Page 70 of Drawn to You

“You need to leave, Monica,” Dane says.

She turns her plastic smile on him. “JG Publicity has a contract with the Mammoths and I’ve been assigned to be your personal publicist for the remainder of the season.” Then she turns the smile on me. “Josie, Jane wants you to report back to the office immediately.”

With my tail between my legs, I’m sure. Monica is loving this. I want to smack the smug smile off her face.

“No.” Dane shakes his head. “We were leaving for the arena and that’s still what we’re going to do.”

“I’ll be going to the arena with you instead of Josie. Arnold said you can call him if you have questions about the new arrangement.”

I’ve never done anything to her, and she’s acting like this is the moment she just conquered her greatest nemesis.

Dane meets my gaze, his mouth set in a tense line. We’re beat and we both know it.

“I need to pack my stuff,” I say.

Monica gives Dane a fake, sweet smile. “I can stay behind and lock up when she’s finished.”

He narrows his eyes. “I trust her alone in my house. You, not so much. Go to the arena and I’ll meet you there.”

She opens her mouth to argue, but Dane cuts her off.

“You’re not my fucking boss. I’ll meet you at the arena.”

Monica widens her eyes and then leaves without another word. Something tells me that tiny victory is the only one I’m getting today.

Dane follows me into the guest room, where most of my stuff is still stored. I pick up Mr. Darcy, who is curled up on the bed, and sit down, putting my cat on my lap.

“Well, this sucks,” he says, sitting down beside me.

“She’s going to try to get you in bed.” Tears well in my eyes. “I don’t know why she still has it out for me. She got the promotion.”

“Hey.” He puts his thumb and forefinger on my chin, turning my face so I’m looking at him. “She can try anything she wants and it won’t work. I’m with you.”

I’m embarrassed by my inability to stop the tears that spill over. My own aunt, the only family I have left, seems to enjoy hurting me.

“You have to trust me, babe,” he says, putting his arm around my shoulders.

“I do. It’s not that.” I take a deep breath. “I have to accept that my aunt is never going to like me, don’t I?”

“I’d do a hell of a lot more than that if I were you. Tell her to fuck off. You don’t need the money from that job. I’ve got you.”

I lean against his shoulder, grateful for his strong, steady presence.

“You may not be able to travel with the team anymore, but I still want you here,” he says. “You’re not packing anything. My bed is your bed now.”

I look up at him. “It’s really soon for that.”

He shrugs. “Your aunt forced our hand. You’re not leaving.”

“I’m glad we decided that,” I say wryly.

He kisses my forehead. “You know you want to stay. We’re good together.”

“So you’re saying you, me and Monica will all live here together?”

“Yep. And I’ll do my best to make you scream my name in bed at two a.m. because fuck her.”

I laugh at the mental image. “This is going to get awkward. You know that, right?”

---