By admin Fake Dating My Ex’s Favourite Hockey Player Novel CH 37
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“That’s not an answer.” His voice is firm, but his thumb brushes over my knuckles, gentle. “What’s the first thing you should do? Answer me.”
I swallow hard and lower my head. “Tell you.”
His grip softens. “Good.”
His voice drops even lower, but the promise in it is unshakable. “If you don’t want to see reporters, I’ll get rid of them. If my presence annoys you, I’ll step back. But if some asshole tries to tear you down–if his words make you feel like anything less than the incredible woman you are–then I’ll make sure he regrets it.”
The way he says it? Like it’s not even a question. Like it’s a fact.
Like there’s nothing in this world he wouldn’t do to protect me.
I know that can’t be true. I know Liam can’t protect me from everything. I know everything he does now is a nothing more than a contractual obligation. But still, my heart won’t slow down.
I nod, but it’s not enough for him. His eyes are locked on me, intense and unrelenting.
“Use your words, Emilia.” His voice is low, steady, but I can hear the frustration beneath it. Not at me–never at me. But at the situation, at the way I was just humiliated. “Do you understand me?”
I swallow, my throat dry. “Yes. I do.”
Liam exhales, his grip on my hand finally loosening–but his free hand
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comes up, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. His touch is so careful, so deliberate, it makes my stomach flip.
“Good.” His voice is softer now, but there’s still an edge to it. A promise. “I got a good look at his face. He’ll be lucky if he ever gets to work again after that stunt he just pulled.”
I blink up at him, breath catching. “Liam, you don’t have to-”
“I do.” His jaw tightens. “Because no one gets to talk about you like that. No one.”
My heart is still racing, but this time? It has nothing to do with fear.
Liam’s voice is raw, almost desperate. “It’s my fucking fault things got to this point in the first place, and I’m so sorry, Em.” His grip on my hand tightens, like he’s afraid I’ll slip away if he lets go.
I shake my head, but he doesn’t let me speak.
“I know you said you didn’t want to hear it,” he continues, his eyes dark with something I can’t quite place. Regret? Guilt? Something deeper? “But I’m so, so sorry. And I won’t let things stay this way.‘
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His thumb brushes over my knuckles, slow and deliberate. “So just squeeze my hand whenever things get too hard, and I’ll take care of it.”
I feel it then–the way he’s holding himself together just for me. The way his whole body is tense, like he’s barely keeping his anger in check. Like he’d do anything if it meant I wouldn’t have to hurt.
My chest tightens, my heart hammering.
It’s not fair. It really isn’t. This is nothing more than a game of pretend to Liam, but my heart doesn’t get the memo. It’s already rewriting the rules, already treating his words like they mean something more.
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I don’t know what to say. So I do the only thing I can.
I squeeze his hand.
His fingers tighten around mine, just for a second, like he felt it too. Like maybe just maybe–this isn’t all pretend to him either.
Before I can dwell on it, Florence is there, waiting at the dock, arms crossed, lips pressed into a thin line. “Took you long enough,” she says, her sharp gaze flicking to the paparazzi still lingering behind us. “You okay?”
I nod, even though I’m not sure if I am. My heart is still pounding, my skin too warm where Liam’s holding me.
Liam doesn’t let go. “We need to board. Now.”
Florence sighs. “They’ve already started letting people on. Zane and his guests boarded first.” She hands us our passes, eyes narrowing slightly. “Try not to kill each other before we leave port, yeah?”
Liam doesn’t bother responding. He just grabs the tickets and pulls me toward the gangway like we’re running out of time.
The sight of Florence makes my stomach twist. It reminds me of Tessa. And that reminds me of the silence between us.
We haven’t spoken since I told her about Zane’s visit.
Not for my lack of trying. No, this silence was her choice. A deliberate effort to stay out of the house when she knew I’d be there. On days I stayed in, she made sure to be anywhere but home.
She was furious. Furious that I let Zane in. That I let him humiliate me,
hurt me.