Page 140 of Pucking Rebound

I text Lola again, which I have been doing for the last three hours.

Me:

Please call me.

Me:

You are worrying me now. Call me, baby.

Where the fuck is she and where is Wade?

The soft ding of my private elevator alerts me to a visitor and my ass is off the sofa. I’m leaping over the back of it and running to greet the girl I've been worried sick about all night.

Relief washes over me as the doors slide open.

She’s here.

Stepping inside the safety of my apartment, she drops her purse and keys on the floor, exhaling loudly before running her fingers through her hair.

She looks broken, deflated.

“I’m so sorry, Lola.” I don’t know what else to say.

Her shoulders droop. Those beautiful eyes of hers look back at me, all swollen and teary. I quickly wrap her in my arms and she nuzzles into my chest, allowing me to relax with a deep sigh. I’m so fucking happy she’s chosen to come here.

But my sunshine girl has lost her sparkle. “I would ask how you are, but I think I already know the answer.”

“I don’t know where to start, Jordy. I’ve felt sick for days. My brother doesn’t want to know me. Although, I’m not sure about that because he was nice to me before he ran off. He thinks Kali doesn’t love him. My ex sold my story and blew Wade’s life apart. Marcus and Nicki’s. Zane’s. I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel.” She buries her face into my chest. “I fucking hate Graham. I hate him so much.” Her voice muffled, she grabs fistfuls of my tee shirt. “I wish I’d never met him.” Sobbing now, she wails, “Everything is my fault.”

“It’s not.” I run my hand up and down her back to comfort her, but I know it’s probably not enough.

“Yes, it is, Jordy.” She pushes out of our embrace and begins pacing back and forth. “I should have stayed away. I should never have told Graham. I should never have dated him. I should have moved away when my dad died… I should… I should…” Clutching her chest, she struggles to catch a breath and I’m holding her again before she can finish the sentence her panic attack won’t allow her to.

“Breathe, baby. Just breathe.” I cup my hand around the back of her neck and hold her close, giving her time to calm down.

“It’s a disaster. Wade quit the team.” Her chest stutters against mine.

“What?” I exclaim, then find the words she needs to hear. “He doesn’t mean it.” He would have said it in the heat of the moment. “Where is Wade?” I ask.

“On the location tracker, it looks like he’s driving to his house at Caulder Creek.”

He’s running away, which I knew he would.

“Is Miranda really your mother?” I ask, unable to comprehend that information.

“Everything the papers said is true.” She confirms.

That’s a first.

“I’m nothing like her, Jordy.”

By accident, I watched ten minutes of that ridiculous reality television series Miranda’s on, and Lola couldn’t be more different from her. Lola’s values define her, not the blood that runs through her veins.

“You’re Wade’s sister?” I can’t fucking believe it. I read every article online. Twice. And it’s so fucking obvious to me now.

When she said she was working for the Eagles for a reason, I knew the reason was related to Wade. I just didn’t know she was related to him by blood.

“I’m his half-sister,” she corrects me.

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