“My ex isn’t happy that I left.”
“Brutal. Seems like you’re quite the heartbreaker,” Weston says. “Come on inside. We were about to play some pool.”
I follow them in, sliding my hand lower on Ollie’s back and keeping my palm against him.
Part of me expects him to pull away from my touch, but he lets me keep my hand there at the small of his back as we head in.
When I finally drop my hand away, he turns to give me a look like I’m depriving him.
You’re killing me, Ashford.
“Just a second,” I tell him softly, holding up a finger.
The fireplace is burning steadily at the far wall of the front room. I crumple up Callum’s note and watch the flames instantly take it, forming tiny orange sparks in the air above.
It’s where that relationship belongs.
Burned into ash.
I head back down the hall toward one of the rear rooms where the pool tables are. A few of the guys are cracking open beers, joking and chatting as Oliver leans against a wall with his arms crossed.
He’s staring into the middle distance, clearly still rattled by what happened.
I never paid enough attention tothisversion of Oliver before.
Out on the ice with me, he always rose to my challenge. He was combative to me when I brought a fight to him.
But this version of him…
He actuallydoesseem sweet.
Like a lost little lamb, embarrassed that he made a big deal out of the note. That’s what Callum does to people. Makes them question their own sanity, manipulating them into thinkingthey’rethe one doing something wrong.
And I’m not going to let that happen to anyone else.
“Ollie. Come with me,” I say as I walk in the room before turning to the other guys. “I’ll join in for pool another time and kick all of your asses. Need to take care of something with Oliver first.”
“Everything okay?” Weston asks.
“Absolutely. See you guys later.”
I walk behind Oliver and put my hand to his back again, guiding him out of the room before anybody else can question us.
“Niko, I’mfine, really?—”
“Get your jacket. Let’s go.”
He blinks at me. “And where exactly are we going?”
“You’ll find out once you’re in your jacket and boots and we’re outside. Go.”
I head off toward the front door and push through it.
A minute later he comes out.
He’s wearing a nice tan-colored long winter coat and a red plaid scarf. His hair is a little messy, and his golden highlights stand out against the light brown.
“Fuck, you look good,” I say, not bothering to filter my thoughts. “Do you realize how hot you are?”
