There are others.
Images of me watching Winter with a little too much interest at Our Open Table.
Photos that look like I’m touching her back at the Food Bank when Kayleigh came over to flirt with me.
Then there are more damning ones—ones that make me ten times angrier than the pictures of us at my house.
These were taken in front ofherapartment the day I’d found out about Ashton’s brother.
Images of me pulling up.
Getting out.
Storming inside the building.
Those could probably be explained. I look angry. Like a man on a mission, ready to burn down the world. It’s the pictures taken of me leaving her place with disheveled hair, a flushed face, and rumpled clothes that’s the most damning.
There are more. Some of the same ones that Ashton showed me from a “source” that gave them to TMZ. Not just the driver. But Mikhail himself.
“Why are you showing me these?” I ask, grinding my teeth. “When we both know you’re the one responsible for them being taken.”
He doesn’t deny it. “You have continued to make a mockery of my daughter,” he tells me under his breath so the people surrounding us can’t hear. “And, in turn, me. I will make sure you pay for that.”
If I could hit him, I would. But that wouldn’t get me anywhere. “Do what you have to, Yokav. But Winter stays out of it. You’re not the only one who can fuck someone over.”
His head cocks as he studies me, and something passive crosses his features. “You have the audacity to care about a random woman. Perhaps even more than my daughter.”
“I love Emaly,” I state matter-of-factly. There hasn’t been a day I haven’t loved his daughter. “I will always love her. But you know nothing,sir. If you don’t understand that, it’s because you’ve put the wedge between her and you. Not me. Not my actions. Andnotbecause of Winter. I will not let you screw over an innocent person’s life so you can gain control of mine.”
He powers off his screen and tucks it carefully into the inside pocket of his suit jacket. “You have a strange way of showing how much you love your wife, considering these photos exist. How old is she? Nineteen? Twenty?”
My nostrils flare. “She’s twenty-five,” I hiss to him. “And you probably already know that too. I’m sure you’ve done your research.”
He hums. “She has a sad background. Very unfortunate to experience so much loss. It would be a great shame if she experienced more. I’m sure her boss will not be happy of her current relations with a client. No?”
He’s threatening her job. These photos are to put me in my place, but that’s not going to happen.
I take a step forward, but he lifts his hand to stop me. “If you do anything to her—”
“I won’t,” he promises, “as long as you don’t fuck up my season. If I see you purposefully do anything to let the otherteams win, I will bench you for the season and find a way to trade you faster than you can blink.”
So, practice the other day got to him. And just like before, he’s going after what I love to get what he wants. “I have to be on the ice.”
“My daughter should have a loyal husband,” he spits at me before stepping back and adjusting his suit jacket. “Looks like everybody is going to be disappointed by your actions.”
“If you wanted positive press, why leak those photos to them?” I ask. “What does that get you?”
He smiles easily. “Control.”
“Do you really think this is going to win over your daughter? Emaly considers Winter a friend. You stepping into her life is only going to make her even angrier at you than she already is.”
“How can she be angrier at me than you? I am not the one who has chosen another woman.”
I snort. “You’ve chosen everything over Emaly. Sasha. Your businesses. Now hockey. There has never been a moment when you put Emaly first.”
His eyes sharpen. “And you are to tell meyouhave?”
There’s no hesitation. “Yes. I’ve done everything in my power to love and protect your daughter in ways you have continuously failed to do.”
