Team Niklas (The Saints Team #3) (12 page)

Lilly and Max put the pizzas on the center table and we
perched around the room, on the rugs, on the sofas and the floor, grabbing a
slice. Nik moved beside me and our elbows touched as I served him a slice. I
swear he gave me an electric shock again.

He shrugged. “Chemistry,” he explained it.

“So Anton,” Max began and I knew this would be
trouble, “now that you’re here we can find out more about Nik and we can give
you some inside information on Sasha.” He grinned at me. Right, note to self,
Max was to be removed from the job of bestie. I saw Nik grimace too.

“How did you and Nik meet?” Max started his
interrogation.

Anton finished a bite of his pizza. “We went to school
together, elementary and high school. I did Nik’s math homework and he picked
me every time we had to choose sides for sport,” he said, with a hint of
amusement in his glance to Nik.

“Ah that’s not quite true,” Nik said, abruptly
interrupting the story. “The part about the sport is true—Anton has no hand and
eye coordination at all.” We all laughed and Anton gave him an unimpressed
look. Nik continued, “So it was a package deal. If I got picked for a team then
they had to take Anton.”

“Like a two-for-one deal,” I suggested, “you get an
extra steak knife with the purchase.”

“Yeah, a blunt one in this case,” Nik teased his best
friend. He gave as good as he got. “As for you doing my math homework,” he said
with a glance to Anton, “I’m an accountant for fuck’s sake, how would that work?”

Anton laughed. “Maybe it was English.”

“Oh his English is very good,” I said, “his tongue has
great command of—” Before I could finish the sentence everyone burst out
laughing.

“What?” I asked, and looked to Nik who smiled and
shook his head at me.

“Of the language, his tongue has... oh never mind,” I said,
trying not to smile.

Anton continued. “Nik was also the only guy in senior
year to take a supermodel to the formal—Lena Kruger, she was something.”

Ethan looked at Nik with new admiration. “That’s every
teenage boy’s fantasy. I had to beg one of the twins’ friends to come with me.
I wasn’t as handsome then.” He referred to Saffy and me like Mom and Dad do—the
twins for the girls, the triplets for the boys. I grinned at the memory. Ethan
had definitely grown into his face and body. At high school he was all angles.

Nik shrugged. “She asked me, it was not a big deal.”

“He was a sports star then already,” Anton said.

Nik shook his head embarrassed and tried to change the
subject but Anton held up his hand to him and kept going. “Nik was playing in
the top league at seventeen, and she was after a bit of extra publicity. I
don’t think she really had feelings for Nik,” Anton continued.

Nik frowned at him. “Haven’t you got to get back to
the hotel or something? Early meeting tomorrow? Some phone calls to make?”

“No.” Anton shook his head.

I studied Nik. His brow was furrowed and his
expression was hard to read, but at a guess, whenever Anton starting talking,
Nik had a look of... fear in his eyes. What was he worried Anton was going to
reveal? Prada strode past us and did a loop around Nik, settled beside him and
lay down. Nik stroked him.

“That’s impressive,” Saffron said. “Prada doesn’t like
people, except Sassy.”

“I’ve always been good with pussies,” Nik said with a
straight face and we all groaned.

Anton continued. “So now, tell me about you Sah-sha,
what has Nik gotten himself into? Obviously you have questionable taste in
men,” Anton said, with a grin to Nik.

“Lucky I can’t reach you,” Nik said, “but I have a
long memory.”

“Sasha’s a fashion designer and a journalist and she
works at the Saints with Nik,” Lilly piped up, stating the obvious. “Although
Nik is the first player she’s ever dated, isn’t that right, Sassy?”

“It’s the first one she’s got right for a long time,”
Max added, sweetly.

I rolled my eyes; friends, who needs them?

“We’re very happy to meet you Nik, because seriously
Sassy was just working herself into old age. So boring, no life...” Saffron was
saying.

