Page 56 of Pucking Curves

I start to follow her, but he throws his arm out in front of me. “Give her a minute,” he says. “She needs to calm down or she’ll say something she regrets.”

“Fuck.”

“You need to figure out what you’re going to do about Montaque anyway.”

I glance at him, surprised.

“Don’t look at me like that, motherfucker.”

“Just surprised you care.”

“I’ve always fucking cared.” He mutters a curse. “Jesus, Archer. She’s my sister. You’re my best friend. You don’t think that matters to me?”

“Doesn’t really matter what I think,” I say, nodding at Wren, who’s pacing back and forth a dozen feet away, muttering to herself. “It matters what she thinks. She needed you on her side, and you weren’t. You let her down.”

“I know,” he growls. “I fucking know, okay? I’m an asshole. I fucked up. And I have to live with that. But Jesus, Archer. This sport has been her whole life because of me. She’s always come second because what I needed came first. She grew up in the back of a van or in the stands. That’s not fucking normal. You think I wanted her to end up in a relationship with someone who would put her through the same shit she’s tolerated her whole life? She almost got herself killed once because of this goddamn sport. I can’t let that happen again.”

“You’re so sure it will,” I mutter, shaking my head as the van pulls into the entry way, blocking half of it. “But you haven’t been paying attention, Micah. You’re so convinced she had a shit childhood because of hockey, but wake up, man! Those are her favorite memories. They’vealwaysbeen her favorite memories because of you. But you’re so hell bent on blaming yourself because she was out on the ice that you don’t even hear her when she tells you that.”

He blows out a ragged breath, dragging a hand through his hair, but he doesn’t say anything.

“Eventually, you gotta let that shit go and stop treating her like you ruined her life. She was on that pond because she missed you. She missed the sport. She missed the back of your fucking van. But she isn’t that little girl anymore. Your sister knows her own mind and how to take care of herself. She’s strong and independent and fierce as hell. You need to let her be those things.”

“Fuck,” he whispers, emotion swirling through his eyes as he glances over at her. “I know.”

“She’ll never come second to me. She hasn’t since the day I met her at your wedding. I’ve done…Jesus Christ.” My heart slams against my ribcage as an SUV whips around our van.

The driver isn’t watching where he’s going. He’s too busy flinging his hands up and shouting uselessly at our driver, who can’t even fucking hear him with the idiot’s windows rolled up.

Wren has her head down, not paying attention.

She doesn’t see the SUV heading right for her.

But I do…and I’ve never been so fucking afraid in my life.

“Wren!” I shout, trying to get her attention. I’m already moving toward her, rushing as fast as I can.

She turns toward me, a question in her eyes just as the SUV slams on the brakes, trying to avoid her. It’s too goddamn late though.

It hits her, sending her flying into the back of the taxi.

“Wren!” I scream, the entire fucking world tilting beneath my feet.

No. No. Please, God, no.

“Wren!” Micah roars, racing beside me to reach her.

I fall to my knees at her side, fucking sobbing when I see that she isn’t moving. There’s a gash across her forehead. She’s pale. So fucking pale…

“Please, baby,” I beg, terrified to touch her. “Please.”

She doesn’t respond. She doesn’t move. And for the first time in my life, I know what dying feels like. It’s this. It’s Wren on the ground, my entire fucking world shattering around her.

The world learns of our marriage while I’m pacing the hospital waiting room, too fucking afraid to draw a full breath. I don’t care what they think about it. I don’t care what they have to say. All I can think about is Wren.

Micah’s slumped in a chair. Half the team is here instead of at the presser, watching us like they’re afraid we’re going to come to blows again. Or crack apart.

I feel like cracking. I think he does too.

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