She winces, then crosses her arms over her chest, her hair a mess and makeup smeared as she admits, “I got in an hour ago.”
I nod as I place my purse on the counter separating the kitchen and living area, my eyes taking in the creams and dark blues.
“Was it worth it?” I ask.
She swallows hard, her throat bobbing as her eyes tear up, making me furrow my brows as she admits with a choked, “No, because now I don’t want to go through with the wedding.”
Of course.
I sigh and walk over to my sister and take her in my arms, she falls into me sobbing while I am trying to hold in my resentment to her.
I know she says she doesn’t want to go through with it, and I know, just like myself, she got caught up in the feels, but she will marry the man chosen for her. Growing up, she allowed our parents to pay for everything, including the car she drives and uses the credit card our father pays off each month without batting an eyelid. She walks away from the wedding, and she’ll walk away from everything, which is something my sister won’t be able to cope with because she willingly sold herself to the devil for possessions and a grand lifestyle.
I hug her tight, hating that she’s upset even though this is her decision; I have offered her to stay here with me and she has refused, adamant she can handle Harry and I drown her out as my mind returns to Taylor. I know for a fact my sister isn’t aware I was a virgin, and she probably thinks last night was one of many for me, but last night meant so much, and one of the main reasons why I didn’t want to stay behind, wasn’t just because I thought it was just a one night stand, but because I know unless he had some status, my parents would have ruined him.
I’d never put a man through that, and hopefully, in a few years, I can save enough money to move away from here, from this life, and find true love.
I just hope I haven’t let it slip through my fingers with Taylor.
Chapter 2
Taylor – A Week Later
I skate as fast as my legs will travel, my eyes on the barrier—the only thing I’m focusing on. As soon as I reach it, I skid sideways, spraying ice everywhere then push off and skate to the other end of the rink, doing sprints instructed by Coach Williams. Ezra is just shy of keeping up with me, but as Captain, I need to keep up the speed to get the guys to follow.
I want my team to hold that trophy, and to do that, I need to push them.
I reach the other end of the rink, skid, spraying ice again, then push off, knowing Coach won’t blow the whistle for another three laps at least, picking up speed again as I bend down a little, swinging my arms as I go trying to allow the ice to silence everything for me like always, but my head is fucked up over one girl, one fucking girl.
She fucking left before I even woke up.
My phone rang, and as I answered, I noticed Penelope gone. For the first time in my life, real disappointment and horror hit me.
I hung up on my mom, something she still won’t let go, and ran to the elevator only to see the doors already closed, and by the time I called the reception, she was fucking gone, and my agent wanted buzzing up, something that fucking pissed me off.
We didn’t have a meeting, and normally, I’d meet her at the rink. Not fucking once has she been inside my apartment, and not only did I have reception send her away, but I had to get my fucking lawyer, Billy, and Coach Williams involved because of her actions knowing she’d done this with other players.
I never should have fucking touched her once, let alone twice; I was drunk, and it was here at the fucking rink in the changing room after a party held for the foundation.
Biggest mistake of my life because now she won’t leave me the fuck alone.
Coach blows the whistle as I reach the wall roughly three minutes later, and I skid to a halt, breathing heavy as the guys slump against the wall, looking at me with wide eyes.
Fuck.
I cringe because I hadn’t realized I was going so fast, my mind on Penelope.
A week, it’s been a fucking week, and I can’t find her; Elena can’t find her after I demanded her to look into it, lying through my teeth that Pen took my watch after our night together but a week later and fucking nothing, it’s not lost on me that she most likely hasn’t done as I asked. Elena is jealous, something I have found over the years, and honestly, if her shit continues, then I’ll be speaking to Billy about terminating her fucking contract.
“Fuck Tay, you trying to kill us?” My right winger Levi gasps as he grabs his water bottle, squirting shit loads into his mouth, hisbrother and backup right winger Seth gasping for breath next to him.
I wince and rasp, “Sorry,” as I grab my water bottle and squirt some a lot in my mouth before noticing a figure, and I groan.
“Right boys, the second line on the ice,” Coach shouts, and I slap Levi and Seth’s backs in apology and skate to the stands where my father is standing with his arms crossed, looking pissed as fuck.
Ah shit…
“Guess your mom is still upset about you hanging up on her.” Ezra mumbles as he slaps me on my back, skating beside me.