AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her cheeks reddened and she rushed out of the room.
“It’s not her fault you lost,” I said softly.
“It damn sure isn’t mine.” He glared at me. “I’m fucking undefeated. This bullshit match doesn’t count, and it’ll be wiped away the moment everyone knows the truth about him being on drugs.”
I bit my tongue.
“How the fuck does some scrawny ass kid from the middle of nowhere beat a fucking champion?”
I’m sure your first opponents thought the same thing …
“I don’t think he was on steroids, Travis,” I said.
“He was, and he is.” He attempted to glare at me, but his face was too fucked up for it to have the full effect. “I’ll never make the mistake of pacing in a match again. Now that I think about it, I remember telling you to start every routine with an attack when you were skating.”
“Funny, I remember you hardly ever showing up for me when I was skating.”
“What’s that, Crown?”
I didn’t answer him. I’d already gotten away with more than usual.
Hayden suddenly stepped into the room, handing him an energy drink and a bag of Cheetos from a vending machine.
“Here you go,” he said. “Need me to get you anything else?”
“Yeah, I want you to fly Crown away from Vegas,” he said. “Distract her with something she actually understands.”
What the fuck? “My reservation is for the rest of the week, Travis. I’d like to stay and enjoy it.”
“I don’t want her here anymore. Take her and Tatiana on to a beach or something,” he said. “I’ll pay you back for whatever that costs.”
“There’s no need to talk about me like I’m not standing right in front of you.”
“Oh, and keep checking out her new boyfriend for me.” He ignored me like I was seventeen all over again. Like he made all the decisions, and I had to willingly accept the aftermath. “Maybe we can all get brunch sometime after I get Juarez’s drug test back. You can help me with this, right?”
Hayden didn’t bother answering him.
Travis’s requests were always rhetorical.
Right as I was about to tell Travis that he deserved to get his ass beat—that a part of me was happy his ego received a healthy dose of defeat, Hayden clasped my hand.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get out of Vegas.”
“Thank you, Hayden.” Travis shot me a ‘Fucking try me’ look as we left.
Hayden held onto my hand until we made it downstairs and through the waiting press. He led me over to a waiting town car and pulled me into his lap once the doors shut.
“We’re really leaving Vegas tonight?” I asked. “Just because he said so?”
“Fuck no,” he said, smiling. “We’ll stay here as long as you want.”
“Promise?”
“Always.” He controlled my mouth with kisses until we made it back to the hotel suite.
For the next five days, he did everything in his power to make me forget all about tonight.
He ordered room service and explored my body—giving more than he took, holding me in his arms every time I collapsed from the pleasure.
Thirty-Six
Present Day
A week later
Hayden
“I hope that smile on your face is because you’re seconds away from handing over the last bulk of your apology letters, son.” Lawrence looked up at me from his desk Monday morning.
“It’s because I’m taking the rest of the week off.”
“That’s fine,” he said. “It’ll be nice to give the photogs a well-served break. Hand over the rest of the apology letters that I asked you for.”
“I’m taking Penelope to Bora Bora for a few days. Then we’re going to Aspen.”
“I don’t care.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Letters. Now.”
“I’ll need you and Sarah to keep me up to date on the Tinder thing while I’m away.”
“The ‘Tinder thing’ is a multi-million dollar lawsuit and they are beyond determined to fry your ass this time.” He leaned back in his chair. “Would you like to write Mr. Lassing an apology letter to see if he’ll drop it?”
“I’ll consider writing his letter after I get back.” I smiled. “That’s when I’ll pen the others. I’ll see you then.”
“Hayden fucking Hunter.” He stood up from his desk as I walked away. “Hayden get back here right now!”
I made it onto the elevator before he could come after me.
When I made it downstairs, I slid behind the wheel of my car.
“How did Lawrence take it?” Penelope smiled at me.
“He was totally fine.”
“So, he’s mad as hell?”
“Yep.” I sped toward the airport, and she laughed. I clasped her hand behind the gear shift as I drove.
“I don’t want this to ever end, Hayden,” she said.
“It won’t,” I said. “This is just our beginning.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Thirty-Six (B)
Present Day
Hayden
* * *
Hayden Hunter Jets Away with Friend As Tinder Case Heats Up
* * *
Was Hayden Hunter Trolling Us with His Apologies?
* * *
Simon Gaines of the Simon G. Fund Under Fire for Alleged Fraud
