11 • DANCING TO TEMPTATION'S MELODY

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A L E X

PRESENT DAY.

"I WAS WONDERING when you'll come visit me." Steve Summers comes as I make my way to his office. And as expected, my evil uncle sits on his couch, a sinister smile on his face as our eyes meet.

"Alexander! You didn't tell me about Seattle, it's a very beautiful city, I've had your Latina girlfriend tell me all about it." He says and my fists curl at my sides. "I was thinking, maybe I should make her my wife." He chuckles and Steve joins him.

"Or maybe, your pregnant daughter too." Catalino jokes more and the smile on Steve's face vanishes.

"Do not go anywhere near Elizabeth." He breathes, all the color draining from his face. "Seattle is my city, I control the Mayor and of course, this side of the government, going after my daughter is the way to send your ass packing back to Italy, now I'm sure you wouldn't want that."

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" Catalino chuckles. "That's a rather awful way of putting things, but then you're lucky, your pregnant daughter is the least of my concerns-"

"You fucking caused the accident!" I yell and he smiles.

"Careful now Alex, you don't want to make accusations." He shakes his head.

"What accident?" Steve chooses now as the best time to open his mouth again.

"You're the father of the year, Steve, your daughter and her unborn child almost died in an accident and of course you didn't know that, did you?" I face the dickhead, who apparently turned to stone since the moment I opened my mouth.

"I don't know what you want me to say Alexander, you declared war the moment you murdered Vincenzo." Catalino whispers. "You declared war and war it will be." He pauses. "I love your Latino girlfriend, she's pretty, those curves, and that ass-"

"You fucking stop!" I yell.

"It's game on, Alexander, and to your benefit, I happen to love Seattle and I'm staying here." He laughs and I take that as my cue to leave.

"And while you're at it, be sure to check on Andreas and your mama, I wonder how your decision has affected them." He chuckles. "And your teammates too, maybe I'll come to one of your games, get to know them a bit, seems like you never talk about me- the man who raised you, made you what you are today, that's rather fucking sad don't you think?"

I'm leaving the next second, slammed the office door in my wake. I can't think, I can't breathe, I can't fucking concentrate. Jo, Elizabeth, Kimberly, Aaron, Lee, Nick, T, Brittany- fuck.

It's nightfall and I get into my car and drive back home. Andreas, Mama. I don't know what to fucking do. I slam my car and I freeze at who I see at my front porch.

Jo.

Fuck.

Just when I need her.

I rush towards her and I throw my arms around her. I bury my head in the crook of her neck. I have to bend but I don't fucking care, I need her. Fuck.

I pull away, getting my shit together and she blinks up at me, wonder in her eyes. I want to kiss her, but I can't. And I didn't fucking understand how much of a torture this is until now. When she's looking at me like she wants to have me for dinner.

"Hey, you okay? you look like you want to throw up." She says and I run my hands in my hair.

"No, no, I'm fine baby, why are you here?" I ask. And I can't stop calling her baby.

"I found Andreas, okay actually, he came to my apartment looking so beat up and bloody so I brought him here hoping you'd be home, where were you?"

"Uncle stuff." I tell her and she frowns a bit.

"Where's Andreas?" I ask and she leads me upstairs. I'm about to ask myself how she knows her way up and then I remember that she used to spend most of her nights here four years ago, and I've fucked her in every inch of this house- we've literally made love everywhere. I know she feels the same way. The way her breath hitches when we pass the couch, the kitchen counter, the floors, the stairs, the guest room- literally had her naked every fucking place.

We finally make it to the third guest room, hitched breaths and locked tongues. Inside our throats though. Although I know we're both wishing for better scenarios.

Andreas lies on the bed asleep, and Jo was right. He's bloody and bruised. And fuck, the fact that I wasn't even there to protect him makes me worry about my Mama even more. His eyes blink open and he stares up at me. Jo takes this as her cue to leave, squeezing my thigh tightly right before she leaves.

"Don't do that." He starts and I try to speak but he stops me. "Don't blame yourself, we killed Vincenzo, we knew he was going to strike back- and I'm fine, just a couple of bruises, I got to Alba's with just a couple of awkward stares on the way,"

"Andreas." I start.

"I called mother, she's fine, I'm guessing he was just trying to scare you into making rash decisions." He says and I pause for a beat.

