24. Mikayla

CHAPTER 24

MIKAYLA

Ethan’s words keep ringing in my head, and my hands won’t stop shaking. Thanks to an accident and heavy traffic, it’s taken me hours to get to this stupid presentation. I don’t even know why I need to be there. Axel’s such a douche. He added that stuff to his contract to mess with me. And Ryan, of course, put it in, no questions asked, because he wanted this deal to go through. He’ll get bank from this, and what will I get?

You’ll get nothing… and you’ll lose your husband.

“I can’t keep going like this.” Ethan’s voice echoes through the back of my mind. Is he saying we should break up? Is he leaving me?

The blood in my veins has been replaced with ice.

“I don’t know who you are anymore.”

His words keep tormenting me. Have I really changed that much? I didn’t mean to. I’ve just been trying to do a good job. I can’t succeed in this business unless I do my time, and being an assistant to this shit-stick is going to look great on my résumé. When I leave, he’ll give me a great recommendation and?—

Will he, though?

Or will he punish you for daring to leave?

Didn’t he joke the other day that I’m his favorite lackey?

Asshole.

My shoulders twitch as I pull the door open and clip into the building. I’m still in my stupid wedding attire, the dress feeling out of place. I pull it down again, smoothing the fabric over my hips.

Cameras are clicking, people shouting Axel’s name while the sponsors flap about excitedly, making sure their products are at the best angles in the background… and forefront… and the edges. Fuck, their shit is everywhere.

It looks ridiculous. Talk about overkill.

“We need to get on with this. Axel, can you turn around and smile at the cameras?”

“I’m waiting for my agent,” he grumbles.

“I’m right here.” Ryan waves with a cheesy smile.

Axel rolls his eyes. “I mean the pretty one. Need me some eye candy at this thing.”

I stutter to a stop, knowing he’s talking about me. Hating that I’m even here when I could be at a wedding reception with my friends and husband. The people I love and admire. The people who make me happy.

Happy? When was the last time you’ve been happy?

My stomach drops, Ethan’s words ringing through me yet again. “I don’t know who you are anymore.”

Shit. He’s so fucking right.

I have changed. I’ve lost my spark. My mojo. I’m just Ryan’s disgruntled lackey, a hamster spinning a wheel and getting nowhere. But I’ve been too caught up to realize it. And now I’m about to lose my husband… for what?

“Mikayla!” Ryan notices me, beckoning me over with his fingers. “Finally! Took you long enough.”

“There was an accident,” I mumble, shuffling toward him. “Traffic was a bitch.”

“Whatever, just—” He frowns down at me. “What are you wearing?”

“I left a wedding to be here,” I snip. “I didn’t have time to get changed.”

His eyebrows flicker with some kind of emotion. I don’t know what it is, but it feels negative, and I want to go back to Nolan so fucking badly right now.

“Hey, sexy lady,” Axel sings as he flounces over to me, laughing in triumph. “Fuck, girl. You look hot.”

My insides writhe as I cross my arms, forcing a smile and reminding myself that I’m contractually obligated to be here.

“What do you need me to do?” I try to put on my best professional voice, but I’m sounding small and mousy, which is so not me.

I might be Ethan’s lil’ mouse, but I am not mousy. I’m strong and can speak my mind. I don’t kowtow to assholes. That’s one of the things Ethan loves about me.

But I’ve been giving in left and right, dropping everything to be here for these douchebags!

What the fuck is wrong with me?

“Okay.” Axel grabs my hands, holding my arms wide and checking me out. His smirk makes my skin crawl. “You are so fine. We’re gonna look great together.” He gives my hand a little squeeze, then notices my wedding and engagement rings. “What are these?” He frowns. “Don’t need those for the photo shoot.” He pulls them off before I can stop him.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I snap, trying to grab them back.

He winces and glances over his shoulder at the curious crowd impatiently waiting for us. “Shhh. Chill. I’ll give them back after we’re done.”

Gliding his hand around my waist, he steers me toward the cameras.

I tense, resisting him. “What are you doing?”

“I thought we could get some photos together.”

“Why?”

“Because I want you beside me. You look so fucking hot, seriously. This is going to be epic. It’ll boost my social media. I’ve already talked to the sponsors, and they’re all over it. You’ll help my image.”

I wiggle out of his embrace. “I’m not your girlfriend. I’m married.” I hold out my hand. “Now give me back my rings.”

“He will.” Ryan rolls his eyes, flicking his fingers. “Here, give them to me. I’ll look after them, you’ll take some pics, and then we’re done.”

Axel plops the rings into Ryan’s palm with a huff, then gives me a pointed look. “It’s in the contract, sweets. I want to be photographed with my agent.”

“I’m not your agent.” I rest my fist on my hip. “Ryan’s your agent. I’m just his assistant. If you two want to get photos together, then you go ahead. I’m still trying to work out why the fuck I’m here.”

