“Maybe I do,” the man says, acting like a stupid fuck. He steps toward me, and without even thinking twice, I cock my arm back. Sarah inserts herself between the man and me before I can hit him.
“Don’t,” she says, her voice stern.
She can’t be serious.
“You’re protectinghim?” I ask. In my fucking house? My fucking bedroom? What the hell is happening?
Without answering me, she turns toward the man and woman. “I think you two should leave.”
“Are you sure?” the woman asks. “If you’re in trouble, we can stay.”
“She’s not in fucking trouble,” I yell. “I’m her goddamn boyfriend, and if you don’t leave in the next five minutes, I will physically remove you myself.”
“Go,” Sarah says.
While they pick up and leave, Sarah grabs a robe from the bed and tosses it over her body, covering up the bite marks along her rib cage and breasts. Breasts I’ve spent years worshipping.
Pain, anger, and confusion all lace through my body, putting me through a mental fuckery of a roller coaster as I try to pick one emotion to focus on.
When I hear the elevator doors close, I know which one to run with. Anger. I turn toward her and say, “What the fuck was that?”
Arms crossed defensively, she answers, “I’ve . . . I’ve been feeling neglected. Todd and Nancy have—”
“Todd and Nancy?” I shout.
“Yes, Todd and Nancy.” She secures the tie around her waist. “They’ve made me feel supported, fulfilled, and not so alone.”
White-hot rage shoots up my spine. “Don’t fucking come at me with that. I’ve tried to make you feel . . . fulfilled, but you won’t let me. You push me away, turn me down, you won’t even fucking look at me. I mean, what the hell, Sarah? How long has this been going on?”
“Four months,” she says without even an ounce of apology in her voice.
“Four months?” I ask. “Jesus Christ.” I step away, running my hand through my hair. When I look at her, I don’t see the same person I fell in love with years ago. I see someone jaded, someone manipulative, someone who had no intention of protecting my heart.
After everything we’ve been through, all the ups and downs of trying to make it in hockey, the hardships, the joy, she’s going to act like cheating on me for four months is nothing?
That it’s my fault when I’ve put in the effort?
That I’m the one to blame even though we both agreed that my goal to be a professional hockey player is what we both wanted?
She knew what this life would be like. I didn’t see her complaining when she got her expensive purses and brand-name shoes.
I stare at her, the woman I gave my heart to, and as anger fills me, I say, “Fuck you, Sarah.”
“Excuse me?” she asks, shock registering across her face.
“I said . . . fuck . . . you.”
“You’re mad at me.” She points at her chest. “You’re mad at me when I’m the one who has to stay here all alone?”
“You knew what you were getting into,” I yell. “You fucking knew this is what life would be like, and you agreed to it. We had an in-depth conversation about what to expect. We agreed this was what would be best for our life together. And to help the situation, to make you feel more comfortable, I got the fancy apartment you wanted. I got you the car and the clothes. I got you everything you ever asked for. So yeah, Sarah, fuck you. We were supposed to be monogamous.”
“As if you’ve never cheated on me,” she says offhandedly.
“Never,” I answer with a low growl in my voice. It feels like the hair on the back of my neck is standing to attention. “I’ve never once touched another woman, looked their way, or even thought about it because I love you, Sarah. You’re my girl. You’re the one I want to be with.”
Hand propped on her hip, disbelief in her voice, she repeats, “You never cheated on me? That’s hard to believe. I’ve heard what the other girls have said about all those women running around the hotel rooms looking to hook up with your team.”
“Yeah, that’s true, but I have fucking loyalty,” I snap at her. “I promised myself to you, and I’ve kept that promise. Wait, have you been cheating on me with other people besides Todd and Nancy?” When she glances away, I have my answer. I throw my arms up and turn my back on her. “Un-fucking-believable.” This whole time, I thought she was loyal. I thought we were in this together. I thought that maybe she was pulling away because of the change in popularity I’ve received.But she’s been fucking unfaithful all this time. What the actual fuck?
