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"It’s my future at stake." I thrust out my chest.
"And I care about you, but I’m also the GM of the team. I need to do what’s best for everyone."
I glower at him, then deflate. "Can’t say I blame you. If I were in your shoes, I’d do the same thing." The team comes first. I’m the captain. I know that more than anyone else. And I need to tell her, I do. So, what’s stopping me? I jump up to my feet, then shoulder my way through the men and begin to pace. "Why is this so hard? Why does it feel like I’m going to lose everything?"
"Because you might?" Sinclair offers in a droll voice.
"Easy for you guys to say this. You all have your women and are all smug and content and—"
"—and each of us went through our own difficulties to find our soulmates,” Sinclair adds.
"Soulmates?" I scoff.
"You don’t believe in soulmates?" Knight lowers his chin to his chest.
"Soulmates are for men who have souls."And I’m not sure I have one, especially after what I’m going to do to her.
"After I returned from being held hostage at war, I was sure I could never feel again. I shut down, refused to allow anyone and anything to touch me. Until her." Knight shifts his weight from foot to foot. "I was disillusioned. I had abandoned all pretense of being human in any way. I was focused on amassing power. I thought that was the only way forward."
"And love cured you?" I scoff.
Knight’s lips quirk. "Love gives you a reason to cure yourself. The rest you have to want hard enough to do the work."
"You guys are not making any sense." I run my fingers through my hair. "If it hurts this much, if it turns my guts-inside out, if it makes me weak at my knees and tightens the band around my chest and pushes down on my shoulders until I can’t breathe, then—"
"You’re on the right path," JJ murmurs.
"You need to keep going." Knight nods.
"Don’t stop," Sinclair growls.
Michael jerks his chin in my direction adding his encouragement. He’s one scary motherfucker. Andhebelieves in love? Correction, not only does he believe in love, but he’s married to the woman of his dreams, with a child and another on the way, the last I heard. He seems to have it all together, despite his checkered past.
"For all that it matters, I’m with you." Edward slides his hand into his pocket. "I thought I believed in love, but it didn’t believe in me. You have to be fortunate for it to find you, and when it does, don’t let go."
I take in his resigned features. "You don’t think you’ll fall in love again?"
"Lighting doesn’t strike twice." He narrows his gaze on me. "I have other passions in life. Love isn’t for me. It’s understandable if you feel the same."
I draw in a sharp breath, then square my shoulders. "And if I don’t?"
58
Gio
"Go, Stone!" I press my fingers into the plexiglass close to the bench of the Ice Kings. On the ice, Rick scoops up the puck from Enzo, then throws it past the opposing team’s goalie. Cheers erupt. They did it, they’re through to the semifinals of the League.
It’s been two days since Grams regained consciousness from the operation.
Two days, during which I’ve barely seen Rick. He came to the hospital, and Grams was so happy to see him. She faded fast though, and we came home from there. That night, we fell asleep wrapped around each other.
The next morning, I made sure I was awake before Rick and left the house without seeing him. If I were there, he’d try to continue the conversation he started, and I don’t want that. I’m not sure what he’s trying to tell me, but whatever it is, it’s going to spoil this…whatever it is that's developed between us, and I’m not ready for it.
Last night, I stayed out with the girls, and by the time I got home, Rick was asleep. I crawled into bed, and he turned to me in his sleep and pulled me close. I fell asleep surrounded by Rick.
This morning… I have a vague recollection of him kissing my forehead, then sliding out of bed, but by the time I woke up it, was time to head to work and then to the match.
I haven’t been able to take my gaze off of my fiancé. Seeing his fluid moves, his commanding presence on the ice, the way he interacts with his team with a confidence that's so very Rick, lights a million tiny flames under my skin. Watching him score, I can’t stop the smile from curving my lips. On the ice, Rick raises his fist. That’s it. One fist pump is all he allows himself in celebration. Typical, understated Rick. Then he turns, and without erring, his gaze finds mine. For a few seconds, everything around me fades, and it’s just me and him. I raise my right fist, mirroring his stance.
