“As if I’d believe that,” he rasps.
“Don’t care what you believe.”
“Why are you here, Baylor? I don’t want you anywhere near her. If I find out you are, I’ll—”
“Threaten her some more? Maybe something against her mom this time instead of her dad and brother?”
His gaze narrows. “I don’t know what she’s told you, but all that’s a lie. She’s—”
“Save it, dick.” I pull the documents from my pocket, and his eyes widen slightly before he can right them.
“Those are fake. She printed them herself to—”
“You think I’m stupid? That I wouldn’t run this shit by my lawyers at the company before coming in here like this? It’s real. And you’re a little bitch.”
His jaw twitches, and he fists the blanket on his hospital bed. “What do you plan to do with those?”
“I’ve got copies of them scanned into an email already, addressed to every news station I could find.”
“You do this, and I will—”
“What?” I shrug. “I’ve got nothing to lose at this point. I’ve already lost everything. This shit will go to the press, threats from you or not. I swear on it.”
“Name your price, Baylor.” He lifts his chin. “Everything has a number.”
“She’s my number.”
His lip curls. “Not an option.”
“Only fucking option you got. Time for you to decide what’s worth it and what’s not.”
“You think that solves your problems? Did you not read that paperwork? I own half of that fucking organization that you think you’ll be working for. You’ll be the first to go. Then, the whore you live with. I’ll end the contract with her photography company, all but pushing her out, taking everything she has left of her dead family. Then, at some point, I’ll sell the shares off, one by fucking one. I’ll tear that team apart from the inside out.” He smirks, dropping his head against his pillow. “Can you live with that?”
“Yes.”
At my instant and sure response, his brows kick high, his eyes flicking between mine.
I’ve caught him off guard. He expected me to pause for thought.
But my dad already asked me this. I already thought it through.
All those things will be devastating and a guaranteed way to lose my best friend and the life I have right now. But, if I have nothing, if all is gone and all that’s left is her, I’ll still have everything.
She is everything.
All I could ever hope for, all I could ever wish for.
“Hell fucking yes,” I restate and lower into the chair beside him, so I can stare, man to man. “But what about you, Kellan, huh? You willing to give up everything? You wanna be a state senator—God fucking help us all—or you want her? ’Cause I’ll tell you right now, you will not get both.”
His nostrils flare, his jaw tight as he jerks his eyes from mine to stare at the wall. He’s quiet a moment before he turns back. “I hope you know I’m not bluffing. You take her, and I’ll take everything else you have and nothing less.”
“She’s worth it.”
“She’s hardly worth the fucking paperwork.”
“Don’t you worry about the paperwork.” I smirk and move the top papers to the side, dropping the divorce papers on his lap. “Sign the fucking paper. Tell her it was your idea, and cut her fucking loose.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Come on, Kellan, I’m in your role right now. You know the answer to that.”
“How will you know if I did or not?”
I stand and look down at him, forcing his eyes to lift. “Don’t test me, or I’ll do it for the fuck of it, and still, you’ll lose her. I’m giving you an option that you don’t deserve, but it’s cleaner. Quicker.”
“Fuck you, Baylor.”
“Nah, Kellan.”
I grin. “Finally, this is me fucking you.”
With that, I turn and walk out the door. The sureness facade I was carrying falls with my first step past his room, and I take a deep breath. I head for the elevators, freezing once I look around the corner.
Kenra is sitting off to the side in the private waiting room, silently crying to herself. By herself.
I wanna go to her. To hold her, tell her what I should have years ago, and show her just how much I love her, but I won’t. All this must be taking its toll on her. Physical and emotionally. And she herself is still healing.
She looks to her hands, feathering her fingertips over her palms. I watch as she pushes the sleeve of her cardigan up and does the same to her wrist. Tears fall from her eyes as they close.
Right then, a firm hand grips my shoulder, and I whip around, coming face-to-face with Ian Monroe.
He glances past me, spotting his daughter crying, and I see him fight himself from going to her, as I did. Then, he pulls me backward and steers me in the opposite direction.
“Walk with me, son.” It’s not a request but a heavy suggestion.
Neither of us speaks as we walk through the hospital and out into the patient garden area outside.
Even when we get there, he’s quiet a moment as he collects his thoughts.
“I met my wife freshman year of high school. I remember everything about that day—what she was wearing, the things she said, the way she smiled. Something told me, that very first day, that she was … special. One of a kind, built just for me.” He glances my way and then looks back to the small rock waterfall in front of us. “People thought we were crazy. Her daddy hated me for a long time, but we didn’t care. She was mine, and I was hers; nothing else mattered. We’d fight the world if we had to as long as, in the end, we had each other. And we did. Time and time again, we were tested, in many ways that not even Nate and Kenra know about, but we won. Because we knew, without each other, we were only half of ourselves.” He leans forward, placing his elbows on his knees, and looks off to the side.
“We tried real hard to teach our kids to be the same. To love with everything they had and fight for all the things they wanted—love especially because, if you have someone to love, someone who loves you just as much, together, you can handle anything that comes your way.”
