Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 87289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
“Um, I’m no expert on kids,” Knox says, lifting a brow as he studies the mess, “but I’m pretty sure she’s supposed to eat that, not wear it.”
Steele chuckles and claps me on the shoulder. “Jumping straight into the deep end, are we? I like it. Shows initiative.”
Jax lowers his voice like he’s narrating a nature documentary. “Observe the domesticated male in his natural habitat. Notice the unshaven jaw, the weary eyes, and yogurt-splattered clothes. What’s become clear is that he has accepted his fate.”
Laiken doesn’t miss a beat. He strides forward, rips off a few sheets of paper towel, and crouches in front of Nora like he’s been through this exact scenario a dozen times.
“You’re letting her win, man. Rule number one: stay ahead of the mess. Once they gain control, it’s all over.”
Nora giggles and kicks her legs, clearly delighted by all the attention.
Elody tugs gently on Laiken’s sleeve. “Daddy, can I help?”
He smiles down at her before ruffling her hair. “Of course, baby. Once we clean Nora up, maybe you can show her your sticker book.”
Knox nudges Steele with his elbow and nods toward the scene. “Take notes, Cap. This is your future.”
Steele smirks. “Bring it on. I’m ready.”
When Oliver’s phone buzzes, he pulls it out of his pocket and glances at the screen, immediately typing out a reply, his thumbs moving at lightning speed.
Jax leans over, trying to sneak a peek. “Who’s blowing up your phone this early in the morning? Wait, wait. Lemme guess… Is it some poor girl you ghosted before she could figure out whether round one even happened?”
Oliver doesn’t bother looking up. “It’s none of your damn business.”
Knox’s eyes gleam. “Which means Jax nailed it.”
Oliver slips his phone back into his pocket, flipping him off behind Elody’s back without missing a beat. “Nah, that’s your signature move.”
“It feels like you’re hiding something,” Jax says with a grin. “I thought we were all friends here.”
Oliver quirks a brow. “Define the term ‘friends.’”
“That’s fine.” Jax rubs his hands together like he’s hatching a plan. “I’ll just put my elite detective skills to work.”
“Hate to break it to you, man,” Steele says with a laugh. “You’ve barely got skills on the ice. If I were you, I’d focus on keeping my day job.”
“Ouch. Shots fired,” Knox adds with a laugh.
Before Jax can respond, Oliver tips his chin toward me. “Hey, Thompson, didn’t you mention that the girl who works with Callie was just asking about our boy over here?”
Jax whips around so fast he nearly trips over his own feet. “Wait, Sloane was asking about me? And you didn’t tell me?” His voice hits a pitch only dogs can hear. “Seriously, man, what the fuck?”
Laiken groans before smacking the back of Jax’s head. It’s just hard enough to get his point across. “Language. We’ve got little ears in the room, genius.”
He angles his head toward Elody, who’s now watching Jax with wide eyes and the kind of intense focus that means every word is being stored for later use.
“Laiken’s right,” Steele adds with a chuckle. “You wanna be the reason she starts swearing at school?”
“I said A-S-S once,” Laiken mutters, “and I had to hear about it every day for a week.”
“You spelled ‘ass,’ Daddy!” Elody pipes up. “You said it was a bad word!”
Laiken drops his head into his hand. “I was telling them about the word, not saying it. There’s a difference.”
“But I like saying it,” she announces proudly. “It’s funny.”
Knox chokes on a laugh as his shoulders shake. “She’s not wrong about that. It is pretty funny.”
Laiken shoots him a glare. “Yeah, well, you’re not the one getting the side-eye from her grandparents when she starts showing off her new vocabulary.”
The room quiets after that, amusement fading as something heavier slips in.
“Any word on the custody situation?” Knox asks in a hushed tone so the girls won’t hear.
Laiken watches Elody and Nora as they run toward the living room, Elody leading the way. His gaze softens, but the tension in his jaw doesn’t ease. “They hired a new lawyer. Looks like they’re not backing down anytime soon. They must think if they keep pushing long enough, I’ll cave. And that’s never going to happen.”
“What about Sarah?” Oliver asks quietly.
Laiken runs a hand through his hair as a muscle in his jaw tics. “No one’s heard from her in months. But her parents? They’ve suddenly decided they want a second chance with Elody. Like maybe they can rewrite history and do it ‘right’ this time.”
My stomach turns. “That’s total bullshit. You’re a damn good dad, Laiken.”
My teammate jerks his shoulders, but the weight behind his eyes doesn’t budge. “I’d like to think so.”
“Seems like they’re trying to take something that doesn’t belong to them,” Knox mutters.
Before the mood can sink any lower, Elody bounds back into the kitchen, face flushed as she beams. “Daddy! Nora likes my stickers!”