Chapter 12
I’ve been healing up really well. My face is back to normal—thank goodness. It was hard to see the remnants, the constant reminder of what happened. My ribs are still tender, but I’m able to move more, although there’s a few ways I move to piss them off. Ryker told me broken ribs were a bitch to heal. He wasn’t lying.
I’ve gone to work several times in the past few weeks, trying to get my life back normal. I haven’t done a full week yet, but three days are better than none. I don’t go in on Tuesdays or Thursdays. That way it gives my body a bit of a break.
Ryker still goes to the gym, but he’s adjusted his times. Instead of six-thirty in the morning, he goes around nine and rather than staying late, he’s home by noon. Sometimes he goes back in the evening, but that’s only if I’m pushing him out the door.
I know he misses the gym. I can see it. It’s written all over his face.
He places a kiss on the side of my head while I sit at the table with a cup of coffee. “I’ll be back. Brian scheduled a meeting later this morning. I want to get there and knock the bag around before he shows.”
I lean into his side, looking up to him. “Do you find out who your first professional opponent will be?”
He swallows and a slight smile pulls his lips. “Yeah. I’m sure.”
He kisses me again and leaves.
I finish my cup of coffee and, feeling bored out of my mind, decide to get dressed and go to the office. A few hours won’t hurt me. I should work all week, but Ryker says for me not to, not yet. I’m going for a few hours and will be back before he gets home. He won’t know.
Stepping into the office, Lily’s eyes grow wide and she smiles. “You’re here out of the norm.”
I wobble my head. “I’m bored.” I giggle. “It’s only for a few hours. I need to check on the Hildebrands’ wedding stuff anyway.”
Candice bounces out of her office and her face falls. “Whit? Hey… What are you doing here?”
Clearly, I’m not who she was expecting.
I spread my arms, suspicion drawing my brows. “Well, this is where I work.”
She pulls her phone out of her back pocket, and her thumbs work feverishly only being halted when the door chimes. Her head jerks up, eyes filled with angst, forcing me to spin around.
Kyce stands there, frozen in fear, his blue eyes unblinking.
“Whitney, you cannot tell Ryker,” Candice speaks from behind me, drawing out her words.
“He’ll kill you if he knew you were here,” I say.
“Don’t tell him,” Kyce states simply.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
Candice clears her throat and steps in beside me. “He’s been coming by twice a week for three weeks to check on you. Either here or at my house.”
Kyce holds up a white bag. “I brought bagels.”
Lily squeaks and springs toward him. “Same bagels you brought last week? They were fabulous.”
Kyce chuckles and nods.
Lily hugs his neck and takes the bag. As she saunters past us, she winks at Candice. “I’ll save you one. I promise.”
My eyes haven’t unlocked from Kyce.
He steps to me with so much anguish swirling in his eyes. “Whitney, I am so sorry. I screwed up. Fucked up really bad.” He rushes his words and then grabs my hand. “I should’ve been there.”
“I don’t think it’s entirely your fault, Kyce,” I say.
He shakes his head. “You should be incredibly angry with me.”
“Why does everyone think it’s only you at fault? I’ve tried to comprehend this, but I just don’t get it. I’m an adult. I made a choice. Ryker is so hell bent on blaming you. And you’re here holding on to the guilt…” I dig my palms into my forehead. “You both are so infuriating.”
He laughs. “It’s a Hayes thing.”
“Runs deep,” I deadpan.
“Have they made a decision yet?” he asks.
“For what?”
“To let him stay.”
I flinch. “What do you mean?”
Comprehension shatters his expression.
My pulse picks up.
He offers a fake smile. “Nothing.” He quickly looks to Candice for some help, but says, “I’m going to go. If she’s here and he happens to stop in—”
I grab his large arm, like my tiny hand against his large muscle would stop him. “What do you know that I don’t? What do you mean?”
“It’s not my place,” he says taking a solid step backward and removing his arm from my hand. “I’ll catch up with you later,” he tells Candice and without looking at me, he starts toward the door.
Quickly and agonizingly, I move and block the door. “You move me, you hurt me,” I warn acerbically. “You’re going to talk.”
“I’m already in enough trouble with Ryker. Don’t put me in this spot,” he demands, squaring his body up.
“Kyce…if something is going on, I need to know.” I look at him dead seriously.
He remains silent with the same jaw muscle Ryker uses ticking.
Realization settles into my dumb-love-blinded brain. “He didn’t win, did he?”
He looks away.
I suck in a breath. “Kyce. Did he win?”
Candice moves to his side and rubs his arm before looking at me with the softest, sorrow-filled eyes. She takes a large unstable breath. “Whitney, he never fought.”
The floor is ripped out from under me. Everything becomes a standstill. My stomach drops as my pulse rams my chest.
“He what?” I squeak in horror. I flick my view between the both of them and then narrow mad eyes onto Candice. “You knew? You knew and didn’t tell me? How could you?”
Kyce moves toward me. “I made her promise not to say a word.”
Tears sting my eyes and I step away like he’s poison. Air doesn’t fill my lungs. “How could you, Candice?”
She blinks back her own tears. “This whole situation is messed up, Whitney. It wasn’t my place to tell you. It’s Ryker’s. And for whatever reason, he’s waiting to tell you.”
I drop my view to my tennis shoes. I’m hurt. Pissed. Mad. Irate. But most of all, I’m gashed from the inside out. My chest hurts. “I’ve got to go.”
I don’t look at either one of them and slam out through the door.