Page 207 of The Blame Game

Dom laughed because it was so fucking ridiculous that that was the first words they’d spoken to each other since their breakup. Yet fitting, somehow.

“Yeah. I know what you mean,” Dom assured him.

They stared at each other for a long moment.

Christian bit his lip, stepping closer. “Do you have a minute?” He peered up at Dom, who had a sudden flash of memory of leaning down to kiss Christian and the way Christian had to rise on his toes to meet Dom’s mouth. “Just to talk.”

“Here?” Dom raised an eyebrow.

“If that works for you.”

“Sure. Maybe down here a little ways.”

“Of course.” There was a bitter little twist to Christian’s mouth.

Dom winced, wanting to explain that he wasn’t hiding Christian from anyone. He didn’t want to air their entire history out to everyone who might walk by. But he didn’t say anything, just walked a few feet down the corridor, then leaned against the wall, waiting to see what came next.

Christian did the same on the opposite wall, his gaze sliding across Dom’s body. “You look good.”

“Thank you. So do you.”

“You must love him a lot, to come out for him,” Christian said softly, the sadness in his eyes the only indication of how he truly felt about it.

Dom opened his mouth, unsure of what to say.

What finally came out was, “I hurt one man by denying who I was. I didn’t want to hurt a second.”

It was the simplest truth he could manage. And maybe it wasn’t enough. Maybe it was too little, too late. But that didn’t mean Dom shouldn’t try.

It was why he’d been willing to risk it all when Joe tried to blackmail him. And so far, it was working. JockGossip had been quiet.

Christian’s throat bobbed, his eyes closing tightly for a moment before he nodded. “I’m glad you found someone,” he rasped.

“Are you?”

Christian hesitated, and then the bitterness and hurt seemed to flow away. “Yeah, I am.”

“I saw you earlier, in the crowd.” Dom admitted. “You looked happy.”

“I am.” Christian’s face went soft, glowing and peaceful in a way that Dom had never seen before. Something Dom had never given him. “We’re married.”

“I saw.” Dom nodded at the slim silver-toned band studded with small diamonds on Christian’s finger. “Congratulations.”

Christian glanced down at it. “Thank you. And congrats on the win tonight. You have a real chance of winning the—”

He must have seen the look on Dom’s face because he stopped abruptly. “Sorry, didn’t mean to jinx you.”

“No, it’s okay,” Dom lied.

It wasn’t okay and Christian knew that but Dom appreciated the thought.

“Sorry.” Christian winced. “About more than that, I mean. About—about all of it. I’m sorry.”

Dom shook his head. “No, I should apologize. You were clear about what you wanted in a relationship and I—I couldn’t give that to you. But I was too selfish to end it.”

“Maybe. But what I did …” Christian shook his head. “That wasn’t right.”

Dom felt a little bit of coiled tension leave his body. “What’d you do with it?”

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