Page 129 of Scoring Lessons

“What the hell is going on?” The timbre of his voice trembled.

“Guys, let’s give them a minute,” Donovan said, pushing the rest of the guys outside and closing the door.

When I turned, his eyes found Wesley’s in disbelief. “It’s true, then? What Holt said?”

“The truth is complicated,” Wesley answered.

My brother threw his stick against the floor with more force than necessary and laugh bitterly. His cheeks were red, and not because he’d just played a sixty-minute game. He was angry. I could tell in the way his body turned rigid. In the way he stared at us like he couldn’t recognize us.

His steps were purposeful as he got closer. He didn’t stop glaring at Wesley for one second. “I specifically told you all last season that Olivia was off-limits⁠—”

Wesley interrupted him. “You don’t have the full story⁠—”

My brother didn’t let him finish. “Seems to me I have the whole fucking story right in front of me⁠—”

“Enough!” I barked loud enough that they both startled and settled their pairs of eyes on me. “You”—I pointed at my brother— “don’t get to decide who I date. This isn’t high school anymore, Henry. You don’t get to scare guys off because you have this overprotective sense of⁠—”

“I’m trying to protect you,” he snapped, his voice rough, fraying at the edges. His chest rose hard with each breath, eyes locked on me.

“Protect me?” I let out a disbelieving laugh, shaking my head. “By deciding who I can and can’t be with?”

“Yes,” he shot back without hesitation. “Because you clearly aren’t in the position to be thinking straight.”

My stomach dropped. I couldn’t recognize who was standing in front of me, but it clearly wasn’t my brother. “Wow.”

Yes, I knew that we’d eventually have to fess up to my brother. This wasn’t the way I wanted him to find out, but he also had no right to say these things like they were true. Like his words were gospel and that was it—like it was either his way or the highway.

“You’re making a mistake.” His jaw ticked. “And I’m not going to stand here and pretend that I’m fine with it.”

“It doesn’t have to be fine with you,” I snapped. My heart beat against the base of my throat painfully. “It’s not your life.”

“You’re my sister,” he fired back, stepping closer. “I have to look out for you!”

“I am sick and tired of you trying to play the hero. This is why I don’t tell you anything.” My voice was hoarse, and my hands shook with anger.

He reared back like the words had slashed him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing.” There was no chance I was going to say anything else.

“If you have something to say, Olivia, you better come right out and fucking⁠—”

Wesley took a step, getting between us. “I understand that you’re angry, but I need you to realize who you’re talking to right now.” My brother had a few inches on Wesley, but that didn’t matter to him one bit. He still stood taller, making his stance clear. “If you want to lash out at someone, I’m right here. Have some respect for your sister.”

My brother ran a hand over his mouth as he released a deep sigh, then he pointed at Wesley. “You were my best friend. I…”—his voice wavered—“I trusted you. And you lied right to my face.”

“I didn’t lie to you,” Wesley said, his words calm. “I just didn’t tell you everything. There’s a difference.”

“That’s the same fucking thing!” His hand dragged through his hair before he pointed at him again. “You went behind my back. You knew how I felt about this!”

“You think I wanted you to find out this way?” Wesley asked, voice tight, chest heaving.

God, this was so messed up.

The two most important men in my life were destroying their relationship right in front of my eyes, and I didn’t know how to stop it. I knew my brother well. He’d been managing his anger by going to therapy, but when he was pushed too far, he would burn every bridge down without a second thought.

“Is this why you’ve been acting so cagey lately?” he asked, looking between us.

“I’ve had a rough season, Anderson, you know this.”