“What’s wrong?” Cass asks as the boys help me off the ice and onto the chair.
“Your brother broke his dick,” Jax explains with far too much joy in his tone. “You think you’ll ever be able to use it again?” he questions.
“Fuck off,” I scold. “I’ve never had a problem using it before and I don’t intend to start now.”
“Eww,” Cass groans. “I don’t want to hear that.”
I shrug my shoulders as I pathetically attempt to rid myself of my skates before Cass takes over and does it for me. She helps me put my shoes back on before looking up at me in concern. “You ok?” she asks.
I shake my head ever so slightly. “I will be,” I tell her, not wanting her to worry.
“You’ll have to call team management and let them know what’s going on,” she tells me.
“Yeah, I’ll give them a call as soon as I get back up to the house,” I say. “They’ll set me up with the team physio and I’ll be good as new before the season starts.”
Cassie’s face scrunches up as she helps me to my feet and allows me to throw my arm over her shoulder while I drop all my body weight onto her, nearly making her crumble to the ground. “Isn’t the physio a fat, sweaty guy who’s a little too touchy-feely?”
“Yep. Thanks for the reminder,” I cringe as I remember the last time I was in physio, and to say I was lucky it was an upper arm injury is an understatement. The last thing I want is to be dropping my pants for the perve.
She cringes once again and I know without a doubt what’s about to come out of her mouth. “Did you want me to look at it?” she suggests.
I’m horrified by the suggestion but I should have seen it coming. She just graduated from college as a physiotherapist so it’s not like she doesn’t know what she’s doing but I just couldn’t bring myself to drop my pants for my sister.
“No, thanks,” I shriek. “Besides, you know as well as I do that my contract insists it has to go through the team physio.”
“I know,” she says with relief clear in her voice.
There was a junior position going on the team and no matter how much Jax and I pushed her to apply, she insisted she was happy in the small practice she works at. Right now, I couldn’t be happier she made that decision.
Sean and Carter take over for Cass and before we know it, my brothers have got me on my lounge while Cass fusses about, trying to make me as comfortable as ever.
“You know you’re never going to live down the whole ‘broken dick’ thing,” Carter says as he flops down in the lounge beside me.
“I know,” I sigh. “I can only imagine the shit you guys are coming up with.”
“Just you wait,” he grins.
And with that one comment from my brother, I know for a fact that I will be hearing about my ‘broken dick’ for the rest of my life.
Chapter 2
Elle
My hand shoots out to the headrest in front of me as I brace for impact. “No, no, no,” I scream. This can’t be happening.
The rain is pouring and the car is already sliding sideways across the wet road. I hear the screeching of the brakes but it’s no use, it’s too late. It’s coming into winter and the roads are practically ice.
We’re going to hit and there’s not a damn thing anyone can do about it.
My eyes flash out the window before landing back on my little sister, Sammy.
She’s too close.
My heart races as the sound of her screams rip through the small car. She knows she’s in the worst possible spot. She can see it coming just as clearly as I can.
The car continues sliding across the road as my father desperately tries to gain control but we all know it’s too late.
Far too late.
The tree comes towards us at a startling speed but to me, it’s as if it’s happening in slow motion. I watch as my sister looks out the window and watches the tree coming right for her. Her eyes widen as her breath catches in her throat.
My brothers arm comes shooting towards me, slamming me in the chest and forcing me back into my chair as he desperately tries to offer what little protection he can. Fear laces every milli-second that passes, making me want to scream again but the sound won’t come out.
Please, God. Let us all come out of this unscathed.
The car slams into the tree and my head is thrown forward before bouncing off the headrest before me. Glass shatters around me and rain comes pouring in through the broken windshield, drenching my family as the sound of crushing metal fills my ears.
My eyes open moments later and I have to blink a few times before they’ll focus. I hear the distant noise of people shouting and rushing. My head hurts so bad.
I gasp out as I desperately look around the car for my family, checking they’re ok. I look to my right, to my brother who’s directly beside me. He’s bleeding with glass shards all over him but he’s breathing. “Brendan?” I question but get no response. I look him over again and realise he must be unconscious so I move on to my sister, only she’s not there.
My head spins as I desperately look around the mangled car. My eyes shoot to the front seat and instantly notice mum is gone. Where would she have gone? If she is out of the car she must be ok, right? Maybe I blanked out for longer than I thought.
I cross to dad who’s in the driver’s seat, slumped over the steering wheel with his head twisted my way. His eyes are open but something’s off. The eyes that are usually so full of life are… dead.
“Daddy,” I scream as I desperately search for the button to release my seat belt, only the jostling just makes the damn thing lock in place, holding me in tighter.
I fight hard against the seat belt until I finally manage to release it. I grab hold of the headrest before me and try to pull myself up, ignoring the screaming pain that shoots through my head.
I reach into the front seat and immediately feel for my father’s pulse, the way I was taught in my first aid class. I try my hardest to concentrate but the sight of my mother’s lifeless body on the road before us has me screaming out in agony.
How could this be happening? We don’t deserve this.
Strangers start crowding around our car and I hear them calling out, asking if we’re ok but I don’t answer. How could I?
