Page 116 of Lace 'em Up

Stupid.

Because it’s not real.

I mean, yeah, King is a good person. They all are. I know they’d stick up for me no matter the situation…

But they’d stand up for anyone in this situation.

Good. People.

It’s not about me.

Even if what I feel in my heart is more.

It’s family.

It’s…love.

It’s everything.

“Breathe,” Chrissy whispers, crouching next to my chair, her arm slipping around my shoulders. “You’re good.”

She knows about Stacy and Desiree, knows how they treated me.

Not all of it.

But enough to know.

Because like recognizes like and she’s been through enough of her own horrors to know?—

Well, to know enough.

“I’m okay,” I tell her, eyes flitting to hers for a moment.

That moment is long enough to see that she doesn’t buy that for a second.

But I’m already looking back to my sister, barely visible through that wall of hockey players and?—

“What’s going on, my darling?”

I still, dread boiling in my belly, that voice like nails on a chalkboard.

“What is it?” Chrissy murmurs.

“My stepmom,” I rasp out. “I can’t do this. I—I need to go.”

Chrissy opens her mouth, but doesn’t get the chance to reply because?—

King is there, hand on my jaw, tilting my face up and studying it for the barest heartbeat before he glances over at Chrissy. “Pack our stuff up. I’ll get it from you later.”

Eyes wide, she nods.

He takes my hand. “Let’s go.”

“But—”

“Aurora Grace!”

I shudder, but childhood instincts kick in and I freeze.

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