Page 54 of Playing the Neutral Zone

“Oh dear, you’re right.”

She hugged me goodbye, and then I shut and locked the door behind her and looked around.I loved this apartment, and I really loved this city, but I couldn’t stay here.I couldn’t pick up my life and move on, especially if I was living in the same building as the man who owned my heart.

Chapter 16

Levi - One Month Later

I’d dropped Mia off at daycare and walked into the change room, immediately heading to my locker to get ready for afternoon practice.

“Bout time you got here,” Knox said, bumping me with his shoulder.

“I know.Mia had a mini meltdown just before we left.”

“My little bean alright?”Colton asked, shoving his things into his locker.

“Yeah, just another missing Scarlett moment.I’ll be so happy when she forgets about her.”I sighed, sitting down on the bench to take a breath.

“She still going on about that?”

I nodded.“She even cried herself to sleep the other night,” I said, running my fingers through my mop of curls.

“Maybe a night at Uncle Knox and Aunt Lorelai’s would help?”Knox said, sitting down and lacing his skates.“Lorelai would love to have her.She was talking about taking her for a mani-pedi the other day to that new spa that opened.”

Lorelai had stepped up recently, offering to take Mia and do things that Scarlett had done with her, just to keep some sort of balance in her life.I was beyond grateful.

“Careful, I may take you up on the overnight offer.”I chuckled, pulling off my shirt.

“Practice in five!”Coach Thompkins yelled from the door.

I looked down at myself.I wasn’t even close to being ready, thanks to Mia’s minor meltdown.“Fuck, you guys go.I’ll be there in a few minutes,” I said, not wanting the rest of them to be late because of me.

The second the guys left the locker room, and I started changing, my phone rang.I looked at the screen and saw Harvey’s name.TheIce Insidershad retracted the article almost faster than when they printed it, but this one was the call that I’d been waiting for.

“Hey, Harvey,” I greeted.

“Levi, so glad I caught you.Listen, things are just about finished with the custody agreement, but I wanted to talk to you before I signed on your behalf.”

“Okay.”

My stomach flipped.I’d been on edge for the past six weeks waiting to hear from him.Of course, he’d kept me updated via email, but I’d yet to speak with him.

“Listen, Skylar will drop this entire thing, but she wants payment in return.”

I shook my head and pinched the bridge of my nose.She wanted payment.So typical, I thought to myself.

“What does she want?”I asked, afraid to know the answer.

“In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a lot of money.”

“What’s not a lot of money, Harvey?”I questioned, mentally preparing myself for the figure.

“She’ll go away and never come near you again for one point five million.”

I leaned back against the lockers and shook my head.Her belief that she deserved money after I raised Mia astonished me.

“Levi, if I can offer anything, I think you should do it.Get her off your back and out of your life and move on,” Harvey said.

“Fine, but she needs to sign an agreement stating she can’t turn around and come after me again,” I bit out.

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