Page 389 of Power Play

“Put Gray in charge of both.”

Gray raised his hand. “Already planned.”

Briggs didn’t laugh, and neither did Cade.

“I’ll come with you,” Cade said.

“No.”

“I don’t mind.”

“I know.”

Briggs stepped closer. “Then I will.”

“The answer is still no.”

“Ryan.”

“I need this.”

The words stopped both of them. I lowered my voice, keeping the moment between the three of us despite everyone gathered nearby.

“I need to sit in it and feel it.”

Cade’s expression tightened, and I forced myself to keep explaining before they decided they were taking the choice away from me.

“The last three days have been a fucking mind fuck. I lost the woman I thought I would build my life with, played the best game of my career, and signed the contract I’ve wanted since I was eight.”

Briggs looked down.

“I don’t know how to celebrate one without grieving the other yet.” Neither of them tried to tell me I shouldn’t have to, and the honesty I’d fought all night finally tightened my throat. “I’m overwhelmed. I need a few hours where no one is watching me decide whether I’m happy or destroyed.”

Cade gripped my shoulder. “You shouldn’t be alone.”

“I need to be.”

“What if it gets bad?”

“It already is.”

His hand tightened, and I held his stare.

“I’m not going to do anything stupid. I’m going to sit in the lodge, look at the contract, and let it become real.”

Briggs watched me with the same steady expression he’d worn on the ice when my knees hit beneath me.

“You’ll answer the phone?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“If you don’t, I’m coming back.”

“I know.”

“Your location stays on.”

“I never turned it off.”