Page 285 of Faking the Goal

"As far as I'm concerned," Cody continues, "the hockey house is officially closed for parties until this guy's behind bars."

"What?" My eyes widen. "No. Absolutely not. You guys shouldn't have to stop living your lives because of me."

"Tough," Luke says with a grin.

"Motion already passed."

"I don't remember there being a vote."

"There wasn't."

Liam flashes me a smile.

"We're dictators."

"The benevolent kind," Cody clarifies.

"The jury's still out on that," Zach mutters from the recliner.

Luke ignores him completely. "Point is, no random people coming in and out of the house. No strangers. No parties. Not until this is over."

I open my mouth to protest again, but Caroline gently bumps my shoulder.

"They're impossible once they make up their minds."

"I've noticed."

"You'll get used to it."

"I probably won't."

"Oh, you will," Zach says, sounding far too amused. "I've known these idiots for years. Resistance is futile."

"I prefer 'persistent,'" Luke says.

"I prefer 'annoying,'" Kentaro replies without missing a beat.

The twins gasp in exaggerated offense.

"You wound us."

"You'll recover," Kentaro says dryly.

Another ripple of laughter spreads through the room, and before I realize it, I'm laughing too.

As I look around at the people filling the living room—Caroline curled up beside me, Zach shaking his head at the twins' antics, Cody already pretending he's in charge of everyone's safety, Kentaro sitting so close our shoulders keep brushing—I realize something that makes my chest ache in an entirely different way.

For so long, I'd convinced myself I had no one.

No family.

No place that truly felt like home.

Yet somehow, without even noticing when it happened, I'd found both.

CHAPTER 37

TAYLOR