Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
“At what cost?” Peepaw interjects, his gaze solely on mine. “I will buy you a fucking coffeehouse, Eliza.”
“I know you would,” I say softly, my heart full of love for the man who helped save me. “But doing it this way, I’ll be established, and it’ll help Coleson.”
“Liza, he is using you!” Elliot warns, her eyes wild and holding mine. “I know you. I know how your mind works. Sissy, he’ll never love you. This isn’t a quick way to get the life you want. He doesn’t want you past what you can get him. Which is the NHL, not you, and that’s not fair.”
“You think I don’t know that?” I ask incredulously, tipping my chin up. “He was honest with me from the top, Elliot. I know exactly what I am doing, what his intentions are, and what mine are.”
“He’s going to hurt you,” she stresses, and I feel Coleson bristle beside me.
Before he can snap at her and make this worse, I shake my head. “That is my choice, not yours.”
“Yes, but when he ends this because he makes it to the NHL, you will be broken all over again, and it’ll be our job to put you back together,” she says, her eyes flooding with tears. “I just don’t get it. You’re not stupid. You’re not flighty. What are you doing?”
“I’m helping a friend,” I tell her. “And gaining a fully functioning business that will be mine.”
“He doesn’t even know how to be a friend,” Elliot snaps, her eyes pure fire for Coleson, but he doesn’t react to her. He stands beside me, his face neutral, and I know her words hurt him.
“He does,” I say, bringing my gaze back to hers. “Trust me to know that.”
I feel Coleson’s gaze on my face before he says, “I don’t intend on hurting her. I will take care of her and make sure she is happy.”
“Until you find someone to put your dick in,” Elliot mutters, and I flash her a dark look.
“I’m not a cheater. I will be faithful.”
When Elliot sputters with laughter, I feel my heart slam inside my chest. “That’s enough. I will not stand here and let you two attack his character any longer. I am well aware of his past—”
“Are you?” Peepaw snaps, his eyes burning into mine. “You know that I had to suspend him for fucking a player’s wife.”
“I never fucked her,” Coleson said then, and I look up at his clenched jaw. “She blew me, and when I realized who she was, I ended it. But Barnes walked in to find her on her knees.”
“Your dick was still in a teammate's wife!” Elliot yells, throwing her hands up. “That’s not okay.”
“You’re right,” Coleson agrees. “And I’ve done everything I can to clean up my mess.”
“You will not bring my sister down with you—”
“Enough!” I roar, setting my sister and my peepaw with a look. “He is my husband, and you will respect him.” Peepaw looks like he may have a stroke as Elliot gawks at me. “I want you both to promise you won’t tell a soul you know the truth. This has to work because Coleson has worked too hard for it not to. Yes, he has made some bad choices, but we all have. Give him a chance to prove that he will do what is best for me, for us. Please trust me to know what I am doing and respect my marriage.”
“I promise I won’t hurt her,” Coleson says, and when I look up, his gaze is locked with Peepaw’s. “She will want for nothing, and I won’t disrespect her.”
Peepaw crosses his arms over his wide chest and then shrugs. “I sure hope so, because not only will I release Elliot on you, but I’ll ruin you.”
Coleson nods, the heaviness of Peepaw’s words weighing us both down. Before he can say a word, though, I say, “You have nothing to worry about.”
I know they don’t believe my statement.
Hell, I’m unsure if I even believe it.
But here I am, defending and trusting not just myself, but…my husband.
CHAPTER 19
Coleson
At this point in my life, I’m not surprised that the woman I chose to marry is the Knoxville Bears’ owner’s granddaughter.
My whole life has been a collection of What the fuck.
This moment included.
My eye is swollen shut, but I don’t have time to ice it.
Elliot McDavid has a mighty left hook, and I’m unsure how she got me twice. But with a split lip and a busted eye, there is no doubt she did. Oh, and she wants to castrate me, which is just awesome. I need to figure out some way to make her hate me less since I need her help. Especially since I have no clue what to do about Dan Davenport. I truly don’t want to hurt my wife, but now, I have to walk the straight and narrow more than ever. Until this is over. Then all I can hope for is an amicable parting.