Epilogue
Leo
Two years later
“Next time you get into a fight like that, make sure I’m on so I can join. You hook from the left, and I’ll get him on the right.” Ridge grins at me as we finish packing our shit away.
I chuckle. “You have legs and free will. No one was stopping you.”
My new teammate gives me a look that says, fair point, then does up the buttons of his collared shirt. It’s been two years since I joined the Chicago Storms. Getting traded here was the best thing to happen to my career.
From day one, they treated me with the utmost respect because apparently, over two-thirds of the team either hated Jack or the Serpents as a whole. The moment they found out I never attended the funeral, they welcomed me with open arms.
Bar a couple of the players, I tolerate every person on the team—some I might even consider my friends. A fact Mina would argue because it’s not a point of “consideration” if they were invited to our wedding, and Ridge was one of my groomsmen.
Everyone in the locker room is in high spirits, and for the first time in my career, standing in the Serpents’ stadium has me fucking grinning too. I wish I could’ve taken a picture of Coach’s face when I got his star player sent to the penalty box.
Thankfully, footage of Simon taking a puck to the face will be one of tonight’s highlights. I’ve already set a reminder to download it.
This might be the third happiest night of my life: being the one to eliminate the Serpents from the season on their own turf.
Fate works in mysterious ways.
“Can I still hitch a ride?” Ridge checks.
I nod. I appreciate that he asks. It’s been a long time since my answer has been no. Getting out of the stadium takes a long time, and waiting for the Uber to arrive takes even longer. By the time we’re both in the car and en route to the bar, I’m fucking itching to see Mina.
Especially after that text she sent me.
She’s just begging to have her ass reddened.
It’s not common for her to attend an away game, but we both agreed there was no universe where she wasn’t coming to this one. And when she provided such an incredible incentive, of course I was going to make sure we decimated the Serpents.
The discomfort of being away from Mina multiplies when we hit another traffic light. It’s irrational. I know. The cops aren’t going to suddenly show up to investigate her when they cleared both of our names two years ago. We had a solid alibi. They couldn’t nail anything on us.
And the guy who was blackmailing Mina ended up being tied to two separate murders, so he isn’t going to see the light of day anytime soon.
For all intents and purposes, the only threat my wife faces in this city is her mother, and the woman who birthed her has made zero contact since the day we left.
Actually, the other threat would be any fans who might recognize her now that she keeps hitting the bestseller list and has a book being adapted for TV.
Still, I’m fucking antsy.
And Ridge seems to find it awfully fucking amusing.
I glare at him when he mutters, “Someone’s panties are in a twist.”
I’m finding it hard to remember why we’re friends.
The bar finally comes into view, and I’m out of the car and on the sidewalk before we come to a complete stop. My shoulder aches a little when I push the door open, and I try not to let it remind me that I’ll soon need to make a decision about when I’ll retire.
The scent of booze, people, and more booze accompanies the bad rock pumping through the speakers. Sabrina, Mitchell, and Joyce are easy enough to spot near the back of the bar, but the woman I’m really looking for? Not so much.
Where the hell is she?
Mitchell nods in greeting, and I loosely return it, looking for Mina.
And there she is. Every time I see her, it’s like time stands still. The tension unwinds from my muscles. She gives me a shy grin, like she knows she’s in trouble but has no plan on fixing it.
Her cropped mesh top sits a couple of inches above her belly button and shows off the three little incisions from the laparoscopic surgery she had a year and a half ago. I didn’t realize how much more energy she’d have once the endometriosis was removed.
All it took was an hour-long procedure, and her life turned around. She’s moving easier and isn’t in constant pain. She’s practically glowing.
There’s a flash of movement, and I have less than a second’s warning before Sabrina tries to tackle me with her bear hug. When that doesn’t work, she weakly buries her fist into my stomach.
“What was that for?” I hiss, holding her back by the shoulder before she can finish her attack combo by going for the family jewels.
“That’s for making Mitchell’s team lose!” She glares at me.
Mina gestures toward the Serpents’ and the Storms’ colors Sabrina is wearing. “Whose side are you on?”
She shrugs, grinning mischievously. “I forgave you two for dating behind my back, but I can’t forgive you for beating Mitchell’s team.”
I shake my head as I wrap my arm around Mina’s waist and tug her to my side.
Before I can properly greet my wife, Ridge makes his grand entrance with a booming, “Hello,” just as he locks eyes with Joyce, who looks woefully unimpressed with his showstopping megawatt smile that usually makes every person pause to stare.
“Evenin’.” He lays his Southern twang on thick.
“I’m not the one.” A very single Joyce disregards him and goes back to giving Sabrina her full attention, and they continue their discussion about God knows what.
I’ve never seen the man sulk like an abandoned puppy before, but there’s a first for everything.
I lean down to rumble against Mina’s ear, “You made me a promise.”
“Did I?” She flutters her eyelashes up at me. “You’ll have to remind me. Short-term memory. You know how it is.”
I fish my phone out of my coat to show her our message thread—namely the picture she took of herself in the mirror, a jersey with my number hanging loose on her frame, and the bottom pulled up to show her lacy panties.
Mina: Win the game, and I’ll send you a video of me fucking myself wearing nothing but your number.
“I might be mistaken, but I believe we may have won.” I narrow my eyes at her.
“Did you? I wasn’t paying much attention.” She shrugs.
Mina is goading me to act out, and it’s working.
“You have three minutes to send it.”
“Or what?” she sasses back.
“Fall asleep and find out.”
The End.