Page 30 of Stone's Promise

Pictures of me and Emily at the arcade were everywhere.

It wasn’t just social media, either. Some tabloid had taken a dig at her, twisting the whole thing to make it seem like she was out partying while Trey was out of town.

My jaw clenched. Emily didn’t deserve that. She was a great mom. She worked her ass off. She finally let herself have a little fun, only for some trashy headline to make it look like she was neglecting her kid.

I ran a hand through my hair before making a fist. I could take heat. I was used to it. But Emily?

I hoped this wouldn’t get to her.

Chapter Nine

EMILY

Monday morning at City Hall was chaos.

Family Day was less than a week away, which meant back-to-back meetings, last-minute permit approvals, and triple-checking every single vendor. I barely had time to breathe, let alone think about this past weekend.

But apparently, everyone else had time.

As I walked toward my office, I caught the sound of hushed voices and giggles. Linda and a few women from accounting were crowded around a desk, their eyes glued to a screen. I didn’t think much of it until I heard my name.

“Emily’s looking good these days,” one of them uttered.

I slowed my steps. Linda, sensing me, smacked the other woman’s arm, but it was too late. Their faces turned guilty as they noticed me standing there.

I followed their gazes to the screen. A tabloid headline stood out, complete with a picture of me and Cody at the arcade.City Hall Sweetheart Parties While Baby Daddy’s Away!

I felt my stomach tighten. This was nothing new. For years, I’d been used to people whispering about me and Trey, how I fumbled the bag for not marrying him. How we could’ve been, in their minds, this successful, picture-perfect family.

The difference was, this time, I wasn’t hiding and I wasn’t about to be shamed for my choice to protect both myself and Oliver from Trey’s selfishness.

I squared my shoulders, forced a calm expression, and stepped closer. “Let me see.”

Linda hesitated before tilting the screen toward me. I skimmed the article, rolling my eyes at the dramatics. “Parties? Really? Since when was playing Space Invaders considered a wild night out?”

I could feel my co-workers watching me, waiting for me to shrink back like I always did. I lifted a brow and gave a laugh. “You know, they left out the part where I beat Cody at pinball. That’s the real scandal.”

Linda snorted before quickly covering her mouth. The tension in the room shifted. I gave them a wink and walked away, my head held high.

For the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel the need to apologize for simply living my life. I liked Cody, and I planned to see him at the Warriors Den later tonight. For once, I wasn’t going to let the rest of the world tell me that was wrong.

CODY

THE GYM WAS PACKEDtonight. Fighters moving through drills, trainers calling out corrections. I should’ve been locked in and focused yet instead, my eyes kept drifting to Emily.

She sat on the bench near the edge of the mats, watching me. I could feel the weight of her gaze. I smiled at her between rounds and wiped sweat from my forehead. “You’re staring pretty hard over there.”

Emily, instead of looking embarrassed, lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “Can you blame me? But I’m headed out for a little bit. See you later. ”

Damn. The look in her eyes sent a jolt straight to my gut. I turned back toward the heavy bag, forcing my attention ontomy combos while I tried to robotically tune my mind in for the Intercontinental. Focus. Fight’s coming up. No distractions.

Easier said than done. My brain was stuck on last Saturday. I still remembered the way she’d felt beneath me. It wasn’t just the pleasure, though, hell, it had been unforgettable. She saw me as more than an athlete. She respected how I lived my life with PTSD and she saw through the tough mask of survival I wore to make it in the world.

I wanted her again, but not just for a night or when no one was watching. I wanted her in my corner for real. But wanting something and knowing how to ask for and keep it? That was a whole different fight.

Emily left at lunchtime. I didn’t expect her to show up later in the day, but there she was, walking back into the gym after my post-workout stretch and ice bath. She carried a bag and a cup.

“I figured you could use this,” she said, handing over a protein shake. “And I got you a salmon stir fry with sweet potatoes. It’s from that new restaurant I overheard some of the other athletes mention.”

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