Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 125866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
She blinked at me. “You don’t want me around the father of my child who I co-parent with.”
It was a deadpan statement, not a question.
“Nope.”
“He’s Sebastian’s dad.”
“I don’t give a fuck,” I shot back without hesitation. “Did you hear what I said? Unless I am with you, you’re not to be around him.”
Distantly, I was aware I was overstepping. Madelyn had survived this long without me here to do shit about it. She could handle herself.
But that didn’t stop me from wanting to help her now that I was here.
I watched her digest what I’d said. At first, she looked appalled, like she was about to slap me hard across the face and walk out of this house.
But then, she softened, her chest rising on a deep inhale before she slowly let it go. And that’s when I saw it.
Relief.
It was relief in her eyes.
She may have been strong enough to take care of herself and her son, but that didn’t mean she didn’t like the idea of someone else wanting to protect them, too.
“First of all, do not get the impression that you ever get to tell me what to do,” she said sternly. “Second of all… okay,” she conceded softly. “But I don’t know how that’s going to work out. We trade off at least once a week, sometimes twice.”
“Any time you need me, I’ll be there.”
“What about football?”
“We have a while until camp. Right now, it’s technically off-season. So, like I said,” I repeated, inching toward her with my eyes locked on hers. “Call me, and I’ll be there.”
Madelyn held my gaze for a long pause before she tore her eyes away and nodded.
Her face fell a little then, and she shook her head, eyes falling to her feet. “This means you have to meet Sebastian.”
I couldn’t explain why, but my heart both broke and swelled at the sound of those words. I could tell Madelyn was scared. But I also could feel my own excitement.
I wanted to meet her son.
I wanted to know the child she had made.
“I can’t break his heart, Kyle,” she said, her wet eyes finding mine. “I can’t.”
Shit.
I nodded, scrubbing a hand over my face. “Listen, what if we agree to be friends when this is all said and done?”
She tilted her head at me.
“We can just tell Sebastian we’re old friends, that we went to high school together. That’s technically not a lie,” I reminded her. “That wouldn’t raise any red flags. In fact, Marshall would probably prefer that, right? For Sebastian to just think we’re friends?”
Madelyn sighed. “He’d lose his shit if I said anything else.”
“Exactly. So, to Sebastian, we’re friends. And when you’re safe and away from your prick ex-husband, then… we just stay friends. Sebastian won’t know the difference.”
“Except as soon as I get your commission, I’m moving across the country.”
Those words slammed into my chest like a WWE wrestler with a metal folding chair in tow, but on the outside, I acted like they didn’t faze me at all.
“Good,” I said. “Get a guest room for when I visit.”
She huffed out a laugh at that, shaking her head and furrowing her brows as she studied me. “Why are you doing this?”
“I told you, I’m tired of going stag to every wedding I’m invited to. My former teammates give me too much shit, and I want to shut them up.”
“I’ve seen the girls you post online,” she shot back. “You could take one of them.”
“Trust me. My friends would see right through it. If anything, they’d give me even more shit if I brought a girl they thought was just the flavor of the week. But with this, with us… we could make them believe it’s real.”
She flattened her lips like she still didn’t believe me.
But I couldn’t say more than that.
I wasn’t ready to admit to her that, regardless of what she’d put me through, I’d always have love for her. I’d always want to make sure she was safe.
I didn’t much care what I got out of this deal.
I only cared that she would be okay — and I’d be there to ensure that.
“When is this wedding I’m supposed to go to with you, anyway?”
I cringed a bit. “Next weekend.”
“Next weekend? And where is this wedding, exactly?”
Another cringe. “Colorado.”
She laughed. “You’re joking, right? I can’t just leave the state next weekend.”
“Why?”
Madelyn stuttered for a moment before groaning. “I don’t know. Marshall is kind of incompetent. Even when he takes Sebastian for the weekend, I like to know I’m right down the street.”
“Let’s bring him with us.”
“Yeah, okay. Because Marshall would be okay with that.” She shook her head, but I saw her wheels spinning. “My mom has been begging to see her grandbaby. Maybe I could get her to fly in.”
My heart squeezed at the mention of her mother.