Page 49 of Break

Landon bites his lip and glances at me. I sigh as I explain everything and tell her to go to my house and pack up her shit. I try not to laugh as I tell her about the ‘pregnancy’ and I let it slip that I recently had a vasectomy done so that I never had something like that happen, ever.

Marie stiffens and looks away when she hears that. But I’m not hiding it anymore. She knows better than anyone on why I’ll never procreate.

“It was time, plus I’m turning thirty in a few years. I don’t want any mistakes to happen.”

She nods and sighs. “Yeah. Mistakes.”

We pull up to the hospital and it’s a whirlwind from there. They decide to go ahead to do a CT scan since she’s pregnant, butsince there’s a bump and obvious bruising, they don’t think she has a cracked or dented skull, or any issues with her brain. All of her neuro checks have been clear.

Brenton flies into the exam room, wearing pajamas with a pair of slippers and I blink at him for what feels like a good ten minutes. He flips me off behind his back as he settles into a chair beside Marie. He grabs her file from the nurse’s hands, perusing through it with a pinched expression on his face. He nods and hands it back and groans when he looks around the room.

“I’m severely underdressed. How was the wedding?”

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We stayed at the hotel for a few days before finally heading home. I wanted Marie to rest before sitting in the car for over an hour. I had someone go shopping for essentials and more clothes for us that would last more than just a day and they were delivered here before she was discharged. We’ve also ordered plenty of room service, movies, and even Marie’s suite was filled with friends over the days.

It was just what we all needed after the shit show that is my fucking life.

I had Nolan drive to my house to check to make sure Alex was gone, especially after finding out that she paid her bail and was let out the morning after the wedding… Aside from the mess she made, she’s gone. All of her clothes, jewelry, and makeup vanished out of my life.

Hopefully to never be seen again except in a jail cell. I’ll make sure I visit her and laugh.

But all of the crystal bullshit she conned me into purchasing is smashed all over the house. I have no idea whatshe used to destroy my furniture and expensive appliances in the kitchen, but Nolan said they’re all trashed.

So I told him what I would have told anyone else to do, call the cops and make a police report. Two reports in just a handful of days. Sucks for her. But I’m done playing games.

She went after Marie, a pregnant woman. I am not letting this bitch off easy.

According to them, she’s not in the state, but will keep an eye out for her if she returns to Minnesota. My insurance is refusing to cover the costs for the damages, so I said fuck it.

Not wanting to deal with searching for the bitch or suing her for more money she will probably never have, I stripped basically everything in the house, put all of my shit in storage, and told my realtor to accept the next highest offer and get it out of my life.

I wake up in Nolan’s guest room with a groan and check my phone. Practice starts back up today with a home game on Wednesday. I can’t believe how fast the break came and went.

The girls are already back in school and Marie is starting back at work either today or tomorrow, against her doctor’s orders. And mine.

Dr. Patterson is aware about the damn staples still embedded in her scalp, but he just shrugged and said she’s not skating anytime soon anyway and for me to mind my own business.

The man hates me.

I roll out of bed and pad into the kitchen to find Nolan already dressed and ready for the day, which is odd for him. Icock a brow at him as I pour a cup of coffee and start to peel a banana.

“I’m heading over to check on Marie and I’m going to talk her into letting me drive her into work.”

I chuckle and roll my eyes. “Smart. I’ll see you all there.” He nods and leaves the house, I shake my head as I lean against the counter.

I’m still jealous as hell with Landon and Nolan giving her so much attention, but I have nothing to be jealous about, do I? Marie isn’t mine, and she probably never will be

I just got out of a psychotic, insane relationship. I’m technically homeless, and she’s pregnant. And my best friend.

She’s around twenty-two weeks along and seems miserable. Well, to me at least. She waddles around and scowls when no one’s looking, but aside from that? She’s all smiles. She’s still a surrogate mother to my sisters, taking care of their every need. She still wrinkles her nose when she reads a book, she still watches the news every morning to catch up on the day-to-day bullshit.

Still orders every single medical and scientific magazine known to man and loves to huff and puff about false information that’s printed. But after researching, she finds out they’re sort of right, but still calls them stupid.

She still wears all the same shit, just in stretchy, more comfortable sizes. Flowing dresses, scrubs, or jeans and a regular t-shirt.

I’ve always loved her more than life itself, but never wanted to cross the line.

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