Page 4 of Nick: The Billionaire Star of NHL

I open my mouth to intervene, but she holds a hand up to stop me.

“Please, take your time to think this through. You’ll see this is the best decision for you. Everyone deserves to find love and have a family. Everyone deserves peace and happiness.”

They don’t understand—this is how I like to be. I enjoy my life, I don’t feel the need to have a relationship.

Why is it so bad?

“I don’t want to think about my choices or talk about them. I like my life as it is, I don’t want a wife, love, kids. I’ll be an uncle, I have five brothers for that.”

“Well, Son, you have time until tomorrow night to decide. We’ll have dinner with the Thomases here tomorrow. I think by now they all know about our plans as well. So you all can stay the night or leave and return in the evening.”

THREE

Sierra

I couldn’t sleep. I spent the night trying to put my thoughts in order and not freak out. My mind wouldn’t stop spinning—all the old feelings I had for Nick when we were kids, feelings I fought so hard to leave behind, are suddenly back.

Nick, my husband?

My stomach clenches so hard at the thought, I honestly fear I might throw up.

I hope this evening my parents and the Hardys will take pity on me and tell me to calm down because it was all a joke. A very unfunny joke.

As I lay in bed, scrolling through TikTok, my brothers start bombarding me with messages in the group chat we have together.

Family

Liam: Morning, babies.

Liam: Last night was fucking weird.

Liam: Ser, you will never marry. Especially not Nickolas Hardy. End of discussion.

Zayn: Never ever, Ser.

Zayn: Fuck, man. Mom and Dad have way too much free time. We need to find them some extra activities.

Zayn: Don’t any of you dare say something about sex. *throwing up*