Hugh clears his throat, the sound measured. “There are rules in place?—”
“I don’t give a damn about your rules,” I rasp. “The three of us are a family now, and that’s all that matters.”
Another charged silence stretches, until it feels seconds away from detonating.
Evelyn clears her throat, attempting to ease the pressure. “Perhaps we should take a moment to gain some clarity.”
Her attention shifts to Rina as understanding floods her eyes along with a hint of regret.
When I drag my focus back to the woman at my side, her eyes are bright with unshed tears. She doesn’t speak or reach for me. Instead, she folds further into herself, shoulders curling inward like she’s trying to disappear.
Hugh’s voice cuts through the quiet. “If I bend the rules for you, what’s the point in having them at all?”
I grind my jaw so hard it aches.
“I understand,” she whispers.
Evelyn leans forward, tone soft but firm. “Hugh, surely we have some flexibility?—”
He cuts her off. “No, we don’t.”
Rina blinks, her lashes fluttering. She’s holding herself together with nothing but sheer force of will. One wrong word and she’ll break.
“Oliver and Rina,” Evelyn says, forcing a serene smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “Would you mind giving us a moment?”
“Sure,” I mutter, rising to my feet. My arm slips around Rina automatically, steadying her as I guide her over the threshold.
“If you wouldn’t mind closing the door on your way out,” Evelyn adds gently as we step into the hall.
The air out here is cooler. It’s a relief after the oppressiveness of Hugh’s office. Rina nearly collapses against the wall, her knees buckling. I catch her before she hits the floor, and drag her to me, holding her tight. She trembles as her breath comes in shallow, uneven pulls.
“You’re not alone in this,” I remind her. “You might not have figured it out yet, but you’ve been mine since day one. Which means your battles are mine to fight.” I tilt her chin upward until her gaze catches mine. “If you want me to ask for a trade, I’ll do it.”
Her eyes flare as disbelief fills them. “You’d really do that?”
There’s zero hesitation on my part. “Babe, I’d do just about anything you asked me to. Short of murder. And honestly? That’s not a hard line for me.”
Her lips quiver as an exhale leaves them. “Can you imagine the hate I’d get if the Big O got traded because of me? The fans would run me out of Chicago.”
I press my forehead against hers as my thumb brushes away a tear that’s slipped free. “No one has to know the reason.”
Even though she shakes her head, I see the faint spark of hope that fills her eyes.
“What about starting your own PR firm?” I ask, searching for anything that might give her back even a shred of control she’s lost. “The Railers didn’t make your career. You did that all on your own. They’ve just been lucky enough to have you.”
She stares at me for a long beat. Her mouth parts just as the door creaks open and Evelyn beckons us back inside.
I lace my fingers with Rina’s before squeezing them tight. It’s a silent vow that whatever comes next, she won’t face it alone.
This time, she doesn’t pull away.
Something shifts between us. It hums with everything we haven’t said, and everything I might’ve broken trying to protect her.
37
Rina
My stomach knots, fear lodging in my throat as if I’m already choking on the fallout.
