Page 79 of The Draft

“Well, if it wasn’t for a fight, then what were you doing atBehind Closed Doors?”

“Celebrating our win.” He shrugged.

“You went to a strip club to celebrate our less-than-elegant win against a mediocre team?”

“Burlesque club,” Cade corrected. “It’s not a strip club. The girls don’t strip there. They’re dancers, and it’s all very professional. You’d know the difference if you ever bothered to attend one of our socials.”

“You’re acting like you’ve got a stake in the business or something.”

“Maybe I do.”

“Did you get beaten up because you got a little too frisky with one of the dancers?”

“Kind of the opposite, actually,” he said with his chin pointed up as he put his sunglasses back on.

“That’s not cryptic at all,” I said with a sarcastic laugh. “What kind of business do you have to deal with that ends with you looking like that?”

“Nothing that anyone else needs to worry about. But while I have you here, locked in a seat, I wanted to talk to you.”

“About?”

“Madison. Heard you walked her home after the game.”

I swallowed but my mouth was dry. He knew, didn’t he? “Cade, I-”

As if the world wanted to torture me, the plane started to take off, so there was no way Cade could talk to me until after. Well, fan-fucking-tastic. I rested my hands against the armrest and looked straight ahead, doing my best to ignore Cade’s glare.

Okay, this conversation was coming sooner than planned, but I needed to have it.Cade. I’m in love with your sister.No, that sounded desperate.Cade, your sister and I had a moment.Not a moment that I want to share with him.

“Have you figured out what’s going on with her?” Cade asked loud enough to hear over the engine noises. “She was cozying up to Aiden and Adam at the game last night, so I thought you got some insight when you walked her home? Good move by the way. Not letting her go to Covey’s Cantina with them.”

So, he didn’t suspect me. Maybe I could just leave my confession for another day then.

I was going to hell for this.

“Madison?” I leaned my head back onto the seat and clicked my tongue, pretending to think about it. Maybe Ishouldtell him now and get the beating I was no doubt due, over with. He had been in a fight last night, so he’d be tired, which meant I’d have more of a chance of coming out of it alive at least.

“Yeah, which one is she dating? Because if I had to pick, I’d take Adam. Not that either is a good option, but Aiden is something else, and if the rumors are true, then I know far too much about his body parts for mysisterto be with him.”

“She isn’t dating either of them.”

He looked unconvinced. Or at least, what I could see of him did. “Really? Then why’s she hanging out with them so much?”

“I think it’s because she’s trying to branch out of your shadow. She mentioned something about trying to make her own friends outside of the hockey realm.” I inwardly cursed myself because I couldn’t think of a better lie than that.

“So, she picks a bunch of football players?” he asked, surprised. “Wouldn’t she want to make friends with girls in her dorm before hanging out with a bunch of guys? A football team, no less. I’ve met smarter rocks.”He blew out a whistle. “What does she even talk about with those guys? It’s not like she knows a thing about football.”

“You know your sister. She’s more of a guy’s girl.” The lie was building, but unless I was going to tell him the truth right now, then there was no point in stopping. “I did see her speaking to Henry after the game. Who knows, she might be trying to make him jealous.”

“Henry?” Cade cracked his knuckles, sounding intrigued and much less annoyed than usual. Interesting. He hated Henry, so why the change of heart? And where did those matching bruises come from? “You don’t think she’s still pining over him, do you?”

“She’s definitely not pining over Henry.” I could say that with the utmost certainty, but I had no idea if Henry was into her. It was obvious he was disappointed when he saw me last night, and if Madison was telling the truth, then he might have been shooting his shot with her right before I showed her who she belonged to.

“Good to know. Henry doesn’t have a chance with her, anyway.” That sounded like he knew something I didn’t.

“Is he trying to get one?”

Cade laughed with ease. “Doubt it. Unless he’s thinking another broken nose will straighten it out, then he knows to stay far away from her.”