We have the best time hanging out in the back corner of the restaurant where everyone leaves us alone. It’s almost enough to allow me to forget what’s still to come this evening. Almost. But as the clock ticks closer to us having to leave for the club, my nerves begin growing.
I’m going to have Cole at my side and all these other guys around me. But still, being in the spotlight for all the world to see—for Rowan to potentially see—is starting to get a little much.
51
COLE
“Cars are here,” Parker says as she tucks her cell back into her purse.
I turn to look at Freya and watch as she swallows nervously.
She’s terrified about what’s to come. But as scared as she might be, she’s not letting it stop her. She’s embracing the fear. I just hope that continues and we manage to get into the club without it getting too much for her.
I get more glimpses into her previous relationship with every passing day, and I now have a pretty good picture of what it looked like. But I’m missing some very vital pieces of information, like the name of the man who treated her like shit for far too long.
All I can hope is that I never have to meet the asshole. While I might not be the one getting into fights on the ice these days, that doesn’t mean I’m not willing to take a piece of shit like him down.
Anger burns through me as I think about the effect he’s had on my girl. She’s coming out the other side, but I fucking hate that she’s probably going to live with some of the side effects of that toxic relationship for the rest of her life.
“Are you ready to head out?” I ask her, reaching over and squeezing her thigh in support.
“I need to go for another nervous pee,” she confesses quietly.
“Then let’s go.”
“Oh, you don’t have to—” Her words are cut off when I push my chair back and stand, holding my hand out for her.
Silently, I lead her toward the restrooms and wait outside while she does her thing.
“Is Freya okay?” Monroe asks when he emerges from the bathroom. My fondness for our rookie grows.
“Yeah, she’s just a little nervous.”
“I get that. It’s a lot. Especially if you’re not used to it. We’ve got her back,” he states.
“Thanks, man. Really appreciate that. I know Freya does too.”
“Family has to stick together, right?” he says so innocently. But then I guess he has no reason to know that the words hit me like a freight train.
Family.
“Yeah, right,” I agree.
Monroe narrows his eyes at me, and I fear he’s about to ask about my reaction, when Freya thankfully reappears.
“Ready?” I ask, slipping my arm around her waist to guide her out.
“As I’ll ever be,” she says weakly.
“It’ll be okay, Chef,” Monroe says over his shoulder. “You have any problems with anyone, you just send them to me.”
I snort a laugh. If someone starts something, Hayden Monroe would be the last person I send to deal with it. Rett, Killer, or Linc, yes. Our puppy dog rookie? Not so much. He may be a D man, but he isn’t fueled by anger and the need to hurt our opponents in the way Rett and Killer are.
“Thank you, Hayden. I’ll remember that,” Freya says politely as she lightly smacks me in the stomach for laughing at his offer of support.
A few sets of eyes follow us as we make our way through the restaurant. Our table was hidden at the very back, so those at the front were probably completely unaware that we were here. Even those who don’t immediately recognize us look up, sensing that something is happening.
Freya snuggles into my side as if she’ll disappear as we follow Monroe outside to where all the others are waiting.
