Page 61 of Sweet Addiction

After our talk at my father’s home, I decided to forgive Knox. When I thought about it, there wasn’t much to forgive him for. Technically, he didn’t do anything wrong. He was being honest the whole time and never lied. I was just too stubborn and emotional to see it at the time. I think everything worked out exactly how it was supposed to. And as much as I hated being thrust into the limelight and hounded by the media, Knox was right. If we were going to be together, then it was going to have to come out eventually. It may have happened sooner than I was ready for, but now that it’s out there, I am surprisingly okay with it. Eventually the attention will die down. The next big story will come along, and we will be forgotten about.

I hope.

“You are so lucky. Knox is so hot,” Kenzie says dreamily.

“I am and he is,” I agree.

“Shame we don’t have him to drool over during track anymore,” she murmurs as we step into our English class.

Dropping down at my desk, I think over her words and the fact Knox is no longer here. When the news hit, Knox was pulled from his community service at Westview and is now completing his service at an underprivileged sports center for boys across town. I both love and hate that he is no longer at my school. I miss having him here. I miss the way he would watch me, with a possessive gleam in his eyes, like I was the single most important thing in his life. Though Schwartz wouldn’t allow him to stay at Westview, that doesn’t mean he isn’t here, waiting out front for me at the end of every day. He waits in the parking lot, an ominous presence warning off any boy who dares to look at me. I bite back a smile at the thought. His possessiveness knows no bounds. But I wouldn’t have him any other way.

Because then he wouldn’t be the Knox McCabe I fell in love with, and I do love him more than anything.

Despite all the hurt, lies and pain, I love him with all that I am. And I would go through it all again, just to call him mine.

EPILOGUE TWO

Knox

Two years later…

The crowd goes wild as the game ends but not before I score a touchdown winning us the Superbowl. Fuck. We won. Right now, I am having the career-defining moment, the game of my life, yet all I can think about is my dove and what comes next.

After I came clean about my relationship, the Rams decided to let me go. Apparently, I wasn’t in keeping with their wholesome image. At the time, I thought it was the end of football and though I was sad about that, I had gained something better. Madison.

Dove was moving to New York at the end of summer for college and there was no way I was going to do long distance. To be frank, the Rams ending my contract worked out for the best. And then it worked out even better. Brett managed to cut me a deal with the New York Giants. Due to an accident during training, their quarterback was taken out for the foreseeable future. With his leg being broken in several places, they didn’t know how long it would take for him to be back to full health. That’s where I came in. It literally couldn’t have worked out any better. And now here I am. Throwing the winning touchdown in the Superbowl.

“Fuck yeah,” Bryce Capel shouts as he jumps on my back. “Fuck yeah man.” He gets me in a headlock as the rest of the team joins in the celebrations. The energy is crazy, and I can’t help but get caught up in the excitement as my teammates shout over each other.

“We won the Superbowl.”

“You the MVP McCabe.”

“We fucking did it,” someone else screams near my ear, making me wince.

Pulling out of the huddle, I glance up to the private box where Dove is, along with her mother, Michael, her father, Vanessa, my parents, brother, Kenzie and her college friend Sofie. My gaze locks on her, a smile curving my lips as she moves excitedly with her baby brother in her arms. Pressing my fingers to my lips, I remove them, aiming them toward her. She smiles, shaking her head but repeats it all the same. My eyes drop to her round belly. I smirk. Dove, carrying my baby. Everything I have ever wanted is standing up there right now.

We had spoken about children in the larger sense and knew it was something we both wanted. It just came a little earlier than expected. Whereas Dove was worried about college and her internship, I was ecstatic about the news. Especially since she was still on the pill. Not even birth control could stop me from claiming my dove in every way possible. My swimmers broke through that barrier, took root and now we have a mini us on the way. Madison can still have everything she ever wants. I will make sure of it. There is nothing I will not do for her. Nothing. Every dream. Every wish. I will make sure they all come true.

After many ups and downs with Scarlett, but with the help of therapy, my girl is finally in a good place with her mother. They have the relationship Madison always wanted them to have. If it makes Dove happy, then it makes me happy. If I had my way, I would have kicked Scarlett to the curb a long time ago. I still might if she reverts to her old ways. I think being with Michael has helped her. Scarlett’s progress shows every day in how she treats her young son. She is a mother. A real one. Something she should have been to Madison, but I digress. None of us are innocent. We are all human, all make mistakes. We can only live and learn from them.

A microphone is shoved into my face, breaking my stare off with my girl. “Knox, how do you feel winning your first Superbowl?” the reporter asks. I push down my anger at being interrupted looking at Madison and smile. See progress. Two years ago, I might have hit him in the face. It took a while but the interest and questions about Madison and me eventually died down. I think it helped when we moved to New York and people saw we were serious. There will always be attention on us but for now we can handle it.

“Amazing. But can I borrow this?” I point to the mic. “I have something I want to say.”

He frowns but hands it over anyway. “Sure. Craig, make sure you get this.” He points to his cameraman.

“I want everyone in the stadium to hear. Is it turned right up?” I ask. He takes it back, flicking some buttons before passing it back to me. “Hello,” I say, my gaze on Dove. I know she can hear me when her grin widens. “Can I ask for everyone to quieten down? I have something to say,” I boom around the stadium. The excitement and chatter die down turning into little murmurs. “Thank you and I want to thank all the fans for being here today; we couldn’t do this without you.” Cheers break out and I wait for them to stop before I say the next bit. “I’m the happiest man alive right now but there is one thing that would make me happier.” I exhale, my eyes never straying from my girl. Pointing to her, I say. “As you all know that woman right there is the love of my life. She is everything to me. Nothing I do or achieve would mean anything if I didn’t have her. She makes me a better man. She is my first, my last, my everything. She completes me in every way possible and now she is going to be the mother of my child.” Whistles and shouts break out at my announcement, but I cut them off when I speak again. “There is only one more thing I want today. Something that will make a great day even better and that is,” I drop to one knee, a collective of gasps sounding around me. “That is for my dove to be my wife. So how about it baby, will you do me the honor of taking my last name? Will you be Madison McCabe?” I can’t see the tears, but I know she is crying as she nods her head. Looking around the stadium, I see her beautiful face, enlarged on the big screens. I grin. “Is that a yes?” I can’t hear her, but I see the way her mouth forms the word yes. Handing the mic back to the reporter, I ignore the people calling my name as I run toward the steps that will take me to my dove and unborn child.

My future.

My world.

My everything.

EPILOGUE THREE

Madison

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