Page 57

JACKSON

I wake up irritable.

After our late-night bonding session, neither Ethan nor I could fall asleep, and when he’s sleep-deprived, he snores once he finally knocks out. Fucker kept me up until dawn.

It’s cold next to me. Our girl is not in bed. I listen for her in the bathroom—nothing.

I sit up and reach for my phone. “Motherfucker,” I curse.

Now I know why I’m stabby.

Aurora is out with the Viking.

“Get up, asshole.” I swing my arm out and punch Ethan in the shoulder. “Unless you want your baby to have a new stepdaddy.”

His eyelids crack open, and he scans the room. “What the fuck are you whining about?”

I round the foot of the bed. “Your baby girl went to breakfast with Ricky forty-eight minutes ago and isn’t back. I swear on my nuts, if he does something, I’ll peel every one of his tattoos off, sew them into a sweater, and wear it to his funeral.”

Ethan drops his head to the pillow and pinches the bridge of his nose. “It’s too early for this shit.”

Coach needs about three more days of sleep. He has a team to run, but he fell in love with Aurora and got me as a bonus—poor guy. I feel for him.

I throw on whatever clean clothes I have left in my bag. I need to buy more; I refuse to do laundry in the creepy-ass basement.

Legs in jeans, Ethan yanks a hoodie over his head, hobbles to slip his sneakers on, and rushes to follow me out of the room.

I pull on my boots and stab the elevator button at least ten times.

“That won’t make it move any faster.” He drags his fingers through his dark, wavy hair. “Are you manic? What’s with you?”

Am I? My thoughts are relatively normal—for me—not racing at the speed of light, just…charmingly chaotic. I’m not hearing voices or paranoid.

It’s our new dynamic and our discussion from last night.

I’m restless, my brain is processing .

I need to get to a gym or on the ice.

Or murder someone.

“No, I’m not manic. Thanks for your concern,” I say, my tone sarcastic. “You’re not pissed she’s gone?”

He shrugs. “I’ll deal with it. She should’ve woken one of us or taken the twins, but she probably wanted to talk to Ricky alone.”

The elevator finally arrives, and we both step on.

I punch the button for the bottom floor. “That doesn’t make me feel any better.”

“You know how she is. She tries to fix things herself, especially for you.”

Once the doors open, I hit the sidewalk. Buildings and people are all nothing but a blur. I check my phone several times—her location shows Bryant Park, and it doesn’t take us long to get there.

Weaving through the crowd, I accidentally shoulder-check a guy and almost knock him into the water fountain. He shoots me a glare, and I don’t even blame him.

“Shit. Sorry, man.”

Ethan wraps his arm around my shoulders with a silent chuckle. “Calm down, stalker. It’s not like he’s kidnapping?—”

Our feet come to an abrupt stop, and I see red before my mind fully makes sense of the sight in front of me.

Aurora and Ricky. Snuggling . Her head is on his shoulder, his arm around her.

I’m going to fucking kill him.

My fists clench, and my body vibrates with fury. I lunge forward.

Or at least I try to.

A forearm locks around my throat and knocks the wind out of me.

“You can’t go over there in a raging blackout. Take a breath. You’ll scare the shit out of Aurora, and it’ll be all over the media.”

I attempt to throw him off, but Ethan’s a tough fucker. His arm is tight around my neck, his body a solid wall against my back.

“We’re not losing her.” He relaxes his grip but continues to hold me. “They’re talking, and I’m sure it’s about you, but she’d never leave us.”

When I return to reality, Aurora is separating from Ricky, and the heartbeat whooshing in my ears quiets.

Ethan wraps his other arm around me in an embrace. “You can’t get violent whenever you’re pissed. Save that energy for the ice. You’re going to need it. I won’t let anything happen to her or you.”

I nod and inhale a slow and deep breath, then another. I elbow him in the ribs playfully and pull away. We navigate past a group of moms with strollers and head toward the bench where they’re seated.

Ricky leans in and kisses Aurora’s nose. Honestly, I’ve seen enough of him touching her.

“Well, isn’t this cute and fucking cozy?”

Aurora’s gaze snaps to mine, and her face flushes as she glances between Ethan and me with an oh shit expression.

“What did I tell you?” Ricky says to her. “He’s tracking you.”

I scoff. “She shares her location with me, Einstein.”

His phone buzzes. He removes it from his jacket pocket and scowls. “We need to pause this dick-measuring contest. It’s Charlie, and he never calls.” He places the phone to his ear and strides off.

Ethan juts his chin. “Get over here, brat.”

She lowers her head and saunters over like a child about to be reprimanded. Her arms encircle his waist, and she peers up at him.

He clasps his hand over the back of her neck. “You and I will be talking later. You’re supposed to be resting.”

“When? When I’m not fucking one of you? Or both?”

I snort, and he levels a glare.

“Exactly.” He recovers from her sass with a sly smile. “Perfect reason to rest. Now, next time you sneak off, even with Ricky?—”

“It’s Reece… His name. Not Ricky.”

“Even with Reece , I’m taking you over my knee.”

“Promises, promises,” she says before those naughty eyes turn my way. “You look hot today.”

I shake my head. “Don’t suck up to me.”

“I’m not! It’s the backward hat and unlaced boots.” She dares to give me a mischievous smile. “It gets me every time.”

My chest swells, and the traitorous corners of my lips curl. “Shut up.”

Ethan frowns. “What about me? Why am I never hot?”

She shrugs. “You are. It’s your serious voice that does it for me. You get all growly and rough; makes me wanna behave.”

“I’ll make you behave, all right...with my hand on your ass.”

Ricky—or Reece —approaches, his jaw rigid and his gaze on me. “We need to get home.”

“Why? What’s up?” I ask with a quirked brow.

“Your father is dead.”