Rook POVI stare at him, my brain taking an extra second to process that last part.“He knew?” My voice is calm. Too calm.Kade nods. “Heard the whispers. Knew someone had fucked with your car. Decided to keep his mouth shut and see if you’d end up as a smear on the highway.”A slow, simmering rage settles in my chest. Not the kind that burns hot and fast, but the kind that lingers, waiting for the right moment to be unleashed.“Right,” I say, rolling my shoulders. “So you hit him?”Kade snorts. “Hit him? No, Rook, I fucking wrecked him.”That makes me feel slightly better, but only slightly. My fingers twitch at my sides. “Is he still breathing?”“Barely,” Kade says, eyes watching me carefully. “Your father gave the go-ahead, but I figured you might want to decide how this ends.”I exhale through my nose, willing the fury to settle before I do something reckless.Jonathan. That spineless piece of shit. Not only did he know, but he waited to see if I’d die. And now Kade has given me a
Kade POVI grab a clean shirt from the basket and pull it on as I head upstairs. I should’ve known Harlow would run straight to Rook, that kid is easily bribed.“Wait for me,” Rook mutters behind me, and I glance back. He’s already pulling off his damp shirt, digging through his things. “I need dry clothes, then I’m coming. Someone has to help Harlow kick your ass at the games,” he shrugs before walking past me.By the time I reach the room, Harlow is grinning, sitting beside Rose with a tablet in her lap, scrolling through dolls online.“A doll?” I raise a brow, looking between them.“Apparently, being refused a new one made her agree quickly,” Nikolai chuckles, arms crossed as he leans against the desk. “Girl’s got a brain on her, I’ll give her that, didn’t even hesitate to take the bribe.”Yeah, she also didn’t hesitate to throw me under the bus. I ruffle her hair, smirking as she swats at my hand. “We’ll leave soon,” I tell her. She barely acknowledges me, too busy pointing at som
Kade POVBy the time we’re driving, she’s already listing every game she’s going to beat us at, her tiny feet kicking against the seat, her excitement filling the space between us.“You always win,” I point out, glancing at her in the mirror.She beams. “’Cause I’m the best!”Rook leans back, throwing an arm over the seat. “So sure of yourself, princess. What if I win?”She snorts. Actually snorts.“Daddy Rook, you never win,” she says, all serious.I burst out laughing as Rook scowls. “Excuse me?”“You’re too slow,” she declares. “And Daddy Kade is too big, he don’t fit in the car game good!”I glance at Rook. “She’s not wrong.”He flips me off and I just smirk.This is what matters, not the throne. Not the power plays. Not Nikolai’s doubts.It’s this.Rook in the passenger seat, Harlow in the back, her tiny voice filling the car, completely confident that she’s going to destroy us both at every game.Nothing, no one, is taking this from me.By the time we pull into the parking lot,
Rook POVBy the time we get back, Harlow is rubbing at her eyes, her sugar rush finally wearing off. She tries to fight it, but the second she yawns, I know she’s done for.Kade stretches, glancing at her. “I got her,” he says, but before he can take a step, Nikolai’s voice cuts through the house.“Kade,” my father calls. “I need a word.”I glance at Kade, and for a second, his jaw tightens, so slight that no one but me would catch it.Harlow tugs at his hand. “You said you’d tuck me in,” she mumbles sleepily.Kade runs a hand over her hair, his voice softer now. “Daddy Rook’s got you, princess. I’ll come see you in a bit.”She pouts but doesn’t argue when I scoop her up. “Alright, kid, let’s get you to bed before you start snoring on me.”“I don’t snore,” she mutters against my shoulder.“Uh-huh,” I say, carrying her toward her room.She’s nearly asleep by the time I set her down, but she still makes a sleepy grab for my hand when I go to pull the blankets over her. I pause, letting
Rook POVI lean down, nipping at his collarbone. “You know I do,” I murmur against his skin. “But that smart mouth of yours is gonna get you in trouble.”His hands slide up my back, blunt nails dragging lightly. “Promise?”I growl low in my throat, capturing his lips in a bruising kiss. My tongue delves into his mouth, tasting, claiming. Kade responds with equal fervor, his body arching up into mine.Breaking the kiss, I trail my lips down his neck, leaving a path of bites and kisses. Kade’s breathing grows heavier, his fingers tangling in my hair as I work my way lower.“Rook,” he groans as I reach his chest, my tongue flicking over a nipple.I smirk against his skin, continuing my descent. “Patience. I’m gonna take you apart piece by piece.”My kiss down his body, my mouth moving lower until it wraps around his cock.Kade’s hips buck up involuntarily as I take him into my mouth. I press my forearm across his hips, holding him down as I work him with my tongue and lips. His fingers t
Rook POVI wake up alone, the space beside me empty and already cooling. A frown pulls at my brows as I sit up, rubbing a hand over my face.Kade never mentioned leaving early.Pushing the thought aside for now, I get up, shower quickly, and throw on some clothes before heading downstairs.Rose is sitting with Harlow, who’s sprawled out on the floor, fully focused on whatever toy she’s currently making fight for its life.I scoop her up, pressing a kiss to the top of her messy curls. She giggles but immediately starts squirming, swatting at me.“Daddy Rook!” she whines. “I’m busy!”I smirk, tightening my hold for a second just to annoy her before setting her back down. “Yeah, yeah. Where’s Daddy Mercer?”“Grandad said he had to work,” she says, already back to her game like it’s not a big deal.My frown deepens. Work?“They were meeting someone,” Rose adds, watching me carefully. “I can’t remember who, but he mentioned The Blackwood and the meeting room there.”That pulls me up short.
