I can’t let it happen.
“Can we talk?”
Maddox’s scowl grows deeper, the lines between his eyebrows becoming canyons. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Nothing to talk about? There’s everything to talk about, Madds. I’m married to your sister. I’m in love with her. And I get that you’re pissed at me, but you’re my best friend. We’re teammates. We play on the same line, for fuck’s sake. We can’t just ignore this.” I’m sure he’d like to. I’m starting to see that the Graves siblings would choose to ignore a lot of things if people let them.
“Youweremy best friend,” he says, voice cold. But beneath the icy exterior, he’s hurt. In his mind, I lied to him for months. Betrayed him. I try to remember that when my chest squeezes and aches.
Isla puts her hand on Maddox’s chest. “You don’t mean that.”
Though his face softens when he looks down at his fiancée, his tone is steel. “I do.”
“Look, man, I know you think I’m the bad guy here, and I’d probably feel the same way in your shoes. But I won’t apologize for loving your sister, and I’m not sorry we’re married. I wishwe would have told you right away, but Mira asked me not to, and you, of all people, should understand that when the woman you love asks you to do something, you do it. Because you want to make her happy. To make sure she knows that she’s the most important person in the world and her comfort is your top priority. So I’m sorry if you’re hurt, but I’m not sorry for putting Mira’s needs and wishes above yours.”
Maddox’s eyes blaze, and his mouth opens, a retort on his lips. But whatever he’s going to say is cut short by a soft voice.
“Griffin?”
The door swings fully open, and the sight of her settles the beast in my chest that’s been pacing since I left her last night. My wife.
She looks tired. Dark circles make her green eyes look haunted. Her skin is paler than normal, and her dark hair struggles to escape the confines of two messy braids. One of my shirts hangs down to her knees, which are covered in a pair of leggings. If she was waking up at home with me, she’d only wear the shirt. Or nothing.
I clear my throat, telling myself that this is not the time to be thinking about my wife naked. Not when she’s looking at me with those big, sad eyes. She looks as lost as I feel without her.
“Sunshine. Hi.” I hold out the coffees. “Brought you your favorite.”
Maddox scowls, Isla smiles, but I only have eyes for the woman I love as she fights an internal battle. She wants to run into my arms. I can see it, clear as day. But she holds herself back. That’s fine. I can be patient. I can wait her out, prove I’m not going anywhere. I can show up every day for as long as it takes until she’s ready to admit what I already know.
Mira and I are as inevitable as the tides. She’s the moon and I’m the waves. She calls, I answer.
“Can I take you out for breakfast, baby?”
My best friend doesn’t like that, and I have to fight a grin when he grumbles his displeasure. Tough shit. He’s gonna have to get used to me calling his sister all sorts of sickening pet names.
Mira sucks her lower lip between her teeth, considering me. “I have a lot of work to do…”
I nod, having expected this. I’m not happy, but I expected it. Snagging my coffee from the carrier, I hand her the rest. Then I grab the bag I’d set to the side and hand her that too. “Okay. Tomorrow, then. I brought you some clothes and things I thought you might need. Obviously, you can come home whenever you want. To pick things up or to stay. But this way, you have the essentials.”
Tears pool in Mira’s eyes, and I hate it. I want to shove my way through the door and wrap her in my arms, kiss her senseless, and promise that everything will work out. But I won’t. Because I pushed her to accept this in the beginning. I pushed her to accept me.
This time, the choice has to be all hers.
So I’ll show her all the reasons she should choose me.
“Call me if you need anything, sunshine. I don’t care where I am or what I’m doing, I’ll drop everything for you. I love you.”
“Griffin, I…” Mira’s mouth moves, the words I know she wants to say trapped in her throat.
I smile sadly at her. “I know, baby. I’ll see you later.”
Isla reaches out and gives my hand a squeeze before Maddox shoves me back. His eyes are hard as he glares at me. Then he shuts the door in my face.
Practice today should be interesting.
“What happened to your face?”Ryder reaches out and grabs my chin, studying the love mark my best friend gave me. He pulls back when I wince.
“Long story.”
