Page 6 of Loving Ladybug: Part One
“Maybe we should go to bed?” I offered, trying to make the best of things. “In the morning, hopefully, your agent will have a contract for you. If not, I’ll get out the spreadsheet, and we can go over all your options. We’ll make a presentation and convince your dad to give us more time.”
Surely, his father would listen to reason if we made a good case. There’d be plenty of time for Austin to take his place in whatever they did after he retired. Hockey players didn’t have long careers.
“Now I have to go work for them and do what they say.” He stood, the spicy scent of alpha anger raining over me. His phone rang again.
I took a deep breath. “I understand that you’re hurt and frustrated. But hey, I’m here. We can do this.”
“There’s nowe.It’s over. That plan, that dream, is gone,” he roared, flipping the coffee table over
Confusion coated me and I took a step back at the violence. “I don’t understand. Just because you have to move home and work for your family doesn’t mean we have to break up. We’ve been together for so long, been through so much, we aren’t going to throw it all away for one setback, are we?”
My hands balled into fists as hurt and fear shot through me. I’d never seen him direct his anger at me like that. It was one reason he played hockey– a way to deal with his rage.
Was he truly going to end things because he didn’t get a hockey contract? Given how long and hard we’d practiced, the nights we spent dreaming, the sacrifices we made, it seemed ludicrous.
“I’ll fight for us, including convincing them to give you more time. We can still make it in the PHL together,” I assured. All this anger confused me. Did we mean nothing?
Was he using me?
“Oh, come on, if the PHL wanted you, you’d be on a team by now.” His face contorted with so much loathing that I didn’t recognize him.
My heart dropped. Was this the frustration and stress talking, or had he somehow hid this part of himself from me for all these years?
Was the man who brought me flowers and told me he loved me, the one who twirled me around on the ice, the one who’d lay in the dark and talk about the future with me, a lie?
“Youdidn’t want me to put in for the draft, remember?” Now I was too old. “I haven’t signed with an agent or networked, or declared free agency sinceyourplan called for us putting you first. Which is fine, but it also means that you can’t put me down for not being signed yet.” I didn’t raise my voice, but I put an edge to it.
The plan made sense given I was a goalie and we took a little longer to develop. Not to mention starting over at sixteen had slowed me down prospect-wise.
He sneered. “You’re not that good. I mean, you were when we were younger. I also thought you’d be an omega–and that would be our ticket. But no, here you are, just a dumb cunt beta whohasn’t even finished university yet. You’re too stupid to even take advantage of your job with the Knights.”
“You don’t get to talk to me like that,” I snapped, my face growing warm with anger. How dare he?
He thought I’d be an omega? Yeah, no.
“You know what, tensions are high tonight. I’ll stay with a friend so you can cool off, and we can talk this out in the morning.” Yeah, I needed to leave before I said something I regretted. This conversation was leaving me hurt, angry, and confused.
I grabbed my phone and backpack. In the bedroom I threw some things inside, not that I had much. This was his frustration talking, right? Doubt crept through me.
He blocked the bedroom doorway with his shirtless frame. “Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”
“I told you, I’m going to stay with a friend, and give us time to cool off. Do you want me to come by before or after work so we can talk this out?” I did a few deep yoga breaths as I threw more things into my bag. Something about this mood differed from usual.
“Friends? You have no friends.” A cruel grin toyed on his lips. Lips that had kissed me so many times.
“I do so.” My voice shook. His words hit me in the chest. While I knew a lot of people, I was always so busy with work, school, and hockey that I didn’t have many friends who I could call at midnight and ask to crash on their couch. Austin was my bestie.
“Fine, call someone right now.” He smirked.
“Okay.” Most people were away for summer. The few here barely had a place to live, let alone a place for me to stay. Bonnie was working late and her phone was off.
Oh, Clark had texted me? I’d try him. No answer. Shit. My stomach dropped. Carlos? He’d absolutely help me. But his phone was set todo not disturb.
“Wow. Sucks to be you. I guess you’re not fucking one of them. Always wondered with all the extra shit you did this year,” he spat.
“I’m not fucking anyone but you. The Knights made it to the playoffs, then won the championship, which makes the seasonlonger.Please,let me pass.” I made my voice hard as I tried to find a space to squeeze through.
He thought what? Austin sometimes got jealous of me hanging out with the Knights without him, but I’d thought it was because they were pros. Not shit like that.
