SIN-BIN: Chapter 37

Why the hell will no one tell me how she’s doing? I’m her fucking son, and all they are giving me is a line of crap: “Your mom is in the ER; we’re doing everything we can.” I need to fucking know what happened. How severe are her injuries? What is the prognosis? What are the chances of her making a full recovery? Answers. I need fucking answers, and they are giving me none.

I take my phone out of my pocket and see missed calls from my grandparents, from Clay and other guys from the team. Even my coach has already called me, but not him. My asshole father is pretending that nothing happened, that nothing is his fault, while in reality? It’s on him, and on me. I should have told her everything the second I found out the truth. I shouldn’t have listened to him. I shouldn’t have lied to her.

I shove my phone back into my pocket and rub my palms over my face. I’m so fucking drained, I feel like I’m going to pass out. I lean against the wall and close my eyes. I just want to go back in time and fix everything. I want to save her from this, from this knowledge, from how she found out about her husband’s infidelity. It shouldn’t have come to this.

“Hey.” A deep and soothing voice snaps me out of my thoughts. I open my eyes and see a man I have never seen before. He’s tall and big, with broad shoulders and a toned chest. He’s close to my father’s age, but he looks different. The vibe he gives me is the exact opposite of the one I feel near my dad. It’s like this man’s calm demeanor affects everyone around him, including me.

I keep silent, gaping at him. I’m not in the best mood, and I’m afraid I’m going to flip out any minute. It’s always hard for me to communicate with people I don’t know, but tonight it will be impossible. It took all my strength not to yell at the nurses earlier. This man doesn’t look like he works in the hospital, so I honestly have no desire to engage with him.

“My name is Dax,” he tells me, and I narrow my eyes. What does he want from me? “I was on my way home when I saw your mom’s car hit the railing of the bridge.”

I push myself away from the wall. My whole body is tense, and I ball my fists. My heart thunders hard against my chest. The world around me stops existing, and I focus my attention solely on this man. Is he the one who saved her? Someone told me she was lucky—a firefighter was on the bridge. Is it him?

“Did you…” I clear my throat. My mouth is dry, and I sound hoarse. “Did you save her?”

“That’s what I do. I’m a firefighter.” He smiles gently at me, the corners of his eyes softening. “The second I saw her car go over the bridge and into the river, I knew what to do. I just hope I made it in time and she will have a chance to recover.”

“No one will tell me anything,” I blurt, choking on my own words. “I know nothing about her injuries.”

“I’m sorry, son. Being in the dark is always hard. Sometimes our imaginations draw pictures that are much worse than reality,” Dax says, hiding his hands in his pockets. And just like that, I know he speaks from experience. Not just the kind he gained from his work, but something way more personal.

“You need to have hope. To hold it close to your heart and pray for the best. It’s bad right now, but it won’t be like that forever. Keep that in mind, and try to focus on good things. Thinking positively is hard, but it’s worth it. Trust me.”

I stay quiet for a moment. If only I didn’t feel so guilty, it would be easier; it would be the only thing on my mind: is my mom okay. Now? On top of feeling nervous and scared of her future, I’m drowning in my own ocean of regret. I failed her. I betrayed her trust, her faith in me. I broke her when I agreed to keep quiet. Fuck.

“Where is your father?”

I clench my jaw so hard my teeth hurt. Dax notices it and frowns, his brows pinching together.

“My father is a jerk.”

“Should have guessed,” he mutters under his breath, looking around. His gaze lingers on my gym bag and my hockey stick on the floor, and then he stares me in the eyes.“You play hockey?”

“Yeah.” I gradually relax because he doesn’t push the issue. Telling a complete stranger the truth about my father and why my mom ended up on that fucking bridge is not something I want to do. “I was on my way to the dorm from practice when I got the call from the police. Rushed here without a second thought. I have no idea why I grabbed my stuff from my car.”

Dax chuckles, flashing a little grin. “You were stressed, and in a state like that we don’t think clearly. It actually means something.”

“What?”

“Hockey is important to you. It’s something you love. And when you felt like your world was falling apart, you grabbed your stuff because it’s a stable element in your life. Am I right?”

“Maybe,” I chortle. I was tense, and now I’m fucking smiling?

“I’ve probably seen you play. My friend’s kid is a hockey player too. If they played at home when he was in high school, I was there with his family and my daughter. Can’t say I love hockey, though.”

“No? Hockey is the best thing ever, along with soccer.”

“Arguable.” He laughs, looking at something over my shoulder. “I think the doctor is waiting for you.”

I hurriedly whip my head and see a young doctor eyeing me from a distance. He’s the one I already tried to talk to, and he brushed me off. Maybe he has some news for me?

