Page 145 of Cougar

As those words leave my mouth, the bitter taste of hypocrisy settles on the edge of my tongue.

Cam

Once things settled around the hospital, I hitched a ride with my sister and Mike to pick up my truck from their house, then headed home for a quick shower and some food.

After a brief conversation with my coach, who’d called when he heard the news, I drive back to the medical center, stopping at Starbucks on the way to grab a coffee for Emerson.

I make my way to the top floor and find her in the break room, talking with Bass and a group of security men. Her eyes flick in my direction and she smiles. Bass looks over his shoulder and jerks his chin at me before turning back to the conversation.

A few minutes later, the conversation ends and I push off the wall, stepping aside to allow the men to exit the break room. Bass squeezes my shoulder as he passes, and it’s down to just Emerson and me.

I step farther into the room and hold up the coffee. “I thought you might need this.”

“Thank you.” She gives me a sad smile and takes the cup. “I’m so glad you’re here.” She lifts up on her toes and gives me a soft kiss on the lips. “I’ve missed you.”

Taking the coffee from her hand, I set in on the counter, then cup her face. “God, Emerson, I’ve missed you so fucking much.” Dipping my head, I press another kiss to her lips.

“What. The. Fuck?” I turn my head to find Liam standing in the doorway, his eyes flicking between Emerson and me.

Emerson pulls from my arms and crosses hers over her chest.

Liam bristles and shakes his head. “You can’t be serious.”

“Not now, Liam,” Emerson warns.

“Seriously, Em.” He charges into the break room and stops right in front of her. “What the fuck happened to Jay? Better yet, how did it fucking happen? Where was her security? Where wereyou? Huh?”

Emerson covers her face and begins to sob all over again.

Reaching out, I shove him away from her, then move to stand in front of her. “That’s enough, Liam. This isn’t her fault.”

“Then whose fuckin’ fault is it?” he yells.

Bass appears in the doorway. “What’s going on?”

Liam whirls around to face him. “And where the fuck were you? Aren’t you supposed to be watching out for her?”

“Liam, chill out, man,” Bass warns.

Liam whirls back around and points in my face. “What the fuck are you doing with my sister, Cam?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but we’re together. I love her.”

“You love her?” He drops his hand, throws his head back, and barks out a laugh. “Maybe if you two weren’t busy playing house, my niece wouldn’t be lying in that hospital bed.”

“Shut the fuck up!” I shout, shoving him hard.

Liam cocks his fist back and takes a swing at me, but I dodge it and he clips Emerson on the side of the head.

“Fuck!” She grips her head. “Liam,stop!”

When Liam and I were teenagers, we made a pact that we’d never fight over a woman. Though I’m pretty sure his sister didn’t factor in at the time we made said pact. And even if she does, tough shit, because all I see is red.

Liam is so pumped up on anger and adrenaline, he doesn’t even realize he hit his sister. I cock my fist back and slam it into his jaw. He instantly fires back, landing a punch to the side of my face.

And so it begins. We lock up, our arms hooked around each other’s necks, and fall to the cold linoleum floor, continuing to exchange blows until we’re finally yanked apart by security.

“Does she know about Vegas?”

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