No one knew the three were related. Nobody knew he’d slept with the new owner of the Hawks. Nobody knew what he’d really been doing in New York. Shit, his life hadn’t really changed, had it? He was still the best at keeping secrets. The only problem was: He didn’t want to be the best anymore.
“Say, Dax, now that we’re more or less on the same page again…maybe we should finally tell everyone we’re brothers,” he muttered on impulse.
“What?” Dax paused and raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Jack shrugged. “Well, I’m just saying. It would be nice to no longer have to carry the secret around, wouldn’t it?”
“Are you crazy?” His brother looked at him, stunned. “Do you know what a media circus that would cause?”
“Yeah, sure, but…isn’t it worth it? Then the crap will finally be out.”
Dax sighed and rubbed his face. “I get it, okay? You suffer more than I do because Anna ismysister, not ours. Because you have to fit into the team and it’s hard when you lie to them. But, honestly…I don’t want our dirty family laundry dragged out into the light. They won’t just accept that we’re brothers. They’ll dig deeper, seek out our parents, talk to my dad, talk to your dad…and I’m not cool with that.” He lowered his gaze. “You were able to define yourself faster than I could through talent and hard work. I had to drag Dad out of the casino for five more years and make sure Anna got enough to eat. I swore then that I would just forget the past. Don’t make me remember it now. Please.”
The last word came out of his mouth as a whisper…and it hit Jack hard in the chest. He knew how difficult it was for Dax to even say it, especially to him.
“I haven’t spoken to my father in eight years, Jack. And they have been the best years of my life.”
Jack lifted one corner of his mouth and nodded.
He understood. He had never wanted to see his father again either. And he still wanted to be in bed with Penny. Sometimes life didn’t care what you wanted.
“Okay,” he murmured. “Sure. It’ll remain our secret.”
Dax let out a sigh of relief. “Thanks. So, who was this woman you were in bed with? What makes her special?”
He snorted. “Nice try.”
“Not fair! You know who I’m sleeping with.”
“Everyone knows who you’re sleeping with because Lucy had you sign a piece of paper stating exactly that!”
The Hawks PR consultant had been afraid that her relationship with one of the players would make her job more difficult and take away her authority. It turned out her worry was completely unfounded: Everyone was just as afraid of her when they knew she was with Dax as they’d been before. Although,granted, they weren’t as afraid of her as they were of the Dragon, Leslie, who headed the marketing team.
Dax made a face. “Yeah, fine. Whatever, there are more important things. I heard they want to announce on New Year’s Day who gets the team.”
The hairs on Jack’s neck stood up. New Year’s Day. He would see Penny again on New Year’s Day. “Really?”
“Yep. That’s what Fox said. Besides, our esteemed captain always gets the hottest information first so he can gently break it to his flock.”
“Hmm,” Jack said, afraid that if he said more about the Clark family, he would probably blush.
Shit, was he serious? The last time he had blushed from embarrassment was when Anna had caught him making out with a cheerleader on the couch. And that was fifteen years ago!
“I’m glad they’re finally ready to come clean,” Dax muttered, opening the door to his car. “Lucy still won’t tell me. I don’t like it when she has more power than me.”
Jack grinned. “She always has more power than you. You love her so much, you’d give her anything for a simple smile in return.”
“Yeah, but she doesn’t have to know that!” Dax complained. “It’s killing me to be kept in the dark about who’s getting the team. What about you? A new owner always means change. I don’t want any more changes. It’s bad enough that you’re around now and Matt is getting married soon.”
Jack snorted and stuck with, “Hmm.” Because, yes, it was killing him too, but in a completely different way. “Maybe Gareth and his sister will share the team,” he stated, repeating what he had heard in Penny’s bathroom that morning.
Dax snorted. “Share? Yes, rich people are good at sharing.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. We’ll see.”
He hoped it was true. Otherwise, he would never see Penny again and that would be…perfectly fine! No problem at all.
But yeah, old Clark would probably leave the team to both children. It was fair. It had been the plan, or so Penny had claimed. What else could it be?
