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"Abby. Who. Did that. To. Your face?”
She shakes her head, and a tear trails down her already wet cheeks. A shiver grips her again, and she swallows.Goddamn, she’s hurt, and I’m yelling at her. What kind of a monster am I? The kind who’s made her life bloody miserable over the last eight months, is who. And why? All because I thought she’d done me wrong. Which she did. But she was as young as I was. Younger even.
We have our entire lives ahead of us, and she’s apologized to me about it so many times. The course of my life changed, but I achieved everything I wanted. No doubt, the challenge she threw my way made me stronger, more resilient. What doesn’t kill you, and all that…
But seriously, if I hadn’t been expelled and seen the dark underbelly of life, I wouldn’t have been this focused, this fixated, this persistent about making it to the top of my game so quickly. I wouldn’t have realized the value of everything I lost. Having a second chance meant I learned to respect my talent as an athlete, something I’d taken for granted before that. In fact, my entire life, since waking up in the hospital with Knight by my side, has been a very intense, very concentrated, very determined effort in proving myself.
I wouldn’t have tried this hard if it hadn’t been for that wobble along the way. I wouldn’t have been this steadfast in my endeavor, this single-minded in becoming the best in my field, if it hadn’t been for that early setback. For that matter, I wouldn’t have become a billionaire within eighteen months if I hadn’t been so firm about multiplying the money I made from my sponsorships by having Sinclair Sterling and his team invest it for me.
So, in a way, I owe everything I’ve become to this woman. She may have betrayed me, but I’ve punished her enough for it. She may have turned my world upside down, but she’s paid the price for it. Besides… What I feel for her now… What I feel about her being hurt, about whoever dared to do this to her… It’s confusing, but also, clear.
I was meant to protect her. Knight was there for me when I needed him most, but I wasn’t there for his sister, and for this, I will never forgive myself.
"Abby, look at me."
When she only glances away, I pinch her chin, so she has no choice but to raise her gaze at me. She swallows but doesn’t say anything."
"When I reached your apartment and found your door open, I thought… I thought my heart was going to stop. And then I walked into the bathroom and found you sobbing on the floor. I couldn’t breathe. The fear inside me was like nothing I have ever experienced. I was more afraid than when I was caught in the gang war. More in pain than when I was being tortured. I was so afraid it felt like my entire body was going to seize up. I can’t stand to see you crying, Abby. I cannot bear to look at that bruise and realize if I had been with you, I could have stopped it from happening."
"It wasn’t your fault," she whispers.
"I should have insisted you move in with me. Should have made sure my phone was with me. I should have checked in on you earlier."I shouldn’t have been trying so hard to put you out of my mind.
"How could you have known my stalker was going to burst in on me? Besides, he didn’t hurt me. I hurt myself when I fell on the coffee table and—"
"Hold on. Your stalker?" Fear bubbles up my throat. Bile laces my tongue and I swallow it down. "You have a stalker?"
She half-laughs. "I work in PR, I’m on social media, and I’m a Mafia princess. Of course, I have a stalker.” She squares her shoulders. “You don’t belong to Gen Z unless you have a stalker."
I draw down my eyebrows, and she wipes the smile off her face. "You’re angry?” She blinks.
"Of course, I’m angry. You have a stalker, Abby, and you never told me."
"You were too busy hating me until a minute ago, remember? In fact, I don’t understand why you’re this upset. Nothing happened."
"You hurt your face," I snarl.
"I doubt he’ll show himself again. I’m sure everything will go back to normal. You can go back to being horrible to me, and I can go back to making sure I do everything to prop up your reputation." She tries to pull away, but I don’t let go.
"Everything changes after this, make no mistake. You’re going to have security on you twenty-four-seven. I’m going to make sure I spend every moment I’m not on the field with you. I’m going to keep you safe, Abby."And track down the motherfucker who dared come after what’s mine and teach him the kind of lesson he’ll never forget.
She scowls. "You’re being overdramatic. I’m fine."
"Your forehead is swollen."
"It’s a bump."
"The skin is reddened," I growl.
"It’ll heal."
I’m in love with you. Wait, what? No. Where did that come from? I didn’t say that aloud, did I?
"Cade, you okay?" She peers up at me. "Cade?" She touches my cheek.
I blink, then turn so she’s forced to drop her hand. I catch the hurt in her eyes, and everything in me rebels.Fuck, fuck, fuck. All you can do is hurt her. Everything you say and do is causing her more pain. Haven’t you done enough to mess up her life? You need to make it up to her.I rise to my feet, still holding her, and stalk out of the bathroom.
"I’m fine, but you’re not. I need to get you out of these clothes."
