Chapter 49 #2
My heart expands. I’ve faced down my parents’ fans, paparazzi, even creepy men who made comments about how they wondered if I inherited my famous mother’s perky tits.
Ryland doesn’t scare me. He’s pissing me off, but he doesn’t scare me.
I’m so grateful that, for the first time, I’m not only not alone, but I have a whole group of friends at my back.
No, not just friends.
Family.
“I’m not sure what you were hoping to accomplish,” I say to Ryland, sucking in a fortifying breath before I go to push past him. “But I’m done. We’re over. We’ve been over. Please leave me alone.”
I’m not proud of the startled squeak I let out when Ryland grabs my wrist as I try to make it past him, but he grabs me hard.
“We’re not over,” Ryland says, his eyes taking on a desperate, wild quality that makes my heart race.
“We’re perfect for each other, Indigo. I always knew we were, but then when I found out you were some successful author?
It was meant to be. You’re a writer, I’m a writer.
We make the perfect team. I can help you, you can help me… ”
A caustic laugh claws its way out of my throat.
“So that’s what this is about, huh? You ditched me because you weren’t going to be able to use me to push you higher in the social stratosphere of Hollywood like you’d hoped, but now that you’ve found out I’m a successful author, you think you can use me to further your writing career? ”
I look down at my wrist pointedly before lifting my eyes to meet his. “It’s not going to happen.” Ryland grips my wrist tighter until my bones creak, and I wince. “Now let go of me.”
“Is there a problem here?” a large man in a security uniform asks with a booming voice and a frown. Another security guard stands to his left. They look pointedly at Ryland’s hand around my wrist.
“No. No problem,” Ryland says with a curl of his upper lip. He drops my wrist, and the moment he does, Megan and Lola are between us, forcing him backward.
“There sure as shit is a problem,” my best friend says. “This guy just assaulted Sebastian Navarro’s girlfriend. He needs to be thrown out. Immediately.”
“Assaulted? Please. I barely touched her.” Ryland takes a subtle step back, scanning the crowd, as if noticing them for the first time. When he sees the phones pointed his way, he grimaces.
That’s right, asshole. It’s all on video.
“Sir, you need to come with us.” The first security guard steps up beside Ryland and motions for him to walk with them.
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Ryland complains loudly. “This is bullshit.”
The second security guard flanks my ex. “Let’s go. Now.”
Despite the thundering of my heart and the way my hands tremble at my sides, there’s a certain satisfaction in seeing your ex, who always thought very highly of himself, being escorted out of your new, more successful, boyfriend’s place of employment.
I’d really enjoy this if it weren’t for the crowd of people watching like we’re some new, exciting soap opera.
I could live without that part.
“Your dad won’t be happy when he hears about this, Indigo.”
Shaking my head at Ryland’s retreating form, I have to agree. “You’re right. He won’t.”
Only, not for the reasons Ryland thinks.
I never once tried to get Ryland fired after we broke up. Not only does my dad count on him, but I’m not petty. Just because we didn’t work out, doesn’t mean Ryland should be out of a job.
Times have changed.
“We still need to talk,” Ryland shouts as he’s tugged away from us by the elbows.
“No, we really don’t.”
“Come on,” Mira says, grabbing my hand. “Let’s get you to the family room and put a drink in your hand. I think you could probably use it.”
“I really could.” My heart doesn’t stop hammering as we make the short walk to the family box, and my hands still tremble, though Mira’s firm grip helps. As does the fact that I’m surrounded on all sides by people who care about me. Who showed up.
Outside of Lola and Bash, when was the last time that happened?
I’ve felt so alone for so long, just me and Lols against the world, but I’m not alone anymore. Not by a long shot.
“Here,” Lexi says, handing me a Blue Moon. “To take the edge off.” Her gaze goes to my still-shaking hands, and she gives me a sympathetic wince. “It’s not fun having other people witness a difficult moment.”
Lexi would know. Bash told me all about how her dad, their former head coach, blew up at Ryder in the middle of a game and said some really horrible things about his daughter.
Which Lexi, and millions of other people, heard, thanks to a cameraman who was close enough to catch the entire altercation.
“Thank you.”
“You okay?” Reed asks.
“Yeah. I’m good. Thanks for sticking up for me out there.”
“Any time,” the teenager says, the tips of his ears turning pink. He’s such a great kid.
Isla frowns at her phone when it buzzes a few times. She types something back, then frowns again.
“Everything okay?” I ask. My stomach twists at her expression. Is something wrong with one of the guys? Is Bash okay?
“Yeah,” she says. “Everything is fine. But the guys heard about what happened with Ryland, and Bash is worried.”
“How did they hear anything?” I turn to Lola. “Did you text him?”
“No, I swear. I texted Mira,” Lola says. “And Megan texted one of the people she knows in the organization to get security to help.”
Then how did they hear about it?
“One of the security guys let them know.” Isla shakes her head and sighs. “They shouldn’t have, right before a game like this.”
My stomach curdles. They’ve been playing so well. Sebastian has been playing so well. I can’t be the reason he, or any of the guys, are distracted. “I should text him.”
“No,” Isla says, resting her hand on my arm when I go to pull my phone out. “They’re about to take to the ice for warm-ups. He won’t get it. I told Madds you’re fine, and they handled the situation. It should be okay.”
“I hope so.” My eyes move to the ice, where the crew gets everything ready for the teams before they take to the ice.
I’ll never forgive myself if I’m the reason Bash plays poorly or if they lose this game. And I’ll fly to LA and kick Ryland’s ass myself.