Page 68 of Verdict

I barely heard any of it. My chest was still heaving, adrenaline pumping hard through my veins, but my eyes were already drifting back toward the stands.

Toward her.

Ava was on her feet, bouncing slightly with Ellie still tucked against her chest, a wide smile lighting up her face.

For a split second, everything else faded.

No Hudson.

No game.

No noise.

Just her, our daughter, and that look on her face like she was proud of me.

Beckham grabbed me first, yanking me into a quick chest bump. “That’s what I’m talking about, Jordan!”

And just like that—

It was gone. That brief, quiet calm she gave me.

Now replaced by the same restless tension that had been riding me all damn night.

The Aviators were going to the ALDS. Again. My home run in the bottom of the fifth, coupled with Shane being an absolute beast as our closer, secured the win.

And no. I was not giving Hudson any credit.

Between the media and the chaos, I wasn't able to see Ava and Ellie after the game. I hoped to see them tomorrow, but for tonight, I was going out and celebrating with the guys.

I made my way toward the back of the club Beckham had chosen and spotted the roped-off section where most of the guys were already seated. Shane was standing, and once he shifted to the left, a familiar blonde came into view.

Kate.

She looked exactly the same. Perfect hair, perfect body, that same easy confidence that used to make things simple.

No expectations. No complications. No thinking.

Just… fun. That was the point, right? That was who I was. The Aviators' resident playboy. The guy who didn’t get attached. Didn’t overthink. Didn’t care. I’d had a whole roster of women who fit neatly into that life, and for a long time, it worked.

It was easy. I had control.

My jaw tightened, because standing there, looking at her now—

I felt absolutely nothing.

She spotted me instantly and practically jumped to her feet to greet me. "Cohen!" She wrapped her arms around my neck. "You were incredible tonight." She pushed onto her tiptoes and placed a kiss on my cheek. I resisted the urge to immediately wipe it off.

I looked down at her with a forced smile. "Thanks," I replied flatly. Just as my hands were about to wrap around her wrists to peel her off me, I saw them.

Hudson—with Ava and Aria.

They made their way over to the group, Hudson’s hand resting low on Ava’s back. My blood ran hot, pounding in my ears. My vision tunneled, the edges blurring with anger.

What the fuck is she doing here?

This wasn’t supposed to matter.

And that was the problem.