Page 76 of Breakaway

“You’re full of surprises, Kai.”

“So are you, Nevaeh.” Kai winks and opens the door, heading out of my office. “You’re more famous than me now.”

Laughing, he closes the door behind him. I continue smiling as I pull my laptop closer to me. My fingers hover over the keyboard, but I don’t move. Kai’s words make their way to my brain, and panic washes over me.

Travis.

1 ??????????????? ????????? ???? (???) — Kontinental Hockey League

2 ?? ????. — Don’t.

Chapter 30

My Fault

ROMAN

The ringingof my phone rips me out of my sleep. Slowly, I sit up in bed and grab it from the nightstand. Nevaeh’s smiling face flashes on my screen, and I can’t help but laugh. That’s why she asked me to give her my phone last night? To add a picture to her contact? She’s adorable.

I press my phone to my ear and fall onto my back. So much for getting a nap in before the game.

“Hey,” I say.

“Hey, Roman.” Nevaeh speaks in a hushed voice, and something about her tone makes me tense. Usually she’s all bubbly and cheerful. “What are you doing?”

“I was taking a nap, but I have to leave for the arena soon. Today is the last game before our five-game road trip, as you know. It should go smoothly. I’d hate it if we lost after two wins.”

“Um, yeah, I’d hate that too.”

“Everything okay?” I ask, mentally preparing myself for her reply. I think I’m still recovering from when the news of our marriage broke six days ago. I answered so many questions, I’d love to stay silent for a few days.

“Some people will do anything for their fifteen minutes of fame,” she breathes, sounding dejected.

I instantly sit up in bed, my grip on my phone tightening. “What did Travis do?”

“Travis? No, no, no. It has nothing to do with him. He’s been ignoring me ever since the articles were published. I’m sure he read them.” The invisible string around my throat loosens, and I take a deep breath.Slava Bogu?1. With how hung up on her he was, I really thought I’d need to have a word with him. “He saw me yesterday in the elevator, and he just turned his back on me. It’s not him.”

“Then who?” I get out of bed and go to the bathroom. A quick shower will do, and then I’ll need to get ready for the game.

Nevaeh sighs. “My mother.”

I stop in my tracks, one hand gripping the collar of my tee. “What did she do?”

“She talked to the media. About me, about my years in school. And Kyle.”

“Kyle?” I’ve never heard her mention a Kyle.

“I dated him in high school.”

“And what did she say?”

“He went to jail because of what he did to a girl. And when he did it, I was still with him.” Nevaeh sniffs. My beautiful, messy girl…I would do anything to be with her right now. To hold her and help her get through this. “My mother made it sound like I had something to do with it,” she whispers.

“How?”

“She said I should’ve said something about the way he treated me. That I should’ve alerted her or someone about what a prick he was…that I could’ve saved Lyn and the other girls he sexually assaulted.”

“If you didn’t feel comfortable opening up to her, isn’t that on her? Doesn’t that speak volumes about what kind of mother she is?”

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