Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 115838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
I wait there for the guys to skate back to the changing room, congratulating them as they go by. Owen just glares at me when he passes me, not even caring that he’s being disrespectful. I know he wants a scene, but I’m not going to give it to him.
Knox is the third from last player to come into the room, and I hold out my hand. “Now that deserves a gold star,” I tell him, and he laughs.
The press conference after is grim, even though we just won against the best team in the league. There have been rumbles of the trades with a couple of the players, I play dumb and pretend I know nothing about it.
The bus ride back to the hotel is a little bit more cheerful than it’s been in a while. When we get there, a couple of the guys go to the bar to eat. I join them and sit next to Jaxon and Kirby. “What’s up with you?” Kirby asks. “We just beat the best team in the league, and you look miserable.”
“He needs to get laid,” Knox mumbles and I shake my head. “When was the last time you had a relationship?”
I think about lying, but she deserves a bit more respect than that, besides I’m not naming her. “I’m sort of seeing someone,” I share. “It’s just a bit complicated.”
“She married?” Knox asks right away, ever since he walked in to his wife banging his brother-in-law, that’s his first question when someone’s seeing someone new.
“She’s not married. It’s not like that.”
“I mean, she’s not married; you’re not married,” Knox observes. “You two are already winning.”
“Yeah,” I reply, “I guess so. It’s a bit more than that.”
“Was she at the casino night?” Kirby asks and I nod.
“She was there.” His mouth hangs open. “But like I said before, it’s complicated.” I can feel eyes looking at me and I look over at Jaxon, who picks up his water bottle as he watches me with a weird look on his face. “I’m going to head up.” I push away. “Good game, boys,” I praise then look at Knox. “You the man.”
I put my hands in my pockets as I head to the elevator. Looking at my watch, I see it’s just after eight back home. I walk into my room and toss my jacket on the long cabinet under the television. I’m about to kick off my shoes when there is a knock at the door.
My heart speeds up when I think it might be her. I pull it open to see Jaxon standing there. “Hey,” I say and he gives me a chin up before he walks into my room.
“Let me ask you something,” he starts, and his voice is tight, “and I want you to be completely fucking honest with me.” I stare at him, wondering what he is going to ask, not expecting the words that actually come out of his mouth. “Are you dating my sister?” The question makes all the air in the room stand still.
I swallow down the lump in my throat. “Yes.” I don’t even try to hide it. “I am.” I don’t even want to fucking hide it anymore. “I was, I think I still am.” I exhale, my chest so tight breathing is hard.
“What the fuck does that mean?” His voice is raised and I see his hands beside him flexing into fists. I know one of them is going to fly up and knock me out, and I’m going to let him because I deserve it.
“It means that I’m fucking in love with her,” I say the words out loud and I think I’m having a heart attack. “But I can’t let her get caught up in this media bullshit,” I tell him, shaking my head. “I won’t do it. Not to her.” I can’t stop shaking my head. “The press eats me alive every fucking day. You think I’m going to put the spotlight on her so they can blame her?” My voice gets tight. “No fucking way. No fucking how. She doesn’t get touched by this shit because of me.”
“So you fucked my sister,” he says the words and all the blood in my veins feels like it turns to ice.
I take a step to him, toe to toe, chest to chest. “Watch your fucking mouth.” My own hands ball into fists beside me.
The room feels like electricity is zapping in. “I have to watch my mouth when you are dating my sister and hiding her like she’s some dirty fucking secret?”
“I’m fucking protecting her,” I clarify, getting even more into his face.
“Protecting her,” he says sarcastically, “by keeping her a dirty secret.”
I grip his jacket in my hands. “I’m warning you, Jaxon, I will…” I trail off.
“You’ll what?” he eggs me on, pushing me off him. “What the fuck are you going to do? How long?” he hisses out. “How long have you been hiding this bullshit?”