Page 42 of Shattered Dreams

"Don't talk about Ava like that."

Her bottom lip trembles as she looks up at me, and I sink onto the bed beside her. She's stunningly beautiful, her aquamarine eyes searching mine as she strokes my face. She throws her hands up in exasperation. "Just leave her! Be with me! What are you so afraid of?"

"I'm not leaving Ava, Annie.Ever. She's mywife."

"You say that like it means something to you." Her voice turns bitter, and I lift her chin to look her in the eyes.

"It really does. It means I can't do this with you anymore, Annie."

"But what about me?!"

She's like a broken record, and I start to wonder what possessed me to cheat on Ava with her—with anyone, actually. This girl was exactly that—a girl.

At first, she'd been in awe of me, flirting after practice when I was introduced to her by one of my teammates. She was his girlfriend's friend, and she had her eyes on me.

She wasn't the first to try to lure me away from Ava, but she was the only one who succeeded. The first time I kissed her I was drunk, but once I'd done that, the next step seemed easy.

But now, I’m done.

I had no reason for this affair, no reason at all. I guess I used her. We were never officially together, but she was so fucking demanding and needy.

It was exhausting.

I just wanted Ava.

"Not in the way you think, Annie. I'm sorry. You and I are too different. You need to meet someone more like you?—"

She loses it then, screaming and crying as she pushes me out of her house, promising me she'll make me pay for using her.

Two days later, I get the text while I'm at practice.

I'm going to the media. I have photos of us together. Let your wife decide how much you really love her. A xx

16

ROMAN

"Iswear, if you don't brush your teeth, they'll fall out, and you'll look like a gummy bear." I fold my arms to match my daughter's defiant pose.

"I wantMommyto do it."

I close my eyes, trying not to react. This isn't Poppy’s fault her mother isn't here to brush her teeth—it's mine.

"Sweetheart—"

I hear the door open downstairs. We both freeze, Poppy's eyes meeting mine as we turn to see Ava putting down her suitcase, her gaze lifting to meet mine.

She looks better, I have to admit, than the last time I saw her. Rested. Not constantly fucking—nope, I can't think about that.

"Mommy!"

Poppy runs toward the stairs as both Ava and I shout, "Walk!" simultaneously.

Our eyes meet briefly before Poppy throws herself into her mother's arms. I lean on the banister, watching them, my soul finally warming at the sight of my wife.

"I don't wantDaddyto brush my teeth; I wantyouto." Poppy gives her mother the wide-eyed cutie-pie look usually reserved for me.

"Fine, go up, and I'll brush your teeth."