“Thank you so much for saving my mom, Dax. She’s the most important person in my life, and losing her…” I fall silent, taking a deep breath to steady my heartbeat. I shut my eyes for a moment, and then center my attention on Dax. His eyes are emerald green, and they are full of warmth. He said he has a daughter, and I honestly envy her. Having a father like him must be great. I’m sure he’s not a douche like my sperm donor is. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome…” He arches his eyebrow, and I realize I still haven’t introduced myself.

“I’m Colton Thompson. Colt.”

“You’re very welcome, Colt.” He extends his hand to me, and we shake. “I hope to see you on the ice one day. I promise to cheer for you.”

I glance over my shoulder. The doctor shifts uncomfortably, and shivers run down my spine. “I gotta go.”

“Of course.” Dax takes a step back. “Bye, Colton.”

“Bye,” I mumble. Then I whirl around and storm over to the doctor. If it wasn’t for Dax, I probably would have had a breakdown already. His presence and conversation helped me a ton. I will forever be grateful to him.

The second my eyes land on Ava’s father, I’m lost in my memories. I can’t back away without looking like a moron. I don’t have any other choice except to step inside their house and relive all the things I tried to forget.

What the fuck is this? How is it even possible that the first girl I’ve ever liked is the daughter of the man who saved my mom’s life?

“Hey, Colt,” he says with a smile. My heart contracts. It feels like someone is keeping me underwater, not letting me take a breath. Not letting me fill my lungs. I want to disappear, because I’m afraid of the talk that is coming.

“Hello, Dax.”

Ava walks up close and steps between us, glancing at me and her father in turn. “You know each other?”

Dax smiles at me. “Yes.”

“How?” She puts her hands on her hips, confusion evident on her beautiful face.

I lock eyes with her father, and I instantly know he won’t say more. He’s letting me make this decision. “Your dad knows my mom.”

“Really?” The wrinkle between her brows becomes deeper and more visible.

“Yeah.” Dax nods. “Met once, but I still remember her. A woman like Avery is hard to forget.”

“Did my dad hit on your mom?” she asks, and he cackles. “Dad.”

“Do I look like a man who would hit on someone’s wife, Ava? You definitely know better.”

“Sorry, Dad. I just…didn’t expect you two to know each other.”

“The moment you mentioned he was a hockey player named Thompson, I knew I’d met Colton already.” Dax meets my gaze, and I have no idea what to say. He’s not angry with me, is he? He understands why I’m not telling her the truth. But why?

“You should have told me,” Ava says. Then she freezes, and her mouth falls open. “Oh, you asked me for his last name, but I didn’t figure out why.”

“Sorry, sweetie. You called him an asshole, so I wasn’t sure if I should mention it.”

“I am an asshole,” I state, seeing her blush. She huffs, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

“She also said you look at her like she’s your favorite snack.” Dax slips his hands in his pockets, hardly keeping himself from laughing.

I run my fingers through my hair. My skin is itching. All this freaking tension is keeping my body hostage, and my mind goes blank. Is this how meeting your crush’s parents for the first time always goes? So easy and so fucking nice? Something is telling me it’s not usually like this at all. It’s just Dax and his personality. And how much he loves his daughter. It’s contagious.

“Dad.” Ava says, and her father bursts out laughing, unable to contain himself anymore. She grasps my hand in hers and drags me upstairs. “I’m going to show Colton to his room, and then we can have lunch together.”

“Whatever you say, honey,” Dax murmurs, still shaking with laughter.

I follow her in silence. Thoughts circulate in my head like a swarm of bees. My room? Wasn’t Drake’s message about me staying at his house? I don’t understand a thing, but I’m happy nonetheless. The more time spent with Ava, the better.

She opens the door to a room, and we step inside, heading straight to the bed. Ava lets go of my hand, and I sit, watching her. Every time I look at her, I fall harder. Sometimes it scares me, but sometimes, like today, I feel blessed. With how fucked up I was, I didn’t think I’d ever feel anything close to how I feel now. It’s a fucking miracle she likes me back.

Ava’s long brown hair is in two braids. She wears no makeup and is still absolutely gorgeous. She doesn’t have even an ounce of pretense in her, and I’m pulled to her and her honesty like a magnet. She’s my kind of orbit, and I revolve around her every damn minute of every day.

I put my hands on her hips and draw her closer, so she’s standing between my legs. She’s wearing a white crop top and blue cotton shorts. She’s cute and sexy as hell. Her flat midriff with her belly ring makes it hard for me to concentrate on anything else, because every new thought that comes to mind is dirtier than the last.

I squeeze her butt and peer into her eyes. “My room?”

“Do you like it?” she asks with a tiny grin on her plump lips.

I rake my gaze over the place and nod. It’s simple, in navy blue and gray colors, without any obnoxious decor like my family’s house is full of. There is one full bed, two nightstands with two white table lamps, a wooden closet, and a full-length mirror. Nothing superfluous, and I like it.

