Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
I know the truth.
thirty-seven
Dimitri
Jesus, is she trying to kill me?
Silence stretches between us as I wait for her answer. Her face flushes, her eyes are the size of pucks, and her mouth parts in the way that leaves me hard everywhere.
“Austen,” I say in English, needing her to answer me. Then in Russian, I ask again, “Do you love me?”
I feel everyone’s gazes on us, and the confusion swirls in the room. I know for a fact no one in this room but us speaks Russian. I need to know what she is thinking so I can make the decision I need to make. This is all bullshit, but I don’t care. All I care about is the girl sitting in front of me.
And just like I would expect, Austen’s brows come in, and that defiant tip of her chin rattles my core. “Why would you ask me that right now?” she says, continuing in Russian, so I follow her lead.
“Because I want to know.”
“Shouldn’t we be alone?”
“No. I need to know.”
“Now?”
“Now!” I demand. “Do you love me?”
Tears well in her eyes. “Yes, I do. I love you.”
I’m completely surprised by the tears that well up in my own eyes at the pure relief those three words bring me. I swallow thickly and nod. “Good. I assumed so.”
Her eyes narrow. “Your ego is a lot to handle, Dimitri.”
I grin. “But you love it,” I say, and then I look to her grandpa, ignoring Shelli and Elli and everyone fucking else. I switch back to English. “I guess I won’t be on the team, then.”
Pure anger rips through her grandpa, his mouth working, and I know he has something to say to me. A lot, probably, if he’s anything like Austen.
“Wow,” Shelli says as Elli lets her head fall.
“I don’t know what is happening,” River admits, and Posey scoffs.
“I’m not even surprised,” she says. And then I hear her say, “And by the way, all this is dumb as hell. It shouldn’t matter if they’re dating.”
“Dimitri,” I hear my love say, and I tear my eyes from her grandpa’s furious face. “I won’t let you do this.”
“It’s my choice,” I say, holding her gaze. “If they can’t see my work ethic, my talent, or anything else except who I am in love with, then I don’t want to play with them. I won’t stop loving you.”
Tears spill over, rolling down her cheeks. “But you have worked so hard for this—”
“But how I feel for you is way more important than that. I am more than a hockey player. I am a man who is in love with you, and nothing and no one can change that.”
She swallows hard, and I direct my gaze to Shelli. “Thank you for this opportunity.”
“Dimitri, please,” Shelli stresses. “Don’t do this.”
“If someone told you to choose this job or Aiden, what would you do?” Her mouth snaps shut, and I nod. “Exactly.”
“Peepaw, are you serious? You’re going to let this happen?” Austen roars then, standing up and slamming her hands to the table.
Her grandpa just nods. “You weren’t sent here to fool around with players, Austen. You were sent to learn to run a team. You don’t need this distraction. I am doing this for you. Maybe later, you two can link back up or something, I don’t know.”
“Well, Peepaw,” I say in a very exaggerated country twang. “This distraction isn’t going anywhere.”
“I quit,” Austen says, and I whip my gaze to hers so hard I almost break my neck. “Not you. I don’t quit you.”
“Fuck, Janie. My heart stopped.”
Oh, that sweet smirk covers her lips, and I want to wrap my arms around her. Her eyes move to her grandpa’s. “I told you I’d walk away if you messed with his career. I no longer have any interest in being the general manager of your team.”
You could hear a pin drop. I didn’t expect that.
“I do not want to be a part of an organization that will penalize a player for who they love, especially when you’re penalizing the man I love.”
“You sure?” I ask, and she nods. “You don’t have to do that. I am good with my decision.”
She shakes her head. “I’m not. I have no clue what I am doing, and I know I still have a year to learn, but I don’t even know if I like the idea. I’m not made like Shelli or Elli. Give me a tablet and stats, and I can do it all. But I don’t like making decisions like these or ruining players’ dreams when they all work so hard.”
“Jesus, Janie, your heart is pure,” I say, and her lips curve.
“I don’t want this job like how you want your career. I am good with walking away.”
“As long as you’re walking to me,” I say, and her eyes burn into mine.