His downcast gaze locks with mine. “I’ve never felt like more of a failure as a father than I do right now. That’s my baby girl in there. Crying by herself in the corner. Tell me, why would she do that when the man she’s supposed to love, who’s supposed to love and worship her, is not ten feet from where she’s at? Why would she cry, alone, when she could have his arms around her, protecting her? Why would she not be in there, letting him take her pain as his own?”
“What type of answer are you looking for, Mr. Monroe?” I ask him directly.
“I need an honest one, Parker. Straight from your heart and nowhere else. I don’t expect you to tell me things she should on her own, and really, you don’t have to tell me anything at all, but I’d appreciate it if you did. I’m dying here, watching this go on. My wife is hurting, and for the first time in our lives, I can’t fix it. I’ve been in that room every day. I’ve seen no comfort, no raw need, to take away the hurt that’s in my baby’s eyes from that man and no wish that he would in hers. Give me something to help me feel like my baby is gonna be okay ’cause, right now, I feel like we’re losing her.”
“I love her,” I blurt out. It’s instant and strong and the only clear thing in all this mess.
His features tighten as his eyes grow glossy. He knew it. He believes it.
I can’t give him her truths, that she’ll have to be strong enough to do on her own, but I can give him mine. So, I do.
“I’ve loved her for years. Can’t stop and don’t want to. She’s the most selfless, big-hearted, beautiful woman I have ever known. She’s more than I deserve but all I want. She was there for me when no one else cared to be, heard me when no one else would. She gave me hope. Made me believe there was more when all I felt was emptiness.
“For years, we’ve been goin’
round and round with each other. The thing about that is, there’s no way out. We’re sealed together, running in circles with no end zone. She comes to me, I love her while I have her, comfort her as long as she lets me, and when she feels her strength is back, she leaves. I’ve tried not to let her back in ’cause, every time she goes, she takes more of me with her, but my heart’s defenseless when it comes to her. I can’t shake her. Can’t deny her. She’s inside me, and she ain’t going anywhere. Ever.”
Ian tilts his head and blows out a harsh breath, dropping his eyes to his feet as he nods. He chuckles through his emotions and sits back on the bench to look up at the sky. “Will you fight for her?”
“I might have just lost everything trying.”
His head snaps to mine, and I meet his stare, understand his pain like my own.
“You don’t need to ask me, sir.” My eyes bounce between his. “The answer is yes. I’m sure about her and I. She has all of me.”
After trying to reach Payton for the hundredth time, I sigh and look to the clock. It’s been four hours since I stepped out, and that was nowhere near long enough, but if I don’t get back soon, he’ll send someone to find me—or have me paged, like yesterday when I slipped out. I was discharged four days ago with the help of my nurse, but of course, Kellan suggested I stay here, save face and all.
As I enter his room, he stares, anger in his eyes clear as day.
I glance at his mother, who refuses to meet my gaze.
“What is it?”
“I’ve changed my mind,” he states simply, and worry seizes my breath. “I don’t need a woman like you at my side. You’re weak. I need someone strong, if they’re to survive in my world. Someone who appreciates all the things I can give them.”
I lower myself in the chair at the foot of his bed and wait for him to continue.
He tosses a packet of papers toward me. “Divorce. Terms are we separate quietly and on mutual terms. I’ve signed already. Sign them, go pack your shit, leave the car I paid for, and get the fuck out.”
My stomach starts to turn as I reach for the forms with trembling hands.
No way will it be this easy.
I scan them over, and they are what he claims them to be, an out clear and clear.
My eyes shoot to his. “Why?”
“Why do you care? It’s what you’ve always wanted, is it not?”
“But why?”
“Because it will be much more fun to release you than force you to watch as I tear apart the Tomahawks, knowing you could have prevented it all from happening.” He grins. “It’s quite brilliant actually. A better plan than any of the others put together. With one move, I’ll ruin your fuck boy’s future, end yours and your brother’s relationship by destroying everything his little millionaire has, which in turn will cause heartbreak to your parents. Everyone you know will suffer, but little Miss Kenra will be free of the big, bad wolf.”
“My father’s company and my brother’s career?”
“I can’t touch those things.” He shrugs. “It’s in the contract, but I won’t need to. As I said, this works out much better for me.”
I nod, unclipping the pen attached, and silently sign each area before standing.
He glares when I don’t hand them back as he reaches for them.
His mother scoffs and storms from the room.
I look to Kellan, undeserved and undoubtedly unwanted sympathy coursing through me. Because, truly, it’s sad, the person he’s become.
“I’ll never understand how you could be so cold and heartless. I mean, with me is one thing, but … Kellan, your brother died. He’s gone, and you haven’t even spoken his name since you woke up.” My voice cracks, and his eyes thin. “Are you … are you even sorry for what happened? Do you not sit there and wonder why the innocent one in our mess is the one who lost his life, and we lived? Because I do. Every day, every few minutes, I do.”
“No,” he snarls, his eyes as empty as his heart. “I don’t. He never should have been there in the first place.” He sits taller in his hospital bed. “In fact, if it’s anyone’s fault, it’s yours. You are the one who took the girl there, the entire reason he followed.”
