Erik (Arizona Vengeance 2)

There’s an elephant in the room and no one will talk about it.

Legend pulls a twenty-dollar bill from the pile of cash on the table in front of us and waves it to get the blonde’s attention. She struts down a short set of steps from the stage and lets Legend tuck the twenty into her G-string. He then sits back in his chair, spreads his legs, and lets her give him a lap dance.

I watch for a moment and then turn back to my bourbon. Liquor’s been about the only thing that has given me any relief since Blue and I broke up a week ago.

I walked out of the hospital, deciding that emotions were high and that she just needed space to figure things out. I had assumed within a day or two, she’d calm down and Billy would forgive her. She’d realize it was just a mistake, it was human nature, and we’d have to work better to balance Billy’s needs in our relationship. I was ready, willing, and able to tell her that I was fine with Billy always coming first.

But it’s been seven long days and I haven’t heard a peep from Blue.

I didn’t need the full seven days, though, to know it was really over for her. I got that message loud and clear when Sadie told us on the way back from Calgary that Blue had quit. Apparently she had emailed our GM and apologized for not being able to give notice, but that she was quitting, effective immediately.

I’d shot off a text to Blue asking what was going on.

She never replied.

I sent her another text, then another. No replies.

I got desperate and called her. I talked to her voicemail but she never called back.

I got the hint and bourbon became my best friend.

The stripper finishes her lap dance and moves over to a table beside us where a few of the rookies sit, waving cash around.

“I’m shit-faced,” Legend mutters before picking up his drink and draining it.

“I’m on my way,” I mutter.

We sit in silence a moment, me staring into my drink and Legend staring into his empty glass. Then his head turns slowly to look at me. “Do you think Pepper is hot?”

I give a shrug. “Yeah. Sure.”

“I think she’s hot,” he says with a nod that doesn’t look all that confident. I find it fascinating, though, that Legend would say something nice about her. It must mean he’s really drunk. “Doesn’t matter, though.”

“Why’s that?” I ask, honestly not really caring. Got my own girl problems.

“Dax is with her,” he mutters.

“No, he’s not. They’re just friends.”

Legend sits up straighter, his eyes focusing in on me with more clarity than I thought he’d be able to muster given the amount of liquor he’s consumed. “How do you know?”

I shrug. “Blue pointed out to me once that they never touch or show affection for each other. She says they’re just buddies that like to hang out.”

A sharp stab of pain slices through me at the reminder of Blue and all the things we would talk about. Gossiping about my teammates and their love lives was amusing to both of us.

“Dax isn’t the type to just be friends with a woman,” Legend argues. “He’s all about getting in the pussy.”

“Maybe he’s tried and she shut him down,” I suggest.

Legend shakes his head slowly. “Then he wouldn’t stay friends with her.”

“Whatever, dude,” I say, already bored with the conversation. I don’t care if Pepper is banging Dax, Legend, or both of them at the same time, which is actually kind of hot, but no…can’t muster up the energy to even be turned on by the image of them in a threesome.

Blue not only broke my heart, but my dick as well.

We lapse back into silence. Legend orders another drink from a passing waitress and I go ahead and ask for another one too. The plane leaves at 8:00 A.M. tomorrow to head to San Diego for a game before we fly back to Phoenix. I don’t even have to be sober to board, so there’s still plenty of time left for drinking.

“Are you ever going to talk about it?” Legend asks me and my head swings his way.

He looks at me expectantly, with perhaps some accusation mixed in.

“Fuck,” I mutter as I pick up my drink and drain the last of it. The fates are good to me, as the waitress returns at that exact moment and sets a fresh highball in front of me. I pick it up as I push a twenty her way, and take a healthy slug. Hissing through my teeth, I set it down and turn to look at Legend again.

He’s still waiting for me to unload, and I’m just drunk enough that I think I’ll do it. I haven’t told a single person since we broke up what transpired between Blue and me.