BAILEE-I sighed at the familiar voice. “Nicole. It’s Bailee Joh…Evans. I need some help. Please tell me you have a key to Ben’s house or know someone who does. I need a place to stay tonight and a ride. I don’t have a car or car seat and don’t know who else to call.”It was humiliating that I didn’t have a key, but Ben and I weren't very close anymore. My best friend was on vacation with her boyfriend, and my parents lived hours away.“Bailee! Um, yeah! Give me a second!”There was some rustling on the other line, and over the loud music and sound of the packed bar, I could hear her talking to someone for a moment before she picked up the phone again.“I’ve got you, girl! Mason will be there soon. Give me your address!”I could have cried from relief that it was someone other than Alex as I gave her my address.While holding the phone between my shoulder and cheek, I got Brinley dressed before setting her on her bed to lie down until it was time to leave.Over the next few minutes, I
ALEXANDER I stepped forward, moving around Bailee as Caleb dropped the bag with a huff of anger. For several years, he had done everything he could to take down my company but had never grown the balls to address me directly, so I hadn't bothered wasting my time and resources on him. Knowing he
There was a little blood on my knuckles, and I bent down, wiping it on Caleb’s shirt before turning to leave. “You’re not going to get away with this!” The woman shouted, but I just laughed. "We will have you locked up for the rest of your life!" “Good luck with that,” Bash said before opening the front door. I followed behind him, seething. Caleb deserved everything bad in the world and had just convinced me that I needed to do everything within my power to ensure that happened. My SUV was waiting at the front of the building, and as I heard sirens, I tossed my keys to Bash. Of the three of us, he had the least to drink tonight and was the only one I would trust to drive with Bailee and her daughter in the car. Mason opened the car door, and my eyes met Bailee’s beside him as he slid out to join us. She looked worried, scared even, and it felt so fucking good as her eyes roamed up and down my body as if she were checking to see if I was okay. She cared.I had be
BAILEEI had turned in my seat, staring through the back window as the cops surrounded Alex, shoving him to the ground and forcing his arms behind his back. My heart ached from the sight, and tears welled in my eyes as I savored the fact that I had someone in my corner, even if it were only for a few minutes. I owed Alex for what he had just done, and I hated that he was being arrested for defending me and Brinley. By the time we pulled up to my brother’s house, one way too large for only one person, Brinley’s forehead had cooled, and she was dozing in and out of sleep. I had held her to my chest tightly, terrified that we would be in a car accident and she would be sent flying without a car seat.“Baby, we’re going to stay in Uncle Ben’s house for a little bit,” I whispered, wanting her to know where she was even though she was falling asleep. It would be terrifying for her to wake up in a strange place in the morning.“Uncle Ben?” She asked, her excitement muffled by her exhaustion
BAILEEI squeezed my eyes shut as I failed to swallow back a sob, and prayed that he would have the answers to my questions.“You lean on family, and we hold you up until you have healed and can walk on your own again.”I missed him. I missed my brother so much, and I needed him.I hated that he was so far away right now when all I wanted to do was curl up under his arm like I was still a kid and let my big brother hug me until everything was right with the world again.Yet, I couldn’t. It didn’t even feel right to cry right now when I had a sick little girl sleeping down the hall that I needed to be strong for. “I can walk just fine.”“Okay, run then. I’ll walk with you until you can run again,” Ben said, and I laughed, wiping my hand over my cheeks to get rid of the tears. “Once you can, I’ll go back to cheering you on from the sidelines.”Guilt crashed into me again. When was the last time I had been to one of Ben's games to literally cheer him on from the sidelines?I had wanted to
