Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Instead, I nod. “Barnes.”
“Katz,” he mimics, his voice so full of fury.
We just stare at each other, and finally, my annoyance bubbles over. I refuse to let this dude ruin my moment. “Well, good luck. Excuse me.”
“You can’t even apologize, can you?” he snaps at me, grabbing my arm. I look to where he holds my bicep and then to his eyes. He must see the warning in my eyes because he lets me go. “You almost ruined my marriage.”
I shake my head. “No. I played a part in it, and for that, I’m sorry. I told you that many times in the weeks after you found me with her, and I am truly sorry. But it takes two to tango. I don’t have any ill will toward you or your wife. I’m just trying to live my own life with my own wife and not let what happened dictate my future. It was unfortunate and I regret it, but it’s in the past.”
Wow. I’m proud of myself for that. Shit, I even feel as confident as I sound. I think the adults call this growth.
“I still live with it daily,” he snaps, his eyes almost in slits. “Knowing you touched her—”
“Dude, don’t do this,” I practically beg. “This isn’t the time or place, and we’ve already had this argument. I let you tear me apart. You didn’t even listen when I told you I didn’t sleep with her. Hell, I didn’t even kiss her. I know this is hard, and I can’t imagine my wife betraying me the way yours did with my help. But please, let it go. I’m here to play hockey, and that’s it.”
Barnes’s eyes burn into mine. “Fuck you, you piece of shit.”
I nod. “Here in Tennessee, we say, ‘Bless your heart.’ And I mean it. Bless you. But this is the last time we’re having this conversation.” I hope my voice holds the warning it needs to, but I fully expect him to take cheap shots all night. Jackass. He skates off, and all I can do is shrug. That went as well as I assumed it would.
With his presence gone, my wife is watching me, her brow furrowed and her lips pressed together in apprehension. She’s not smiling how I want her to. Great, she’s worried about me. I hate when she worries about me.
I see her move her mouth, asking, “Are you okay?”
I can’t hear her, but I know that’s what she said. I nod. “Fine.”
She smiles tentatively, and then Louisa taps her, pointing to the side and drawing Eliza’s gaze away.
While the words are right there, just for her, I hold back. I’ll tell her after the game when we celebrate an Assassins win. Maybe even a goal from me.
But telling my wife that I love her is the only goal on my mind.
CHAPTER 40
Eliza
Austen squeezes me close to her side, and warmth spreads throughout me.
Oh, how I miss her.
Even though I’m technically her older sister, she cuddles me like our roles are reversed and I’m the baby sister. I really don’t know where my height went. All my sisters are normal except me, and they treat me like I’m the baby of the group. I don’t mind, though. I squeeze her back, missing the feel of my sister in my arms.
It hasn’t been easy living apart from her since her move to Nashville, though I would never say that. My sister looks the happiest she’s ever been in her life, and I know it’s all Dimitri Titov. He loves my sister hard, and I couldn’t be more thankful for the Russian stallion. He saved her when we didn’t even know she needed saving. We all thought we were healed…ish, but it took Dimitri’s love to complete my sister.
Just as I know Coleson’s love is the missing piece in my life story. God, the way he looked at me when he saw my sign. I plan to frame it for the house, hopefully with a puck from when he scores. I adore him.
I smile just thinking of it as I hug my sister. I’ve never been this happy, this free from all the pains of my past life. Love can be a splendid thing, and of the five McDavid girls, three of us have found it.
Austen’s lips dust my temple. I hate that for the longest time, I’ve carried a bit of guilt when it comes to her. I had figured out that when I was quiet and made myself smaller than I was, the men of our cult would leave me be. But Austen never had that option. She was too young and experienced way too much. Not that she blames me for anything. No, Austen McDavid only loves me. But I should have protected her more. The problem was, we were all so focused on doing everything we could to shelter Elliot and Clara. We succeeded, but it angers me at the cost.