Page 17 of Dumping the Puck (Men of Havoc #4)

We got home yesterday. The jet lag is kicking my ass, but Kayce just left for the stadium, and now I’m faced with a whole lot of boxes from Cameron’s. My phone is blowing up now that I’ve taken it off airplane mode from the week.

Messages from Cameron, Mrs. Bicknelle, and all of our so-called friends. Every single one of them berating me for leaving Cameron at the altar and the optics of the whole situation.

After twenty-four hours, I already miss the blissful bubble that Kayce created for me in Italy.

My phone rings for the third time this morning and I finally answer. They won’t stop until I do.

“Cathy,” I greet Mrs. Bicknelle.

It’s still odd to me that she never changed her name when she got married again. She claims it’s because she wanted the same name as her boys, but I think she wanted the notoriety that comes with the Bicknelle name here in Houston.

“Wren Kaydell.” She is seething on the phone. “How could you do that to Cameron? After everything he’s done for you!”

“I didn’t do anything to him, Cathy. All I did was leave him, but not before he stepped out on me first. I was loyal to him, and he didn’t award me the same respect.”

She scoffs at me, “You know how these men are. You’ve seen the world they’re in. But they take care of you, and you turn a blind eye to their…indiscretions. It’s how things work and you know it.”

“It’s not how things are going to work in my marriage, with all due respect.”

“You know, dear, that Kayce is worse. He’s got them all over the country, and you won’t get monogamy from him either. So you might as well leave and come back to Cameron. Actually he’s already on his way to Kayce’s which is where I assume you’re staying.”

“It’s not like that, Cathy. Kayce has always been there for me. Every time I needed him. And for the record, Kayce would never cheat on me or any woman. Tell Cameron to stay away from me.”

I hang up the phone, ready to throw it at the fucking wall. How, the fuck, dare she.

With rage coursing through me, the jetlag is pushed aside and I’m ready to tackle these boxes when the doorbell rings.

I stomp my way down the stairs, fling open the door, and scream, “What the fuck could you possibly want from me?”

“Woah, killer.” Charley stands on the stoop with a bag of food from my favorite restaurant in her hands. “I come in peace, and with food. Don’t shoot.”

“Ugh. I’m so sorry. Cathy just called, and she said Cameron was going to come here. I just assumed that you were him.” I open the door wider, allowing Charley to come in.

“Absolutely not. I won’t allow it.” She pulls out her phone and walks into the other room while I take the food to the kitchen to plate up.

I can only hear bits and pieces of the conversation from Charley’s end but it sounds like she’s on the phone with the security office.

She approaches me with a grin on her face. “There. All set. He’s been banned from entering the subdivision. And his mother.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re the best damn friend around?”

She snickers, “And the best fucking assistant around. Now tell me all about Italy.” She takes a spot at the island where I’ve put her lunch and I stand across from her to regale her with my tales of Italy.

“But did you have sex with him? I mean I set it up perfectly. Every romantic thing from your pinterest board, the mood was set!”

My cheeks heat. “I knew it! I’m a fucking magic match maker. I knew you loved him too.”

“We only had sex once. Then I cried like an idiot and he hasn’t touched me since. I ruined it.” I start to tear up again.

“Stop. Why did you cry?”

“The guilt.”

“Over that douchebag? No way. He doesn’t deserve the guilt.” Her eyebrows furrow.

“No, not over Cameron. Over Kayce. And a little Cameron, but more about me with him than him alone. I let myself waste so much time, and lost so much of myself along the way all because I was young and dumb and wanted Kayce to fight for me. In the end we just lost so much time together. What if I’m not what he wants?”

She slides her stool over to the corner and takes my hand with hers. “Oh hun, no way. You’re all he wants, all he’s ever wanted. In all the time I’ve known that man, the only thing he’s ever wanted was you.”

“That kind of makes it worse. What if I can’t live up to who he has built up in his mind? That’s terrifying. He’s my best friend, my ride or die, the one and only person who is consistently there for me.” She puts her hands on her hips at that.

“Listen. Absolutely not. I’m going to ignore the self-deprecating comments in that rant, but Kayce Bicknelle knows exactly who you are. Every nook and cranny of you, and he loves you just as you are. Got me?”

I nod silently at her instructions. Logically I know this. But the irrational and emotional part of me is afraid of the unknown with Kayce. I never want him to feel about me how I feel about Cameron.

We finish lunch while she tells me stories about the newest rookies. I think she views them as prey in her cat and mouse game. She loves to mess with them. She told me how she had one convinced he had to call Cade Hamlin every night to say goodnight precisely at eight p.m. Needless to say Cade was not impressed when he continually interrupted time with his new woman. The rookie now knows that he doesn’t have to call Cade, and not to trust Charley.

“At least I gave him the blow job of his life to make up for it.” She shrugs.

“Isn’t that against the rules?”

“Eh. You think Kayce is going to fire me for blowing a rookie? I work for him, not the Havocs. Besides, the rookie has a nice cock. I’m looking forward to seeing what it can do.”

I choke on my raspberry lemonade. “Jesus, Charley.”

She throws her head back laughing at me. Before I can berate her for being so crass she’s cleaning up and urging me to start going through the tower of boxes in the living room. The thought is already exhausting me.

“Where am I supposed to start?”

“Oh, may I make a suggestion?” I eye her suspiciously. She has that glint in her eye that screams trouble but I nod. She walks over to a box, and presents it to me. “Open it. It’s my personal favorite.”

Grabbing the scissors and ripping open the box, I find a lighter on top of Cameron’s clothes.

“His clothes?” Charley's lost her touch.

“Not just his clothes. His favorite Gucci suit, Dolce and Gabana suit, and the cherry on top, his Armani.”

“And the light—” I stop when it dawns on me. She begins jumping up and down clapping as she realizes that I’ve caught on. “You want me to burn these? These cost more than my whole apartment together!”

“So! Fuck him. Live a little, my girl, live a little.”

I stare at the suits, and then the lighter. Remembering how he wore this Armani suit the night of our rehearsal dinner. Mere hours before his mistress blew up our entire world.

“Well. It might be therapeutic. Right?”

“Yes! Let’s go! I already got the burn permit.” She’s already running out the door before I can question her.

This is nothing but a reminder to not piss her off, and I suddenly feel bad for that rookie. Burn by Usher starts playing on the speakers around Kayce’s home in surround sound.

Damn her.