ALEXANDERI was a fucking idiot.Since the day I met her as a kid, Bailee Evans had been the only one who could get to me. Whenever she was around, all my control snapped.Now, I had to deal with the fallout of my actions once again.Only this time, it was worth it because it was for her and Caleb Johnson had it coming.Caleb had no right to yell at, touch, or even be near Bailee at this point. I knew it wasn’t normal to feel this protective, but with our past it felt justifiable. Plus, Ben would want me looking out for his sister.My mugshot would be on every tabloid and news channel first thing in the morning, and I would take it with a smile after seeing Caleb’s face smashed in.“How did you get out of jail?” Bailee asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she popped her hip out.At least she still had a fire in her after everything she had been through. I used to love bickering with her and hearing her sass.We would banter back and forth until I couldn’t take it anymore and had
ALEXANDER“I’m sorry that I hurt you. It was the last thing that I wanted to do, but I wasn’t given a choice.”“I just said we shouldn’t talk about it!” She snapped before looking down the hallway, fear on her face. “Shit! We are going to wake her. Just...just get out!”“Look, I’m going to be around, especially if you’re going to be living with Ben. He’s one of my best friends, and you may not know this since you don’t answer his calls, but he’s been going through a hard time, too.” I said, running my hands through my hair, irritation running through me as the raw skin of my wrists from that rookie cop purposely putting the cuffs on too tight caught my eye.“What? Is he okay? What’s going on?” Bailee instantly relaxed. Her concern for her brother was apparent in the way she stood a little taller, as if instinctively preparing to shield or fight for him.“He’s fine, but it’s not my story to tell. Still, I think it would be best if we could put the past behind us to make things easier f
BAILEE My phone ringing startled me awake, though I hadn’t intended to pass out on the couch. Usually, when Brinley was sick, I would sleep in her room to ensure she was okay. I jumped for the phone to keep the ringer from waking Brinley. It had been pointless, though, because I cursed loudly
EPILOGUE “Go, go, go!” Sebastian screamed from next to me, standing and leaning over the person in front of him as if Ben could hear him over the crowd and the glass. Then again, with how loud the man was, he just might. I had only known Bash in passing from when I worked for Ben as his assista
HAVEN ONE MONTH LATER My eyes kept moving from the woman before me to the clock on the wall behind her. I wanted to be here, but I had more important places to be. She had run over with her last client, which made us run over and caused me to be late for an important game. Ben had been stressin
BEN Haven was empty for the next few weeks as she flew back and forth, cleaning out the house her ex-husband had left her. It had been Cynthia’s home, too, and Haven had been taking extra care and devotion to ensuring things were handled and gone through properly. I had gone with her a few times,
HAVEN Her hand was cold, and I adjusted her blanket to cover her arm. The lawyers had come in and refused to admit any fault of the hospital, even though Cynthia had her ID on her and even knew one of the paramedics who brought her in for them to have given the hospital her name. They should ha
HAVEN Sitting in the airport in the middle of the night with a toddler who got angry each time the loudspeaker called for another flight and disturbed her sleep was not what I had been prepared for. My mind was a foggy mess. All I could picture was Cynthia falling down the stairs. How long had sh
BEN Being excited about an ex getting involved in my life might not have been the best thing when things were already tense, but fuck did it feel good to know I did indeed have friends in high places and they were watching my back. Was I still expecting them to hold it over me and try to get me t
BEN It was odd pulling up to the house and finding there wasn’t a single paparazzi in sight. After today’s news, I expected them to be ready to break down my gate for a story, but no one was there. Instead, a blacked-out SUV sat across the street, and my stomach twisted when I realized it was pro
HAVEN I needed to get out of the house. Staying inside was driving me crazy, and I couldn’t take it anymore. My last job interview was a week ago, and while I keep applying, no one wants to hire the woman all over the tabloids with a sex tape. Our PR team managed to get it taken down, but it stil
BEN “Rangers player Benjamin Evans is today’s hot topic. Now fans were petitioning for him to be traded for his performance last season. Even I wanted him gone, and I’ve followed his career since he was being scouted.” The reporters around him laughed, and I gritted my jaw. “I know. I remember hi