Page 110 of Game on, Love
“It’s complicated... there were a couple of other things that happened before we moved, and I don’t know how true they are. I was a kid, and a lot of it came out when I got help but I need to see the rest of her journals before I can. I need to be sure that I hadn’t just made those things up to protect myself,” I replied. “I’m going back next week when Dev is back.”
“What about your dad?” He asked, a hard look in his eyes like he didn’t like the thought of me seeing him.
“Dev said he won’t be home.”
He paused, like he realised something. “Have you ever seen him since…”
“The night of the championship party was the first time, but I haven’t been face to face with him, No.”
He nodded, before his eyes softened. “I know I don’t have the right to say this, but I don’t want you to see him. Rihaan may be able to hold his own, but I don’t want you to test that.”
My chest tightened at his words before it filled with warmth.
“I don’t want to either,” I whispered. “But you’re wrong about something.”
“What?” His voice was low, his eyes tracing my face.
“You do have the right to say that.”
His shoulders dropped as he watched me. For a moment the air between us felt charged, and just as he opened his mouth, an alarm went off making us both jump.
Pulling out my phone that I had tucked under me, I remembered I had set an alarm when it was almost midnight so we would cut his cake at the right time.
Turning it off, I looked at him, and we both chuckled.
Leaning into him, I traced his open palm that was still placed on my lap. “Thank you for listening.”
“Anytime, love.” He whispered, like he was giving me his word before placing a kiss on the top of my head before we headed inside.
He watched me silently, with a smile, as I placed the cake in front of him and lit the candles I’d gotten earlier with the rest of the stuff.
“This looks amazing.”
I lifted a shoulder, pleased as he pulled me on his lap. “Do you have your wish ready?”
“I don’t think I’ve made a wish since I was a kid.”
I looked at him in shock. “But you’ve got the ultimate birthday for it! 11/11—it literally doesn’t get more perfect than that.”
I covered his eyes with my hands, and he grinned. “What are you doing?”
“Forcing you to make a wish,” I replied, and I monitored the clock in front of us. As soon as the clock struck midnight, I pulled my hands back. “Now!”
He looked at me with a soft expression, and then gave me that real smile of his, before blowing out the candles.
As he cut his cake, I couldn’t resist it. “Happy Birthday, King.”
He laughed. “That’s been in the vault for a while now.”
“We’ll just leave it for special occasions.”
“Like birthdays?”
I nodded, lifting a piece of cake for him. “Among other things.”
Taking a bite, he kept his eyes on me before snaking his hand around the back of my neck and pulling me to him in a kiss that made me forget my own name.
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