN: Do not tell him about this. If you do, I’ll know. Come alone.

UNKNOWN: If you attempt to alert anyone, I’ll know that too. If you don’t show up, I will escalate this matter immediately. You know how this ends for him.

UNKNOWN: And if you truly care about Braydon, be there.

UNKNOWN: I DON’T BLUFF.

A cold shiver runs down my spine, my stomach knotting so tightly it feels like I might be sick.

“Katy…” Braydon’s voice cuts through and I slowly lift my gaze to him. “Are you okay? You look pale.”