Page 109 of Code Violation

She raises her arms above her head, and I remove her T-shirt, immediately clamping my mouth around her nipple. I groan out my approval. Her skin tastes so fucking good.

“It’s too early for my milk,” she teases, giggling when I swipe my tongue over the hard nub.

I pop off and gaze up at her, feeling drunk on this incredible feeling.

She loves me.

“Yeah, but when it does arrive, best believe I’ll be feeding really fucking well each night.”

35

. . .

Vesper

“Damn, girl. Stanton looks like it was made for you.” Marley smooths a palm across the name stamped across my back. “It almost makes me want a hockey boyfriend.” She winks at me, one hand toying with the tip of her long ponytail.

Marley is your classic catalog girl and totally stunning. I have no doubt that she’d be able to snap up a hockey guy in seconds. Any guy, to be honest.

I raise a brow at her as the players skate back onto the ice for the second period. They’re two to one, up against Orlando, and I’ve been staring at Silas the whole time. He’s playing so well and giving a big middle finger to the fans who called for him to be benched. I’m happy—and relieved—that Coach Callaghan and the owners eventually saw sense and kept him on the roster.

“I think your boyfriend would have something to say about you getting with a hockey guy.”

She clicks her tongue, leans back in her seat, and crosses her ankles. Sitting in the family box means we can actually have a conversation during games, but there’s just something about being ice level.

“Honestly, Ves, I’m getting to the point where I’m not all that sure he’d be bothered.”

I sit forward, and Marley’s eyes fall to my growing bump.

“Did you guys break up?”

From where she’s standing a few feet away, Drew’s head darts to us, eyes wide with shock. I guess I did shriek pretty loud.

Marley doesn’t really react—or at least not in the way I’d expect a girl who was supposed to be in love to react to a question like that. If someone asked whether Silas and I had split, I’d put that shit straight in a heartbeat.

“No, we didn’t break up … but other than that, I don’t really know what to say.”

Drew comes to sit next to me just as her fiancé puts the Rogues another goal ahead. Despite what her younger sister just said, I see pride for her man as it flashes in her eyes. I imagine that’s what mine look like each time Silas gets the puck.

“I don’t understand, Marl,” Drew says. “You moved to Vancouver to be with him, and you even talked about how you hoped Greg would propose one day.”

I can sense the anguish inside Marley, but more than that, I’ve seen that kind of look on a girl’s face before—one I used to wear all too often when I looked in the mirror and tried to convince myself that my relationship with Kane wasn’t all wrong and he wasn’t sucking the goddamn life from me.

It’s been two weeks since he talked to the press, and I personally believe my boyfriend’s representatives have handled my toxic ex perfectly. Making a short statement to assert our innocence and then giving all the bullshit noise exactly what it deserves—silence.

Best believe Kane will never hear another word from me. Back in October, I was done with our back-and-forth relationship, and now he’s dead to me too.

“I …” Marley’s voice cracks a fraction, and I take her hand in mine. She swallows and starts again. “I thought he loved me, Drew, but then I started spending more time with you and Will and now Vesper and Silas, and I’m starting to see the cracks in our relationship. Greg never travels to Seattle with me.” She throws up a hand. “Hell, he won’t even come out to a club or suggest we head out for a date night.” She shakes her head, chewing once on her bottom lip. “I want more than that. I want excitement like Mom and Dad still have and like every other girl sitting around me clearly has.”

“Take it from me, Marley.” Out of nowhere, June appears and hands her a glass of wine. “Love is overrated. A few dates and a casual fuck are where it’s at.”

Drew’s jaw pops open, and June just shrugs as she takes a seat opposite us.

“Take tonight, for example. After the game, I’m meeting a guy for dinner. It’s been several weeks since I last hooked up with anyone, and I plan to take full advantage of his hospitality.” She crosses her jean-covered legs and rests an elbow on one knee. “Does this guy want more? Who knows?! But believe me he won’t be getting more than one night with me if anything is below average.” She wiggles her brows suggestively. “If you catch my drift.”

I bark out a laugh and point at June. “There’s a lot of sense in there, Marl. And take it from me—you do not want to waste your early twenties on a guy who won’t treat you right.”

Marley picks up her wineglass and takes a sip, setting it down on a small table beside her. “But we started off so well, you know? And now he’s spending most nights on the couch.”