Crush (Hard Hit #5)
Read Crush (Hard Hit #5) Online
Authors: Charity Parkerson
Crush © 2016 Charity Parkerson
CRUSH
HARD HIT #5
Charity Parkerson
Like Andrei, I too was born with too much sense of reason.
Crush
© 2016 Charity Parkerson
Editor: Hercules Editing
Photographer: FXQuadro
&
BroCreative
All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
CRUSH
He was a season away from a peaceful life until fate stepped in…
Andrei is the jokester. The one no one takes seriously. The one who is darker than anyone could’ve imagined. He spent years hiding behind a wall of humor and bitterness. In spite of his personal issues, Andrei is always willing to help out a friend.
Handing Andrei a walking disaster…
In his final year of playing for the Red Zones, one of Andrei’s oldest friends, Kieran Steele, owner of
Leagues Today
, offers him the opportunity of a lifetime in exchange for keeping the man’s younger brother, Gannon, safe.
Wrapped in the most delicious paper Andrei has ever seen.
When Gannon’s life is threatened, Andrei steps in, holding up his end of the bargain. He never expected his actions would land him a love he’d kill to keep and force him to expose the broken man inside he’s kept hidden for too long.
Prologue
Most people might consider watching a private pier all night boring as hell. Not Andrei. He loved the silence. Everything about his life was loud. The roaring crowd. His stick against the puck. Bodies colliding at a high speed. All those things were in his blood. But silence; that shit was golden.
One month more, and Andrei was done. Eighteen years of eighty-two games a season — six with the Glaciers and twelve with the Red Zones. He was so fucking exhausted. Everything ached all the time. Every morning, he fought stiff muscles and bruised bones. If not for one of his oldest friends, Kieran Steele, Andrei might’ve extended his contract out of sheer boredom. Thanks to Kieran finding the love of his life, he needed a talent scout to work for him, keeping him from having to travel as much. Andrei wasn’t completely fooled. It was a favor. Kieran could’ve found someone else. Instead, he’d chosen to wait for Andrei’s contract to lapse. The man swore it was because he didn’t trust anyone else to do the job. Andrei wasn’t sure. That didn’t stop him from being beyond grateful. So much so, he was now here, staring at a sailboat while trying not to imagine what was happening onboard.
The boat belonged to Kieran’s sexy younger brother, Gannon. The younger Steele had climbed aboard hours earlier. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been alone, and in another unfortunate twist of events, the man he was with wasn’t Andrei. That tidbit truly was disappointing. Gannon Steele, while nearly six feet in height, was slight of build and sexy as fuck. Tight ass, light eyes, and a mouth that was… damn. He was the opposite of Kieran in every way.
The man was sweet and soft-spoken, while Kieran was cold and hard. Andrei couldn’t lie; Gannon made his mouth water. Enough so that Kieran hadn’t even needed to ask for this. Not really. Of course, Kieran had asked and had even tacked on a bit to Andrei’s salary for looking out for Gannon, but none of those things could convince Andrei to do anything he didn’t want to do.
Kieran had come to the right person in this. Andrei didn’t doubt Kieran knew it. Kieran knew everything about everyone. No doubt he’d counted on Andrei’s past driving him to keep Gannon safe from the man who’d spent the past two years terrorizing him. The older brother of Gannon’s ex. The ex Gannon had killed.
Kieran had given Andrei the full story, especially since Andrei refused to hear a watered-down version of the truth. It turned out not to matter. Andrei had walked away with all the details he needed. Gannon had endured years of abuse. He killed the man responsible. Andrei respected Gannon for it more than words could describe. Only God knew how many times he’d wished he possessed the same strength.
A flash of white sneakers caught his eye, pulling Andrei from his dark thoughts before they dragged him under. His gaze locked on the movement. An evil smile pulled at the corners of his mouth as he caught sight of his prey sneaking on board Gannon’s boat. He would make Orlando Johnston pay in ways his brother had been spared. As far as Andrei was concerned, the younger Johnston had gotten off easy. Orlando wouldn’t be as lucky.
Chapter 1
“You really shouldn’t use your birthday as the security code on your phone. That’s just lazy.”
Leaning against the headboard and looking more than a little lost, Orlando moved his head from side to side, eyeing the ropes binding his arms to the bed. He closed his eyes again before reopening them and blinking at the sight once more. Instead of pleading for his life or asking the questions most people would, Orlando acted as if being held hostage happened to him every other day.
“How do you know my birthday?” He sounded like his throat hurt. It probably did since Andrei had pumped him full of enough tranquilizers to keep the man knocked out for days. He liked to think of it as a cooling-off period.
“I know everything about all things, Orlando Johnston.”
