Page 34 of Broken King

I watchCade carry his little girl down the hall and have the overwhelming urge to cry. Not something I’m used to. I’m not a crier. Never have been. But there’s something about knowing what we could have had and what we’re being given the chance to share that makes me so incredibly sad and yet hopeful at the same time.

Once I put our plates in the sink, I grab my bottle of water and move into the den that’s attached to the kitchen, kick my shoes off, and sit down on an overstuffed sofa facing a stunning stacked stone fireplace. A pink wooden kitchen set sits in one corner, and a matching wooden toybox is placed neatly into the other. I tuck my feet up underneath myself and lean my head back against the couch, closing my eyes. The dull pulse of a headache is beginning, and I pray it won’t turn into a migraine. The light isn’t irritating me yet, so there’s hope.

I know my migraine triggers, and lack of sleep is one of them. Lord knows I haven’t been sleeping well since my doctor dropped this lovely little bomb in my lap. Has it really been only a little over a week since I found out I was going to be a mother?

I open my eyes at the sound of bare feet on hardwood floors coming closer to me. Cade moves into the room a minute later with a sleepy look in his eyes. “Sorry. Sometimes she wants me to lie down with her.” He grabs his beer from the kitchen and sits down next to me.

“Did you really not know your ex was pregnant with her until after she was born?” I can’t imagine doing that to him. This powerful man, who’s capable of beating someone unconscious in the cage, is so sweet and caring with his daughter, it makes me go a little soft and gooey.

And I don’t do gooey.

“Yeah. Daria kept it from me the entire time she was pregnant. I found out about Brynlee when she brought her into Crucible and told me she didn’t want to be a mom, so it was my turn.”

“That had to be hard.” I’m scared of what those first few months are going to be like, and I have six more months to prepare.

Cade angles himself toward me. “It was hard. But it’s my turn to ask a question. I want to know why there’s no Mr. Kingston.”

It’s hard not to laugh at that. “Well, there are quite a few Mr. Kingstons.” I look up at him and catch his sexy, crooked smile. “But if you’re asking why I’m not in a relationship, that’s easy. I’m just not a relationship kind of woman. I have a demanding job I love, and that comes first. I’ve never met a man I thought would be worth putting ahead of the Kings. And I wasn’t willing to settle for anything less.” I roll my neck, trying to get a little relief from the building pressure.

“Come here.” Cade twists my shoulders, surprising me when strong hands begin to dig into the muscles in my neck and shoulders. “You still getting migraines, duchess?”

I don’t speak. Just let a small hum of satisfaction slip past my lips as skilled, callused hands work my sore muscles, and think back to a time where this was my favorite way to beat back one of these headaches.

“So, is working for the Kings everything you used to think it would be?”

That’s an easy one. “It is. I love it. I love being part of my family’s legacy. I love my job. I love that every player on the team fears me even more than their coach.” Cade laughs, but I’m serious. “I was recently offered the possibility of a new position with the Revolution. And while it’s my dream job, I’m a little hesitant about taking on a whole new team.”

“Wow. That’s crazy. So you’d leave the Kings for a hockey team? Blasphemy.” He chuckles, then asks, “What do Max and Becks think of that?”

I let my head drop forward, so he can keep working my muscles while I open up more to him than I have to even my siblings since Max made his announcement last week. “It was actually Max’s idea. He and Becks were completely on board with it. King Corp. is looking into buying the team.” I cut myself off before I say more. It may be easy to fall back into old routines with Cade, but we’re not the same people we were back then, and I need to remember that.

“Holy shit, Scarlet. So this could be happening soon? You could be switching teams and positions? That’s a lot of pressure to put on yourself right now.”

My head snaps up in annoyance, and Cade’s fingers halt. “It is. But you wouldn’t be saying that if I wasn’t pregnant. You’d never say that to a man. I can’t not take the job just because I’m going to be a mom.”

“Hey.” His hands freeze in front of him. “Not what I was saying. You’ve always been capable of doing anything you want. It just sounds like a lot on your plate and a ton of pressure. That’s all I meant.” Strong hands squeeze mine, and I try to relax.

But this is it.

My fear.

How am I going to balance it all?

Am I setting myself up for an epic failure?

Cade and I manage to find the rhythm we lost all those years ago as we go back and forth with questions over the next hour. We’re older. We’ve both grown and matured. But at our core, we’re still us, and our rapport becomes less stilted as the hour passes.

Our initial awkwardness transitions to ease.

Ease to awareness.

And before I know it, it’s time for me to go because awareness won’t be turning into anything else tonight.

When I rise from the couch, Cade stands in front of me. His hands rest on my hips, and his warm breath fans my face. It would be so easy to fall into this man. To fall into what I know would be an incredible night. But that’s not why I’m here. That’s not what we need.

His lips skim over my forehead, but I take a step back and slide my heels back on. “I had a nice night tonight, Saint.”

Cade recovers quickly and follows me into the kitchen while I gather my belongings. “You don’t have to leave yet, Scarlet.”

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