Page 61 of Ice Queen

And once or twice? Did she just stand there and let it happen?

Did Kait want it to happen? Is this what she meant by act out in real life? My jaw clenches at the thought. Wait, she actually went on a freaking date? Heat rolls through me, and I can feel my pulse erratically pounding in my throat.

What?

I yank my head to the side, popping my neck.

What do you mean he grabbed her boob once or twice?

What the hell, Lettie?

I start pacing again without even realizing it. “You’re going to put a hole in the floor, man,” Reed calls from the other side of the room.

“Shit.” I run a hand through my hair, throwing myself down on the bed. “Sorry.”

I told her she deserved better than me, and she does. So why does the thought of her sitting across the table from someone, leaning in, smiling, telling someone else her favorite color, and then some dudes hand sliding somewhere it doesn’t belong make me twenty shades of murderous?

Cam was her date, you Neanderthal. They slept through the entire game. Apparently, she is not a drinker, and I gave her spiked lemonade.

PS. She told me how you guys met. And not at Sports Romance Night.

PSS. Don’t think for one second you’re getting out of telling me why the thought of her being on a date riled you up so much.

My heart stops dead in its tracks, skipping multiple necessary beats as I look at the picture she sent me. Kait, with her hair down, flowing over the side of Lettie’s couch, with a tiny Cam passed out on her chest, with his head nestled under her chin. One of her hands splays over his back protectively as the other rests against his waist. And then there's Maggie on the floor next to them.

She looks like a natural, like she was made for that very moment. I rub at my sternum, a tiny tug pulling in the middle when I look at her peaceful form. Those stupid flutters tickling the inside of my ribs. And then it all goes to shit when my phone lights up again.

Kaitlyn:

Should I be concerned that a woman is standing outside your door, screaming that you owe her child support?

I immediately pull up my security cameras. This woman hung out around the corner until Kait pulled into the driveway and got out with Maggie. The second she shut the door behind her, whoever this is, puffed up her hair, and walked to the door with a chip on her shoulder.

Knight, someone is banging on my door saying I owe them child support. I’ve never seen her. Kait’s there by herself.

Her response comes through not even a minute later.

Abby:

Dex is on his way. Need me to go over there?

No, I’ll call her.

The phone rings twice before Kait's sleepy voice answers. “Markus, it’s freaking late.”

I chuckle. “Lo sé.⁠*”

“I dunno what that means.” She yawns on the back half of that sentence, and it brings me peace to know she’s not losing sleep over this.

“Dex is on his way. I don’t know who that person is. I swear.” I hope she picks up on the sincerity in my voice because the last thing I want is for her to believe whoever this is.

“Don’t worry, Casanova. She looks like a knock-off Snooki. I’d like to think you have better taste.”

The laugh that falls from me is so loud that Reed throws a pillow across the room, hitting me in the side of the face.

“Hmm…” She sighs, “Can you laugh like that again? I need to save it for a rainy day.”