Page 20 of Her Nebraska Touchdown Daddy

“Then let’s get you dressed and home. We’ve got a long night ahead of us to sort this mess out and get you well enough for practice tomorrow.”

“And we have a travel game. We’re leaving Friday after classes end for the day,” she reminds me.

The women’s team is traveling to Missouri this weekend for their game. Windy doesn’t know it yet, but since her game is in the afternoon Sunday, I plan to drive out there in the morning so I can be there for her. My boys play Saturday here at home, so while it’ll be a late night and an early morning, there’s no way I’d miss her first game since becoming mine.

“Just enough time to get to the bottom of this shit with Franklin and show a certain Little girl the punishment that being careless with her safety and hiding her problems from her Daddy earns.”

Her mouth drops open and her eyes go wide. “You… you know about it? What Director Franklin wants to make me do?” she stammers.

“I know enough.” Frustration turns my words harsh. The whole situation frustrates me. I’m pissed that someone I respected would sink so low that he’d push harmful drugs on student athletes. Met-88 was banned in sports for a reason, it’s got serious side effects. It isn’t even available for medicalpurposes in the United States. I know, because I had to go down a research rabbit hole when I first learned what he’s been up to.

I’m not sure where he’s getting the drug, but wherever it’s coming from isn’t legitimate. Which means it could be laced with fuckall anything and there’d be no way to know. Young people, student athletes and their families, entrust their safety and their futures to the program. I’m appalled and sick to my stomach thinking of the danger players could be facing.

My anger must be visible on my face, because Windy shrinks away from me. If it weren’t for the hold I’ve got on her while I tug her clothes on, she’d probably pull away from me entirely. I school my expression, hoping to show her I’m not angry at her. It’s this fucked- up situation and how upset I am that she’s wrapped up in it that has me furious.

“I never took the pills he gave me! I wouldn’t, I swear!” Windy pleads, fresh tears spilling from her red-rimmed eyes.

“I know you wouldn’t, sweetheart. But you’re still getting a hot ass for hiding from me when he gave them to you. For whatever reason. Now let’s go. We’re not having this conversation here.”

I unwrap her to finish pulling her clothes on before tugging a knit beanie over her head. Thankfully, she kept her hair in a bun and out of the water, otherwise I’d have to take the time to blow-dry it before taking her out in the chilly evening air. Windy slides her feet into a pair of oversized soccer-cleat-shaped slippers that startle a laugh out of me.

“Umm, are these okay? Do I need regular shoes?” she asks.

Internally, I vow that soon she won’t fret about her childish likes and dislikes. I want Windy to be comfortable showing me the natural Little that exists inside her. I want to nourish it and see her embrace it.

“As long as you stay on the sidewalk and out of the grass, they’ll be fine. My truck’s in front of the building,” I tell her.

“Oh gosh, Deke! Everybody’s going to talk if they see your truck out front!” Panic flares in her eyes and it gives me another piece of the puzzle about why she’s been ghosting me.

“Deke? That’s not who I am to you. Is it?”

“Da-a-ady!” she whines. I wouldn’t be surprised if she threw in a little foot stomp, not that it’d be very effective in those silly slippers.

“See? You know my name. Don’t you worry about who sees my truck. It’s my job to worry about gossip and rumors. You worry about that backside of yours and whatever other punishments I might come up with.” The threat works, her hands dropping to cover her tush like the spanking is going to start any second.

CHAPTER 24

Windy

I’m mostly done shiveringby the time we pull up to Deke’s house. It helps he’s had the heat blasting and all the vents turned my way the whole ride here. After we left my dorm and I saw the small crowd of people gawking at Coach’s truck right in front of the doors, I gave up trying to hide how glad I am that he came for me.

I’m really glad he did because I’m no closer to figuring out a way to deal with Director Franklin’s blackmail on my own. That Deke already knows most of the crap that’s going on makes it even better. Him finding out and thinking I was the type of girl to use drugs has been weighing on me so heavily it’s been making my stomach too sick to keep food down.

“When’s the last time you ate?” His concern is obvious, and I realize he must be able to hear my stomach pitching a fit even over the blowing of the truck’s heaters.

“Umm, Coach Michaels sent me home early because I was playing like hot garbage at practice. So I bought a sandwich fromthe Monarch-Mart at the dorms.” It’s not lying. Not technically if I skirt the subject, right?

“Bought isn’t the same as ate, little lush. Fibbing to Daddy is only going to add to the punishment you’ve already earned. Do you want to try that answer again?” The way his brow lifts and the little smile lines around his mouth tighten in displeasure sends a shiver of nerves through me.

I liked the spanking thing we did that first night when he brought me here. Somehow I’m positive I won’t like the kind of spanking he’s planning to give me this time nearly as much. My stomach gurgles again and Deke clears his throat expectantly.

“Umm, maybe yesterday I ate some granola and yogurt?”

“You asking me, or telling me?”

Yup, he’s mad.

“Telling. Yes, I had yogurt and granola yesterday afternoon. Oh, and a banana! I had a banana last night, too.” Bananas have a lot of potassium in them, which is great for sore and crampy muscles. They’re also a chill food that’s easy to keep down when stress has my tummy tied in knots.

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