Page 78 of Pucking My Grumpy Accidental Husband

"Now, Mr. Kingston, there's no need for?—"

"If you fire her, I quit." The words are out before I've fully processed them, but the moment I say them, I know they're true. "Tonight. Right fucking now. You can explain to the board why you lost your star defenseman during playoff season."

Harrison's smile falters slightly. "I don't think you're in a position to make threats."

"It's not a threat. It's a promise." I take a step closer, letting him see exactly how serious I am. "Fire her, and I walk. Try to destroy her reputation, and I'll make sure every sports journalist in the country knows exactly what kind of manager you are."

"You're willing to throw away your entire career for her?"

"In a fucking heartbeat."

The silence stretches between us like a live wire. I can feel Tessa staring at me, but I don't look away from Harrison's face. I want him to see that I'm not bluffing.

"Midnight, Mr. Kingston," Harrison says finally. "Boston won't wait longer than that."

"Go fuck yourself, Harrison."

I turn to Tessa, whose professional mask has cracked completely. "Come on. Let's get your stuff."

"Dax, you can't?—"

"Watch me." I take the box from her hands, noting how her fingers tremble slightly when they brush mine.

She leads me down the hallway in silence, the security guard trailing behind us like some kind of corporate undertaker. Her office is organized, efficient, with personal touches that make it feel warm despite the institutional furniture.

"I can't believe you just did that," she says quietly, pulling files from her desk drawer.

"Which part? Telling Harrison to go fuck himself, or threatening to quit?"

"Both. All of it. You can't throw away Boston because of me."

"I can do whatever the fuck I want. It's my career."

"Dax—"

"No." I catch her wrist gently, making her look at me. "Don't you dare tell me what I can and can't sacrifice for you. Don't you dare minimize what you're worth."

"It's Boston. Your childhood dream team."

"You're my everything." The words come out rougher than I intended, but I mean every syllable. "Dreams change, Tessa. This—us—is worth more than any contract they could offer me."

She stares at me for a long moment, her eyes filling with tears she's too stubborn to let fall. "You're going to make me cry in front of corporate security."

"Fuck corporate security." But I lower my voice anyway. "We're going to fight this. Both of us. Together."

"How?"

Before I can answer, my phone starts buzzing nonstop. I glance at it and see messages flooding in from teammates.

Jamie

Team meeting. Locker room. 5 minutes. Everyone's pissed.

Chen

This is bullshit. We're not standing for this.

Martinez