"How do you know about mother?"

"Because she called me. You can call her later but not tonight, it's been a tough day for her already." He sighs. "And I'm tired, and I need to sleep, just thank Alba for letting me into her apartment."

I know what that means. He needs his silence. So I squeeze his hand and nod wordlessly, leaving the room and meeting Jo in the hallway.

"How is he?" She asks as our eyes meet.

"Bloody and bruised, but he's okay." I stuff my hands in my pocket, before I do something stupid, like touch her.

"You okay?" She asks, coming closer to me.

I'll be okay if I just touched you again, kissed you again, held you again.

"Jo-"

"Right, sorry, I'm not even supposed to be here, married man, long lost love and all." She chuckles nervously, and then she turns her back on me. Seconds after I grab her arm and her breath hitches loudly. Fuck. I'm fucking pushing this. Fuck me.

It's like the first time I held her. Like fucking electricity. And I should leave her to go home but I don't. I lock eyes with her and then I feel it, her arm brushing my torso. I inhale sharply, we both do and fuck, I want to give in a little more. And smell all that lavender in her hair and sugar on her lips. But I fucking can't. I focus on her heavy breathing, the fullness of her lips and breasts, her natural welcoming aura, everything about her. I focus on how much I want to do better, do right by her because she deserves fucking better.

"Get home safe, Jo." I say and she nods weakly. I sniffle as we let eachother go.

"Nick says you should be at the gym tomorrow."

"Yeah?"

"Rehearsal dinner is tomorrow night, for Nick and Brittany's wedding? Nick wants an old fashioned carpool with you guys." She smiles.

"Nick is my man, yeah we're not so close but he is my man, I'll carpool and rehearse any day for him." I tell her and she nods.

"I'll be there too, so um, see you." She smiles and I stuff my hands in my pocket.

"Of course." I say and she nods, leaving me to watch her retreating strides, my control snapping with her every stride.

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"I love the way you look at me, it's like Eros and Psyche all over again." She pauses. "Oh god what if we are them, just reincarnated in our own universe?"

"You're such a nerd." I kiss her cheeks. "A naked nerd if I might add."

"Think about it." She whispers and I get a closer look into her eyes.

"I'm thinking about it." I whisper, circling my fingers around her folds as she shuts her eyes. "I'm thinking about it real hard."

"I believe we've all lived before you know, and maybe we're back because we have some unfinished business in our past life."

"What's ours?" I whisper and she smiles up at me, her eyelids blinking open. She leans in, her gaze shifting towards my neck and ear.

"Maybe I didn't get to fuck you properly in our past life." She licks my ear lobe.

"Fuck Jo, you don't just say shit like that." I croak, squeezing her ass cheeks.

"Well, are you going to fuck me properly now?"

"I've been standing here for quite a while and you're just noticing me." T chuckles beside me, sitting on the bench while I get my thoughts in check. I fucking spaced out again. Jesus.

"Sorry man, I-"

"People space out all the time, Alex." He laughs.

"Yo Alex! You good? You've been staring at the dumbbell like it offended you or something?" Nick chuckles and my gaze shifts towards the dumbbell in my hands. Shit. I really am losing it.

"Yeah, yeah, man, I'm fine."

"See Coach thought I could convince you to start sessions with Dr. Ivy Martins, like she's well known in the NHL and all, she could help you with you know, stuff."

"I don't need therapy, Stones." I half-groan. Coach Mike isn't dropping this shit?

"Well if you wouldn't do it for yourself then do it for Jo?" Lee adds and my chest tightens. "We're not idiots, Alex, we see you talk to her more lately, she hangs out with your brother, and we had to find out on the freaking news that you're getting a divorce? Do it for her, Man."

I swallow for a moment, and then I turn away from them. If they knew that my uncle was behind the near death of their wives and girlfriends, they wouldn't be talking to me this way- and they sure as hell won't be caring for me. My silence does its best and everyone retreats to their workouts. Our team trainer arrives and breaks all our bones with her crazy routines. When gym is done, we all shower and head to the hotel for Nick's wedding rehearsal dinner.

I see Bri and the wedding planner when I enter. And the next person I see makes me ball my fists. Steven and another girl and they stand next to Jo, engaged in a conversation that makes them all laugh. Jo's eyes meet mine and she and Steven and the unknown girl walk in the direction of me and the guys. Well except Nick who is kissing the love of his life right about now.

