Defying Him

Chapter Seven: Whole Day Ticket

A knock on my door woke me up. It took me a moment after rubbing my eyes to remember I am in Florida and a hotel. From the scenery, it looks like I manage to get back onto the bed, even though I can't collect the memory of when and how.

Before I could assemble myself and get down to check who was on the other side, the door opens, and my brother walked in. He is freshly showered and dressed casually in denim pants and a maroon dress shirt like a typical twenty-year-old.

Propping up on my hands, I push my body to sit against the headboard while he lowers himself by the edge of the bed.

He didn't look thrilled, but he wasn't angry either. So it's a good thing.

"How are you feeling?" He irreverently consulted, then his mouth set in a hard line, and his forehead puckered while his eyes inspects me.

"I'm fine." I sniffed, embarrassingly recalling my attitude last night. "I hope I didn't cause you any trouble. I am really sorry." I chew my bottom lip and cast my eyes to the space between us.

Brayden heaves a sigh and scooches over. When he's arranged under the comforter, he pulls me to his chest, his fingers massaging my scalp. I relax.

"Do you remember those days when I have to go to Chloe's house and bring her to you when you wouldn't shower?"

"I was a cranky girl." A smile slipped from my lip.

"That I wouldn't argue about. But that's not the point." His body shakes a little when he exhales a chuckle. I look up at him. He is peering sightlessly at the white wall. "She was your anchor. Cali, I understand it is hard, but you are not alone. I am sorry I wasn't there the past months but I am here now. I can always be."

"She has this demure personality. She wanted to graduate high school as a ghost because of people like Scarlett Maverick. And then study hard until she owns a building in Houston."

"Is Scarlett Maverick that bad?" He asked.

"She is evil, and she made us her target." Flashes of the night from new year's eve cross my vision. Her villain laughter, everyone pointing at us. Teenagers are so cruel. "I am so sick of her, but I do not have the luxury to stop running."

I remember all I did was cry and Chloe held my face and said, "Someday you'll be all over the news as the most valuable citizen of the country and Scarlett would be in her shitty house fixing her old roof."

"I was thinking, maybe you can move full time. There are excellent schools in Venice. You can graduate there."

I would like that but, "Mom and dad are already missing you. They can't afford to have me leave, too."

He bowed his head to look over at me with crook eyes and a scrunched nose. "Says who I left?"

"You are barely home." I reminded him.

"There is a hard chance of leisure time between eighty-two games and travels. And then we won the championship, we had to play the playoffs. I wanted to come over, mostly to see you and that truck I was working on."

I giggle at the mention of the old truck that Brayden used to drive back then. It was a beat-up ford, and you can hardly tell its actual color because the sun left a number on it before dad moved it to the garage.

"You don't need it now."

"Ouch." He dramatically clenches the left side of his chest and I giggle even more. "A man's first love would always remain a part of him."

"Karen is your first love." I retorted, and he immediately groan.

"Please do not remind me." He snickered, and then c***k up along when I couldn't hold the laughter.

After a few seconds, we heave simultaneously and a comfortable silence settles until I ask, "Anyone I should know of?"

"Like?" He played the dumb card.

I pull back and face him.

"A sister-in-law."

A flush crept up his face even though he wants to conceal it, but he couldn't help the excitement. His lips are twitching.

"So she exists." I simpered, nudging him, and he chortle.

"Okay, her name is Natalie. She always gets coffee in the cafe across my building." His cheeks are crimson. It is cute watching him talk about his girlfriend.

"When will I meet her when we get back to California?" I shrugged, batting my lashes naively.

"The thing is, we haven't precisely introduced ourselves." He stressfully nodded. His brows draw together as though he is lost in thought.

Then recognition dawned on my face that he is a coward.

"So you crept around her but never talked to her? How did you even know her name then? I always thought you have confidence." My lips pursed while my head shakes disappointedly at him.

"Hey, hey. I have excessive of that. And I might have seen the bartender writing her name on the receipt." He lifted his fingers between us, and my eyes rolled.

"That's some crazy level of creepiness," I complained and fell back on the bed.

"Whatever you say. Now tell, me what you were doing in the locker room yesterday because you shouldn't be there." He finally brought it up, and I stiffened.

"Nothing." I jolt up my head and sit up.

"You seem angered. I don't want you to lie to me. If Myles did something improper, I do not care he's the number one on the team, I will still make sure he never approaches you again."

Shit.

"W-Where did you get that? I was look-looking for you." I lied directly, my heart jerking in my chest.

When I barged into the locker room, I was being irrational. I didn't think of the aftermath. What if I gave it away? What if everyone could see my crush on Myles?

Brayden doesn't seem like the brother who would be okay with his friend dating his sister. I mean, just talking about yesterday's case, a vein had popped up on his neck.

"Me?" His mood softened but then replaced with a black expression. "Why?"

"I wanted to tell you I needed to leave. I wasn't feeling okay." Again, I lied. Given I can't mention Myles or Autumn in this case.

"s**t, and I messed up. How can I make it up to you?" He slaps a hand over his face as he climbs off the bed just as his phone rings in his pocket.

He brought it out and picked the call, answering with brief words like, okay, thanks before he hangs up the call. I wonder who was on the receiver.

"Who was that?" I curiously asked.

"Adalynn. She said I should take the Walt Disney tickets and take you with me. She thinks you will love it better." He urged.

Adalynn is the woman who took the pictures in the airplane hangar before we flew out here. She works on the team, but I do not know what her duties are.

"So you won last night?" I smile.

"Yes, it was a tight game after Myles had to leave."

Leave?

"He left the game?" My mouth falls open.

"Yes, after Autumn had some allergy reaction. She bled through the nose and couldn't breathe. He had to leave with her."

Somewhere along his statement, I had stopped breathing, and the color drained out of my face.

Could it be the peaches?

"How-how is she? Did she say anything?" I mumbled.

"They're still in the hospital. Are you coming? We have an entire day ticket to Disney world." He playfully drawled.

"Can I just stay in?" I forced a smile that must look miserable.

"You okay?" His mood dropped. He suddenly is worried.

"Yes, I want to appreciate the quiet here. I am not very free out there, anyway." I admit, and he sadly smiles.

"Okay, here." He set a two hundred dollar note on the nightstand, and I return a smile.