“Hold up, I’m here!” I reminded them. I turned to Nik.
“Haven’t
we
got somewhere we’ve got to be?” I reminded him.

He glanced upstairs to my bedroom. “Yes, and look at
the time.”

“Nice try, but tomorrow is a school day so no late
night for you two,” Ethan said. “Besides Nik has to drop Anton home to the
hotel, can’t have a guest taking a taxi.”

I looked at my sensible brother who just prevented me
having great sex. He’d pay for that.

*****

Ethan was the last to leave and he hovered to give me a hand cleaning up.
I suspected he wanted to tell me something.

“I like him, Sassy, he’s a good guy and he’s clearly
mad about you, he kept sneaking glances at you all night,” he said. Music to my
ears; God that made me wet.

“The marks, you saw them?” I asked.

Ethan nodded. He folded his arms and leaned back on
the kitchen bench as I wiped the last of the plates.

“I’m not one hundred per cent sure, but I’m about
ninety per cent—I’ve seen that before on some of my patients, they’re cigarette
burn scars,” Ethan said, in a quiet voice.

I wheeled around to look at him. “Wait, you’re telling
me that the scars Nik has on his chest and back are from someone putting out a
cigarette on him?” Tears raced to my eyes and I felt physically sick. I knew
this sort of thing happened but to see it on someone you... well like-love, I couldn’t
get my head around it.

Ethan pulled me in for a hug. I let him, before
pulling way.

“I’m okay, really,” I said, “just a bit blown away.
How old are they?”

Ethan shrugged. “I don’t know, but given the size of
Nik now, I doubt anyone could do that to him and live to tell. You said he was
an orphan?”

I nodded.

“Then I suspect he didn’t have a happy childhood,
Sassy. Did he have a foster family or did he grow up in an institution?” Ethan
asked.

“I don’t know,” I said, honestly. “I didn’t ask more
questions because he shut down. I’ve only seen the marks up close once,” I
said, knowing Ethan would get my meaning. “Nik grabbed my hand when I went to
touch one of the scars and then he shut down. He wouldn’t let me see and he
diverted the topic every time.”

Ethan nodded.

“What should I do?” I asked.

“Nothing, especially nothing,” Ethan said.

I frowned. “I don’t want to spend my life doing it
doggy style or having him wear a shirt.”

Ethan grimaced. “Yeah thanks, more information than I
really needed. It’s his call when he tells you, if he tells you.”

“I guess so,” I said. I agreed, knowing I wouldn’t
like Nik asking me about Adam if I wasn’t ready to talk.

Ethan pulled on his chin as he thought. “Um, I don’t
think it was any coincidence either that Nik’s friend showed up just as you two
are hotting up. He’s working in New York City and now he suddenly had business
here on the other side of the country?”

“You think he’s checking me out?” I asked, astounded.
“It’s a long way to come to check me out.”

Ethan shook his head. “Not that far to come compared
to Germany and he was in the country. So, yeah, I do think that’s why he’s here.
I’m guessing Nik has no-one in the world but a few close friends?”

“I guess so. His next of kin is Anton,” I said.

“How do you know about his next of kin?” Ethan asked.

“Insider information,” I told him, touching my nose.

“Hmm. You know how close our family is and how loyal
you and Max are to each other. Imagine if Max was an orphan and you were his
closest friend, his family more or less and had been since school...”

“I’d be screening anyone who came into his life to
make sure they treated him right,” I said.

“Exactly,” Ethan said. “Especially if you knew he had
been mistreated. These guys have known each other for years and sounds like
they’ve had each other’s back even at school. I think Anton’s looking after his
‘brother’ in the true sense of the word.”

I nodded, thinking.

“So I shouldn’t raise the subject? I should just
ignore the scars?” I asked.

“That’s just my opinion from the experience I’ve had—you
need to let him tell you when he is ready to trust you. He may never tell you. He
might want to bury that part of his life. But don’t force it Sassy, you’ll push
him away.”

