The start of the third quarter made the crowd sit up straighter. The U.S. team stepped onto the court without Julian, and Kai smirked.
He saw the cocky player watching the game with a heated glare, and he couldn't help but chuckle.
Just as the referee blew the whistle, Steven and Romeo exchanged a look.
"You shouldn't," Romeo murmured under his breath. His eyes warned the older player, but Steven merely shook his head.
Steven smirked, glancing at the Chinese team. "We can handle them. Even without Julian."
"But to what expense?" Romeo asked.
Steven shrugged, appearing carefree despite what he was about to do.
Romeo sighed, but he didn't push further. "Stay safe, captain," was all he had to say.
He knew Steven's body wasn't what it used to be. At 38, Steven Murr was a legend, one of the best to ever play, but time had a way of humbling even the brightest stars.
