Page 146 of Need You to Choose Me

He stands to full height. “What I do or don’t do is none of your business, O’Conner.”

I walk over to him, standing mere inches away from his tense body by the door. “Oliveismy business now. I wouldn’t be spending the only day I have off the ice here with you if it weren’t important. Butsheis. And you throwing a temper tantrum isn’t getting us anywhere. If you have a problem, fine. But that’s with me.Notyour sister. You icing her out is hurting her, and I don’t like to see her hurt.”

His eyes narrow. “Neither do I.”

“Funny,” I muse dryly, watching his eyes darken. “Because out of the two of us, only you are the one actually doing any damage.”

His nostrils flare in anger, but he doesn’t say anything.

I shake my head, not wanting to fight. I came here to make a point. Nothing else. “Look, I don’t expect you to understand the shit I’ve gone through. I’m not going to waste my time explaining it to you, because I highly doubt you care. But I’ve worked my ass off to be where I am. And I’d wager to guess I worked twice as hard as you to make the kind of moves I did to sign a contract with the Penguins. I’ve sacrificed more than you know to be here.”

“And you think I didn’t?” He scoffs, shaking his head. “Anybody in the league put the work in, O’Conner. That doesn’t make you special.”

He’s right. “It doesn’t. But from where I’m standing, you haven’t had to fight to make it to practice or get what you want. You haven’t had to pay the price for being late when you were dealing with consequences out of your control. You get what you want, when you want it. You got a girl, a wife, and a kid on the way.”

His lips twitch from the information that I know isn’t public yet.

“Relax. I have no interest spewing that to the media. I’m not exactly fans of them either,” I tell him. “The point is, I sacrificed something good with Olive to get here. I left her behind once. I’m not going to do that again just because you’re being a pussy about us being together.”

He looks away, grinding his teeth.

It doesn’t stop me from continuing. “You and I both have some things in common. We both love Olive, and we both would do anything for our families.”

Finally getting his attention, his eyes scan over my face. “You love my sister?”

“I have for a while. She was the only smart one to see it at the time. I was too stubborn; too focused on the game. But I’m not going to let anything, or anyone, hold me back now. I would prefer your support in this, but I don’t need it. I’m just aware enough to know that it would mean something to her if I had it.”

I don’t know what he’s thinking, but it’s probably nothing good. But I didn’t come all this way for nothing. If he wants to continue being a dick to his sister, then so be it. At least I tried. I can walk away knowing that. If Olive knew I was here, I’m sure she’d appreciate the attempt too.

After another tense minute or two, Sebastian’s shoulders loosen a fraction from their squared stance. “You actually came all this way to tell me that you love her?”

“Family means everything to your sister,” I explain nonchalantly. “I get what that’s like. Before her, my mother was all I had. It’s not fun when the people in our lives disappear. It hasn’t been easy for her. So, yeah. I drove here to tell you to pull your head out of your ass. Forher. Because I love her. Because I want to do whatever it takes to make her happy.”

There’s caution in his eyes as he loosens a long sigh. “You’ve changed.”

What did he expect? “We all need to grow up eventually, Henderson. Sometimes, it doesn’t happen until we find the right people to make uswantto.”

Something flashes across his face.

Understanding.

Henderson nods, swiping at his jaw. “Yeah, I get that. Trust me.” His brows pinch in contemplation before he drops his hand to his side and slides it into the pocket of his jeans.

We’re quiet for a second.

Then he says, “I want what’s best for her.”

“I do too.”

Rubbing his lips together, he dips his chin and holds his hand out to me. “Truce. For Olive.”

I don’t hesitate to take it. “Does that mean you’re going to call her?”

Sebastian rolls his eyes. “Yes, I’m going to call her. Look, I don’t know how I feel about this. I’ve always seen you one way, but she seems to think I’ve got it wrong. So I’m not going to discourage her if it’s what she wants. It’s her life. Her decision.”

Glad he finally gets it. “Exactly.”

“But I will fuckingkill youif you break her heart,” he warns me, tightening his hold on my hand until one of my finger joints pops.

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