Chapter 55
Remi
So I will meet them, blade in hand,
No fear, no grace, no plea.
The war they carved into my flesh,
Still fights its way through me.
“What . . .” I couldn’t even finish the question.
There, right in front of the table where this man’s cum stain lived, Amir was kneeling on the floor of my bar. One elbow rested on his thigh while he held a tiny box. When he flipped it open, I put a hand on my stomach, trying desperately to breathe.
“I don’t know if I’m lucky today, but I do know that I want to marry you.”
“Are you fucking insane?” I asked.
“Since the moment I walked into this bar and saw you.”
“You can’t just . . .” I swallowed hard. My head felt off, and I wondered if I’d pass out right here on the floor.
“Of course I can.”
“W-why? What could possess you to quit?”
He tilted his head, as if considering it. “I refuse to let the people I love be dragged through the mud anymore, and I never again want to justify my life to a bunch of people I don’t know. There are only three people whose opinion I care about.”
“Who?” I whispered.
He gave me a disbelieving look, then counted them off on his fingers. “Mal, Avery, and Remi freaking Keane, of course.”
“I can’t . . .” I shook my head, over and over.
He stood and took a step toward me. Flipping my hand over, he placed the ring in my palm. It was a scorched wood band with etchings all around it, like roots and branches. Inside, I saw the same runes I’d written on the letter I’d left for him: Even the broken endure.
Keeping hold of my fingers, he stroked my skin with his thumb. “I can’t change what’s already happened, and I can’t promise things will calm down yet. But fading into obscurity implies something gradual, so maybe you’re willing to fade away with me.”
“You can’t leave baseball.”
“I can, and I am.” His phone buzzed, showing Shawn’s name, but he ignored the call. “See? I’ve made it a fixed point.”
“Are they going to be pissed about the video?”
“Considering it was my official resignation, yeah, I’d say they’re pissed.”
“I repeat: Are you insane?”
“And I repeat: For you, yes.”
I gripped his fingers hard. “What about Avery? Mal?”
“I wouldn’t do this if they weren’t in full support of my decision.”
Part of me didn’t want to believe that. In what world could he up and leave his career behind? There was too much on the line.
“You turned down eighty million for me?” I asked.
“Eighty-five, officially, and not just for you, but I guess I did.”
“Can you go back on it? Tell them it was impulsive. You didn’t mean it.”
“Hey,” he laughed. “I’m not taking anything back. Not the video and not the ring.”
“No more baseball?”
“No more baseball. Now, if it’s alright with you, can I finish asking you to marry me?”
Not sure what to say, I nodded. He lowered to one knee, and it felt like just as much of a shock the second time.
“Remi, I know it’s only been five months, but I’ve got to say—”
“Yes.”
“But I—”
Dropping into a crouch, I dragged him closer by the back of his neck. When our lips met, the few people that were in the bar cheered. Amir grunted when I knocked him onto his ass. Settling on my knees in front of him, I ran my fingers over his stubble and kissed him harder.
“So,” he murmured as his lips curved. “Yes?”
“Are you fucking insane? Of course I’m saying yes.”
“I thought this would be harder.”
“My soul abandoned me all over again once I left you. Why the hell would I deny it the only thing that’s ever made it leave its perch in hell?”
“You’re something else.”
I pressed my thumb against his lower lip. “It feels wrong that you’re leaving everything behind.”
“Everything? No, it’s only a fraction of what this life holds for me. I’ve spent ten years playing baseball. I think it’s time for a new chapter.”
“How are you going to survive?”
“All the shit I own is paid off. I have enough money put away to retire more than comfortably. Plus”—he looked around the bar—”I could always get in on the family business.”
I decided not to remind him how he’d dropped three drinks the one and only time I’d tried to teach him how to bartend.
Looking down, I watched as he slid the ring onto my finger. It fit perfectly, like it had been woven by the fates themselves.
A booming voice drew our attention to the door as we got to our feet. It swung open, and Trav strode in. He waved one hand in the air while he held his phone up in front of him. He looked a bit . . . off his rocker. I wondered if the guy had ever heard of Adderall.
“Well, this is it, y’all,” he said far too loudly for the space.
“Remi’s. It’s something, I’ll tell ya. When I first came here, I knew that it was going to be part of my timeline.
Don’t ask me how. I just did. Now, I know most of my fans have no connections to the league or sports at all, but I’m going to address those with shared interests real quick.
For my lovely PR team”—he scrunched his face in a fake and downright condescending smile—”you might want to log off right quick so you don’t have a stroke.
I’ve never made it easy for you before, and I don’t plan on starting now.
“Fellow men of the league, listen up.” He slammed his fist against his chest. “No matter what team we’re on or what sport we play, we are brothers, united against the forces of evil that infiltrate our fields.”
“Hear, hear,” Amir chimed in.
Trav smiled, still looking at the camera. “They come and infect our stadiums. Our press rooms. Our goddamn locker rooms, even—looking at you, Tony. But those who have honor, I implore you all to stand in solidarity with our fallen brother.”
He turned so the camera caught us behind him as he stretched his arm out toward Amir.
“And to Clara Kessler.” His voice turned downright demonic, then he tutted like he was disappointed. “I have already disavowed you, but you can bet your ass that I won’t be the only one anymore. Actually—”
He lifted himself onto the pool table. Lying back, he hung his legs over the side and swung them back and forth while he held the phone above him.
“I’m going to make an offer to The Athletic Spotlight.
Sack that vile woman within forty-eight hours—make it twenty-four—and I’ll do an exclusive interview with you.
That’s right. Travis McKinney will appear on your show for the first time ever, as long as you do the right thing and stand against hatred and harassment, because that’s exactly what she represents.
I won’t stand for it. Not in the year of our lord 2025. ”
“Is this a fever dream?” I muttered.
“Could be,” Amir replied.
“And to Mrs. Kessler’s husband,” Trav went on.
“My brother in Christ, what are you doing? Let me help you out too. Come out into the light. I promise the grass is greener over here. Get in contact with me and I’ll happily pay for all your legal fees so that you can be a free man.
” He tapped his fist against his chest more lightly this time. “We stand with you too.”
The door flew open and banged against the wall. I was about to run for the counter to grab my gun, but then I saw who came in.
Holding onto Amir, I laughed. “What the hell is this?”
“You think we were about to miss the festivities?” Oli called from behind West’s giant head. He moved around him, swinging the hand connected to Dean’s.
“My sweet, elder emo child,” West drawled. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into his chest. “Tell me you said yes.”
Oli scrutinized me. “Did you? Don’t make me kick your ass, Rem.”
I snorted. “As if you could.”
“I spent more time in the system.”
“I did a stint in jail.”
Tilian looked me up and down. “Hardcore.”
“A short stint,” I added. “You really brought the whole gang?”
“It was guys’ weekend, but it turned into guys’ week,” Oli said. “They were all invested, so they drove up. You can come to the next one since you won’t be third-wheeling.”
“Since Amir’s going to have a lot of free time once the season ends, maybe I will.”
Sitting up, Trav let out a sigh. “Well, it’s the end of an era. I’m going to have at least three drinks to support Amir’s new life as a regular lad. You know where to find us if you’re in the area. Drinks are on me.”
He winked, then panned the camera around. Amir tried to duck out of the way, but I grabbed him around the waist. For this moment, I didn’t care if we were broadcast to the world. Like he’d said, we would fade into obscurity together soon enough.