Page 113 of Always Yours

Shelli clears her throat, looking very uncomfortable. “That is your choice, of course. But when you sign your contract for the team, a new condition will be included that will ensure you aren’t romantically involved with any general managers.”

It’s as if the floor falls out from underneath me. The pounding in my ears almost makes it hard for me to hear Dimitri laugh. I look at him, my eyes wide as he sits there, shaking his head. “She’s not a general manager of this team.”

“No, but she is of our soon-to-be farm team.”

His eyes narrow, and I can’t even process what is happening. Is this for real? “So, let me get this straight. If I want to play for you, I can’t be with Austen, even though she is the GM of a team that isn’t even built,” he says, and then he looks at Peepaw. But he doesn’t dare speak to Dimitri or confirm what he just said.

“That’s correct,” Shelli adds, swallowing hard. “We don’t want rumors or gossip that the reason you made it after coming from the Russian league is because of Austen’s position. We don’t want the league to think we allow people to get ahead based on who they are in relationships with. It’s to protect you both.”

I feel like my head is spinning, and my heart is crashing in my chest. I watch as Dimitri looks at Elli.

“You’re okay with this?”

Elli takes a deep breath, and I don’t understand. Why is she allowing this to happen? “We’re looking out for you, Dimitri.”

Anger vibrates my whole body, but Dimitri is cooler than a cucumber. Elli slides a contract across the table, but Dimitri doesn’t even acknowledge it. He slowly nods and then looks at me. Fear eats me alive as I gaze into his deep eyes, but he doesn’t look mad or even upset. He looks as if he expected this. As if he has no cares in the world.

I don’t understand, but then, in Russian, he asks, “Do you love me?”

Everything stops, and the rest of the room falls away, leaving only him and me. I don’t hear anything, just my heart pounding in my chest while his gaze holds mine. All these emotions crash into me at once, and a tremor runs through my body. I’m unable to speak, unable to think, but I know that answer.

I know the truth.

thirty-seven

Dimitri

Jesus, is she trying to kill me?

Silence stretches between us as I wait for her answer. Her face flushes, her eyes are the size of pucks, and her mouth parts in the way that leaves me hard everywhere.

“Austen,” I say in English, needing her to answer me. Then in Russian, I ask again, “Do you love me?”

I feel everyone’s gazes on us, and the confusion swirls in the room. I know for a fact no one in this room but us speaks Russian. I need to know what she is thinking so I can make the decision I need to make. This is all bullshit, but I don’t care. All I care about is the girl sitting in front of me.

And just like I would expect, Austen’s brows come in, and that defiant tip of her chin rattles my core. “Why would you ask me that right now?” she says, continuing in Russian, so I follow her lead.

“Because I want to know.”

“Shouldn’t we be alone?”

“No. I need to know.”

“Now?”

“Now!”I demand. “Do you love me?”

Tears well in her eyes. “Yes, I do. I love you.”

I’m completely surprised by the tears that well up in my own eyes at the pure relief those three words bring me. I swallow thickly and nod. “Good. I assumed so.”

Her eyes narrow. “Your ego is a lot to handle, Dimitri.”

I grin. “But you love it,” I say, and then I look to her grandpa, ignoring Shelli and Elli and everyone fucking else. I switch back to English. “I guess I won’t be on the team, then.”

Pure anger rips through her grandpa, his mouth working, and I know he has something to say to me. A lot, probably, if he’s anything like Austen.

“Wow,” Shelli says as Elli lets her head fall.

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