Page 120 of Sven

“Yes.”

“I can fix this. Let’s get a statement out. Get the baby back to her mother and get rid of your nanny.”

“Fuck you.”

Conner shot him a surprised look. He almost couldn’t believe he said it himself.

“Excuse me?” his father postured over the phone.

“Fuck. You.”

The anger and panic seemed to leave, and it was as if he was able to see things straight for the first time.

“Did you do this?” Sven asked.

His father huffed with a noted lack of denial.

“What the fuck were you thinking?”

“I was thinking you would finally get your head out of your ass and be a fucking hockey player and stop all the other nonsense.”

His mind was reeling. He knew his dad was an ass, but he didn’t think his dad was capable of this.

“How did you even find out about Natalie?”

“I saw the way you looked at her. Did you really think I wouldn’t look into her past?”

“You know the reason she was fired was bullshit.”

“Maybe, but I also know if you don’t stop playing house, you’re going to lose your career.”

“Then I fucking lose my career. I know this might be news to you, but there are some things in life more important than hockey.”

“And how do you plan on taking care of your family?” he spit out like it was poison. “If you don’t have hockey, you have nothing.”

“I’d figure it out. But right now, I have to go fix the fucking mess you made. Then I will fix my career and do it all in spite of all the crap you’ve done to me.”

“You are who you are because of me.”

“The fuck I am. I am who I am in spite of you. I am a fucking head case because of you. The most important thing to me is Winnie. Period. It’s fucking sad that you can’t see that, but what else would I expect?”

“What does that mean?”

“It means you were a shitty father—and a shitty husband, for that matter. You were a good hockey player but at the expense of everything else in your life. And now that your career is over you are dealing with that. And from here on out, you will be dealing with it alone.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means we are done. I’m going to fix this mess you made, but do not talk to me again. Or maybe I go to the press and tell them what kind of father you were. I will tell them about all the mistresses. I will tell them what I used to have to do when I lost ahockey game. I will tell them how I raised my little sister because you couldn’t be bothered to be a fucking father. See how your hall of fame ceremony goes then.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line.

“We are done. I’ll move on and have a wonderful life that you don’t get to be a part of.”

“After everything I’ve done for you. You’re an ungrateful piece of shit.”

“No. I’m not an ungrateful piece of shit. You are a terrible father. Goodbye.”

Sven hung up the phone as Conner pulled up to a stop light.

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