Chapter 57: Welcome to the Asylum
Rhys
It was tonight. My grandfather’s birthday celebration. The one he had invited the whole team to.
After the moment with Kayden on ice, I had a short conversation with him about the party and how he should stay away from my grandfather and his questions.
"So what you mean is that your grandfather invited everyone to his birthday ceremony just to see me?"
I nodded.
"Is that why you were down after the call? Because of that?"
"That and other things too. Kayden," I had shifted on the ice, placing a hand on his cheek. "Make sure you stay close to me at all times because I know what my father and grandfather are capable of doing. They will do everything to question you, to find out who you truly are, because they already see you as a threat to me."
"A threat?" Kayden had sounded confused as soon as the word came out of my mouth. "How am I a threat to you? You are the ice prince, the highest winning streak in the history of the Avalanche, so how the hell am I a threat to you?"
I had heaved a deep sigh because Kayden seemed clueless. It was already everywhere, how he was going to take my throne, and I had to admit it got me scared that everything I had worked for all these years would fall to him.
"Just do as I say until the birthday gala is over. Also, stay away from my brother and his mother."
"Your brother? Raymond Calder? The biggest hockey rookie in the whole country?"
"How many brothers do I have?" I responded with a bored tone. He was too excited about someone I hate so much with everything in me.
Kayden placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it gently. "I was just in awe, knowing I will be meeting your whole family tomorrow."
I scoffed. "I still don’t understand why anyone makes it sound like they are some heroes." I sighed. "No one understands that behind closed doors, they are not what they seem."
"I understand you and..."
I shook my head, cutting him off. "No, you don’t. Trust me, Kayden, my family is messy."
"Not as messy as mine."
I said nothing for a moment and then remembered something crucial that could make things worse if my father was to ever find out. "One last thing: never ever mention that we are living together. Ever."
PRESENT
"Remember what I told you, Kayden," I muttered to him as he sat beside me in the black limousine my grandfather had sent to pick us up.
My grandfather wasn’t the type to go to long lengths just for anyone unless he had an agenda, and it was why I feared what could happen to Kayden tonight if he didn’t listen to me.
"Don’t worry about me, Rhys, I understand."
But he doesn’t. He wouldn’t understand, and if I had the power, I would not have made him come to my grandfather’s estate.
"I am... everything is going to be fine," he assured me, his hand gently meeting mine, but I yanked it off immediately.
This was a limousine sent by my grandfather, and he could be hiding a camera somewhere.
The smile on Kayden’s beautiful face vanished, and I wanted to grab his hand, to make him understand that what I had done was to keep what was between us safe, but I couldn’t. Aside from the cameras, the whole limousine could be bugged, or maybe the chauffeur hired could be listening to our conversation.
I had to be careful, and I hoped Kayden understood.
He shifted on his seat and looked out the other side of the window, adjusting his black bow tie.
I just stared at the side of his face, wondering what was going on in his mind.
Could he have gotten it all wrong? Misunderstood me?
I clenched my fists tightly while I continued to stare at his face.
He was dressed in a burgundy tuxedo suit that made him look cuter than he ever did on the ice. His hair was slightly slicked backward, showing his forehead, the one he always hides on the ice.
The only time I had gotten to see it was during sex and back in our home.
Our home? I wished that would be permanent.
"Make sure you stay by my side all night long, Kayden. Don’t forget that."
He just nodded his head.
For the rest of the drive to my grandfather’s estate, it was in silence, just me adjusting my brown Italian suit and running a hand through my curly hair.
As we pulled up into the estate, my heart started pounding hard in my chest as memories of my childhood flooded into my head all at once.
"Get it right, Rhys! The puck should be handled like that!"
"How are you going to become the next powerful hockey player if you play like this?"
"Don’t be stupid, son! That’s not how you handle the stick."
I groaned, gripping onto the leather of the seat as my heart pounded even more wildly and my vision started to blur.
I was getting a panic attack. It was why I avoided coming to the house, because everything there was filled with sad memories.
"Rhys," Kayden said as he looked at my side. He shifted towards me and tried to touch me, but I stopped him.
I was still sure my grandfather had hidden a camera somewhere.
"Rhys, you are turning red. If something is happening with you, then maybe I can help you." He tried to touch me again, but I slapped his hand away. "Rhys! What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Kayden, don’t touch me please," I begged. "Please," I groaned and shut my eyes, gritting my teeth. "I just need a moment."
Kayden said nothing, but I could still feel the heat of his body close to me.
I shut my eyes tightly, trying so hard to get the memories out of my head and replace them with good ones, and the only memory I could think of was the one I had with Kayden.
I thought of the moments we had spent together, and slowly, I was able to replace the bad memories. I took a deep breath and counted to ten, then I fluttered my eyes open and let out a great sigh.
When I opened my eyes, the limousine had stopped at the front of a massive, bone-white French Château, all sharp slate roofs and towers that looked like they belonged in a history book rather than the modern world.
There were lots of cars lined up at the front of the building, and I knew it was no small party.
"Welcome to this asylum," I said to Kayden, acting as if nothing had happened a moment ago.