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But seeing her in that dress had turned all those hopes to dust.
And then Remington Sawyer walked into my boss’s office and turned everything upside down again.
The door opened just as the three men in the room were about to verbally tear me apart. I knew who he was the instant I set eyes on him. It was hard to forget the guy I’d seen Violet kissing at Lyric’s wedding. Even back then, I’d been so sure it wouldn’t last and I’d eventually get my second chance. She couldn’t possibly love this guy as much as she’d loved me. A few months and she would see that I was who she was meant to be with, and she’d dump his ass.
I’d hoped, at least.
Until she married him.
As soon as I saw him, I wanted to rip him apart. But for some reason, I kept my cool and stood there waiting for him to rub it in that he had the life I’d always imagined I would live one day with the girl who was supposed to be mine. I told myself that when he started bragging, I’d have a reason to kill him. Until then, I needed to keep my hands to myself.
“I’ll take it from here, gentlemen,” Remington told the others, his voice firm and full of authority.
To my surprise, the team’s owner was the first to nod and shake his hand. “Let me know if you need anything else, son.”
The GM and my coach each shook his hand on their way out, closing the door behind them, tossing a smirk over their shoulders at me.
I’d sized Remington up. He was a few inches shorter than me but still at least six inches taller than Violet. Even I could admit he was a good-looking guy with an athletic build to him. There was something about him that told me he was a confident sonofabitch. Whether that was because he was a billionaire from all that cash his grandfather left him or because he had the only thing I’d ever truly wanted, I wasn’t sure. But we both knew who the real winner was in the room, and it sure as fuck wasn’t me.
While I stood there sizing him up, he’d been doing the same to me. After a few tense moments, his blue eyes filled with resignation. “You upset her last night.”
I didn’t need him to elaborate to know who he was talking about. Thinking of Violet upset made my gut clench. “You’re her husband, now. Aren’t you the one who is supposed to fix shit like that?” I’d snapped at him.
“Yeah, I am her husband,” he agreed. “And that’s exactly what I’m doing.”
I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. “By showing up here and, what? Giving me a firm talking-to?”
“No, dumbass. By making sure you don’t lose the job you worked so hard for.” He thrust his hands into his suit pockets and gave me another once-over. “I watched her pace in front of the TV last night, cursing you and biting her nails to the quick while she worried about what you were doing to yourself.”
That she still cared enough to yell at me, even though she knew I wouldn’t hear her, eased some of the pressure that had been squeezing my chest since I’d seen her streaming on social media the week before.
“If you’re jealous because she still cares about me, that’s on you,” I told him with a cocky smirk. “I can’t and won’t help you if you think your wife is still in love with me.”
He took a step closer to me, but I didn’t get a menacing vibe from him. Instead, his lips lifted in a grim smile. “Actually, dickhead, I’m hoping you will help me. In more ways than one.”
“Look—” I started, but he cut me off.
“She loves me,” he said with so much conviction that I wanted to put my fist through his face. “She loves me enough that she married me. Even knowing—” He broke off and clenched his jaw. Inhaling deeply, he slowly released it and started again. “But I know she loves you too. She can deny it to herself and me all she wants, but I know there is a part of her that will never stop loving you. And I’ve accepted that. In fact, I’m really fucking glad for it. Because it will make the coming months a hell of a lot easier for her in the long run.”
“Dude, you’re not making much sense to me. Good talk and all, but I’m not in the mood to stand around and listen to you tell me how much the girl who is the other half of my soul loves you.” I popped my knuckles, still wanting to smash his face in, but I knew it would only upset Violet.
“Have a seat, Luca,” he instructed, his voice filling with authority. “We have a lot to discuss before I leave here. And the sooner I can get back to my pregnant wife, the better.”
My heart shuddered in my chest. “P-pregnant?” I wheezed out, suddenly unable to breathe.
“Sit,” he commanded, and because I was so lost in my head from all that could have been, I listened.
And while I was still reeling, imagining how beautiful Violet must be with a growing baby bump, her husband told me he was dying.
“I’m not going to make it until the baby gets here,” he told me as he dropped heavily into the seat across from mine. “I know I won’t. And Violet…” He closed his eyes for a few seconds before opening them and looking straight at me. “She says she understands, but I don’t think it’s really clicked for her. I’m afraid it won’t until I’m gone, and then she won’t be able to cope. I saw what happened to her mental health after you two broke up. It was from a distance, but I still witnessed it, and I felt her pain. This…will be worse. I won’t be there to help her through it. I can’t heal her heart this time.”
I just sat there, trying to digest what he was explaining and what he really wanted from me. My heart felt heavy for him, but it was already breaking for Violet. I knew she loved this guy. She wouldn’t have married him if she didn’t. I hated that she’d moved on from me, but I was glad she was happy. That was all I’d ever really wanted for her. To have the happily ever after she deserved.
And now it was going to be cut short?
That was really fucking unfair, and all I could think about was hugging Violet and making this better for her. But I couldn’t.
“She’s not going to want to see me,” I told him honestly. “She hates me.”
