Page 14 of (Un)Rivaled

As the door slammed closed, his eyes almost twinkled. “C’mon, Dev, you knew what this was. Don’t act like you’re surprised now that you’re no longer under his protection.”

My blood reignited as I stared at him. My stepfather’s face flashed in my mind, and it was almost enough to knock the wind out of my lungs. I should have known this momentwas coming, should have realized it from the moment I discovered the real reason I was chosen for the open position years ago.

Like I said—the elite circles in New York consisted of a small group of men, and at the center? That would be my now-former stepfather.

Foolishly, it had taken me six months to realize this job was hand-picked for me. David had a deep connection to the firm and used them to get me a job where he could keep an eye on me. I should have looked closer at the partners before taking the job, maybe wondering why they wanted someone so green to join their firm. But I didn’t question it, too thankful to have a job in this competitive market to think twice. It wasn’t until I overheard a conversation at my family’s Christmas party between David and Collin, my now former boss, that it clicked. As they joked about me, my heart dashed into a million pieces, knowing I was nothing more than a pawn.

Ever since that moment, I’d vowed I would be the best damn lawyer ever to walk their halls, all while looking for ways to destroy the men who preyed on people like me. For years, I’d managed to do both, often hiding my side investigations under the guise of my work. But the answers I sought were still out of reach, inaccessible to someone outside the inner sanctum. I was hoping if I made partner, those doors would open, but now, I’d never know.

Looking over at Collin, I searched for the man who first interviewed me, the man who talked about his passion for the law, who wanted to ensure we were protecting people’s dreams. Now, I would love to think I would be able to see through his bullshit, but at the time, I ate it up. I wanted to help shape this city, help shape the world. After all, I had already sold my soul to have thiscareer, so I might as well make it the best version I possibly could.

There was no hint of that man now.

Gone was the charismatic man who charmed clients and crowds alike. Instead, I saw the snake lurking underneath, the one far too aligned with my stepfather’s goals to have an ounce of my trust.

I shook my head as I stood. “And what? Now that he’s no longer married to my mother, David has to find other ways to exert control over my life?” I pointed my finger at Collin’s face. “You can claim this is because of Jack’s bullshit threat, but we both know it’s because David owns you.”

“Maybe,” Collin chuckled as he leaned back in his seat. “It’s better to be on his side than be one of his targets. And you’ve made one too many mistakes, Devyn. Did you really think he was going to sit back and let you ruin him?”

I stilled as I stared at him, afraid to blink in case he tried something. But instead, Collin just stood, smoothing his hand over his jacket. “Good luck, Devyn. Something tells me you’re going to need it.”

SEVEN

Ping.

The ball made a sharp, high-pitched noise as it collided with my aluminum bat. It was a different sound than I was used to, but not unwelcome. After playing with a wooden bat for years, it felt appropriate, another echo of how my life has changed.

But luckily, some things hadn’t. The way my body moved, the way my arms swung, how the ball felt when it hit my bat, going 60 miles an hour. There was nothing else on my mind; everything was blank, and all I focused on was that little white ball colliding through space.

I swung the bat back over my shoulder, waiting for the next ball to roll through the machine. Thank God time hadn’t changed the old batting cages.

Pete’s Hideaway was another local legend, a pirate-themed adventure track tied into the mini-golf course across the street. It had definitely seen better days, but the owners were getting older and not putting as much money into maintenance as they used to. Technically, they were closed for the winter, but the owners knew me and let me comeand hit a couple of balls whenever I felt restless, which had been happening more often than not lately.

Luckily, the temperatures had gotten a little warmer over the past few days. Even though it was barely fifty degrees, it was practically a heat wave after the long and draining winter. Almost everyone in town was out and about, taking full advantage of the warmer temperatures. In upstate New York, you never knew what the weather might be like during these transitional months. One week might be warm and sunny, and you could have a snowstorm the next. Mother Nature was a fickle bitch.

My ball slammed into the back mat of the batting cage, and I couldn’t help but smile. This was what I missed from Saint Stephen’s Lake: the memories of growing up, of days spent in the same cage, working on my swing before a big game. I came here almost every night in high school— nights where things were too much, too loud, too chaotic. It was the only place that could calm my racing thoughts. And now, on one of the most challenging days of my life,the most challenging period of my life, it was once again my quiet little hideaway.

From the cage next to me, Cole looked over, arching his brow at my last hit. When I called him earlier to say I needed to clear my head, he didn’t question me, didn’t even think twice about joining me, despite the dropping temperatures. Alex, Cole’s wife, offered to keep my mom and dad occupied while we were out. I was beyond grateful, knowing my mom could use the distraction. After our doctor’s appointment this morning, she was processing the best she could, probably knee-deep in flour, determined to help Alex conquer her fear of baking.

I wanted to be there for her, but I couldn’t, not while I was sorting out my own shit. It didn’t help that we weren’tseeing eye to eye on my dad’s treatment plan. It would be good for both of us to take some space before we tried to talk about it again.

A sharp curse came from the cage next to me, pulling me back into the present.

“You good over there?” I asked, smirking as I lined up my bat for another hit.

“Don’t know how the hell you do that,” Cole said, shaking his head. “Especially right now. My hands are shaking too much to connect.”

“Spent a lot of time in these cages,” I answered, keeping my eye on the ball.

Cole just chuckled, mimicking my stance. That was why I called Cole; he understood my need for quiet. When I first came back home, it was jarring to see new people in the house next to ours. My entire childhood, that house had sat empty, just waiting for someone to find it and bring it back to life. Now, it looked like a home, complete with sunflowers during the summer and a bright blue door. But Alex and Cole were good neighbors and had become even better friends over the past few months.

They were practically family at this point, especially Alex. My mom loved having a girl to spoil and teach her ways. My dad loved having someone else who he’d show around this toolbox.

While Alex and I were friendly, I was closer to her husband. Cole and I had formed an instant kinship, a way of understanding each other without so many words. We were both quiet, both considered grumpy, and both preferred silence over the noise of a crowd. It helped when I needed to just exist without someone asking me a million questions about how I was feeling or what I wanted.

“So,” Cole said between hits of his bat. “You gonna tellme why I’m freezing my balls off out here, or you gonna keep brooding over there all day?”

“Don’t know,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. “Kinda just felt like hitting something.”

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