Page 55 of Game On

Donovan looked at his watch. “That was over an hour ago. Where did you go after the commissary?”

I stopped to have hot monkey sex in the training room with the idiot standing next to me! “I don’t remember. I sat with CJ and Troy for a little bit. I got sidetracked on the way back.”

Donovan looked at both of them. His eyes said he didn’t believe her, but at least he didn’t voice his doubts out loud. He barked at someone on his cell phone. Carly glanced over at Shane, who had his game face on.

“I need to get that rose and anything else he might have left and take it over the Baltimore PD,” Donovan said. “I’ve got my people going over the surveillance tapes to see how and when Joel got in the building.”

“You don’t think he’s still here?” The waver was back in her voice.

Donovan looked at Shane before he answered. “No, I don’t. But maybe you should head home with Coach tonight.”

She glanced at the clock on the wall behind him. “He’s already left. Lisa was supposed to pick them up fifteen minutes ago and they were leaving directly for the beach.” Of course, if she hadn’t stopped for a quickie in the training room, she could have caught her family before they left.

“It’ll be okay, Donovan. I’m sure Joel is long gone.” She tried her best to sound convincing. “I’m just going to pack up for the day and go home.”

“Like hell you are,” Shane said from beside her.

“Excuse me?” She slowly turned her head to face him. He was still standing with his arms folded across his chest looking as if he ruled the world.

“I’ll make sure she gets home safely, Don,” he said, ignoring her.

Donovan looked from one to the other. It was clear he didn’t like the idea of Shane taking her home, but apparently he liked the idea of her going home alone less.

“Fine,” he said, and both men headed for the door.

“What just happened here?” she called after them, refusing to move from the room.

“Carly.” Shane’s tone was softer now, but still firm. “He’s right. Until we know where Thompkins is, you shouldn’t be left alone. Let Don do his job and get the police to pick him up.” He walked back over to her and lifted a hand to gently caress her cheek. “Come to dinner with Troy and me. By the time we get home, the police will have Joel in custody for violating the restraining order.”

Carly stifled a shiver, unsure whether it was caused by Shane’s touch or her current situation. She hated having to rely on someone else for safety. But she hated what Joel was doing to her more. Truth be told, she was a little spooked to go home alone. She only wished Shane wasn’t the one acting as her bodyguard. But he said Troy would be with them. Dinner with the Devlin brothers would definitely be a distraction from Joel’s note. Surely Shane would keep his hands to himself with his brother around. He’d better. Because it was obvious she couldn’t keep her own hands to herself.

Three hours and a glass of wine later, Carly drove into her neighborhood as night began to fall. Shane had taken her and Troy to Little Italy for dinner. The food was delicious—what little bits she managed to get down. It didn’t help that Shane was back to being his moody, arrogant self, grunting monosyllables throughout the meal. She tried to ignore him, instead listening to Troy babble about mini-camp and C.J.—the boy was in awe of everything her nephew did—and Beckett, his new best friend. Troy was a sweet boy, much like C.J. at that age.

When dinner was over, they headed back to the training facility to pick up her car. Troy begged to ride home with her and Shane seemed relieved to be rid of him. He headed home to walk Beckett while she and Troy stopped off at Santoni’s for ice cream. Rather than eat it there, they’d decided to grab a couple of pints of Ben & Jerry’s and bring it home.

“Carly?” Troy said as they pulled into the neighborhood. “Dr. Richardson said your mom died when you were younger than I am. Like nine or something.”

“Yeah,” she said, cringing a little because she really didn’t like to discuss her mother’s death. It might be therapeutic for Troy, but Lisa was better at the psychobabble than she was.

“She said that movie Death in a Sandstorm is about your mom.”

“Yep.” She waved to the guard as she drove through the main gate.

“That’s gotta be so cool,” he said.

“I guess.” She never knew what to say about the legend her mom had become as a result of a blockbuster movie immortalizing her life and death.

“Do you still miss her?” he asked quietly. “I mean, does it ever go away?”

She glanced over at him as she pushed the garage door opener. His eyes were red behind his glasses again and he bit his bottom lip as he waited for her to answer.

Pulling into the garage, she put the car in park and cut the ignition. As she leaned her head back against the headrest, she let out a long sigh.

“Yeah. I miss her sometimes. I wish I could have known her better. She was just always Mum to me, you know? That fearless reporter in the movie was the part I never got to see. But it does get better, Troy. It’s just going to take some time.”

She looked over at him as he brushed away a tear. “Oh sweetie,” she said, gathering him up in her arms. “It’s going to be okay. You’ll see. You’re lucky. You have people who want you. My grandmother and my father didn’t even know I existed until my mom died. You have your grandparents who know and love you. And Shane. And all of us here. You’re gonna be just fine.”

“My grandparents don’t want me. They just want my money. I heard them talking the night Mom and Dad died. They want to use the money to help people with their ministry. I don’t mind helping people, but it still doesn’t seem right somehow. I mean, would they still want me if I were poor? They barely even know me.” Troy sniffled against her. “And Shane, he definitely doesn’t want me,” he said.

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