Rook POVI lean back on the couch, drink in hand, letting their conversation wash over me. I don’t check my phone, I avoid thinking about Kade, my father doesn't even enter my mine. Tonight I just exist.The night moves on easily, the way it always does when I’m with the team. No pressure. No expectations. Just mindless conversation, food, and drinks. It’s the kind of distraction I need, the kind that keeps my thoughts from circling back to the one thing I don’t want to deal with.But it only lasts so long.Jake checks the time, sighing as he stretches. “We’ve got a game tomorrow. I’m calling it.”Lucas groans but nods, setting his empty bottle down. “Yeah, I don’t need Coach breathing down my neck first thing in the morning.”They start wrapping things up, tossing trash, grabbing their stuff. Normally, I’d be right there with them, getting ready for the next game, but not anymore. Not since I switched to part-time.Jake glances at me. “You heading home?”I shake my head. “Think I’ll
Rook POVThe drinks keep coming, the conversation flowing, and everything is just easy. The tension that’s been riding me all night dulls under the whiskey, sinking into something looser, something that doesn’t feel like it’s pressing against my ribs, demanding to be dealt with.Tyler’s an asshole, but he’s a funny asshole, and the more we drink, the more we lean into each other, shoving, laughing, shoulders bumping.At some point, he mutters something about how I probably skate slow as hell since I’ve only been playing part-time. I scoff, reaching out and shoving his face away with my palm, making him nearly choke on his drink.He sputters, grinning as he grabs my wrist, dragging my hand down. “Cheap shot, Rook.”“Like you wouldn’t take one,” I fire back, knocking his arm off mine.He chuckles, shaking his head as he takes another sip of his drink. “You’re lucky I like you.”I smirk, grabbing my glass. “That makes one of us.”He laughs, and before I know it, we’re leaning into each o
Rook POVKade hasn’t moved much since he finally let himself collapse into me. He’s still pressed against my side, his head resting against my shoulder, his breathing is slower now, but there’s still something off. He’s not asleep, but he’s not really here either. He’s stuck somewhere in his own fucking head, lost in thoughts I can’t pull him out of, so I just sit here with him, my arm around him, my hand rubbing slow, steady circles on his back.I don’t rush him, I don’t tell him to get up, get over it, and move on.I just wait, because for once, he’s not trying to pretend.The car slows, the subtle shift in movement telling me we’ve arrived at the airstrip. I glance out the window and see the jet waiting, the engines already running, ready to take us the fuck away from here.Damon is standing by the car before we even get out, his face unreadable as he opens the door. “Rose t
Rook POVI don’t think I’ve ever seen Kade like this, not once.Not when he came home hurt from that fight my dad forced him into, not when things with work went to shit, not even when he was exhausted and running on nothing but adrenaline. He always had control, always held himself together, always showed only what he wanted people to see.Kade doesn’t break. He gets angry, he gets cocky, he gets jealous, but he never lets himself be sad. He’s never cried, not in the five years I’ve been married to him. Not even once. I can't remember a time before that when he has either.Now, he’s falling apart in my arms, his body shaking, his is breathing ragged, as his hands grip at my shirt like he doesn’t know how to let go.I hold him tighter, keeping him pressed against me, my fingers still buried in his hair. He fought me at first, tried to pull away, tried to convince himself he didn’t deserve this, but I
Kade POVI can’t stop shaking. My whole fucking body feels wrong, like my skin is too tight. I feel like I’m trapped inside something I can’t break out of and my hands keep flexing and curling into fists because I don’t know what the fuck else to do with them.Rook is still holding onto me, still looking at me like I’m worth something, and I don’t fucking understand it.“I’ve fucked up everything,” I whisper, my voice hoarse.Rook exhales, his grip on my jaw loosening slightly, his fingers brushing against my skin. “Kade—”“No,” I cut him off, shaking my head. “I have. I fucking have, Rook. You sat there and told me you thought I’d change after we got married. That you thought I’d let you in. I didn’t, instead I spent five years treating this like it wasn’t real, like if I let myself believe I had you, it would mean I’d lose you.”Rook doesn’t say anything, doesn’t interrupt, he just watches as I fall apart in front of him.“I wasn’t
