Chapter 53: The invite
Rhys
After staring at the phone ring for a while, I picked it up and walked into the restroom, blocking off the loud bass sound. It didn’t drown out the pounding of my own heart. I pressed the phone to my ear, my palm damp against the glass.
"Hello, Father," I whispered.
"What the hell did you do on the ice?" He responded immediately in his usual harsh tone. My father had never spoken softly to me. Ever. "Have you lost your spark, son? Or was it ever really there to begin with?"
There was no ’well done,’ no acknowledgment of the series win. Normal people who didn’t hate their child could see that I had tried my best on the ice and assisted in several goals, but my father never complimented me, no matter how much I pushed.
"I scored twice tonight, Dad," I said, the words feeling pathetic as soon as they left my mouth. "We dominated. We’re the first team to proceed—"
"You were invisible," he hissed, his tone dripping with a cruelty that made my stomach churn.
How could a father be this cruel to his son? It was as if he wasn’t my birth father. If there was no resemblance—if I didn’t have his curly hair or blue eyes—I would have thought I was a stranger to him.
"I watched the game. I saw how soft you’ve become on that ice. You’re playing like a man who’s afraid to get bruised, let alone lead. While you were busy playing ’Captain’ and handing out assists like charity, I watched a newbie take your goals and your glory. You’ve become a placeholder, Rhys. A shadow. It’s pathetic."
I gripped the edge of a metal rack and clenched my hand around it. "Kayden is a teammate. We work together. That’s how—"
"That’s how losers justify being replaced," he snapped. "I won’t have the family name dragged down by your mediocrity. Isn’t this the same teammate you stopped for? Tell me, son, is anything going on between you two? I have been seeing the atrocity videos online and I don’t know if it’s true. If that is..."
"It’s not true. It’s just the fans shipping us, Father."I lied.
There was a long pause at the end for a few seconds until he spoke up again.
"Your younger brother will be joining the Avalanche as a newbie soon, and unlike you, he actually has the stomach for this. He isn’t soft and understands what it means to be a beast on the ice."
I frowned at the mention of my brother, Raymond Calder. The golden son whom he loves dearly, all thanks to his mother who came into our lives and took my mother’s position.
I hated him and his mother so much that I made sure to avoid them after leaving for college. The only time we saw each other was during family events, and most of those I skipped.
There was a moment of muffled movement on the other end before the voice of my grandfather filled the line.
"Rhys."
"Grandfather."
I tightened my grip on the metal rack, wondering what he was about to say.
Was he about to praise me? He at least tried to make an effort unlike my father.
"I am hosting a gala at the estate for my birthday before the next round of the series begins. It is a celebration of this family’s legacy, and I expect you to be there."
I almost scoffed. What was I even expecting? None of them congratulated me. Everything, as always, was about them. His birthday? It was an event I never wanted to attend because I knew it would just be filled with shaming me and expecting me to be their perfect hockey heir.
"I’ll try to get permission from Coach Reddick, but—"
"I am not asking, boy. I am ordering," he stated. Then, his tone shifted, becoming more expansive. "And I want you to bring your teammates. All of them. I want to see this ’beast’ Kayden and the rest of the boys for myself. It’s time the Northern Avalanche saw where their Captain truly comes from. Wouldn’t it be nice for you to show the history of how the Avalanche came to be?"
"Grandfather, a team party at the estate? That’s a lot to ask—"
"Do not test my patience, Rhys. Invite them all. I expect a full house at seven. Don’t be late."
The line went dead, leaving me standing in the suffocating silence of the corner, my hand shaking so violently I almost dropped the phone.
How the hell was I surviving my family? It had been a while since I saw them—not since last season when I won the Stanley Cup. And now, I was seeing them again, and this time with my teammates.
What would they think of my family? Especially Kayden. He was now a target; he was the main reason everyone was invited.
"Oh, fuck this," I let out a groan as I turned around and walked back to the locker room where my teammates were still celebrating.
I headed straight toward the coach and relayed the invitation.
The coach’s eyebrows shot up, but he nodded, blowing his whistle to get the team’s attention. "Listen up! We’re heading back to the Glacier Dome. Practice resumes in two days. But before we get on the bus, I’ve got an announcement. Calder’s family is hosting a gala for his grandfather’s birthday. You’re all invited to the estate!"
The room exploded. The guys started cheering, shouting about open bars and high-society food.
"I have always wanted to see the legendary Rami and Richard Calder!" Theo shouted excitedly.
"Me too. They are the pioneers of the Northern Avalanche. I can’t wait," Jaxson chimed in.
Miller approached me, his usual playful smirk replaced by a look of genuine concern. "Everything okay, Rhys? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."
"I’m fine, Miller. Just tired," I lied, forcing a smile that didn’t reach my eyes.
But Miller already understood, and he wasn’t the only one.
Kayden stood by his locker watching me with a sharp, calculating gaze. He didn’t look excited about the gala, either, as if he was reading right through my mask.
I gave him one long look before picking up my bag and heading out.
The walk to the bus was a blur of camera flashes and fans screaming our names, but I was hollowed out. Even when a fan rushed toward me screaming our ship name, I could only wave.
"Valder! Valder!"
Once we climbed aboard and the ride started, I slumped into the seat with Kayden by my side. The bus was dark, the only light coming from the passing streetlamps. Kayden leaned in, his shoulder brushing mine.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice low enough that only I could hear. "You’ve been off since that call."
I shook my head.
"What happened?"
"Don’t ask," I groaned, stretching my hands and then leaning my head on his shoulder. I shut my eyes and whispered.
There was no way I was going to let my father’s call ruin my mood tonight. "Remember what you promised me on the plane. All I want right now is to be inside you, Kayden. Nothing else matters."
Kayden didn’t say anything. Instead, I felt his hand come up to touch my face, caressing it gently. It was just the touch I needed.