Page 121 of Rebound
“Talking?” Ford asks.
“Yep.”
“What about?” Ford’s eyes narrow to slits.
“Personal stuff,” Kai says.
“What?” Reese pushes his way to the front. He’s still shirtless, which seems to be how he spends ninety percent of the time. It’s like forty degrees outside, and even with the heat on, there’s a chill here. Or maybe that’s the ice I’m picking up from the team. “What do you mean you were talking about personal stuff with Roman? What am I, roadkill?”
Kai throws an arm around Reese’s shoulders. “Aw, Reese, just because I talk to Roman doesn’t mean I love you any less.”
Reese chuffs a laugh, wrapping his arms around Kai. “I knew nothing could come between us.”
“Seriously, what the hell were you guys talking about?” Holden asks.
“Relationship stuff,” I say, which isn’t a lie.
“With Lavinia?” Drew asks, his gaze sharpening on me.
“No, Lavinia is fine and very happy,” I say defensively. Do I have to get used to them assuming something is wrong with Lavinia’s and my relationship? Lavinia keeps telling me I need to open up and let them in, which is easier said than done.
He only grunts in response and if I’m understanding Drew, this is almost good. It means he thinks I’m as important as background furniture, which is exactly where I want to be when it comes to my wife’s brother.
“This yours?” He holds out my phone. I didn’t pick it up after I dropped it and honestly, I hesitate to take it back from him now.
I hadn’t meant to tell my father about Lavinia. Even though I didn’t mention her name, he’s going to find out eventually, I’m sure of that. But I couldn’t stand the way he spoke about Lavinia.
“Yeah, thanks.” I reach for my phone. The slight tremor to my hand is unmistakable and Drew raises an eyebrow. I take the phone from his hand and slip it into my pocket.
“Are we ready to go back to the hotel?” Drew asks.
We all agree and make our way back to the gym to grab our bags. I lose myself in their sounds, reminding myself that my team values me. They may not like me, but I do have a place among them when we’re on the ice, and it’s not because I’m Asher Maddox’s son.
“Roman, you coming?” Kai is waiting by the door and when I focus on him, he tilts his head towards the hallway.
I nod and shoulder my gym bag, making my way out of the gym. I don’t need a fucking documentary to tell people I’m good at hockey and that I deserve to be on this team. I’ll prove it on the ice, to my teammates and to everyone else.
THIRTY-EIGHT
LAVINIA
I’m going to regret this. I know I’m going to regret this as soon as I step foot inside the arena. It’s like the air changes and every Falcon fan knows a traitor is amongst them. It’s me, I’m the traitor, according to them, anyway. I’ve never claimed to be anything other than a Titans loyalist. Even when I was with Josh, I always supported the Titans.
“Lavinia?”
I’m walking down the hallway to the arena when someone calls my name and I turn around, trying to find the person in the crowd.
“Chelsea!” I say, when I see her.
Through the crowd, my only friend I’d made during my time being a Falcons WAG walks towards me. She’s wearing a denim jumpsuit with a purple cardigan and when she reaches me, we hug like long lost siblings.
“I can’t believe you’re here!” Chelsea gushes in my ear.
“Me either, honestly.”
We pull apart and Chelsea keeps a hold of my hands.
“It’s so good to see you. The other girls are going to be here tonight, fyi.”
