Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 121764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
“It’s been torture to be away from you through this,” Jaxson said. “I am so fucking sorry for what’s happening.”
“It’s not your fault,” I said, peeking up at him. “I’m the dummy who left my phone in a bathroom.”
“We all do that,” Jaxson argued. “This is on the piece of shit who decided they had a right to what was inside that phone.”
The team was doing everything they could to find out who the “source” was who’d leaked everything from my phone. Part of me hoped they’d find out who it was so that person would get fired or exposed. The other part of me thought that they must have been very sad and very desperate for money to do something like this, and I pitied them for that enough to not wish them any harm.
“Either way — what’s done is done,” I said. “We can’t control any of that.”
“I want to make a statement,” Jaxson announced, threading his hand in mine again and steering us toward the beach. “I’m so fucking angry at them for making you out to be some…”
“Whore?” I finished for him, and his jaw tightened, so I leaned into him on a smile. “I’m your little whore, remember?”
He growled, attacking my neck with kisses as his fingers dug into my side. I squealed with laughter until our feet hit the sand, and we both kicked off our shoes before continuing toward the water.
“I want to set the record straight,” he continued. “I want to tell the whole fucking world that we’re together, and that those photos and videos and texts were private — between two consenting adults. I’m also still trying to figure out if we can press charges against—”
“Why does it matter?”
He frowned.
“I’m serious,” I said. “Listen, I hate it as much as you do, but making a statement, defending ourselves… it only calls more attention. And trust me — those people who are posting those awful things about us? They’ve already made up their minds. Nothing we do or say is going to change how they think about the situation. If anything, it’ll just give them more ammo to drag us with.”
“Fuck,” Jaxson cursed, running a hand through his hair. He slumped down in one of Maven’s loungers by the water, and I took my seat in his lap. “You’re right.”
“Mmm, say it again,” I teased, kissing his neck. “Slower this time. Drop your voice a level.”
He tickled my sides until I was squirming, and then wrapped his arms around me, bringing my forehead down to his.
“I want to protect you,” he said. “I want to keep you safe.”
“From the media?” I laughed. “Babe, there’s a reason I don’t have social media. I don’t give two shits what strangers think about me. I’ve been weird my whole life. I’m the subject of a million drunk night out stories for people who don’t even know my name.” I shrugged. “Who cares what they think?”
He slid a thumb across my jaw, shaking his head. “You’re something else.”
“What I want to know is what happened between you and my brother.”
“Oh, we brawled on the ice this morning,” he said, and I laughed as I smoothed a finger over the cut on his lip. “Coach all but threw us into a conference room and made us stay until we figured it out.”
“And did you?”
“Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, I really think we did. But you know, I think you should talk to him, too. And your parents.”
“I plan to,” I promised. “I think there’s a lot I have been needing to say for a long time.”
“That reminds me,” he said, smoothing a hand over my thigh where I sat in his lap. “I didn’t get to tell you, but I set boundaries with my dad.”
My eyes shot wide. “You did?”
He nodded. “I did. I told him if he wanted to be in my life, he needed to be in it. No more coaching, no more shit-talking, and no more unwarranted advice. I told him I’d still support him and Mom, but that I wanted a real relationship between us.”
“And?”
He deflated a bit. “And I’m pretty sure I don’t have parents in my life now.”
My heart cracked, and I wrapped him up in a hug. “I’m so sorry, Jaxson.”
“Me, too,” he said. “I could hear Mom crying on the other end, which tells me she heard the whole thing. But, you know… she’s an adult, too. She could have grabbed the phone and talked to me. She could have put her foot down with Dad. Unfortunately, I don’t think that will ever happen, but I’m done making it my problem. I’m done being the punching bag.”
I squeezed where I held him. “I’m proud of you, but I hate that it went down like that.”
Jaxson pulled back until he could search my eyes with his own. “It’s okay. Because you’re my family now.”