“Because it’s in the contract.” Ryan glares at me, his eyes bright with warning as he obviously tries to keep his temper in check. “This will be a boost for the agency, seeing how great we are with our athletes, how we’re willing to do anything to assist their careers.”

“How is standing in a photo shoot assisting his career?”

“It gets him noticed, makes him popular with the public. You two look adorable together. It benefits everyone.”

“Not me!” I yell, my voice ringing out. Cameras spin to face us, and I don’t even care.

Axel looks over his shoulder and puts on a cheesy smile. “Can you guys give us a minute?”

“We’ve been waiting for hours! Can we get this done already!” someone complains from the back.

“One second.” Ryan holds up his finger, looking just as cheesy as his prized athlete.

They both turn back to me with impatient scowls.

I glare right back. “You changed the contract without my knowledge and then signed it. I’m pretty sure that’s illegal.”

Ryan huffs. “You get your ass up there and smile for the cameras. We’ll deal with this later.”

“Yeah, come on.” Axel steps into my space again, gliding his hand around me and pulling me close.

I slap my hands on his chest, pushing back… and all I can see is the empty space on my finger where my rings should be.

With a growl, I give him a hard shove, and my unexpected strength takes him off guard. He stutters back, only just catching his balance.

His face morphs into an angry scowl. “What the fuck is your problem?”

“You are,” I seethe, then turn to Ryan. “And so are you!”

He bulges his eyes at me, snatching my arm and pulling me close. “What are you doing? Stop embarrassing us. You want to lose your job?”

I glare up at him, anger firing through me as I try to wrench my arm out of his grasp. He squeezes harder, and I wince at the pain.

“Let me go,” I grit out, yanking against him.

“You are not leaving here. You are going to stand with Axel and smile and play nice, because if you don’t, he’s going to be a little bitch and make my life hell.” His grip gets tighter with each sentence until the pain is radiating right to my bone.

I clench my jaw, using my other hand to pry his fingers off me. He finally lets go, and I snatch his wrist, forcing his hand open and retrieving my rings.

My insides are trembling with a mixture of rage and fear as I fist the diamond Ethan gave me and point up at my boss. “I quit.”

“What?” He gapes at me like I’ve lost my mind.

“I…” I lick my lips and make sure my voice is ringing loud and clear. “Quit. I quit. I don’t need this bullshit. You are a terrible boss, and I deserve better than this.”

He pins me with an incredulous look, his cheeks going red before he whisper-barks, “Are you fucking out of your mind? If you walk away right now, you will never get another job with an agency again. I’ll make sure of it. You think I don’t have sway in this city? Your name is in Axel’s contract. You better do what it says, or I am suing your ass, do you understand me?”

I shake my head, stumbling back from him. Axel tries to steady me, but I flick him off. “Fuck you.” I frown at him. “Fuck you both. I don’t need this shit.”

Spinning on my heel, I fist my rings so hard, the diamond starts cutting into my palm. Clipping out of the building, I race to my car and slam myself inside it.

Ryan runs after me, and I start the engine and punch the gas, screeching away from him before these silent sobs start jerking my stomach.

Shit. I cover my mouth with my hand, whimpering into the back of it as tears roll down my cheeks.

I hate crying.

I don’t do tears.

But it’s like a fire hydrant has just exploded inside me. I pull over on a quiet street and park beside the curb. Gripping the wheel, I let go, sobs punching out of me as I finally release all the shit that’s been festering for months.

I don’t know how long I sit here for, and I have no idea why I’m even crying by the end of it.

So much regret and pain is swirling through me, I can’t even figure out what is hurting the most.

I feel like shit. I just want to go home.

I want Ethan.

Glancing into the passenger seat, I stare down at the rings he gave me. I pick them up and try to slide them back on, but my fingers are shaking too badly. Dropping them, I rest my head back against the seat and close my eyes.

I should call him, tell him what happened.

But I don’t even have the energy to reach for my phone.

I ignored him before. Ignored his text because I couldn’t talk about what he’d said… or the fact that I’d just walked away after he said it.

Is it more than just my job that’s killing us?

Are we heading for the end no matter what?

The thought hurts more than I can fathom. I press my hand into my belly, aching in my core. The pain spreads through my body, and a fresh wave of tears takes me out.

“I love you,” I whisper to Ethan, even though he can’t hear me. “I don’t want to lose you.”

Gazing down at my ring finger, I brush my hand over the spot where my rings should be. My annoying big rings that always get in the way, that can be ripped off my finger so easily.

I can feel my eyebrows dipping as I relive that moment Axel stripped me of them. A shudder runs down my spine, and then I ping straight, an idea hitting me with a force so strong, I start the engine.

Snatching my phone, I do some quick research and am soon pulling up outside a tattoo parlor.

Yes, I’m being impulsive, but this feels so right that I don’t have any other choice.

I’m married, dammit, and the whole fucking world is going to know it—every damn moment of every single day.