Page 90 of Defend Her Heart

I’m about to leave the locker room again when Niko walks in.

“Hey, man. I just talked to Sadie. She told me Avery saw the article.”

“Motherfucker.” I go to push past him but he stops me.

“She’s okay. Sadie is heading to your place now with lunch. They’re going to watch some medical show together or something. Sadie wanted me to tell you she’s got it covered. You can stop freaking out now.” He smiles at me and claps my shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go get ready and you can tell me all about the ring Avery was wearing in that photo.”

Fuck.

I tell Niko I don’t want to talk about it in front of the team, so we wait until we’re on the stationery bikes warming up before talking. Avery mentioned she told Sadie about our arrangement, so I’m surprised to see the genuine shock on Niko’s face when I fill him in. I could’ve sworn Sadie would have told him by now.

“No fucking shit. And now she’s staying with you?”

I nod and hum, knowing where he’s going with this.

“Did you two consummate the marriage yet?”

I turn and shove him, causing him to nearly fall off his bike. “Fuck off.”

Laughing, he rights himself on his seat. It’s typical locker room talk, but I know Niko well enough to know that he really doesn’t want to know the answer to that question.

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist.” We continue pedaling our bikes, lost in the repetitive movement when he surprises me with a question. “So, are you going to tell her you still love her or are you going to keep pretending it’s not that serious?”

This time when I shove him, he does fall off his bike.

This can’t be happening.

Why the hell would someone be at the hospital taking pictures of me and Connor? Better yet, who the fuck is this Roger Park guy spreading rumors that I might be pregnant?

I google his name and see a slew of articles reporting that he was escorted out and banned from the Green Bay Bobcats arena after a postgame press conference last season. There’s also articles he’s written in the past, all of them pretty much having one thing in common: He hates women. I scroll past one of his articles bashing Ellie, shaking my head. There’s another about Sloane after she was hired by the team, and one about the first female hockey player in the NHL who plays for the D.C. Stars. This man is disgusting.

My phone lights up with an incoming text. Sadie already called me and talked me off the ledge after I forwarded her the article. This time, it’s Connor’s name on my screen. He’s wondering if I’m coming to the arena because that was my original plan. I know for a fact I wouldn’t be able to get much work done with where my head is at right now. After a few minutes, I type out a reply.

Sadie is on her way over. I’m assuming you saw the article and that’s why you’re checking in. Thank you. I’m okay. Or, I will be. See you after practice. Xoxo.

I put my phone down on the coffee table and lean back on the couch, trying to catch my bearings. I’m finally calming down when the buzzer sounds from downstairs. Rushing to the speaker, I ask the doorman to let Sadie up and wait for the elevator. As soon as the doors open, Sadie flings herself into me.

“Roger Park is the absolute fucking worst. I’m so sorry you were his next victim.” She finally unlatches herself from me but remains close. “Are you okay? I brought sushi. Tell me what you need and we’ll do it.”

The devastation I felt after reading that article slowly begins to subside. I’m so damn lucky I have Sadie in my life.

“You’re already doing it.”

Sadie smiles, and we walk together to the kitchen where she lays out all the sushi options she grabbed.

“I wasn’t sure what you liked. Niko told me to grab one of everything just to be safe.”

My heart swells at the kindness of not only the woman sitting next to me, but also the Bobcats captain. I grab a crunchy crab roll with my fingers, because I have no clue how to use chopsticks, and dip it into the soy sauce before taking my first bite.

“Mmm. This is freaking delicious.”

Sadie points her chopsticks at me. “Best sushi in town.”

We continue eating in comfortable silence for a few minutes. I’m dipping another roll in soy sauce when Sadie turns in her stool.

“Okay. So, now that you’ve had food, can you tell me how you really are? Because I know you’re not okay. Your ex-husband is in town for a game tomorrow, and a scumbagwrote a horrible article about you. Let it out. I promise you’ll feel better.”

She’s right. I’m not even a little bit okay. With the impending arrival of my ex-husband, I’ve already been completely on edge. To add to my misery, not only did the article bash me as a female commentator, but there’s a picture of Connor and me, complete with a ring on my left hand, and the internet thinks I’m knocked up. You’d think all of that would cause anyone to crumble, but it’s really the last thing that’s wrecking me the most.