Page 98 of Die for You

“Not anymore.” She shrugs casually like he doesn’t matter. And he doesn’t. No one matters to her but herself. “So...I’m available. That’s what I’m saying, Knoxy. I’ve changed. We can try again.”

A laugh nearly bubbles out of my chest.Fuck that.Even if I didn’t have Aurora, I’d tell Damien to run my ass over before I let Monica anywhere near me again.

Before I can voice my endless objections, her hand lands on my bicep. Too close, too familiar. She doesn’t get to touch me anymore.

I shake her off, her touch burning like a hot iron. “Don’t touch me.”

Her brows furrow, that familiar hint of annoyance. “Knoxy?—”

“You have no idea what I want. Or what I deserve. You’ve never been anythingcloseto what I deserve.”

Monica’s eyes narrow. She’s pissed now. A sight that used to turn my stomach leaden. Now it makes me want to grin.Good, be pissed off. Be so pissed off that you fuck off and never come back.

“What do you see in her?” she hisses.

“Everything I never saw in you.” Finally, I brush past her. My relationship with Monica ended a long time ago. Now that I’m with Aurora, hopefully she’ll finally acknowledge that and move on.

“You’re making a mistake,” she calls to my back.

I walk backwards to face her while I head for my car. “The only mistake I made was ever giving you a chance in the first place.”

Her scowl deepens to one I’ve never seen before. Even when she was hitting me. Even when she was screaming at me in front of our friends.

An arctic chill races down my spine.

I slide into the driver’s seat, and my tires squeal as I peel out of the parking lot.

Monica doesn’t move from her spot in my rearview mirror.

A police cruisersits in front of the hockey house. My stomach sinks when two officers climb out of the car and head for ourfront door just before I flick on my turn signal and parallel park along the sidewalk.

Despite my weak calves from the gym, I jog up to them. “Hey, officers! Can I help you?”

Both turn to me. The male officer nods. “You live here?”

“Yep. With a few of my teammates.” I hold out my hand, and the female officer is the first to shake it. “Knox Rockefeller.”

“Officer Jackson,” she says before dropping my hand. “We received a request for a welfare check on a woman named Aurora Archer. There’s concern about a potential abduction.”

I can’t help it—I laugh. The officers don’t like that. They exchange a look that tells me I’m their primary suspect.

“She’s inside. You’re welcome to do a welfare check. But I can assure you she’s just fine.”

Officer Jackson purses her lips. “We’d like to chat with Miss Archer.”

I lead the police inside, Damien and Knox dwarfing the couch with Aurora, doll-like, in the spot between them.

“What the fuck?” Damien’s brows fold low over his dark eyes as the officers follow me inside.

I jerk my thumb over my shoulder at them. “Someone called in a welfare check on Aurora. Apparently, they think we abducted her.”

Technically, we did. Once. But only to drive her home. Something tells me the officers won’t take too kindly to that information, though.

“Jesus Christ,” Damien grumbles. He shifts to let Aurora climb off the couch.

She stands and gestures to herself with a convincing smile. “I think you can tell I’m just fine. I’m here of my own free will.”

“We’d like to ask you a few questions.” Officer Jackson gives Aurora a polite smile that doesn’t reach her eyes and tells us that Aurora doesn’t exactly have a choice in the matter.