“How could anyone do that to a kid?” I asked.

“Beats me, but they do and worse.”

This time, I reached out and squeezed my brother’s arm.
“I forgot how much you see, I’m sorry.”

“I signed up for it,” he reminded me. He glanced at
his watch. “Got to go, thanks for tonight.”

“You know Lilly is still in love with you?” I teased
him.

“Sweet Lilly, I’d eat her for breakfast.” Ethan
sighed. I saw him out and returned to the kitchen to make a tea. I took it to
the sofa, sat and thought about the evening. Prada joined me and I stroked his
sleek, black coat.

I exhaled. Wow, what had I got here? This connection
that Nik felt, that he felt right from the start, it was a little more intense
than I thought and carried a lot more responsibility. I had the sudden urge to
want to make the rest of his life so happy, so secure and full of love.
Surround him with kids and family and all the things he didn’t have.

I sighed. Boy did Nik have the wrong girl.

Chapter 15

What the fuck was going on in the universe? Good grief—my ex-husband Adam,
in between flirting with models at the bridal expo, was still texting me and
clearly finding me much more attractive now that we’re divorced, what was that
about? Now, Dan whom I have known for a hundred and five years—okay five years
at least—has suddenly decided it’s time to ask me out. If Nik found out his jaw
would be locked for a week and I’d never get any decent tongue action. Crap!

I just got to work on Tuesday morning after a great
impromptu gathering last night with Nik and our friends when at ten o’clock, a
bunch of flowers arrived. Actually they weren’t flowers, technically it was a
chocolate posy—a flower bouquet made of chocolates.

Alice’s face dropped with disappointment as Suzie our
receptionist brought them in and put them in front of me—Tomás had never sent
flowers to Alice, he was more of an in-person guy—and Kay had long given up on
getting flowers unless it was her anniversary.

“Lucky you,” Alice sighed admiring the arrangement
until she realized they were chocolates.

“O.M.G., it’s chocolate, I think we should test them
now, make sure they’re okay” she teased.

I grinned like the Cheshire cat thinking they were
from Nik until I read the card. My face dropped. Damn I’d be no good at poker,
I should have faked it but I didn’t get my reactions in order in time. The card
read:
We should catch up, Dan.

“What’s wrong?” Alice said.

“They’re from Dan… a journo I saw on Sunday. I’ve
known him since college and now he wants to catch up. I don’t get it,” I said,
still looking at the card as if the words might dissolve and Nik’s message
would appear. From Dan. Yep, that Dan—Dan who has known me since university and
never looked twice at me. Did I wave hello in a more fascinating way than usual
on the weekend at the game? Did sitting next to him in the media box take on a
whole new significance this weekend and I missed it? I’ve said it before and
I’ll say it again, what the fuck? It seems Dan dropped them in but I was on the
phone so he headed off. I bet it was re-gifted... I know Dan, he doesn’t spend
a dollar with knowing there’s a possible return.

“I bet there’s a chocolate posy promotion at K-Talk,
and these are leftovers,” I said, offering them to Kay and Alice.

“That’s terrible, Sasha.” Kay shook her head and
scolded me, but happily took two. “I’m sure he’s a lovely young man who has
just come to appreciate your charms.”

I snorted. “Yes, well can’t blame him,” I teased her. Alice
took a couple and hoarded one for later—I’ve noticed she was a bit of a food
hoarder… no wonder the office had mice.

Why is it that women rarely get flowers from the one they
want to get them from? Wow, how ungrateful did I sound, but it’s a truth
universally acknowledged, with apologies to Jane Austen. If you took a poll of
every chick on the planet, I bet they’d say they’ve had flowers from the wrong
guy. I’m raving again, great.

“Maybe he’s just broken up with someone, Sash,” Kay
said.

I clicked my fingers at her. “I bet you are right,
Kay, and now he’s looking at what’s in his playing field.”

“Well you’re not available,” Alice reminded me.

