Page 179 of Beautiful Collide

Luckily for me, the PR team moves quickly, ushering us off the stage and into the hallway. Everyone is stunned into silence except for Mason, who mutters something I can’t make out. Most likely, it’s an obnoxious comment, and I’m happy I don’t hear, because I’m sure I’d want to punch him. Something tells me that wouldn’t bode well for me with Coach.

As soon as we’re away from the press, Dane turns to me, his face a mixture of confusion and anger. “What the hell was that?”

I run a hand through my hair, my heart still racing. “Dane, I can explain—”

“Explain what?” he snaps. “That reporter just said you’re married to my sister. My sister, for fuck’s sake. Please tell me this isn’t true.”

My pulse quickens, and I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut.

The hallway feels too small, too loud, even though no one’s talking but us. I glance at Mason and Aiden, who are both hovering a few feet away, clearly not sure if they should step in or stay out of it.

“Yeah,” I say finally, my voice low. “It’s true.”

Dane’s face goes blank for a second, like he can’t quite process what I’ve just said, and then, like a veil of fog being lifted, the anger flares.

“You’re fucking joking,” he says, his voice sharp. “Shit. Please tell me you’re joking.”

“I’m not.”

“You—” He cuts himself off, his fists clenching at his sides. “Are you out of your damn mind? Do you have any idea what you’re doing? Molly is my sister.”

“I know,” I say, my voice steady even though my chest feels like it’s caving in. “I know, Dane. And I’m sorry we didn’t tell you sooner. But this—what Molly and I have—it’s real.”

“Real?” Dane scoffs. “You’re a playboy, Hudson. You’ve never been serious about anyone in your life. Why the hell would I believe you’re serious about her?”

“Because I am,” I say firmly.

He laughs, but it’s humorless. “You don’t even know how to be serious, Hudson. You think everything’s a joke. What happens when this gets old? When you get bored? What happens to Molly then?”

“Stop,” I say, my voice sharp now. “You don’t get to talk about her like she’s some fling I’m going to toss aside. You don’t know how I feel about her.”

“Then tell me,” he snaps. “Tell me why the hell I shouldn’t be worried about my sister being tied to a guy who treats relationships like disposable coffee cups.”

I take a deep breath, trying desperately not to snap. I want to yell at him, to defend myself, but I know that won’t help. So I force myself to calm down, to find the words that will make him understand.

“Because she’s not just some girl to me,” I say finally. “Molly’s . . . everything. She’s smart and stubborn and funny. When I’m with her, nothing else matters. Everything fades away. The noise, the pressure, the bullshit—it doesn’t matter. She’s the only thing that matters.”

Dane stares at me, his jaw tight, his eyes searching mine.

“I know my reputation,” I continue. “I know what people think of me. And yeah, I’ve screwed up a lot in the past. But Molly? She makes me want to be better. I’d do anything to be the man she deserves. Fuck.” I look up at the ceiling, trying to find the right thing to say, before looking back down to meet his stare again. “I’d bring down empires if it meant keeping her safe.”

The words hang in the air, heavy and raw. Dane doesn’t say anything for a long moment, and I can’t tell if he’s processing or just deciding how hard he wants to punch me.

Finally, he exhales, shaking his head. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“We wanted to,” I say. “But we didn’t know how. And after Vegas . . . it just got more complicated.”

“Vegas?” His eyes narrow.

Shit.

I wince. “Yeah. That’s where . . . it happened.”

Dane’s face tightens, and I can see him putting the pieces together.

“You married her in Vegas,” he says flatly.

“Yeah.”

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