“Yup. It’s nice, and the bed is soft.”

“Cool.”

“I’m a bit confused,” I go on, and she arches her eyebrow at me. “Drake sent me a message too, saying I could stay at his house.”

“That was the plan.” Ava places her hands on my shoulders, then locks them around my neck. “But once I talked to my dad about your visit, he was sure if you stayed at the Bensons’, I would constantly be over there. With you.”

“Is that so?”

“Uh-huh.” She speaks softly, bending down and hovering her mouth over mine. “Why didn’t you tell me you were staying at your apartment alone?”

“You were excited to go home and spend time with your dad. I didn’t want to take that away from you.”

“And you didn’t want me to feel sorry for you?”

“A little,” I confess. Her hot breath sends a rush of energy right to my cock.

“Stop having ideas, Colton.” She quickly kisses my lips and pulls back. “My dad is downstairs, and he’s waiting for us to have lunch together.”

I drop my hands from her sides, and Ava steps back. She turns around and edges to the door. “The bathroom is next door. You can use it whenever you need. I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

The door is almost closed when I hop to my feet and race after her. She halts in her tracks, glancing at me over her shoulder. “I don’t want you to wait for me, and I’m kinda tired of being alone.”

“Do you need to get your stuff from your car?” Ava asks, lacing our fingers together. “I can go with you.”

“Yes, please.” I grin as we go downstairs.

Lunch with Dax and Ava was great. They made me feel welcome, as if I belonged in their little family. The conversation was flowing, with lots of jokes and funny stories. Dax never asked me anything about my mom, and I was honestly grateful to him for that.

But I know it will be impossible to leave this house without talking about her.

It reminded me so much of lunches with my mom before shit went down, so much that my heart was aching. Those memories tear me down, bring me to my knees, and make me feel hopeless. I would trade everything I have for even a minute with my mom as her old self. I would do anything to heal her, to take back what she suffered. She didn’t deserve to have her future stolen. My father was the one who needed to pay for his sins, not her. Yet destiny proved again how unfair life is.

“What do you want to drink?” Benson’s voice is so loud, I curse. Being so deep in my head, I didn’t even notice him coming closer. “Daydreaming in the middle of a party, Thompson?”

“More like getting lost in my memories,” I mutter, and he chortles. “When I came here today, I didn’t think I would end up at a party.”

“Neither did I.” He takes a sip of beer and grimaces. “It’s as warm as pee.”

“Talking from experience?” I kid, and he freezes, staring at me as if he doesn’t recognize me. “What?”

“She’s rubbing off on you. In a good way.”

“You make it sound like I never joke,” I scoff, hiding my hands in my pockets.

“Oh, you do, but not like that.” Benson smiles, jokingly punching me in my shoulder. “Glad to see you here.”

“Me too.” I flash him a smile, chuckling. “Rodgers wants to tag along.”

“I saw his Insta. He’s having the time of his life at home, partying and clubbing. Why the hell would he want to come here?” Benson pinches his brows together, eyeing me with curiosity.

“I think he likes your sister.”

“Not going to happen. Out of the question.” He shakes his head, setting his beer on the table. “He’s even worse than you when it comes to girls.”

“Wow.” I whistle. “I thought my reputation preceded me.”

“Rodgers is a manwhore, and you’re not. I stopped counting the girls he slept with during our freshman year, and we’re fucking seniors now.” Drake gives me a pointed look, and I can’t argue with him. He’s a big brother; he wants the best for his sister, and Clay is definitely not suited for that role. “I can invite him, and he can stay at my house since you’re staying at the Masons’, but I will never ever approve of him having a relationship with Layla. What am I even talking about? He doesn’t do relationships.”

“There are always exceptions,” I say quietly, and we lock eyes. I’m talking about Ava, and he understands it right away. “Someone who will make you forget everything and everyone else.”

“Colt, I know he’s your best friend and you mean well, but unless I see a difference in the way he treats my sister as opposed to all the other girls, I will say no.”

“I respect that.” We smile at each other, and then I turn around to search for Ava in the crowd. No luck. She went to the bathroom with Layla, and I haven’t seen her for at least ten minutes.

“Oh, fuck no,” Drake mumbles, taking off without another word. I follow him with my gaze, and my body becomes rigid. Ava and some dude are arguing in the middle of the crowd. He’s tall and as big as a fucking bull, and I finally recognize him. It’s Jefferson. Her ex.

I storm over, and I only have time to notice the movement of her hands. She pushes him away with all her might, making him stumble back and almost fall on his ass. I’m proud of her, but at the same time I’m scared as shit. If he tries to hit her, I won’t be able to make it in time. I speed up as Ava twirls around, marches to the front door, puts on her jacket, and then slams the door behind her. I pass Drake, who’s holding the guy back, and then I notice Layla. She points at the door, and I nod. I’ve got this.