Orlando glanced around the room. “Yeah, you know my name. That’s nothing.”
“So you don’t feel inferior, I’m Andrei.” He made sure to pronounce it “On Dray” so Orlando could understand him. Between his accent and the spelling, he had one of those names no one ever got right.
Orlando snorted, showing a hint of attitude. “As if I’d ever feel inferior to anyone.”
Andrei sent off a few texts using Orlando’s phone, making sure the man stayed on the radar. The longer no one realized he was missing, the better.
“What are you doing with my phone anyhow? You know that shit ain’t free, right?”
“You are telling your mama all about your trip up north. Apparently, she’s under the impression you have a sweetheart up that way. You’re such a bad boy, lying to your mama. No worries, though. I’m letting her down easy. She now thinks you caught your boo – her words not mine – cheating on you this past weekend.”
“Dude, you had me get played. That’s not right.”
“I did not wish for her to worry,” Andrei admitted. “It has not been so long since your brother died. I’m sure she doesn’t like to be kept in the dark.”
“My brother was murdered. Keep it straight.”
“Your brother was dead long before he died,” Andrei said, setting aside Orlando’s phone and giving the man his full attention.
“Whatever, man. Your crazy ass don’t know shit about anything.”
Andrei tried not to smirk without luck. He was willing to play along. “Okay, then, Orlando Johnston born on March 10
th
in Jefferson Parish. Would you like to talk about how you blew a full-ride scholarship to Tulane because you were arrested for possession with intent to sell? Or should we stick with how your brother tormented Gannon for the two years they were together and had a bad end coming to him?”
For a man tied to a bed, Orlando did an admirable job of showing nonchalance. He shrugged as he made a clicking noise with his tongue. “Shit. That was a fucked up charge, and it was thrown out of court. As for Seb, don’t nobody care about that. Everyone knew Seb didn’t take no crap, especially from Gannon.”
Andrei linked his fingers behind his head as he leaned back in his chair. Orlando thought he was tough. They were just getting started.
“Sounds like a pussy to me.”
Orlando ran his tongue over his teeth at Andrei’s remark. No doubt he was plotting Andrei’s death.
“It was tough for Seb. He had a reputation to uphold. You should try being gay, captain of the football team, and dating someone like Gannon. Seb had to be hard.”
Andrei snorted before he could stop himself. This man had no idea who he was talking to. Not that Andrei intended to enlighten him. No American would ever understand what it was like to be gay and Russian. Not to mention, playing hockey at a pro level. But Andrei did what he always did; he hid his bitterness behind a wall of insanity. He found people were equally turned off by both sides of him and left him alone. The way he liked.
“I think it is you who didn’t know your brother. You see, sometimes when people see you a little too clearly, you love them for it while secretly hating them as well. It’s such a game to see which emotion will win. Your brother, he loved Gannon and he told him things he wouldn’t dare tell another soul. But once Gannon knew, your brother hated him for it. I think the hatred didn’t kill the love, and your brother was left with so much fuckery in his head, he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t want to be weak in Gannon’s eyes, but he also didn’t know how a real man is strong.”
“That shit don’t even make sense,” Orlando said, sounding frustrated. “Seb wasn’t perfect, but he didn’t deserve to die the way he did. If he had any fault, it was that he was spoiled. My parents gave him everything. Being the football star meant the school gave him everything. Then he meets this goddamn meal ticket zillionaire, and that dude gave him everything. Until the bastard killed him, that is.”
“You were jealous,” Andrei said, not because he believed it, but because he needed to make a point.
“Fuck, no. I wasn’t jealous. I just thought he could’ve done with an occasional ass whooping.”
“But he was obviously the favorite,” Andrei taunted. “Even your Uncle Roderick showered Seb with gifts, eh?”
Orlando went still, making Andrei wonder if he’d stopped breathing. “How did you know that?”
Leaning forward, Andrei set his elbows on his knees, focusing his hard gaze upon Orlando as he reminded him of the truth. “I know everything about all things. You didn’t end up here by accident.” Andrei sat back, donning his carefree persona once more. “It must’ve been so odd to see Roderick buying Seb his first car when he’d never even taken you out for a drive. Quite a punch in the gut, eh?”
Orlando rolled his eyes. “I’m sure he planned to call that favor in the first moment Seb went pro, and he would have if not for Gannon.”
“Ah, to be young and dumb,” Andrei said, laying it on thick. “I begin to understand your brother’s rage more and more every time you open your mouth. How torn he must’ve been, wondering why everyone was so blind, and why he was so mute.”
“I guess they don’t believe in waterboarding in your country,” Orlando said dryly. “Y’all just talk folk to death.”
