Page 15 of Bro Code

“It’s what?”

“Klingon. From Star Trek.”

Jesus Christ, what a nerd. “Is that why it’s so goddamn loud?”

“It’s a mechanical keyboard. They’re designed to have a specific sound profile.”

“Specifically fucking annoying?”

Louis huffed through his nose and looked at him again. Riley glared back. Louis turned and went back to his work. “If it’s bothering you, put on some headphones.”

“I’m wearing headphones. I can still hear it.”

Louis glanced around the cabin. “No one else seems bothered by it.”

Riley also looked around. Most of the guys were asleep. “Yeah, because they’re fucking unconscious. What are you even doing?”

“Cleaning up your biometric data. So my boss can start figuring out what’s wrong with you. Because we traded all those super solid guys we had for your busted ass, remember?”

That landed like a punch in the stomach. Riley stared at Louis, then looked at the laptop. The screen was a jumble of numbers and symbols. He couldn’t read any of it. It may as well have been written in Klingon.

“Seriously?” he said. “That’s my data?”

“Yep.”

What the fuck did it say about him?

Yesterday the team’s head scientist — Holly — told him she thought his issue was a microscopic labrum tear. Riley didn’t know if she was right or not; New York hadn’t been able to find anything like that. But she seemed confident, and reminded him that Montreal prided itself on rehabilitating struggling players like him.

So maybe she was right. Maybe that was what was screwing up his game. He hoped so. If it was, that would be an easy fix.

And if it wasn’t?

That was the question Riley hadn’t asked her. What if it was something more complicated? What if he was really broken? Like mentally? What if they never figured it out? Would he be benched? Would he have to stop playing? What if–

He put his fist down hard on the table.

Louis jumped. He looked at Riley as Riley leaned on the fist to bring his face level with Louis’.

“You know what?” said Riley, “I just thought of something.”

Louis’ eyes narrowed. “And what’s that?”

“I’m pretty sure that me being relaxed is going to be very important for my performance at the game on Monday. And I’m willing to bet your bosses would prefer that. Would you agree?”

Louis glared.

“So I’m wondering if maybe you can find another keyboard to use for your little Star Trek numbers, that maybe doesn’t sound like a machine gun in the world’s most annoying goddamn war.”

A long, tense moment with just the hum of the engines between them. Then Louis said, “Fine.”

Riley stood up. “Great.”

He looked over his shoulder as he went back to his seat. Louis was putting his headphone back over his ear and watching him go with a vicious look in his eyes.

Too bad he was straight and such an irritating nerd. Those pretty hands would look great around Riley’s cock.

They landed and drove forty-five minutes in a chartered bus to a ferry, which took them to a place called Stillpoint Lodge. As they stepped off the ferry onto the dock, Riley overheard one of the coaches saying a room here cost six thousand dollars a night.