Moving farther back in the bus, I questioned a few of the players. There was a distinct coolness that I should have expected. These guys were trying to win a championship and I was causing trouble between their two best players who happened to be brothers and the team's owners. Mike gave the guy in front of him a dirty look after the player barely acknowledged me. Mike started answering my questions. Sadly, I needed other input because Mike was a key factor in my second article and I didn't want to use him again. But at least he tried to make me feel comfortable.

Two hours later, we arrived in Sexton, West Virginia, the home of the Timberwolves. For some reason I didn't think of timber wolves when I thought of West Virginia, but when I Googled it, I discovered they were listed as one of two breeds of wolves in the region.

Gray flags decorating stores and homes let us know whose territory we entered. Sexton was around the same size as Colt and a rugby town. We went straight to the hotel. Joel waited outside the bus and entered the lobby with me. We stood at the back of the pack waiting for everyone else to check in first. Two clerks opened up and we were able to check in and get our rooms at the same time.

"Let's grab our bags and find our rooms," Joel said after we both had our key cards. The bags were sitting by the baggage compartment watched by the bus driver. I grabbed mine, giving Joel a dirty look when he tried to take it from me. For the first time that day he smiled and didn't argue as I rolled it behind me.

I was on the eighth floor and didn't pay attention when he hit the number eight on the elevator. We both got off and I stopped. "How did you know my floor?"

"It's the same as mine."

"Okay, but how did you know?" I asked as I checked my room number and followed the arrows down the hallway until I came to the correct number. I stopped at my door, Joel hadn't answered me. "What room are you in?"

He didn't say anything. As I opened the door, the heat from his body shadowed me and I turned. His lips came roughly down on mine. The click of the door barely registered. Joel spun me around so my back hit the cool wood. Whereas, his previous kisses were wonderful, this one was more. No gentleness, no questioning tease. He took my mouth while molding his body to every inch of mine. His hands traveled under my top and his fingers grazed the skin beneath my breasts.

Suddenly, he skimmed lower, wrapping his hands on my hips and lifting me. I could do nothing but circle my legs around his waist. I groaned into his mouth and he gave a low, answering growl back. This was not sweet Joel. Sweet Joel didn't grind his erection against me. Sweet Joel didn't move his hands lower cupping my ass, pulling me harder against him.

The sizzling heat running through me washed away all thought. I was out of breath, desperate for skin on skin, and just as suddenly as it started, he stopped. He nudged my legs from around his waist with one hand. He held me steady as I found I could actually stand upright.

I looked into his furious eyes, forgetting to breathe. "I won't apologize for thatever." For just a moment his gaze softened as he pulled a section of my hair aside so he could gaze directly at me. "I think it's time you told me what happened with my brother either before or after I saw you Monday night."

"Joel." I reached up, but he caught my hand and brought it to his chest. I flattened my fingers, feeling the rapid pace of his heartbeat.

"I need to know, Cami." His tender side showed even though anger flashed in his eyes. He kept his hand on mine.

I knew this wouldn't go over well, but Joel deserved honesty. "He came to my room after you left. I thought it was you, so I opened the door." I didn't really want to go on.

"And?" His finger tightened fractionally on mine.

"He wanted to get me completely out of his system." It hurt just saying the words.

"Did he touch you?" Joel waited, but I didn't answer. "Cami, I'll only think the worst if you don't tell me."

"He kissed me." I couldn't look at him as I said it. God only knows why I felt so ashamed.

He released my hand and my fingers slid from his chest. "Did you want him to kiss you?"

My head jerked up at the hurt in his voice. "No, no Joel. I didn't want him to kiss me." He had to believe me.

He did. He pulled me against his chest wrapping his strong arms around me and just held on. "My brother will never touch you again." He kissed the top of my head, reached around me, and scooted past me to the door.

"Joel, no, he's not worth it. Please stay here with me," I begged.

"If that's what you truly want I will- when I get back." He walked out.

Fuck. I couldn't think straight. A split second later, I went through my bag, found my phone, and called Mike.

"Yeah," he answered.

I rushed the words. "Van kissed me Monday night after I told him I wanted nothing to do with him and now Joel's going after him."

"Got it." The phone clicked in my ear.

I sat on the end of the bed and placed my head in my hands, squishing my glasses into the bridge of my nose. I angrily flung them farther up the bed. How had I gotten to this point? It was unfair to Joel, and even though Van was an ass, it was unfair to him. I was the problem.

Curling up on the bed, I gave into tears. These past two weeks I felt alive for the first time in years. What was wrong with me? I couldn't understand why life was only safe if I hid from the world. It would be best if I went back to nothingnessa blob of flesh quivering at shadows.

I must have dozed off, because I wasn't sure I heard the knock on the door a while later. I reached around for my glasses so I could peer at the clock. Forty-five minutes passed since Joel left, though it felt like hours. I checked the peephole first. He stood in profile. I opened the door and threw myself into his arms.

"Shhh," he whispered against my hair. He walked me backward into the room, letting the door close behind us. He sat on the bed and brought me onto his lap.

"I'm so sorry," I blubbered. "This is my fault. You shouldn't be fighting with your brother. The two of you should be concentrating on the game. I feel so stupid. This is all my fault." I repeated as I cried harder.

Joel leaned back and rolled sideways so I faced him. He pulled my hair aside so we could see each other clearly. I noticed his swollen lip first. Crap, Mike didn't get there in time, and I wanted to hide under the bed. There was a small red smear at the corner of his bottom lip and I touched it. This was the damaged side of his face and it surprised me when he allowed my finger to wipe away the blood.

"No worries, nothing can make that part of me any uglier."

My heart squeezed painfully. "Don't say that. You're beautiful." I meant it. He was. A raw groan came from his throat when my fingers moved up from his lip and traced the scar for the first time. His eyelids partially lowered. I wanted to say so many things, but the words escaped me. "Stay with me tonight," is what spilled out.

He kissed me. This was softer. Sweeter... forgiving maybe. We gazed at each other throughout the gentle touch of lips. Earlier, he'd shown me his bad boy side. What I saw now was the good man.