Page 197 of Pucking Strong

I sigh, my shoulders prickling with all this unresolved tension. “It’s not about you.”

His eyes narrow. “Then what is it?”

I’ve skated with this man for six years now. And while I wouldn’t say we’re friends, we’ve always been friendly. He doesn’t mind my awkwardness, and he always invites me to things. And yet, we’ve never shared in each other’s confidences. Not once in over six years has he sought me out to ask me about my feelings or the state of our relationship. So why start now?

I cross my arms over my naked chest, glaring at him. “What’s your game, Novikov?”

He chuckles. “Aaaand we’re right back to Novikov. See what I mean? Okay, so spill. What did I do?”

“Nothing.”

“Sure. Except Coley has the emotional sonar abilities of a freaking dolphin, and he thinks you’re upset with me. I told him he was crazy, and he told me I had to come set a few things straight. Are you listening?”

I grunt with annoyance as he holds up a finger in my face.

“Number one, what’s happening with your niece fucking sucks. I don’t know how you’ve been able to stay so calm about it. If someone was threatening to take my kids from me, I’d already be in jail for going full Punisher on their asses.”

I lean away, surprised by the vehemence in his tone. After a moment, I sigh, giving him my truth. “If I appear outwardly calm, you should know that it’s a thin mask I wear, growing thinner by the day.”

“I can well fucking believe it. Which leads me to point number two: I’m sorry about the massage stuff.”

“What?”

“You know, yanking your chain about Teddy and his magic massages. It’s no mystery that I like to tease. Coley and I sort of get each other off on the whole jealousy kink thing. Usually, it’s super fun. I swear to god, when that man gets wound tight enough, he can pound me into another fucking dimension—”

I scowl at him. “Fast-forward, Nov.”

He snorts, checking the time on his watch. “Right. Well, that’s my point. It’s just teasing. I have no interest in Teddy, Karlsson. It’s important to me that you know that. Coley’s the only man I’ve ever been with. He’s fucking it for me. He and Poppy are my world. The rest is just my excess flirting energy,” he adds with a wave of his hand. “It has to come outta me, or I’ll fucking burst, you know? And you and Ted have just been easy targets. But with everything else you’ve got going on, I don’t think you need to be teased right now. By me or anyone else. So that leads me to point number three.”

I sigh. “Christ, you have a third point?”

He grins. “I do.” His smile falls as he points beyond the door. “Whatever else happens with your kid, don’t fuck this up.”

I glance to the door. “Fuck what up?”

“What else, asshole? Teddy.”

Despite myself, my jealousy bristles at the look of intensity in his eyes. “Just say what you really came to say.” I can sense we’ve finally come to the heart of it.

He crosses his arms. “Alright, I will. When I look at you, Karlsson, do you know what I see?”

I hold his glare. “No.”

“I see myself. I see who I was six years ago, before Poppy and Cole flipped my life inside out. When I get scared, when things feel too heavy, I run. I’ve always been a runner. My running is a physical flight. You’re a runner too. But you runhere.” He taps the side of his temple with a finger.

My racing mind trips at his accusation, and I let out an audible breath, leaning away in surprise.

Novy smirks. “Yeah, I see you running in there. You’ve been running for weeks. Thinking, plotting, scheming, second-guessing. But you and I are lucky, Karlsson. We picked partners who will run with us. Hell, I imagine Teddy’s anxiety can run circles around yours all damn day. But there’s something I’ve learned sharing my life with Poppy and Cole.”

Apparently, I’m now accepting life advice from Lukas Novikov. “What have you learned?”

“The gift isn’t that they can keep up with us,” he explains.

“It’s not?”

He shakes his head. “Nope. The gift is that they’re the only thing in this life we wanna runto… not from. So run to him, Karlsson. Whatever else happens, never stop.”

Before I can respond, there’s another knock on the door and Novy leaps to pull it open. “Hey, there he is!” One-armed, he pulls Teddy into the room.

---