My parents are dead.
Should I be crying? Why aren’t I crying yet?
I soon find myself on the wet, cold road beside the car, watching as two strange men haul my unconscious brother from the car. They lay him down beside me and I want nothing more than to pull the glass shards out of his body, only my gut is telling me to wait for the paramedic.
I watch on with dead eyes as the men go back for my sister which is when I hear the sirens in the distance, giving me my first bit of relief. The paramedics will be here soon and they can take care of Brendan. They’ll make him all better. Me and Sammy will take care of him. It will be hard but we’ll be ok.
The strangers finally pull Sammy from somewhere beside the mangled car. The big guy holds her in his arms and gently lays her on the ground before hovering over her.
Why is he doing that?
Move away from her. You’re scaring her, she doesn’t like strangers.
I shuffle as best I can across the hard road, scraping up my knees in the process. I find myself by her face and realise she’s hardly breathing. Blood is staining her clothes and it’s clear she has multiple broken bones.
“Sammy,” I scream as I grab hold of her shoulders and give her a shake. “Wake up. You need to wake up,” I demand.
The strangers try to pull me away but I don’t dare let go.
The sirens are getting closer. “Hold on just a little while longer,” I beg. “The ambulance will be here soon.”
Her eyes begin to flutter and a moment of relief takes over before it quickly fades away. Those big blue eyes look up at me in pain before the life begins to fade away. “No, Sammy. Don’t go. I need you,” I tell her. “Hold on.”
I look up as
the ambulance comes shooting down the road. Just a little while longer. Hold in there, Sammy. Help is on its way.
My eyes roam over Sammy face as her eyes begin to shut. “No, no, no, no,” I cry.
Those blue eyes disappear behind her eyelids as her head lolls to the side.
I scream out for my sister as the ambulance comes to a stop but it’s too late.
She’s gone.
I wake with a gasp and sit up in bed, covered in sweat.
Holy shit. Today is not the day to be dreaming about my dead family.
I drag myself out of bed and trudge into the bathroom. I lean into the sink and splash water on my face before looking up in the mirror. Just great. My first day on the job and I look like a train wreck. Perfect.
My eyes are bloodshot, probably from the rough sleep and my blonde hair looks like a hot mess. I grab my phone and check the time. 6.03 am. Hmm… I don’t need to be at work until nine, so I could try sleeping for another hour or I could try and make myself somewhat presentable for my first day.
Besides, I’m honestly a little frightened to fall asleep so quickly after having that dream again, as I know for a fact that the second I close my eyes, I’ll be watching the replay of the life draining out of my little sister’s eyes.
I give myself a long hot shower and decide a shampoo and condition is well needed today, especially after the night I had, a little pampering is well deserved. I go through the ritual of shaving my legs and scrubbing my body until it’s in pristine condition. After all, I want to make a good first impression today.
I get out of the shower and check the time. Geez, I still have ages. I wrap my towel around my body and decide I may as well continue on with the self-pampering. I moisturise my skin, pluck my eyebrows and put on a little makeup before blow-drying my hair.
I make my way into my lounge room and head over to my birdcage. I take off the blanket, letting my little Louie know it’s morning time. “Morning, Louie,” I say in a happy, sing-song voice.
“Fucker,” he replies in his little parrot, bird voice.
I groan as I look at the little guy. “Stop swearing at me, you little bastard.”
“Little bastard, little bastard,” he says before repeating it a million times.
Just great. Out of all the words this bird can say, curse words seem to be his favourite. Though, the gangster rap that my neighbour insists on playing all day comes in a close second.
I start unlocking his cage so he can have a little freedom until I need to leave. “You know, if you weren’t such a jerk, I’d get you a girlfriend,” I tell him.
Another hour later, there is literally nothing else I can possibly do to waste time. I get dressed and flop down into my couch with my kindle. I re-read the same page at least five times before I decide it’s pointless. My nerves have got the best of me and I simply can’t concentrate anymore.
Today is going to be massive. I still have to pinch myself to believe it’s true.
After years of working and struggling my way through college, studying to become a sport physiotherapist, I am finally there. A month ago, a notice for a junior physiotherapist position was going for the Denver Thunder which just happens to be one of the top teams in the NHL, if not the best, so naturally, I applied. Though what I didn’t expect was that out of what must have been hundreds of applications, they’d choose me to fill the position.
It’s a dream come true and to be honest, it’s absolutely terrifying. It’s the chance of a lifetime and I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I screw it up. Not to mention, this position comes with a nice pay-check, not as nice as what the senior therapist would be earning but it’s sure going to go a long way in helping paying off my mountain of debt.
Glancing at the time, I’m relieved it’s finally time to get going. I get Louie back in his cage and head for the door. “Bye, Jerk,” I call behind me.
His little head turns in my direction before letting out an ear-shattering squawk. Yep, he’s definitely a jerk.
I get in my beat-up, little car and pray the thing actually turns on. After two painful attempts, it finally kicks over, so it’s nice to see that some things are actually going my way today.
The closer I get to the Thunder’s training centre, the worst the nerves get. Oh, geez, I can’t screw this up.
