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Too much of life is about making enough money to survive, and I never want to be in a position where I’m hungry again. I want to buy my mother a house with one of my first professional hockey checks, but I still need to get there before I can make plans.

I’m so damn close, I can taste it.

“Noor passed the GED exam with flying colors. I just got a notification about it. I bet she doesn’t even know yet,” Ci says.

“She’ll have to go to a community college before moving on to university if that’s what she wants to do, but at least she’s officially done with high school,” Alastair says.

“You’re an education snob,” I chuckle. “Look at the three of us. Our paths to get to the NHL will all be different, but it’ll get us what we want. This is no different. It’s also our fault that she had to get her GED.”

“We’ve made it impossible for her to finish at Chesterfield Prep,” Ci says. “Oh shit, here they come.”

Putting his laptop away, he stands to gaze at the entryway of the courthouse. I stay where I am in my trainers and sweats, since I have a good view as is.

Noor steps outside with her new family surrounding her with a smile, her hair looking a little longer and very curly. She’s wearing a deep purple dress with lace long sleeves, tights, and combat boots. It shouldn’t all work, but it does for her.

The right side of her hair is braided back while the rest is left alone, and Ci makes a sound of distress. He has an issue with pulled back hair, and even Alastair will make a point to wear his hair down when Ci is over.

You do what you have to in order to calm the beast.

“She looks pretty,” he says begrudgingly.

There’s a little girl that pulls on her dress, and Noor patiently picks her up into her arms with a large smile.

“Does it look like she’s been crying?” Alastair asks. “She looks…odd.”

“Should we risk it and get closer?” I ask, worrying my bottom lip.

“No,” Ciaran says. “We’ll definitely get caught if we do. This isn’t about us. It’s about her. Our girl has a family now.”

“Our?” Alastair asks, sounding as if he just swallowed his tongue.

“Like we’d let anyone else have her?” Ci asks, chuckling darkly.

We’re not altruistic. We play to win, no matter the cost.

That’s why we’re on the outside looking in now. We don’t deserve to interrupt her, but damn does she look pretty.

“Is that Mrs. Denton’s kid?” I ask, gazing at the little girl with dark brown pigtails.

“I don’t think so,” Alastair admits.

“I may have snooped some more,” Ci winces. “That’s Liliana’s kid. They each have a little girl.”

“Is it odd to say how natural Noor looks with a baby in her arms?” I ask. “I know we’re all too young for that bullshit, but⁠—”

“We’ll fix this,” Alastair promises. “One day, we’ll find a way to make this right.”

Noor walks through the courtyard, chatting with her family as they surround her. There are people I don’t recognize, and Ciaran explains who everyone is as we watch.

“It’s surprising to me that Emil Reyes is married,” Alastair says. “He seems like he’d have too many secrets for that.”

“It sounds like you’re butthurt,” I tease him.

I’m not saying he didn’t have a fucked up encounter with Emil, but I need to lighten the heavy mood falling over us. We made some bad calls we’ll have to live with now.

“I’ll make your ass hurt,” Alastair growls, kicking my thigh as I chuckle. “Let’s get out of here. I’m hungry and the guys are starting to look around. It’s like they can tell someone’s watching them.”

“Did I mention that Ignacio, Emil, and Liliana probably have ties to the mafia?” Ci asks, walking around the column I’m half leaning, half squatting against to help me up.