Page 81 of Sporting Goods

It was finally happening.I was going to get my life back. Whatever that life might feel like. I’d never felt stronger or more independent than I did this week.

Frederick Gallaway, my attorney, practically insisted on taking my case, assuring me that when we were through, I wouldn’t owe him a dime. Which was a relief. Although I would have found a way to pay if I needed to. I reminded him that money wasn’t my biggest concern. I needed reassurance that my ex couldn’t take Jax from me. He had told me to ignore his threats and that no justice system on the planet would allow that, no matter how good their attorney was.

I was still a ball of nerves on the day we met in court. But everything happened exactly how Gallaway laid out. Max wasn’t surprised at my demands and the terms of our arrangement. He was only allowed supervised visits on the count of my claims of continuous verbal abuse and unstable living habits along with other facts I was able to prove. Witnesses helped.

The court granted me full custody and it was all I wanted. Nothing else mattered. Not even the monthly figure he was now legally bound to pay.

I sat up on my balcony for the third night past midnight, sipping my tea and staring out on the streets of this small town I hoped to abandon soon. It was how I chose to dwell on my heartache. Because in the normal hours of the day, I had a kid to care for, to put on a smile for, to be strong for.

“Have you called him?” Sam appeared at the door.

I sighed. She was persistent if nothing else. She insisted I hadn’t tried hard enough to get Logan to listen. And that text messages didn’t count.

But text messages were easier than facing him. Than talking. Because no matter which way I tried, I’d never come out looking good.

“No. He probably heard it all from Tisch and doesn’t need to hear anything else.” I needed to respect that. Even if every second that I didn’t go after him hurt like hell. Because I knew he wouldn’t be coming for me.

“Rayne.”

“Sam. I don’t want to talk about it. It’s over. You—you didn’t see the look on his face.”

“That’s notthatlook that matters, Ray. It’s the one he’d given you for the past month you’d been together. The way he’s made you feel. Isn’t that worth trying for?”

“I’m scared.”

She was about to say something else but drew back. “Then maybe I’m wrong. He’s not worth it.”

Shewaswrong. Because she didn’t look into his dead, empty eyes outside the rink right before he walked away from me and Jax. I didn’t want to see them again. I was strong now. I had what it took to go on with my day to day believing that time will heal all. If I looked into those eyes again, it would break me.

30

“So which teamare you thinking of joining?” Bridget was back today. Tisch was slacking on her warding off so-called fans.

“None.”

“Oh so it’s a secret? I can totally keep your secrets Logan.”

I wasn’t in the fucking mood and I was going to say something highly inappropriate or mean. I tried to warn Tisch but she seemed to welcome Bridget’s presence.

“The hell is up with you? You trying to get a good laugh out of this today?” I finally asked after the girl left.

She giggled. “Maybe. Alright, alright, I’ll get the next one. Promise.”

“Whatever. I’ll be in the back.”

I carried a box from the stock room and told Jake to run the registers for the afternoon. The high school-aged kid typically came by after school to stock our new shipments and fix the shelves. I rarely had him up front to deal with customers, but for now, he’d have to do.

I needed to keep my mind off things today. I didn’t typically keep my phone on me. Texts and voicemails between Rayne, Josh and Roger were starting to get on my nerves. It was a miracle I hadn't dumped the thing in the trash yet.

Every time my chest tugged, I whipped the device out of my back pocket, needing the reminder to keep myself in check and keep ignoring her messages.

It took everything I had to delete the only voicemail she left me. God that one was hard. She sounded heartbroken and desperate to be heard. It felt wrong to delete it.

I took another quick glance. The tug in my chest shifting to something much more profound. And then slipped it back in.

“Go to hell,” my voice was low and coarse even in my ears.

I tossed an empty box beside me and climbed down the stairs to reach for another one. Rayne stood halfway down the aisle, watching me.

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