Page 3 of Nothing to Lose

“Hell if I know, but we’ll be playing like shit in a few days if we have any more practices like that,” Silas answers, and I know he’s right. Coach has us practicing for two hours, twice a day, and our bodies are feeling it. Even if I’m biting down on my tongue so I don’t wince as I take each step. I’ve been an athlete my entire life, but whatever this shit is lately, it’s not going to make us stronger, it’s only going to start beating us down.

“I think my legs are broken! Carry me, Cap!” Rome whines as he drops his weight onto Silas, nearly dragging them both to the ground. The rest of us chuckle, even if it feels like an ice pick to my ribs on every inhale.

“For fuck’s sake, Rome! Get up! My legs are feeling it just as bad.”

“Some captain you are. Aren’t you supposed to carry your team?”

“Metaphorically, dumbass, not physically,” Silas barks back, making me laugh louder.

“You doin’ okay?” Hunter appears next to me as everyone breaks away into the locker room. I run my hand through my wet hair, pushing it off my forehead. I try to ignore the way the saltiness of his sweat mingles with his cedar scent, but when he’s this fucking close, it’s practically impossible.

“I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Hunter’s hand circles my wrist and pulls me into the alcove right before the locker room, his voice dropping low enough for only me to hear. “No one else may notice, but you’re favoring your left leg. That was a rough tackle. It looked good, but if you’re injured . . .”

I yank my hand away when his thumb swipes against the inside of my wrist and sparks crackle from the spot. “I’m not fucking injured. You’d just love that, wouldn’t you? How about you mind your own business.” I shift to take a step away from him, but he puts up his arm, hand flat against my chest, stopping me. The heat is instant and boiling. Why the hell do I react like this to him?

“I’m not trying to be a dick. I just don’t want you to further injure yourself. I’m looking out for you.”

I throw my head back and laugh. “Like hell you are, Hunter. Are you serious? You want that title just as bad as I do, and if I’m injured, that’s going to give you an advantage.”

Hunter’s eyes narrow and he has the audacity to look hurt. My heart trips over itself for a moment, but I push it away. “Is that what you seriously think?”

“It’s what I know. We’ve been vying for this since freshman year. Just because we’re brothers now doesn’t mean we suddenly need to take care of each other. I’m fine. Drop it.”

“Wow. You’re so far off base it’s actually wild. I’ll see you back at the dorm.” Hunter shakes his head as he walks away, making a sharp turn in the opposite direction of the locker room showers. I have a moment where I feel guilt creeping in, but I choke it down. There’s no time for that when there’s too much in front of me to lose.

The steam from the showers is already filling the room when I enter, Silas standing next to my locker as he peels the wet T-shirt off his body. I know I hit him hard, but I didn’t realize how hard until I see the blooming red, black, and blue across his ribcage.

“Damn, you’re already bruising, Blackwood!” I yell as I unstick my clothes and drop them in a pile on the floor. My skin is wet, raw, and dirty, and I’m desperate for the relief the hot water will give me.

“Yeah? Thanks for that, by the way, dickhead,” Silas snaps as he lifts his arm and checks out his new accessories. I laugh, flipping him off as I walk naked across the room to the open showers. Some people prefer the few stalls in the back of the locker room for more privacy, but being naked has never bothered me, and I’m too tired right now to care even if it did.

I flip on the shower, as hot as it will go, and drop my head, letting the power of the jet push into my sore muscles. Hunter is right, as much as I hate to admit it, the hit did a number on my right knee, and though I’m trying to hide it, the pain is hard to ignore right now.

I close my eyes and am immediately met with Hunter’s dark browns looking back at me. I can’t believe he noticed that I was favoring my left leg. I was positive I was doing a good job at hiding it from everyone. Observant fucker. Guilt trickles in, flooding my veins slowly and thoroughly. He didn’t need my wrath, even if it was coming from a place of self-defense. I’m not used to people having my back like that or looking out for me. It’s not the easiest thing to accept.

The last several weeks, we’ve fallen into a routine, me mostly doing my best to ignore his existence, while he tries to break down all my walls. I don’t get his prerogative, but I’d be a damn fool if I let him in only to lose that captain title because I let myself be vulnerable.

Even if Hunter is making it difficult not to want to be.

Chapter 4

Hunter

Eli’s full of shit. But if he wants to play hardball, I’m game. Nothing in life has ever been easy for me, and with nothing to lose, I’m going to show my full playbook and see what happens. Which is how I ended up driving twenty minutes off campus, in the rain, and in my sweaty practice clothes, to get Eli his favorite food. Unlucky for me, they had jack shit else on their menu.

On my way back, I stopped at a convenience store to pick up a small bag of ice, a bottle of ibuprofen, and an ACE bandage. I know Eli’s stubborn ass won’t have the athletic trainer check him out, so he’s going to have to deal with the next best thing and get over it. Not that I mind playing nurse for him. Hell, maybe he’ll let me really take care of him, and I can suck him off after I make sure his knee is looked after.

My clothes have long since dried, and I should be self-conscious that I reek, but I’m just eager to get my eyes on him, even if he was an asshole earlier. The wind howls as I race through the quad, jogging up the aged stone steps of our residence hall, grateful the rain has finally stopped coming down.

Corvus College is one of the oldest schools in the country, not that the history books acknowledge it much, and looks as though it was plucked straight out of a storybook and planted in rural Massachusetts. Entering the towering wrought iron gates is like being transported back in time.

The lights are off when I get back to the room, which surprises me. My heart sinks for a split second, wondering if he hasn’t even come back to the room yet. But then I see the glow of his computer as I slip across the threshold, his hand wrapped tightly around his hard cock. I nearly stumble at the sight, my heart rate kicking up a notch, my dick responding to the image by rapidly lengthening. Eli slams his laptop shut and pulls a blanket over his lap. “What the fuck, dude? Don’t you fucking knock?”

I snort. He’s so fucking cute. “This is my room, too. I don’t have to knock. I live here. If you want to jerk it, we have a bathroom. Not that I mind if you want to finish. I’m happy to join you, little brother. Or just watch.” I give him a wink as I set the bags down on my desk, pulling out the contents. The scent of warm clam chowder assaults my nose, and I have to turn my head away from it. I have no idea how I’m supposed to swallow this shit down for dinner.

“You wish,” Eli retorts, and I pause my task to look at him.