Axel (Carolina Reapers 1)

She hadn’t come.

I debated calling her, checking in to see how she was, or to get her opinion on what to do about Tage’s care. But she’d made it clear that work was her first priority, even over family.

My phone rang, and my heart jumped into my throat thinking that maybe it was—

Lukas.

“Hey,” I answered, letting my head fall back against the wall.

“How is he? Why the fuck haven’t you called?” he snapped. “I haven’t heard from you since you landed at the airport!”

“Been a little busy, asshole.” I laughed without joy. “God, Luk. He had to have both ACLs repaired. One tore, and one ripped clean off the bone. Then he threw a fucking blood clot, and I almost lost him.” I shut my eyes against the glaring overhead lights.

“Shit. I’m so sorry, Axel. What’s the prognosis?”

“He’ll walk, probably run with pain, but skating…” My throat closed.

“Fuck.”

We both knew that one day we’d be too old, too slow, too broken to play professionally, but to see it happen to someone as young as Tage was soul crushing.

“He can’t fly for six weeks, and I can’t stay. I don’t know what to do,” I ended in a whisper. At least if someone had to hear me lose my shit, it was my best friend.

“What does Langley think?”

“I’ll tell you if she ever calls.”

“What?” His voice escalated. “Are you telling me she hasn’t called?”

“Why would she? She had no problem reminding me that we’re divorcing in three weeks.” A bitter taste coated my tongue.

“What? When?”

“Right after I found out and begged her to come with me. But she was too busy handling Cannon’s shit show to be here with me.” I’d learned in the States that there was a whole different definition for salty, and I was pretty much the poster boy at the moment.

“The Cannon shit is bad. He hasn’t played at all this series, and we only have one game left before we head back to Charleston.”

“How have you guys held up in Chicago?” I fell into the Reaper world for a second, letting the weight of the hospital lift from my shoulders.

“Lost the first by two and second by one.”

I cursed.

“How…” I sighed again. God, I was turning into a mopey ass. “How is Langley?”

“She’s Langley. Handling the Cannon situation as professionally as possible, but I can tell she’s worried. She’s sad.”

My chest tightened. “She’ll get the situation figured out, and she’ll be fine.”

“I think she’s stressed about you,” Lukas said slowly.

“I highly doubt it.” Cynicism rolled through me, stretching its dark, oily thoughts all through my veins.

“Axe, she cares about you.”

“Cares about me? That’s great. I love her, Lukas. I’m in love with her. I married her. I moved to Charleston for her. I have two cats because of her. Well, I guess I had two cats, but I won’t be the dick Devon was, so naturally, she’ll get them in the divorce.” She’d move back to her apartment by the arena, and I’d be left in that giant fucking house with every single memory we’d made.

The cracking in my chest felt suspiciously like a broken heart.

“Yeah, I know,” he said softly. “Just don’t give up on her. You know her past, and she’s never going to feel like she can put someone before her job. It’s why her mom abandoned her. And it was all she had when Devon walked out, and she probably thinks it’s all she’ll have when you leave too.”

“She’s the one leaving. Not me. I physically left the country to be here with my brother. She emotionally left me. She chose the money, the paycheck over family.” Just when I’d thought we were breaking new ground and building something real together.

“She chose certainty over the risk.”

“Are you really excusing her?” I sat up, relieved to see that I was still in the waiting room. The risk of reporters here was nothing compared to back in the states, but I didn’t need strangers knowing about the giant dumpster fire of my home life.

“No,” Lukas answered, and I could almost picture him shaking his head. “I’m telling you not to put a knife into your relationship. I know you. You love hard, man, but when you’re done, you sever that shit even harder. Do. Not. Sever. It. Not while you’re reeling from what’s happened to Tage. Fighting for your relationship is worth it.”

I heard Faith’s voice enter the background and guessed she’d just come into their hotel room. Faith, who’d uprooted her whole life to be with Lukas. Who’d modified her dream so they could both have it all. “Sure, for you. Because let’s be honest. If you were in my chair, here for your mom? Your grandmother? You know Faith would be sitting right beside you. She would have handed her workload over to Langley and chosen you.”