Semua Bab Fake Dating My Ex's Favourite Hockey Player: Bab 41 - Bab 50

BECCASometimes, I wonder why I even try.A year and a half ago, I stared down at those two pink lines, my hands shaking, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst. I was finally going to be a mother. Just like I’d always dreamed of.But dreams are funny things, aren’t they?Because the reality was nothing like the fairytale I’d imagined.The father of my baby — the man I loved — wasn't the man I thought he was. He hadn’t just broken up with his girlfriend of ten years like he’d claimed. No, he was still with her. Still choosing her.But he had an excuse, of course. She’s fragile, he told me. If I leave too soon, she might do something to herself. Just be patient, Becca. Just wait.So I did.I counted the days, the weeks, the months, waiting for the moment he’d finally be mine.But when my belly grew and my career stalled, when I had to disappear from the world to hide my pregnancy — where was he then?Not with me.I gave up job offers. I went on a year-long hiatus. I spent m

EMILIAThe pool is packed by the time we arrive. The sun hangs high in the sky, casting a golden glow over everything. Laughter and splashes echo through the air, mingling with the scent of chlorine and coconut sunscreen.Lacey spots us first, waving wildly from a lounge chair. “There you are! I was about to send a search party.”She’s lying, of course. Lacey wouldn’t have moved from that chair if her life depended on it. But I appreciate the sentiment.I smile, more aware of Liam’s hand on the small of my back than ever. I ditched wearing the sundress over my swimsuit, it has an open back, stopping right above my ass and exactly where his hand stops. “Of course you were.”Liam chuckles beside me, his fingers skimming lightly against my bare skin before he drops his hand entirely. I should be relieved, but instead, my skin feels colder without his touch.“About time you got here,” Lacey says, adjusting her sunglasses. “I need backup. Some guy in blue trunks won’t stop flexing at me.”

The music pulses through the air, the energy in the room electric. Laughter and cheers surround us as guests take turns playing the body shots game.We ditched the pool for something a little more intimate. The bar barely fits thirty of us, but that only makes everything feel more dangerous. More thrilling.The game is simple: one person in a couple sits on the floor, we spin the bottle, and whoever it lands on can either do body shots with their partner—or pick someone else.For me, it’s risky as hell.But I’d rather pretend I’m into it than end up as tomorrow’s first victim in shots roulette.A round finishes. Two guys — ridiculously hot, obviously — pull apart, their lips glistening from salt and tequila. I swear, being unfairly attractive must be a requirement to get on this guest list.“This is going to be fun,” Liam murmurs, nudging my shoulder. His voice is low, teasing.We’re perched on barstools, waiting for our turn to sit on the floor.It was Liam who did it last time, so u

LIAMThe party roars on behind me — music thumping, glasses clinking, someone belting out an off-key rendition of some early 2000s pop hit.I don’t turn. I don’t care.The ocean stretches endlessly before me, dark and shifting, waves rolling in and out as if they have all the time in the world. As if they didn’t just witness Emilia press her tongue to Zane’s skin.My grip tightens around my glass.It was a game. Just a stupid drinking game.And yet my jaw is clenched, my pulse thrumming.I tell myself it’s nothing. A moment that will be forgotten by morning, buried under rounds of tequila and poor decisions.But the thought still lingers — if it was just a game, why did she look away so quickly afterward?I can still feel the heat of Emilia’s body beneath my hands. Remember every shiver a flick from my tongue pulled out of her.Then images of her hands on Zane’s chest, her tongue against his skin.The way he looked at me with that look of disbelief mixed with smugness.I could read hi

Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault This chapter includes a scene involving non-explicit, non-consensual sexual activities. I’ve done my best to handle it with care, but the subject matter is still difficult. Please prioritise your well-being and read only if you feel safe doing so. EMILIA Stone reaches out, fingertips grazing the air between us, but I jerk away before he can touch me. Something is wrong. I suddenly realise the bartender is gone. It’s just the two of us. The air feels thick, the silence pressing in. “What the fuck are you doing?!” My voice comes out sharper than I expect, slicing through the quiet between us. Outside, I can still hear the sounds of music and laughter, but it’s so loud I highly doubt anyone can hear a thing happening in here. I stumble off my stool, my legs wobbling beneath me. My head is fuzzy, but not enough to miss the way his smile lingers — like he expected this. Like he was waiting for this moment. Every single alarm bell in my head goes off