A look into THE PENALTY: Andi Jaxon & JR Gray
I’ve been kept away from my destiny as long as I’ve been alive.
The Penalty, an all-new emotional, brother’s best friend, MM hockey romance from bestselling authors Andi Jaxon and J.R. Gray is now available!
I’ve been kept away from my destiny as long as I’ve been alive.
I'm the bastard, banished from Manhattan, and forbidden from my dream of playing college hockey for the Gods because no one can find out about me.
But now Dad's dead and guess who's in the will? So my dream of playing for the Gods can finally come true, but I have to find my place in my half brother's shadow while dealing with my rival Teddy, who's been a thorn in my side since juniors.
He’s cocky, infuriating, and the biggest himbo I’ve ever met.
Half the time I think he hates me. But it all comes out after a drunken night and now I can’t get him out of my head.
Exile is over, and I’m here to make their lives a living hell.
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The first time I lay eyes on my half-brothers is when I’m standing in the pouring rain at my father’s funeral while they lower him into the ground.
They have no idea who I am. What can I even say? Hi, I’m the half-brother you’ve never met, and our father kept secret all our lives? I bet they don’t want to know I exist.
What the fuck am I even doing here?
I asked myself that a hundred times on the way over.
My mother warned me that our way of life would come to an end if they ever found out. I wasn’t allowed to talk to them, or even acknowledge my father was my father. We never would have been able to afford to live in the city or my sports fees on her teacher’s salary alone. I shouldn’t even be here. I shouldn’t have crossed the fucking bridge and come to Manhattan, but I couldn’t stop myself. I needed closure as much as they did.
I made a two-and-a-half-hour commute to barely catch the priest’s words. He talked about the legacy my father left, his sons and their promise. But nothing about me. I guess that’s expected when you’re the bastard. A designation I had no choice in.
Is this all the closure I get? A half a glance, soaked through to the bone, as I stand far enough away to not get involved. I don’t want to be that guy or disrupt things for his widow. I wasn’t after causing a scandal, that’s not why I showed up here.
I’m about to leave but one of my brothers spots me. He stares in my direction with a sneer on his mouth. He’s the type of guy who spends more on a single shirt that I do on a month’s rent. But I still want to know them. I’ve always wanted to know them. Being an only child to a single mother is lonely. I’ve thought about messaging them so many times but now that they are about to find out I exist, all I feel is dread.
But it’s inevitable. They’ll find out about me in an hour when we’re all present for the reading of our father’s will. The call from his lawyer freaked me out. He said I was named in the will. I read online to know it’s probably only enough so I can’t contest it.
Which is fine.
never wanted any of his money. I only want my mother taken care of, which won’t happen now. She’s already behind on bills since his death. I hope the money I do get will at least get her caught up and buy us time to figure things out. If I have to get a job, there’s no way I’m going to be able to keep playing hockey in the juniors, let alone work to help her and juggle college even if I get a full ride. And I need to play at least a couple of years of college hockey before I have even a hope of getting drafted.
I inch forward as the priest finishes his prayer. One of my brothers slips an arm around his mom. She’s crying and I can’t reconcile the two images of my father. How he was to my mother and how he must have been with his family. I hadn’t seen much of him, but what I had I didn’t like.
But I’m here, so what does that say about me?
What am I still doing here?
I should have left.
My brother leans over to whisper to someone while slipping their hands together. His husband? He’s wearing a ring. They look over at me again. I take a step back under their stare.
Why didn’t I bring a fucking umbrella.
I need to go. I can’t afford a cab and it’s going to take me an hour to get back to the lawyer’s office. I retreat and my brother’s eyes follow me all the way out of the cemetery.
For more information about Andi Jaxon and her books, visit her website:
For more information about J.R. Gray and his books, visit his website:
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