Page 25 of Puck Blocked
“I don’t want to go back,” Montana whispers. Her voice is so quiet.
“You’re never going back, Tanna.” The thought of her going back to that asshole sends a spark of rage running through me.
“I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to do. I don’t have anything, Luke. No job, no savings. Nothing.”
“You don’t need any of that. I have more than enough for both of us. Whatever you need, Tanna, you can have it.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t want to be dependent on anyone else. I know I need to get a job. I need to get an apartment. But maybe not when I look like this.” She points to her face.
“If you want a job, then get one, but don’t do it if you don’t really want to.” I stop and think about what she said. Her claim that she has nothing. “Tanna, when was the last time you saw your dad?” I ask her.
He wasn’t really Father of the Year material, but he wasn’t the worst either. He was also pretty well off. I find it hard to believe that he’d turn his back on his daughter, leave her with nothing. Surely if he knew what was happening to her, he would have stepped in, right?
“I haven’t seen him for two years,” Montana says. “I… Andrew didn’t like me seeing him.”
“And what? Your dad was okay with that? Just accepted it?” I ask her.
“Not at first, no. I said some pretty hurtful things to him, though. I made sure he would stop calling me.”
“He’s your father. It shouldn’t matter. He never should have stopped,” I grunt. She truly was alone, all these years.
“It’s okay. I’ll get a job and go to school. I can do that, right?”
“You can do anything you want. No one is ever going to stop you from doing anything, Tanna.”
“Thank you.” She yawns.
“Close your eyes, babe. Go to sleep. I’ll be right here.”
“Night, Luke.”
As soon as I wake up the next morning, I check my phone. Tanna is still asleep. I didn’t hear her call out last night, which I’m hoping means she didn’t have a nightmare. I pull the charger cord from the bottom, pick up my phone, and take it into the bathroom with me. I don’t want to disturb her, but I want to make sure I’m here when she finally opens her eyes.
I take the world’s quickest shower, and it’s when I’m drying off that Montana wakes up. “Um… Wow.” Her voice comes out of the phone’s speaker, and I turn around to see her staring back at me. Her eyes widen, and she gasps and covers her face.
“Shit. Sorry.” I wrap the towel around my waist, only just realizing I gave her a show. “You can open your eyes now, babe.”
“Hey.” She smiles at me.
“How’d you sleep?”
“Surprisingly well. Thank you for last night.”
“You’re welcome. I… ah… I have to make a stop before I come home but I’ll be there later tonight.”
“Okay, well, I’ll let you go and get dressed.”
“Talk to you soon.” I hang up and walk back into the bedroom, throwing on the suit the team expects you to wear while transiting to and from the games. Then I pack everything up and text Gray to let him know I’ll meet him in the lobby.
By the time I get there, it’s not just Gray waiting for me. King, O’Neil, and Liliana along with her brother Alessandro are all there too.
“Did I miss the memo about a party?” I ask with a raised brow.
“Yep, we’re going on a road trip to your hometown, bro. I heard there’s popcorn and a free flight, so I’m in.” King smirks.
“You all really don’t need to tag along.”
“Yes, we do. You’re not doing this on your own. Besides, I’m torturing my brother by making him stay in Canada a day longer,” Liliana says.
