Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 30715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 154(@200wpm)___ 123(@250wpm)___ 102(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 154(@200wpm)___ 123(@250wpm)___ 102(@300wpm)
"You found Jamie in the same sex club and started hooking up with her. Were you taking advantage of her, too?"
"That's different."
"The only difference is that she isn't your sister." I shake my head, irritated. "You wanted us to come to you, yet you threatened to pull your sponsorship of her visa when you just thought she was at the club. She knew that's exactly what you'd do if you found out she was really there or that we were together. You protect her to the point of suffocating her."
"Are you seriously blaming me for the fact that you've been fucking my sister behind my back?" he growls.
"No, I'm just telling you the facts you seem hellbent on ignoring. Your sister idolizes you, but you're blind, man." I stare at him, wondering how the fuck he doesn't see it. "You think you're protecting her, but the only thing you're doing is ensuring the world never sees her as anything more than Jonas Michaud's little sister. She deserves better than that, especially from you. Hate me if you want to hate me. I can handle it. But the only thing she's ever done has been to put you first, and the only reason she didn't tell you was because she was terrified it'd end exactly like this. With you pissed, the team torn apart, and her on the first plane back to Canada because you can't step out of her way long enough to let her be her own person."
"That's not true," Jonas says, but he doesn't sound so sure. I think, deep down, he knows I'm right. He's been trying so hard to protect her for so long that he didn't see the truth. But now that it's out, he can't help but confront it. He isn't helping her. He's breaking her heart. He's done it over and over, every time she was held up in comparison to him, every time someone tried to get close to her to get close to him, and every time someone ran in the opposite direction to avoid pissing him off, she's had her heart broken. And she's never said a word to him about it because she doesn't blame him. It's not his fault that he is who he is and that his dream made him famous.
But breaking her heart this time? That will be his fault because he can choose not to do it. For once, he can choose to step aside and let her chase her own happiness. She deserves that much. But I can't make the decision for him. All I can do is be there to fight for her if he makes the wrong one.
And make no mistake about it, I will fight. Like hell if I have to do it.
He's not taking her from me. He's not getting her sent back to Canada. Not unless he intends to go through me to do it.
"I'm sorry I kept the truth from you, but there is nothing I wouldn't do for her. So wake up, man," I say, heading for the door. "Before you destroy something you can't fix."
I think every single one of us hits the ice, determined to pull out a win for Kelsey. Jonas plays like a demon. He doesn't speak to me, but his anger with me doesn't bleed out onto the ice, either. It's the best I can hope for at this point.
During our second intermission, we finally get word on Kelsey and are able to breathe a collective sigh of relief. She isn't falling out of remission. She's pregnant. Because of her medical history, the pregnancy is high risk and she's struggling. But she's going to be okay.
Hearing that is a weight off all of us. Theo actually cries. Wes has tears in his eyes. Mine feel a little damp too. When I look to Jonas, I see emotion etched into his face too. Kelsey is family. Finding out yesterday that we might lose her was fucking hard. Watching them carry her out of here tonight made us all feel helpless.
But she's going to be okay.
Thank God.
We barely manage to secure the game, but we manage to do it. We're two for two. Everyone skips the press pool after the game. Coach doesn't want us saying shit about anything right now. We've given them far too much fodder tonight.
He and Camila work up a quick statement, and Camila runs it out to the press while we shower and change, preparing to go see Kelsey. We're not leaving Minnesota until we see her for ourselves.
Parker is waiting outside the locker room with Laney and Charlotte. She's standing off to the side, subdued. Judging by the shadows under her eyes, she's been crying. I cross straight to her, pulling her into my arms.
"I'm sorry," she whispers. "I messed everything up again."