This is what I’ve been training for. I know the human anatomy like the back of my hand and I know exactly what to do with it when it’s under stress. I’ve got this. There’s no reason to be nervous.
I pull my phone out and dial my brother’s number. It rings twice before his soothing voice fills my ears. “There better be a good reason why you’re waking me up at 8.15 in the morning,” he scolds.
“I have my first day with the Denver Thunder,” I remind him, though, by the tone of my voice, it’s pretty damn clear why I’m calling.
“And?” he questions. “You’ll be fine. There’s nothing to worry about. You were practically born for this job.”
“I know,” I sigh.
“Good. Now that’s settled, can I go back to sleep?” he asks on a yawn.
I hesitate for a moment, knowing how much he hates me asking about him but as his big sister, I have no other choice. I mean, it’s my right as a sister to bug him however much I please. “How are you?” I question.
He lets out a sigh. “You had the dream again, didn’t you?”
“How’d you know?”
“Elle,” he starts with a sadness heavy in his tone. “You only ever ask how I am when you’ve had that dream. It’s like it’s your reminder to check in with me. Otherwise, you avoid asking because you know I hate talking about it.”
“Geez, Bren. I didn’t realise I was that easy to read,” I scoff.
“Like a freakin’ book,” he says with a chuckle.
“Oh, shut up,” I scold. “Would you answer the damn question.”
“Fine,” he groans and I bet what little money I have sitting at the bottom of my handbag that he’s rolling his eyes right now. “I’m doing ok. A little stiff and sore but nothing I can’t handle.”
“You sure?” I question as I feel the worry start creeping over me.
“Chill out,” he laughs. “I’m fine. I’ll get a hot chick to come give me a massage, work out all the kinks,” he says in a suggestive tone.
“Ugh,” I groan. “You’re so gross. But seriously, don’t pay for a massage. I could come around after work and do it.”
“Don’t be stupid. You’re going to be exhausted after work and besides, I wouldn’t want to miss my weekly rub down with Stacey. She has magical fingers, you know.”
“I’m hanging up now,” I tell him.
“About time. I’ll see you on the weekend.”
I can’t help but smile at the idiot. “Yeah, I’ll see you then.”
I end the call and pocket my phone, feeling much calmer. My brother was my absolute rock after the accident and that has never changed. Not when we buried our parents and Sammy, not when we were sent to live with our Aunt and Uncle and not when I moved away for college. No matter what, he’s always there.
I pull up at the Thunder’s training arena and just like the day I pulled up for the interview, I’m caught off guard by the sheer magnitude of the place, I mean, it’s huge. I shake off the nerves and pull my shit together.
I’ve got this.
I stand tall and make my way inside. I’m met at the door with the senior physiotherapist who from memory, I think is named Dave. He’s big, sweaty and bald, and gives me the creeps. The kind of guy who holds onto your hand a little too long and whose eyes always seem to be looking at your ass.
But then, he really seems to know what he’s doing when it comes to physio, so with that in mind, I can ignore his flaws for the chance to learn. I just hope he makes a good teacher.
Dave sets me set up with a uniform and introduces me to a few people in management who I promptly forget the names of. He goes on to explain that the season is still two months out so I won�
��t be too busy, until then it’s just a few smaller injuries and stressed muscles to relieve, so I should use the down time to learn the ropes.
It’s just after lunch and the day has flown by so far. Dave has been very professional and I’m pleased to report, he’s making an excellent teacher. I stood in while he worked on two of the players this morning and after explaining the issues, he allowed me to work on the players and show him what I know.
I come out of the lunch room to find Dave angrily hanging up from a call. “Everything okay?” I ask.
“Yeah, just peachy,” he scoffs with a deep sarcasm that puts me on edge. He notices his tone and reels it in instantly. “Sorry,” he says. “You didn’t deserve that. It’s my kid. He just got suspended from school for starting a fight.”
“Shit,” I say, inwardly wondering what kind of kid he’s got.
“Yeah,” he agrees. “Listen, I’ve got to go pick him up, so you’ll need to cover the afternoon appointments but don’t stress, you were great this morning. It’s clear you know what you’re doing.”
“Sure,” I say, not wanting to let on that I’m completely freaking out.
Dave goes on to explain the appointments I’ll be covering and reminds me what exercises I should be recommending. I agree with everything he says but I listen intently anyway.
After sending my two o’clock player on his way, I sit down and get myself familiar with my next appointment. I scan through the paperwork and find the next guy through the door is the Captain, Logan Waters and realise it’s probably a good thing to meet the Captain and get on his good side.
My eyes continue scanning down the paperwork until I get to the part detailing his injury. My eyes practically bulge out of my head when I read what the poor guy’s issue is but more importantly, what I’m going to have to be touching… or extremely close to touching.
From what I’m reading it seems like a torn high inner thigh muscle but seriously, I’m going to have to get extremely close and personal to work that out. I mean, one slip and bam, a hand full of penis.
I did not come prepared for this. Arms, legs, backs, and asses. Easy. Captains junk… not so much.
Logan_Denver Royalty [Book 1] Page 2
