Sergei’s mouth fell open. “Are you sure?”
“I’m dyslexic, not deaf.”
The two men stared at each other.
“All the more reason for you to sort out your affairs and make sure your family is provided for. I think something is wrong with this picture, but if that’s true, there are half a dozen teams that will want you. Focus on this road trip and then get ready to make things right at home. You’ve come too far to let her go.”
Kane nodded. “Yeah, I know. I’m going to call her when we land.”
“Good.”
“Is it always this hard?”
“What?”
“Relationships. Adulting. All of it.”
“Sometimes. But most of the time it’s worth it.”
“I fucking hope so.”
The rest of the flight was miserable. Thinking about the way he’d behaved, the way he’d just walked out on his pregnant girlfriend, made him a little ashamed. Memories of the last few months flooded his brain no matter how hard he tried to shut them out. So many wonderful moments with Hailey. All the wonderful things she’d brought to his life, not to mention the kind, caring things she did. What had possessed him to turn on her so quickly?
Always so damn impulsive, he thought in frustration. He’d been working on it for years, one of many things he’d had to accept when he’d gotten help not just for dyslexia, but for the myriad insecurities that had come with it. He’d seen a therapist for over a year, working through many of those emotions, and they’d discovered his impulsivity was a knee-jerk reaction to his feelings of inadequacy. Since Hailey had moved in, it had been almost nonexistent because she didn’t see any of his failings; all she’d ever seen was the man she said she loved. And if he was honest with himself, she’d proven it to him a hundred different ways.
Her absolute acceptance of his dyslexia.
Standing up to his father.
Her staunch independence.
The way it sounded as she cried out his name when he made love to her.
Her smile. Her voice. Her long intoxicating eyelashes. Those pert little nipples—
“You all right, Kane?” Sergei was looking at him funny.
“Yeah. Just thinking.”
“We’re landing in less than an hour. You’ll be able to sort this out.”
“I just have a funny feeling in my stomach, like something’s wrong.”
“Don’t let your guilt send you down that road. Remember you love her. She’s pregnant. And at the end of the day, she didn’t do anything wrong. If she filled out that paperwork before she even told you, she was scared. That’s an understandable reaction to an unplanned pregnancy with someone you’re not in a relationship with.”
“I know. That’s why I feel like a jerk. I let my dad get under my skin and then when he finally had something legit to get upset about, I let myself overreact. I’m such a fucking douche.”
“Nah. Your dad’s an all-around shitshow.”
“No kidding.”
“Forty more minutes, buddy. Then you’ll talk and everything will be okay.”
Kane nodded even though his gut churned uncomfortably.
By lunchtime, Hailey felt like hell. Whether it was her fight with Kane, the indigestion she’d been fighting for a couple of days or something else, she really didn’t feel good today. Her stomach had felt off first thing when she woke up, but she’d thought once she ate she would feel better. Unfortunately, Kane’s father ruined breakfast by upsetting them both and the way Kane had just walked out practically in the middle of an argument upset her even more. She’d taken something for the indigestion but it had only taken the edge off, leaving her emotionally fragile and nauseated to boot. It really sucked.
“You don’t look good, kiddo.” Gage came and planted himself on the edge of her desk just as she’d stood to leave for lunch.
“I’ll be okay,” she sighed. “I might go home a little early.”
“You should absolutely go home early.” He got up and motioned with his head. “Like now. You’re pale and…” His voice trailed off as he looked down at her.
“What?” She glanced up in alarm.
“I, er…” For the first time since she’d known him, Gage seemed unsure what to say. Then he got down on one knee, reaching for one of her hands. “I don’t want you to panic, okay?”
“Huh?”
“You’re bleeding.”
“What?!” She looked down and then behind her, finally noticing the red stain on her chair. “Oh my god.”
“Do you want me to call an ambulance or should I just drive you to the hospital?”
“I, um…” Her mind went blank. All she could think was that something was wrong with her babies.
“I’m going to drive you.” Without hesitation, he scooped her up in his arms.
“My purse,” she whispered.
He handed it to her and then strode out of the building just as everything started to get a little fuzzy and Hailey slipped into unconsciousness.
Kane’s phone rang the moment he turned it on and he grimaced when he saw who it was. “Hey, Mel, what’s going on?” Melvin Reyes was the L.A. attorney he’d hired.
“I got the report from the accountant today.”
“Shit. What’s the verdict?”
“We’d have to go over everything line by line to get an exact number but based on what you told him and the purchases verified by your financial planner, your parents embezzled more than half a million dollars in the last five years.”
“Cash or random purchases?”
“A little of both, mostly purchases, though. Trips, jewelry, a lot of department store receipts, a few medical bills. It’s pretty telling. You’d have quite a case if you wanted to pursue it.”
Kane stared out at nothing, sad and angry at the same time, wondering why his parents hadn’t just asked him. He never would have said no but they hadn’t even thought to ask. It hurt more than he wanted to admit, but there was no way he was going to prosecute his parents. Besides, the money was gone, spent on whatever they’d used it for, so taking them to court would accomplish nothing.
“Kane?”
“Yeah, I’m here. Have they been removed from any and all accounts?”
“Yes. You’ll need to sign some forms, but they’re already in the mail.”
“Okay, thanks. I just got to Vegas and I’ll be on the road for another two weeks, but I’ll take care of it as soon as I get back unless you think it’s urgent I do it now?”
“Nah, it’ll be fine. Don’t worry about money or your father’s threats. There are absolutely no grounds for him to get guardianship again. This was all about money and now we can prove it. Go focus on hockey and I’ll handle this stuff.”
“Thanks, Mel.” He disconnected and let out a sigh of relief. It was almost over. He’d call Hailey once they got to the hotel and then he’d be able to breathe again. He didn’t want to talk about everything within hearing distance of his teammates, so he’d wait just a little longer.
He got to the hotel and walked in with Sergei and Dani, telling them what Mel had discovered.
“You’re a better person than I am,” Dani muttered. “I’d send their asses to jail.”
“They’re still my parents,” Kane said quietly. “I’m going to do something that’ll impact them much harder.”
Sergei cocked his head. “Like?”
“I’m going to pay off their mortgage without their knowledge and then cut all ties. Change my phone number, cut off the credit card, the bank account, all of it.”
“Why pay off their mortgage?” Dani asked.
He shrugged. “Kind of my way of saying I care but they really fucked up. I don’t want anything to happen to them, you know? My dad took me to every game, every practice, until I was fourteen. They spent a lot of time and money honing my skills, and even though they were assholes about my dyslexia, they still started me on this path that I’m on.”
“I understand,” Sergei said solemnly. “I have a pretty messy relationship with my dad, too, even though his issues were more circumstantial.”
They were about to get on the elevator when Aaron came running after them. “Kane! You need to call home.”
“What?” Kane turned in surprise.
“Something’s happened.” Aaron slowed to a walk, glancing at Sergei with a look that made Kane’s blood run cold.
“What’s going on?” he demanded. “Is it Hailey? The babies?”
“You need to call Gage,” Aaron said gently. “Didn’t you check your texts?”
“Huh?” Kane yanked his phone out of his pocket. “No, I was on the phone with my lawyer. What…” His voice trailed off as he opened the texting program.
Hailey’s in the hospital. You need to get on the next flight back to Anchorage.