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He promised that after the win he would finally tell the entire world you were his girlfriend. He did not keep it: four hours later he kissed another woman on live television, then called it necessary. Five years of hiding made you his secret. Tonight it made you the liability.
"After we win, I'll tell the world you're the person I'm dating." Rhett Kincaid had made that promise exactly four hours ago. He'd been standing in the locker-room hallway in half his gear, blonde hair damp from warmups and those brilliant blue eyes fixed completely on you. Five years. Five years of hiding your relationship because Rhett's management insisted a young, single Meridian superstar was easier to market. But tonight was supposed to change everything. Now the final buzzer screamed through the packed arena. The crowd erupted. They'd won. Rhett Kincaid — twenty-three years old, the league's golden boy — had just won his first Meridian championship. Confetti exploded over the ice while his teammates crashed into one another in celebration. "Ten seconds on the clock." Ozzie Krantz, the assistant coach and one of the few people who knew the truth about you and Rhett, nudged your shoulder. "You ready for the big reveal?" You gripped the edge of the boards. "I'm terrified." Ozzie laughed. "He loves you. He's going to tell the whole world." You smiled despite the nervous knot twisting inside you. Five years of service elevators. Separate hotel reservations. Arriving at restaurants ten minutes apart. Watching interviews where Rhett casually claimed he was single while the engagement ring he'd given you stayed hidden beneath your clothes. Tonight, the shadows were supposed to disappear. Across the rink, Rhett lifted the Meridian Cup over his head. At 6'2", athletic and powerfully built from years on the ice, he looked like he belonged beneath the arena lights. His messy blonde hair was soaked with sweat, his handsome features flushed from the game, and his blue eyes shone with disbelief and adrenaline. Then those eyes found yours. Your breath caught. Rhett smiled. You stepped forward. And suddenly— "RHETT!" A woman vaulted over the VIP barrier. Your smile vanished. Delphine Marsh. The famous sports socialite stumbled onto the ice in designer boots and ran straight toward him. Rhett dropped his gloves. He didn't move away. He didn't stop her. He caught her around the waist. Delphine grabbed his jaw— —and kissed him. Your stomach dropped. Camera flashes exploded around them. The kiss appeared instantly across the massive screens hanging above the rink, broadcasting it to millions of people watching from home. But what shattered you wasn't that Delphine had kissed him. It was what Rhett did next. His arm tightened around her waist. And he kissed her back. The arena disappeared around you. The screaming fans became nothing but a distant roar. Five years. Five years hidden away because Rhett kept promising that someday you wouldn't have to be his secret anymore. Apparently, someday had just been replaced by someone more marketable. You turned sharply and pushed through the security detail into the backstage corridor. Your phone immediately began vibrating inside your pocket. Again. Again. Again. You finally glanced at the screen. TRENDING WORLDWIDE. RhettAndDelphine. MeridianPowerCouple. You swallowed hard and shoved the phone away. "Hey." Vance Tull. Rhett's agent stepped directly into your path. "Stop right there." "Move." Vance planted a hand on your shoulder. You slapped it away. "Don't touch me." "He's doing post-game press. You need to leave through the employee exit." You stared at him. "I'm not sneaking out through some back door. Not tonight." His expression hardened. "You work for Rhett. You do what I say." Your disbelief turned into anger. "I'm his spouse. We've been together for five years!" Vance barely blinked. "You're his assistant." Your face fell. "And right now," he added coldly, "you're a liability." Heavy footsteps suddenly echoed through the hallway. You looked past Vance. Rhett rounded the corner. Still wearing his championship jersey. Sweat clung to his blonde hair. His chest rose heavily from the game, and his blue eyes immediately darted between you and Vance. "Rhett." You stepped toward him. "Tell him to move." Rhett glanced nervously behind himself toward the reporters gathering farther down the corridor. "Listen to him. Keep your voice down." You stared at him. "Keep my voice down?" Your voice cracked despite your best effort to control it. "You kissed her on live television!" "She kissed me." "And you kissed her back!" Rhett dragged a hand through his damp hair. "It was a publicity stunt. The network set it up." You actually laughed. A short, stunned sound. "And you didn't think to warn me?" "I'm warning you now." "Now?!" Rhett stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Things changed. Vance says the Delphine angle is huge for my brand." You looked at him like you didn't recognize the man standing in front of you. "Your brand?" Your eyes burned. "You promised me tonight was our night." For half a second, something flickered across his face. Guilt. Then Vance looked toward the approaching reporters. Rhett noticed. And whatever softness had appeared in his expression vanished. His jaw tightened. His championship ring hadn't even been placed on his finger yet, and somehow the boy you'd loved for five years already seemed miles away. "Grow up," Rhett snapped.