Any other day, she’d probably laugh, but not this day. This day, she wanted to quit. Along with the week from hell, Rick had sent a text asking how she felt about exchanging Angie week-to-week instead of him getting her only every other weekend. She knew Angie wouldn’t go for it, and when she told Rick that, he accused her of brainwashing her. Nothing new, dude had shit for brains, but it still bothered her.

She felt she was being fair when it came to Angie. She kept her daughter’s best interests in mind, and Angie didn’t like it at Rick and his wife, Heidi’s, house. She wanted to be with Lucy, and no matter how hard it was being a single parent, Lucy hated when Angie was gone too. She kind of turned into a recluse. Not leaving the house because she worried so much about her daughter. It just didn’t feel right that Angie didn’t like it there, and that scared her. If he could raise a hand to Lucy, what stopped him from raising one to Angie out of anger?

It was such a fucking headache, and she wished he would just disappear.

But she wasn’t that lucky.

Nope. Instead, she stubbed her toe and her daughter waved her dildos around like they were swords.

Classic.

Shaking her head, she fell back onto the bed and squeezed her eyes shut. She had so much work to do but no desire to do it. She wanted to cuddle with Angie and watch a movie. But knowing she had to make money to feed her, clothe her, and one day, give Angie a bigger house, she got up to get to work. Before she could reach the table where all her work stuff waited, her phone rang.

It was her brother, Jayden.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” he said, a car door slamming. “Just making sure Angie will be there tomorrow.”

She groaned. “I could kill you for this.”

Jayden laughed. “Oh, hush, you know she’s excited, and it’s gonna be great.”

“You know she’s gonna miss half the games.”

He growled. “Seriously? Rick the Dick won’t bring her?”

“He said no.”

“Man, I hate him.”

“Join the club. I’m the awesome president of it,” she said as he let out a long breath.

“Whatever. Hopefully, Angie will throw a fit and he’ll take her. I mean, her coach is Shea Adler, the old captain of the Assassins. That’s fucking awesome, y’know?”

She rolled her eyes. She knew she should be impressed by her brother’s statement, and she was, but her toe was still throbbing and the vivid image of her daughter waving her dildos in her face was still in her mind. So, needless to say, she didn’t care that her daughter’s hockey coach would be the amazing Shea Adler or that Rick was a complete dick.

“Yay.”

“He’s a legend, Luce.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m in a bad mood.”

He paused. “Wait, what? You have other moods?”

“Fuck off,” she whispered as she walked by the couch where Angie was playing on her iPad.

“I heard that,” Angie called to her, and Lucy let out a long breath. She was really trying not to cuss around Angie, but she was struggling a bit on that.

“Anyway, make sure she is there early so I can help her get ready.”

“So, what time?”

“Four thirty.”

“Ugh, Jayden! I have a consult at three. You’re killing me,” she moaned, closing her eyes. She knew she could get it done, but man, it was cutting it close. Especially since she had to go get Angie from the day care that was sucking her savings away.

“I would come get her, but I’ll be rushing with Baylor’s doctor’s appointment.”

Snapping her mouth shut, she closed her eyes as she covered them with her hand. She had forgotten that Baylor’s appointment was tomorrow. “How’s she doing?”

“Eh, day-to-day,” Jayden said softly. “They are thinking another surgery.”

She let out a long breath. Jayden’s wife, Baylor, had been the first woman to draft into the NHL two years ago and she had been doing great. Well, that is, when she actually got to play. She had been hurt more than she got to play, and that was due to the fact that the men in the league didn’t take it easy on her. Not that they should, but still, Baylor was having a hard time with it all. Because of that, Jayden was having a hard time. He was worried about her, as he should be. But he was the new captain of the Assassins, and Lucy worried he wouldn’t be able to keep his position when he was so consumed with concern for Baylor. It sucked, but hopefully, they would figure it out. But even Lucy knew a third surgery to Baylor’s knee wasn’t good.

“Well, if you need anything, let me know.”

“Yeah, ’cause you aren’t jam-packed with shit,” he shot back at her and she rolled her eyes.

“I’m trying to be supportive, asshole.”

He laughed. “I know and I love you for it.”

“I love you.”

“Good, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, yeah, bye.”

Hanging up the phone, she set it down and shook her head. The best thing would be for Baylor to just quit the NHL, but everyone knew she wouldn’t do so willingly. Which was scary. Just more shit to worry about, she figured as she let out another long breath. Baylor was more headstrong than Lucy was, so Lucy wouldn’t hold her breath on her leaving the NHL. They’d have to drag her out.

Picking up her folder for the MacKenzie job she was working on, she opened her laptop and got to work. It was her biggest job to date. A six-bedroom home that Jayden had gotten for her after he basically pimped her to all the guys on the Assassins. He was good like that, and she was excited, but MacKenzie’s wife, Michelle, was an idiot. She wanted to decorate the house the way a teenager would. Pink, glitter, and leopard were her wishes, and while Lucy thought Michelle was on something, she still took the job. She would tone it down, but she’d give the client what she wanted.