“I know.” I grinned, then sobered up quickly. “If Nik
comes in, these are not mine,” I said.

“Well they’re not mine,” Alice added.

We both looked at Kay and she smiled. Bless her.

“Where’s the coffee van?” Jim bellowed from the other
side of the wall. I rolled my eyes as Alice giggled. We all knew the feeling. I
was in a total relaxed state—we had a bye this weekend which meant less
pressure on me, no weekend work… not that we minded because game day was so
exciting and I got longer with Nik. I mused… that might be why Anton arrived,
because it was a weekend without a game. Perhaps Ethan was wrong about him
checking up on me and he was just taking the opportunity to catch up with Nik—either
way, I was taking Nik shopping this weekend, hell yeah!

The Russian came out of his office and went past us;
we all looked up to watch the moving scenery. Not until he got well past us and
to the door did he say, “coffee van’s here ladies.” Did I mention The Russian
sucks? Alice and I rose to get the morning run for the marketing team. If Jim
didn’t get his soon he was going to start glue sniffing. This time, I had my
purse ready… the others could fix me up later. I jumped in queue while Alice
confirmed orders in the office and I was right behind The Russian and before
Shayne. Yep, I’m slick and getting slicker.

I narrowed my eyes at The Russian. “So big guy, how
did you know the van was coming?”

He smiled at me, his dark eyes narrowing. “I have my
sources.”

“Bullshit, that’s my line,” I told him. “You’ve bribed
our coffee lady to text you, haven’t you?”

Shayne was grinning as he watched the two of us
sparring.

“You won’t win, Sasha,” Shayne said, “wall by build,
wall by nature.” He took in The Russian.

“Hmph,” I said, or something similar. Alice arrived
beside me and Shayne arced up.

“Are you jumping queue Alice?” he said.

“Hell no, Shayne. Me? Never. I’m just bringing the
cash to Sash,” she said, handing over Kay and Jim’s coffee order.

“You’re all too good at this for me.” Shayne shook his
head. “I’m going to need a system. Russian, will you get my coffee so I can get
back to work and making our team great?”

The Russian grinned while Alice and I groaned.

“That’s pathetic, Shayne,” I said.

“Yeah,” he agreed and gave The Russian his money for a
latte.

“Pathetic!” I called after him and he gave me a wave
as he left to return to the office.

I turned back and The Russian was looking at me. “Who
are the flowers from Sash?”

“Dan, the journo,” Alice piped up then covered her
mouth. My eyes went huge.

The Russian laughed. “You’d make a great spy Alice.
Better hope Tomás has no secrets.”

I groaned and Alice gave me a sympathetic look. “Sorry
Sash,” she said, grimacing.

The Russian shook his head. “That’ll get back.”

“They’re not flowers, they’re chocolates, re-gifted
chocolates I suspect, and it can’t get back, Russian,” I said to him. “You know
Dan, so do I, he’s been around forever and I’m so not interested. He’s just
trying his luck... probably newly single.”

The Russian nodded. “Yeah wouldn’t want to see the
Kaiser angry, never seen that actually,” he said with renewed interest.

“Let’s not see it,” I suggested. Damn my ex, Adam; damn
Dan—although it was a lovely thought; but in general sometimes men just sucked
and not in the best way.

*****

When I took a break for lunch, I looked over my shoulder, checked there
was no one around, and did a quick online search on Nik. There were heaps of
press clippings, great photos, awards, wonder boy stories and pics of him with
beautiful women in Berlin—so glad I saw those. I could only read the articles
that were in English but there was no mention of his family. I found a long
interview he did just before he came to the States where he talked about his
first coach being his inspiration. I read through it; at thirteen he had moved
in with the coach and his wife when signed in the junior league and they
managed his early career. Interesting. Not one mention of his family in that
article either or where he had grown up. There were a couple of social shots
with Anton in them along with a handful with women. Hmm.

What’s your story Nik? I want to be very careful
not to accidentally break you.