Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
I have to continue to swallow to keep the bile down, but the burning of the bile reminds me how hard I worked to get here. How this is it. How I can’t blow this. I need this, even if I’m scared out of my mind what will happen between Louisa and me. After these five days, I don’t want to live apart from her, but what else can we do? We’ll have to make it work. There is no other choice. I love her too much to let her go.
When I feel a tap to my knee, I look over to find Dimitri grinning at me. “Ready?”
“Nope. Trying not to puke.”
He laughs. “I know that feeling. You’ve got this.”
I exhale the breath I was holding. “I hope so.”
“I know so,” he says, tapping my knee once more as he stands to put on his jersey. “By the way, Austen told me she thinks you’re great for Louisa.”
He’s trying to distract me. Thankfully, I look up at him and nod. “I hope I am. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted.”
Dimitri nods, grinning from ear to ear. “Yeah, those McDavid girls are something. Austen came out of nowhere, and man, I fell hard.”
“I know that feeling,” I say, before grabbing tape to tape my legs. “I wasn’t ready for Lou. Though, I don’t know if I could have been ready.”
“Right?” Dimitri agrees, shaking his head. “I didn’t want any distractions, but Austen came, distracted me, and made me hers.”
“Sounds familiar.”
We share a knowing look before I return to taping my legs. When he clears his throat, I look over to find that he’s sat back down. “I’m not trying to fuck with you or anything like that before your game, so don’t think too hard on this, but Louisa has been through a lot.” He pauses, his eyes searching mine, and I don’t know what to say or even how to react. “You know about…er…it?” He doesn’t say it, but I know what he is implying. I nod, and he exhales. “Okay, good, so you know it wasn’t the greatest for them, but Louisa took the worst of it. The girls wouldn’t have gotten out without her taking all that she did.”
Louisa’s mangled back comes to mind, and my heart drops. As anger courses through me, I hold his gaze. “Do you know where they are? I’d love to go kick ass.”
Dimitri grins in agreement. “No, but let me know if you find out.” A bond forms between Dimitri and me, and I am thankful for his support to kick the asses of the people who hurt my love. “She’s a gem and deserves the world. Remember that.”
“Not a problem,” I promise. Though, I don’t know why I’m promising him that. Maybe because I want his respect.
Louisa is everything and more for me, and I’ll protect her at all costs.
The next few minutes go by in a blur. I dress on autopilot. I cast aside the thoughts of Louisa and what Dimitri said, getting my head in the game. I walk quietly with the team down the tunnel to get ready for warm-ups. I can already hear the crowd. Can already feel their cheers and chants all over my skin. I rock back and forth on my skates, my stomach in knots as I stare at Aiden Brooks’s back. He’s the captain. Everyone has been so welcoming, but I have to admit, meeting Aiden was a highlight. Super cool dude and welcomed me with open arms. I don’t ever want to leave.
I want to be an Assassin.
My heart is in my throat as the horn sounds and the guys start for the ice. I follow behind, and when I hit the ice, the strap of my helmet flaps against my neck as I pick up speed. I round the goal, once then twice, before I notice her. How I went even this long without knowing she was here is beyond me. Louisa stands at the glass behind the goal, sporting my Knoxville Bears jersey and a pair of tight black leggings. She has on boots that come to her knees and a purple beanie on her head, her hair in waves along her shoulders. Her eyes are on me, a small, proud smirk sitting on those beautiful lips of hers.
My heart stops dead in my chest as I take her in. On her face is the number four in purple, along with the Assassins’ logo on the other cheek. Her face is bright, her eyes glistening just for me, and I’m amazed to see her. She came. She’s here. For me. We didn’t think she could make it because driving would have taken too long. She must have caught a flight, and no telling how much that cost.
But she’s here.
For me.
If I thought I couldn’t fall for her any more than I already have, I was completely wrong.