"Alex!" She says and I attempt a smile, even if I want to punch Steven's pretty face. "So you remember Steven?"

"Mm-hmm." I nod, screwing my eyes shut and begging the earth to swallow me.

"So this is his sister, Aliya and she wanted to crash, I asked Bri and she agreed so yeah." I turn to Aliya, who looks like she wants to eat my face up. She's probably never hung around tall huge hockey players before so she's probably in shock. I smile briefly and I walk a few steps away.

Liz approaches me. I straighten up, because she never does. Probably because I don't always look welcoming and all.

"Thanks for making it, it means a lot to Bri and Nick and literally everyone here." I look around as more of our close ones approach. Coach Mike, Mrs. Kelly, Nick's Parents, Jason, Sam, Kim, Diane and Yvonne.

"Y'all thought I would make it?" I attempt a joke and she rubs her hands on her huge baby bump. Like right now the only thing I can see is Jo having a similar baby bump. If we survive this.

"Come on Alex, it's not like you've been making it to our small gatherings and all." She chuckles. "With the exception of my sister's birthday though." She smiles.

"Yeah, Kim's nice to me." I chuckle.

"So I'm not nice to you?" She rolls her eyes and a burst of laughter leaves her.

"Yeah well-"

"Oh my God, Aaron!" She yells for her husband. "Babe!" She yells again and I can't contain my laughter. "Alex says I'm not nice!" A couple of us laugh at her revelation.

"I'll fuck his face up during practice tomorrow!" Aaron jokes and more laughter.

"Jesus Aaron, language." Doctor Ava chides, playfully smacking Aaron's shoulder. "You have another baby coming, weirdo."

"Yeah and I'm an excited Dad and Husband." He winks at Liz who rolls her eyes and yells.

"I'm not having another baby!" She laughs and then she turns to me at the same time Kim approaches us.

My savior.

"You two look cozy and this is weird." Kim laughs. "I love you Alex but if your psycho wife shows up here-"

"She won't." I assure her and my eyes shift to Jo, who is engaged in a dance with Steven. I look back to Kim. "I promise."

"You love her." Liz states and I nod, irrespective of how transparent I seem. "Come on let's dance, I'm sure Aaron won't mind." She laughs as I take her hands and Kim nods, excusing us.

"For the record, I don't hate you." She smiles. "I mean, maybe I did at some point, but now I see it, you never stopped loving her." She sighs. "How's the divorce going?"

"Well, from where I come from, a divorce is unheard of, so you can imagine."

"How's she taking it, Isabella I mean?" She asks.

"Don't know, don't care."

"You were married to her for almost four years." She raises a brow.

"And I never liked her, let alone Love." I say. "Love is a rare feeling." I tell her and she nods.

"Give me my wife." Aaron approaches us and we share a laugh at the same time Steven's sister whose name I don't remember.

"Wanna dance?" She asks and I nod. I really don't but yeah.

"They look good together." She looks towards Steven and Jo. Jo's eyes meet mine and I freeze like I'm doing something wrong.

"Nah, they don't." I can't hide my distaste.

"You like her?" She asks."Y'all have been sharing long glances."

"And you look uncomfortable so I'm cutting in?" Diane giggles at Aliya and shoots me a glance.

"Yeah, yeah." I smile as Diane gracefully grabs me and we share a huge laugh.

"Whose bitch is that?" She whispers.

"Steven's sister."

"Who the fuck is Steven?"

"Ken-doll dude, dancing with my girlfriend?" I say and she looks around until her eyes meet Steven's.

"Nah, we don't like him." She confirms.

Yeah, Diane. Yeah we don't.

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A/N

HEYYYYY!! how are we doing??

And who missed Diane?? She'll be around for the next few chapters!

So I posted on my message board here that my Instagram is glitching a lot and so I may not be able to post so much on there which is just super sad. So I'll be communicating with you guys on here, my message board and dms and I will post teasers on Pinterest and maybe TikTok. My username on those socials is mirabrendan_ & will still use my Instagram, because so many of you guys are on there, everything just sucks LOL.

I misssss you guys. What's up?

I got my exam date- October 20th and I don't feel so anxious anymore. Wish me luck!!!!

see you next update!

xoxo, mira


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