Page 66 of The Sweet Spot

I move her behind me again.

MMA fighter or not, I will fucking kill him if he hurts her.

“Oh my God. Put your dicks away, both of you. He didn’t hurt me, you bonehead,” she yells at him, then turns to me. “And you. I guess we’re going public now?”

“That’s what you’re worried about ... right now?” I ask. “With everything going on, you still care about that?”

“Did you say her husband?” Killian asks, and Brynlee groans.

“Killer, if you say a single word to Mom and Dad, I swear to God, I’ll screw with your equipment when you least expect it.” And the way she says that sounds more than a little fucked up.

“What the hell is going on here?” he asks, and I turn to look at Brynn.

Her red eyes are swollen, puffy, and utterly exhausted. Tear streaks stain her cheeks, and I realize she’s suddenly more worried about her parents finding out about us than she is about dying.

“You know what...” I tell her more calmly than I thought I was capable of. “When you figure that out, how about you come talk to me? Because a second ago, I was scared the woman I love was going to be taken from me. But apparently, you’re more worried about your parents finding out you’re married than you are about the fact that you let me and Kennedy both fall in love with you when you knew there was a chance you could be taken from us.”

Oh yeah. The anger has kicked the fear’s ass, because anger... anger I know.

Anger I can deal with. I can harness it.

Losing my wife... That I can’t handle right now.

“How about you let me know when you figure out what really matters?” I kiss the top of her head and walk through the door, yanking it shut behind me.

BRYNLEE

Sit with people who protect your name in rooms you aren’t in.

Those are the women we want in our sandbox.

—Brynlee’s Secret Thoughts

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I cry out to my brother as I watch Deacon leave.

“What’s wrong with me? What the hell is wrong with you, Brynnie? Did you marry the new hockey coach? And is he just now finding out about the Huntington’s thing? And did you take the damn test yet?” Killian shouts right back in my face, the way only a brother can and would. And the worst part is everything he’s saying is valid.

How is this my life?

When did I go from being a force of nature to a broken woman swaying in the wind?

“You know what?” I step closer to Killian and shove his chest. “Yes... Yes, I married the hockey coach. He has a name, and it’s Deacon Kane. You might want to remember it, since he didn’t back down from the big, scary fighter, now did he?”

I shove him again because indignation feels so much better than guilt and shame and fear. “He also has a beautiful daughter who I love. So not only am I married, but I’m a stepmom too. And I’m going to need you to keep your mouth shut until I tell Mom and Dad. Which will be soon.”

“Brynnie...” Killian grabs my hands before I can hit him again.

“I will. I promise I will. But first I have to apologize to my husband, the hockey coach, because you know what? He said he loves me.” Not sure if Deacon even realizes he said it, but even in my broken mind, I heard. And I’m choosing to cling to that in the mountain of a mess my life currently is. “And he’s right. I let him fall in love with me—fuck, I let him marry me without being honest.”

“What did you lie about, Brynn?” Killian asks in a way that reminds me that at least one person still thinks I’m a good person.

“I should told him I have an expiration date already ticking down. I should have told him about the Huntington’s thing. But I didn’t. You and Kenzie and Mom and Dad were the only ones who knew. I fucked up, Kill, and I need to fix it. I owe him that.”

“Is he good to you, Brynn? Do you love him?” Kill’s words stop me in my tracks.

“He’s everything,” I whisper.

“Nah, B. He’s not. You’re everything. But if he makes you happy, go tell him. If he’s smart, he’ll forgive you.” Killian pulls me in for a hug and lifts me from my feet. “You think I can be there when you tell Mom and Dad? I want to see the look on Mom’s face.” His evil smile is the same today as it was when he was ten years old and tried to get a picture of Everly Sinclair changing into her bikini in our pool house.

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