Page 12 of Dumping the Puck (Men of Havoc #4)

My phone rings from inside the room.

Fucking Charley. Why the hell is she calling me now? She knows where I am. The thought slams me all at once as blood is directed, very slowly, back to my brain. Shit. It must be an emergency.

I apologize to Wren, running into the room, wanting to get this damn phone call over and done with so I can return to the naked beauty in the pool, and find out why the hell she’s crying during a striptease. And why she’s attempting to hide it.

Grabbing my phone, I swipe at the screen to answer.

“This is better be a fucking emergency, Charley.”

“That depends, do you think Hamlin being called into the big wig’s office after there were rumblings that you blew the team off for a fun-in-the-sun vacation not a family emergency, that your very loyal assistant wants to prepare you for. Do you consider that crucial to your day?”

I rub my hand through my hair. Fuck. That is an actual emergency. “Why are there rumblings?”

“Fucking Becky is why. She saw a post from Wren on social media that she tagged with the location. Apparently your arm is in it. So it’s not something they can confirm. But, Becky caused enough shit.” She sounds exasperated and I know she’s been working all day to make me not look like a piece of shit.

“When are the rookies going to give her up?” Becky latches on to each new rookie every season and causes a shit storm of drama every time.

“Not fucking soon enough. Anyways, I just wanted you to hear it from me. Hamlin came out pissed off. Like really pissed off. Make sure you aren’t in any photos. Please.”

“Will try, and Charley? Book a spa day, on me.”

“Already did, boss. But now I’m glad I don’t have to ask forgiveness and remind you of the shit storm you created for me.”

“Thanks, Charley. You’re the best.”

“I know.” With that she hangs up on me.

Goddamn Becky and her big fucking mouth. She’ll say whatever she can to make people look bad. I check my texts and see a few from the guys, but I only check the one from Viktor.

Viktor: Where the fuck are you, brother? Hamlin is pissed. Are you on vacation? I thought Wren left Cam at the wedding? Call me. ASAP.

Shit. Viktor wouldn’t overreact. I’ll need to call Coach the second I get home. Or maybe even from the airport. For now I need to let it go, and figure out what the hell is going on with the switch in mood from Wren.

Stripping out of my clothes, I walk into the pool and wade over to her. Wrapping my arms around her middle, I gently drop a kiss to her neck before spinning her in my arms to face me.

I’m not surprised when I see tears reflecting off her face in the moonlight. “Oh, June. What happened? What’s wrong?”

She drops her forehead to my chest, letting the tears fall. I stand with her, letting her cry in my arms.

When she doesn’t stop, I lift her into my arms and carry her to the bed, cuddling up and soaking the sheets. At this point, I don’t care. I just want to be here for her.

Eventually the tears stop, and her breath evens out. It fucking breaks my heart that she just cried herself to sleep in my arms. I could fucking kill Cameron.