Tricks Of The Game

Chapter 42

*Brianna's POV*

Slapping Patrick across the face was not something I would normally do, but desperate times calls for desperate measures. My blood boiled with anger.

"Patrick, you listen, and you listen good. You left her, she's no longer yours. Don't try to swoop in here and try to claim her as yours. She will never be yours again. Her and Duncan are happy, and I'm not gonna let you stand here and try to take her back. She's been to hell and back with you. Go home, and leave her be." Brandon grabbed my arm and pulled me out to our car, gently placing me in the front seat. Sliding into the driver seat, Brandon started the car, taking off towards our home.

"Where did you learn to hit like that?" Whipping my head towards Brandon, he laced our fingers together, rubbing his thumb over mine.

"What do you mean? I grew up with 3 sisters, we fought, you know that." He chuckled, turning onto the on ramp to 290 highway.

"I know, but I've never seen you that violent, even when you and Jonathan were fighting. You never hit him, what's different." Smirking, I looked ahead at the highway, watching the sky change from overcast to plain black in just minutes.

"Kelsey and I have been friends for almost 10 years. I would do anything for her, as she would do the same for me. You don't mess with her, or I will hunt you down and kill you in your sleep. Its the same with her. We have our days, but in the end, we don't know what we would do without each other. We're protective over each other, its like having your own personal guard dog. Sharpie has no business doing what he's doing. I know, he's old enough to make his own decisions, but I haven't seen Kelsey this happy since she was "with" a guy named Dan, but that's another story for another day. I'm not gonna let Patrick slide in and try to steal her happiness. Duncan is good to her, and I know that, just like she knows you're good to me. She's been a constant person in my life, not like my oldest sister I only see twice a year. When she's happy, I'm happy. Its just how it is." Looking at Brandon, he looked like I had just told him my deepest, darkest secrets. "Say something, besides the fact that we are home." He looked at me, his dark eyes searching mine, before he leaned across the console, placing a breathtaking kiss on my lips.

"I didn't know all of that. I'm glad I do, now I understand why you guys act like Rachel and Monica from Friends." Laughing, I kissed him once more. As we entered the house, the sound of Blues Clues was playing from the living room. Asleep on the couch, was Colton, Evelyn, Andrew, and Chaunette.

"Leave them be. Don't want to wake them when they're already asleep." Nodding, we quietly headed up to our bedroom. Slipping out of the clothes I had been wearing for 2 days, I pulled on athletic shorts and one of Brandon's white t-shirts. Pulling the covers back, I let myself sink into the welcoming mattress. I felt the bed dip in beside me, a light kiss on my exposed neck, and drifted into the darkness that had started to take over my eyes.

*Brandon's POV*

A constant vibrating noise could be heard in our bedroom. As it stopped, I closed my eyes, only for it to start up again. Throwing my arm backwards towards the nightstand, I grasped my phone in my hand, noticing it was Duncs calling. Lazily unlocking my phone, I dropped my head back onto my pillow.

"Hey Duncs, everything alright?" Brianna started to stir as I spoke. Placing my left hand on her baby bump, I slowly rubbed in circles, as she fell back asleep.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just, I need to get something off my chest, and as of right now, you seem to be the only one on my side."

Sitting up, I threw the covers off, and crept down to the office. Shutting the door behind me, I prepared myself for anything.

"I'm all ears, what's on your mind?"

A sigh escaped from the other side, as the sound of a box opening and closing came through the receiver.

"You know I want what's best for my son and I. I would give anything to make sure Colton is taken care of. After I saw Kelsey's body laying on that hospital bed, I knew what was best. I-I'm planning on proposing to Kelsey, but I need to figure out how I'm going to do that. This ring in my hand feels like it weighs as much as the Stanley Cup right now. Brandon, I need your help, and possibly Brianna's. But she has to promise not to say anything to anyone, not even Chaunette. I don't this to go wrong." Taking in this information was pretty easy, I mean, we all knew this was coming.

"Take my advice bro. Go to sleep, I will bring this up to Bri, she knows Kelsey better than anyone. I will make her promise not to say anything, which I highly doubt she would. I will have her talk to you about ideas, but don't let this affect anything you do. Don't act out of the ordinary, don't raise suspicion to yourself. Just go to sleep and I will see you at practice at Johnny's at 9 tomorrow, okay." A sigh came across the receiver once more.

"Yeah, you're right. I just needed to tell someone. Thanks Brandon, I'll see you in the morning."

"No problem." Opening the office door, I quietly made my way back to the bedroom. As my head hit the pillow, I felt Brianna curl into me, and I held her close. I started rubbing circles on her bump as I fell asleep.

*Brianna's POV*

Brandon had been unusually quiet this morning as he prepared for practice. He was even more quiet on the car ride to Johnny's.

"Baby, what's wrong? I know you got out of bed this morning, but it seems like it's effecting you. You've barely said a word to me or Evelyn." He continued with silence as he pulled into a parking spot. Andrew walked up to the car, Brandon rolled the window down, as Andrew got to the door.

"Good morning you three plus two. Late night?" Brandon nodded, as he got out of the car, still not saying anything.

"Andrew, take Evelyn inside please. I need to talk to Brandon." Andrew opened my door, then Evelyn's, unstrapping her from her car seat as she grasped her arms around Andrew's neck. Brandon sat against the back hatch, his bag at his feet.

"Duncs is going to propose to Kelsey." I stopped, as those words slipping from his mouth. "That's what the phone call was. He was calling to tell me that, he needed to tell someone, and he chose me. He doesn't know how he wants to ask, that's where you come in. You know her better than anyone." Stepping in between his legs, he leaned down, placing a kiss on top of my stomach. He left his lips there, the only thing moving were his eyes, as they searched mine for some kind of answer.

"I'll see what I can come up with. She's not a flashy girl, she's laid back, tom boyish. She's only girly when she feels like it. Trying to find a way for Duncs to propose to her may be a little difficult, but we'll figure something out." Brandon placed another kiss on the ever growing bump.

"Did you say what I think you just said?" Standing behind us, was an extremely pissed off Patrick Sharp. "He's not gonna propose to her. She loves me, not him. He's forcing her into something she doesn't want. She can't possibly believe that he actually loves her. He's just using her so Colton will have a mother figure in his life." I turned to slap him, but Brandon caught me.

"Patrick, if you love her, you will leave her be. She's finally happy and you're causing problems. You're probably the reason she ended up in the hospital to begin with. If you had left her alone, this would never have happened." His face, red with anger. He stepped forward, but stopped short.

"What's going on?" Looking up, Kelsey stood there, hand in hand with Duncan.

"Nothing Kels. Head inside, we were just having a one on one conversation about Christmas. Patrick's trying to figure out what to get Madelyn and Saddie. He asked since Evelyn is close to their age. We'll be inside in just a minute." She nodded, as Duncan lead her inside. "I'm serious Patrick. You try to do anything, and I will have coach bench your ass until playoffs. Don't make me do that." Grabbing Brandon by the hand, I pulled him towards the door, leaving a fuming Sharp Shooter outside.