Page 70 of The Sweet Spot

“Kane,” Becket says. “The kid from Block Island?”

Scarlet leans her hip against her husband’s chair and smiles condescendingly at her brother. “Do you even read the King Corp. emails, Becks? Deacon is the Revolution’s new head coach.” Her words may sound like she’s not upset that I’m here with her daughter, but the look on her face says otherwise.

“Why’s the coach holding Brynn’s hand?” The third guy asks and puts his cigar down with an underlying anger in his words.

And I wait for it.

Because I know it’s coming.

Tick. Tick. Boom.

“And why the fuck is there a diamond ring on her finger?” Sam points out as he leans back in his chair and crosses his arms over his chest.

“That’s why we’re here,” Brynn tells them, then looks at her uncles. “We were hoping to talk to Mom and Dad alone.” She squeezes my hand, and I’m not sure if she’s trying to comfort me or herself.

I drop her hand and wrap an arm around her waist.

She doesn’t need to comfort me. I can hold my own, and no one at this table is changing anything between us. When I go to bed tonight, it’ll be with my wife.

“Not a chance, Brynn.” Becket grins and sips his bourbon as Killian pulls out a chair that his mother immediately pushes back in.

“What?” he asks, and Scarlet shakes her head and points at Brynn’s uncles.

“They get to stay. You go inside.”

He shakes his head and looks at his dad and uncles. “If it makes a difference, he was ready to come to blows with me earlier if I even looked at her wrong. And I’m a scary motherfucker.”

“I’m scarier,” Sam says quietly, and Cade glares at his son.

Killian turns back to Brynn. “I tried.”

“Go,” she whispers to him.

Brynlee waits until her brother is inside before pulling out her own chair across the table from her uncles and taking a seat. “You aren’t surprised.”

Well, damn . . . I wasn’t expecting that.

“The fuck I’m not, Brynn.” Becket laughs, but Scarlet and Cade just look at her. “You knew.”

“The second Judge Guiliano got your call, she called me,” her mother tells her before finishing what’s left of Cade’s bourbon and pouring another glass. “There’s nothing that happens in this city that one of us doesn’t know, Brynlee. No more questions from you. Now it’s our turn.”

I stand behind Brynn, watching the dynamic play out. This family is complicated as hell, but I won’t hesitate to take her out of here if they upset her.

“Why did we have to find out from a friend you were even seeing someone, let alone getting married? Really, Brynn. What’s gotten into you?” Scarlet nails her daughter with her words.

“I know what’s gotten into her,” Becket snickers, and I clench my fist.

“Out,” Cade barks, and Sam grabs Becket’s shirt.

“Dumb fuck,” Sam groans. “I’m going to remind you that you said that one day when it’s Kenzie seeing someone. Let’s go.”

“And miss this?” Becket argues but stands up anyway, then points a finger at me. “Keep in mind I can erase any trace of your existence if you hurt my niece, Kane.”

“Lay off the bourbon, Becks,” his sister chastises as she watches the two men join Killian in the house.

“Are you happy?” Cade asks. “They’re gone. Now start talking.”

I’m already over this whole shit show. “I love your daughter. Do I wish I had come to you first and asked your permission to marry her?” I want to tell him fuck no, I don’t, but he’s Brynn’s father, and I owe him more respect than that. “As a father of a little girl, I’d like to think I should have. But in reality, I don’t need it. I need hers. She needs to know I’m a good man. She needs to believe I’ll protect her with my dying breath. She’s the only person who matters, and that’s how it should be.”

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