Breaking the Ice

Chapter Twenty: Family Matters

Marcus's POV

I slip my airpods into my ears as the pressure from the plane's take-off eases. Peter shuffled beside me as he dug into his backpack to retrieve his Nintendo Switch and Damien reclined the backrest of his own seat while pulling the hood of his jacket as far down his face as it would allow.

Peter nudges my arm with his elbow and mouths something to me that I can't understand. Taking out one side of my airpods, I c****d one eyebrow at him as a wicked grin pulled across his face.

"What?" I ask him as he powers up his Switch.

"I was just asking if you messaged Anna before we took off," he says while adjusting the settings for his game.

"I messaged her before we left home. I won't bother her while we're in Houston. And I'm sure dad will make sure he finds stuff to keep me busy," I sighed out loud just as my father exited the first-class cabin and his eyes narrowed as he stared at me.

"I don't want you speaking to Donovan's daughter anymore. You boys need to focus on your scholarships. The state championship is a mere six months away and all of you were sloppy on the ice the other day," my dad's voice rose an octave too high, and the stewardess gave him a warning glance as she walked past him in the aisle.

I opened my mouth to defend us when something that never happened before took shape. Damien shot forward in his seat, pushing the hood off his face and turning his head towards our father.

"Has it ever occurred to you that all we ever do is focus on hockey? When was the last time you actually showed interest in any other aspect of our lives that didn't affect the future of your precious business?"

And with that, Damien pushed to his feet and shuffled himself to the back of the plane. Peter and I watched as our father turned red in the face and balled his fists at his sides.

"This is what I mean. That boy has never spoken to me that way. That girl is nothing but trouble!"

"She is not!" Peter countered as he moved to unbuckle his seatbelt as well. "Anna is a nice girl who has been nothing but good to us. Yeah, she may be your school rival's daughter, but that doesn't mean she should be ours as well, dad," Peter finished as he stabbed his headset onto his head and made no other motion to pay attention to our father.

The stewardess was now standing beside our father, hands folder over her chest. "Mr McKay, I'm going to have to ask you to return to your seat up front," she said before ushering our now-stewing father to the first-class cabin.

Damien returned to his seat a few seconds later and he and Peter shared a fist bump before continuing on with their previous mechanisms. That left me to sit in stunned silence as I witnessed both my brothers standing up to our father for the first time, ever. A feeling of relief washed over my body as the tense feeling in my chest eased to a dull drum and the pilot intercom buzzed, alerting us of imminent turbulence due to bad weather ahead of us.

Within the hour, we were disembarking the flight and taking a taxi to our hotel, when my phone beeped in my jacket pocket. I opened the message from Anna, not noticing the smile that tugged at the corner of my mouth.

Hey. I hope you had a safe flight. I'm assuming you're there by now. My dad and mom had a talk with me, but my mom is being a little more understanding, considering. I hope you guys didn't get into trouble with your dad. Courtney blurted out to my mom that we were 'dating', but she actually meant real dating. My mom is a bit skeptical about it. She says she knows you and your brothers well, but there was something else she wasn't telling me. But I'll leave that conversation for when you're back. Have a great trip. I guess I'll see you when you get back. Anna.

I read and re-read the message a few times before I found myself walking into someone's back. I looked up to find myself face to face with my brothers, watching me precariously. Peter was almost ready to burst out laughing while Damein looked about ready to hit me upside the head.

"Looks like loverboy got a message. How cute," Peter goaded me as Damien slapped him behind the head.

"Shut up. Do you want dad to chew off our heads again? I only have one rant in me every other lifetime. I'd like to keep my credit card intact and the rest of this trip to go on without any more drama," Damien then motioned behind me just as our father came up with two men dressed to the nines.

"Boys, these gentlemen will take you to the hotel. I have two meetings with executives, but the car will come to pick you up for a banquet dinner we have with the company shareholders. Dress appropriately and I expect you to be on your best behavior," he said before walking past us, never sparing a backward glance.

We then moved to the luggage carousel to retrieve our luggage before being led out of the airport towards an awaiting black BMW parked in a waiting zone. The car then took us towards the main city as the sun began its lazy decent into the cloud covers of the evening sky.

"Since we're here for a fancy board meeting, do you think everyone else brought their families with them?" Peter asked, earning him a sideways glance from Damien.

"Probably," I said.

"Hopefully not," Damien sighed as he looked out his window.

I watched my brother as his features took one that I haven't seen since the days after our mom passed away. He was being withdrawn. I wanted to ask him about it, but I figured I'd have a better chance when Peter wasn't around.

The car pulled up to the hotel, and we exited and made our way over to reception. The young woman at the front desk became immediately enchanted with Peter, who didn't tap down on his efforts to get our shared suite changed into single rooms.

"I'm sorry sir, but Mr McKay gave us specific instructions to stick to his reservations," the young woman replied as Peter made a move to turn up his charm.

"Oh come on. Our dad doesn't need to know. It'll be between you," he paused for dramatic effect, "And me.." Peter then reached for the girl's hand that held the room key cards on the desk but was stopped by Damien forcefully tugging him out of the way.

"Pipe down Cassanova. Your date for tonight is staring daggers into your back," Damien said under his breath as Peter spun around on his heels and then stopped short.

I followed my brother's gaze and then felt the floor beneath my feet tilt a fraction as my eyes landed on someone I never thought I would meet again.

Clad in jeans and loose silk tops, the three young women made their way over to us, their heels clicking on the marble floor of the main area of the hotel lobby in perfect sync.

"Oh God, no," Peter swallowed audibly as Damien sighed out loud.

"Didn't think we'd ever see you boys ever again," came a soft voice etched with ice.

"Hell must be frozen over," Peter breathed as he began shifting himself behind Damien like a deer caught in headlights.

The woman at the center took a few more steps forward, her ruby-stained lips pulling up in a devious smirk.

"Now Peter, that's no way to speak to your future wife," the words held conviction as the two other young women giggled behind her.

"Not in any lifetime, b***h," Damien grunted, earning him a snide expression from the woman on the far left.

"I would say it's a pleasure to see you again, Bella. But, you know, lying is a sin," I managed to get the words out before my hammering heart made it very obvious that my brothers and I were definitely not fine with what our father was obviously planning behind our backs.

"Oh the pleasure is all ours, Marcus. The fun is only just beginning."