Kade POVRook is staring at me, and I’m not sure why. “You knew?” I ask.“Yeah, don’t shout I fucking forgot because of everything.”I’m not about to shout. It’s not his fault, I wasn’t there so he couldn’t tell me.“I’m not about to shout, I just don’t get why you let her stay.”Turning, he faces me more. “I wasn’t going to, but everyone looked at me like I was heartless. She’s dying Kade, and had I sent her away without you knowing it wouldn’t have gone down well.”I nod and look out of the window. How have I fucked up so much? When did it get to a point where if I make a move on him, it’s something calculated and meaning more is happening?When did things turn to shit? I push to figure it out and I hate it because the more I focus, the more I realise I’ve pushed Rook out for years, it began
Rook POV“I don’t know how to commit,” he mutters, voice rough like the words are cutting him on the way out.I don’t say anything. I just wait.He swallows hard, shaking his head slightly. “I love you. I want to be married to you. But I don’t know how to just be. I don’t know how to exist without the weight of knowing things can fall apart at any second.”His breathing is uneven now, but he pushes forward, like he’s ripping open something inside himself that he’s never touched before. “I don’t know how to stop waiting for the worst to happen. I don’t know how to sit still, how to let things be good, because every time I do, every time I think I have something that’s mine, something that’s safe, it’s taken from me.”His voice lowers, his fingers curling against his palms. “I had nothing growing up, Rook. And every time I thought I was getting
Rook POVThe bed shifts, and I blink awake, my vision blurring as I adjust to the dim light. The first thing I see is Kade hovering over me, his mouth tilted into a small smirk.I reach for my phone to check the time, but before I can grab it, he stops me, pressing his lips to mine.“Kade.” The word is muffled against his mouth, but he doesn’t let up.“Shut the fuck up, Rook,” he growls, his grip tightening as he kisses me harder.I let out a breathy laugh, my hands bracing against his chest. “You’re telling me what to do?” Since when does he? His fingers slide into my hair, gripping tight as he pulls my head back, deepening the kiss.“Yes, I am.” His body presses down over mine, pinning me beneath him, his lips hungry, his touch rougher than usual.This isn’t him. “Kade, what are you doing?” I push him back, and he stares down at me, his expression unreadable.“Don’t do that,” I mutter. “Don’t start doing shit
Rook POVWhen I wake it’s nearly midday. Kade is still asleep, so maybe it’s time to get payback for last nights shit.He looks peaceful. Too peaceful. I smirk, remembering last night. The way he tried, the way he pushed, and the way he immediately passed out the second I left him alone. He wanted to mess with me? Fine. I’ll get him back.Slowly, I ease out from under his arm, careful not to wake him. He doesn’t stir, lost in whatever drunken dreams he’s having.This is almost too easy. I grip his hips and flip him onto his stomach, his body barely reacting. He groans softly, face still buried in the pillow, but he doesn’t wake.Smirking, I grab his wrists and pull them above his head, using the handcuffs to secure them against the headboard.Now, for the best part. Biting back a laugh, I slide off the bed and head into the bathroom. Grabbing the small bucket from under the sink, I turn on the cold tap, le
Kade POVI glance at Rook. His arms are still crossed, his expression unreadable, but I know him. He’s watching, waiting, trying to figure out where the hell I’m taking him.When the car stops, I step out first, breathing in the cool night air. The spot isn’t anything special on the surface, an old, unfinished building with exposed concrete and an open rooftop that overlooks the entire city. No one comes up here, no one even thinks about it, which is why I keep it for myself.Rook steps out after me, his eyes scanning the place before landing on me. “Where the hell are we?”I motion toward the ledge. “Come see.”He hesitates before walking toward it, hands sliding into his pockets as he takes in the view. His posture shifts slightly, just enough for me to notice.I step up beside him, setting a bottle of whiskey down on the ledge before leaning against it. “I found this place a while back,&rdqu
Kade’s POVRook stands here, his hands clenched at his sides, his whole body radiating with frustration. I know him well enough to see the way his anger isn’t just about today. It’s about everything that came before it, about every time I put business first without meaning to, about the way I always assume he will be there no matter how much shit I pile on top of him.I want to tell him I didn’t mean to forget. That it wasn’t on purpose, that today spiraled into something bigger than I expected. But none of that matters because the fact remains the same. I still forgot.I step closer, but he doesn’t move, doesn’t react. He just stares at me, his jaw tight, waiting for something.“Tell me how to fix it,” I say, my voice lower now.He scoffs. “You can’t.”“I can if you let me,” I push, watching for any sign that I can still salvage this.“You shoul