He’s not wrong. I did bring Payton to her brother, and ultimately, yes, that’s the reason Deaton followed. That’s something I’ll have to learn to accept as time goes on, and maybe, one day, I’ll forgive myself for pushing Kellan in the car that night, but today, I still carry that weight. Today, I still feel responsible for the loss of Deaton’s life, for taking him away from his girlfriend and their unborn child.
The difference though, if there is one, is that I feel remorseful. I understand the mistakes I’ve made and would go back and change so many things if I could. Not that that makes it better, but it’s all I have to go on. Kellan, on the other hand … I’m not so sure he would.
I should just walk out without another word, take these papers straight to the courthouse and see if they’re authentic, but instead, I stand there and stare a few moments longer.
He thinks this will be clean and easy, and he’ll lose nothing of value to him because he has the upper hand.
He never has been able to recognize his own mistakes.
“Tell me, what do you regret the most in all this?” I ask.
“Easy. Threatening instead of doing, Kenra. Would have made keeping you in line a whole lot easier.”
I nod, his instant reply coming as no surprise. “Sounds about right. But I bet that’ll change quick.”
His eyes narrow in suspicion. “And why is that?”
“Because you went through a hell of a lot of trouble and spent a crazy amount of money to own part of a professional football team with the sole purpose of using it against me in one way or another.”
“And I still will.” Dark eyes shift between mine. “Consider the purpose well served.”
“Right,” I whisper, slapping the papers against my hand as I walk backward for the door. “It’s a solid plan … but you made one little mistake, dear husband.”
His eyes narrow to slits, and he opens his mouth to speak, but I’m already out the door.
Done listening to his shit. Done in this place.
I make my way out to the downstairs lobby and step out of the sliding glass doors of the hospital with a deep breath.
I slide my cardigan down my arms and toss it on the small bench as I pass.
The sun warms my skin as I walk to my car, and tears fill my eyes.
I take a deep, cleansing breath, too afraid to hope but desperately needing this to be real.
Two weeks. It’s been two fucking weeks since I was at that hospital, forcing Kellan’s hand. Two weeks since the announcement hit the papers that the two had split.
Two weeks, and still, not a word from her.
Her dad called me the minute he heard, thanked me, and told me she might need time. Nate did the same. Even Mason and Brady and the others keep saying shit like, “Give her space,” and, “Let her come to you.”
Well, I’m not okay with that. I’ve waited years for this.
I’m fucking ready now. I want to hold her now. Love her now.
There’s a tap on my door, and I turn to see Lolli leaning against the frame.
“Hey,” she whispers, her lips tipping slightly.
I glance back out the window I’ve been sitting in front of for the last two hours. “Hey.”
She pushes off the wall and walks over to drop beside me.
“Hero … Al called.”
My muscles lock, and it takes all my willpower to look her way.
She takes a minute before sliding her eyes to mine, and tears brim the edges. Her lips start to tremble, and a sob breaks out, her hand lifting to cover her mouth.
My chest grows tight at the sight, and I pull her to me, wrapping my arms around her.
Over the last two weeks, not only have I heard nothing from Kenra, but there has also been no move against the team.
I told myself he just neede
d time to plan his first move, and now, it seems he has.
I told Lolli everything and included Nate, so she wouldn’t feel she was lying to him. I had no choice; it wouldn’t be fair for her to be blindsided if shit hit the fan. It was hard to admit, even harder to see the hurt in her eyes, but she said she understood where I was coming from; she’d have done the same for Nate.
As for Nate, he was quiet the entire time I spoke, held his anger in until he couldn’t handle it anymore, and stormed off, slamming the door on his way out.
I know it’s a tough one for him; it’s his sister who was wronged, his girl’s world that’s in jeopardy, and he can’t do a damn thing about any of it.
One positive that came out of all this is, I do feel the line that was between him and me where Lolli was concerned is gone. Any uncertainty he might have had as far as my intentions with my best friend has been cleared.
“What’d he say, Lolli Bear?”
She sniffs and pulls back, wiping at her eyes. “He said he needs us at the stadium at one,” she speaks quietly. “I called Nate, but he didn’t answer.”
“Lolli, I—”
“No,” she cuts me off, shaking her head. “Don’t apologize. We don’t know what’s happening yet. Let’s just … get there, yeah?” Her head stays forward but her eyes slide to mine and I nod, a heavy pressure on my chest.
“Okay.” I stand up, pulling her up by hand right along with me.
Payton and Mia are waiting by the door for us when we make our way out.
Payton gives me a small smile before stepping up to Lolli. “Ready?”
Lolli nods, and together, we all hop in Lolli’s car.
The hour drive is spent talking about Mia’s surprise arrival, and all too soon, we’re parking in the reserved owner’s space.
Lolli doesn’t take a moment to breathe but jumps out and rushes up the stairs, so we hop out and run after her, but when we hit the quarters where operations sits, we all jolt to a stop.
I look to Lolli.
“Oh shit …” Mia whispers.
There’s a team of men inside, the Tomahawks lawyers and other representatives, all sitting around a table with stacks of papers in front of them, Al at the head of the row.
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