Page 23 of Red Zone

“She was pretty shook up. I stayed with her and read some books to her daughter until she and Lily fell asleep.” Despite the circumstances, I couldn’t help smiling at how much I’d enjoyed spending time with them.

“See?” Kylian slapped me on the back. “You do have a domestic side.”

Ares joined in on Kylian’s laughter. “Don’t fight it this time. Skye’s good people.”

I rolled my eyes. “As if you know her.”

“I know enough.” Ares shot me a serious look. “Besides, this side of you was always there. You volunteer the most out of everyone for Coach’s outreach programs.”

“Kids love you,” Kylian said. “And keep in mind that I never saw myself with Aurora, either, but sometimes, things just feel right. Going all in with her was the best decision of my life.”

I couldn’t fault him there. Aurora was amazing, and he was happier with her.

“Helping out with my nephew, no matter how busy football and school gets, will always be my priority,” Ares said. “I know you would feel the same if you let Skye and her daughter in.”

Ares’s sister and her husband had died in a car accident a few years back, and he’d stepped up, taking on more of a big brother parental role when his mom took Preston in. It hadn’t been easy, but he never complained.

“I wouldn’t trade the time I spend with Preston for anything. What we do for kids makes a difference in their lives. And I’m sure Skye appreciated you helping and showing kindness to her daughter.”

“Maybe. I don’t know. Skye was rattled, and I’m sure that was the only reason she was okay with me being around her kid.” With a wave to Ares and Kylian, I slid into my car. The weight of the upcoming game pressed on me. But it wasn’t just Indiana or the scouts on my mind—it was Jackson, Skye, and how everything had seemed to collide at once.

We’d split to drive to the athletics building, and I was glad to drop the conversation. The game against Indiana tomorrow would be front and center in all our minds, as it should be. Scouts would be present. I needed more ESPN time and hopefully more exposure to get the attention of top agents and a team that wanted me. Regardless of how often Skye and her daughter invaded my mind, that had to be my primary focus. I had a plan and needed to see it through until I achieved my goals.

After practice, weights, and film, I stopped by Fiona’s to nab any leftover spaghetti from the other night and see if she’d made headway on the case—and if she would tell me anything at all. When I let myself into her townhome, my dad was awake on the recliner. I’d hoped to avoid him. It looked like I wasn’t that lucky.

“Liam, my boy.” His words slurred already, and red rimmed his unfocused eyes as I tried to slip past him. “How’s the season going?”

I stopped on my way to talk to Fio, who was hunched over some documents at the kitchen table. Football was the only thing I had in common with my dad. He’d spent countless hours throwing me the ball in the backyard and had even gotten me a JUGS machine so I could practice two hundred catches a day.He’d wanted to help me achieve my dreams, and I couldn’t ignore the topic when he brought it up.

“We won against Iowa, and I got a mention on ESPN.”

“I heard. Great job, son. Now you just need to bring it home.”

I nodded, ignoring the tightness in my chest at the pressure to do just that. “Tomorrow’s game is another home one against Indiana.”

“They’ve got no game. Their success is in basketball.” His voice rose with excitement. “You’ve got the win in the bag.”

“That would’ve been true a few years ago, but their new coach has turned things around. They’ve been rising in the ranking since last year. That’s why we’re facing them this far into the season.”

“Well, don’t let them win. Simple as that.” He toasted me with his Budweiser. “I’ll be watching from here.”

“Thanks.” It was the best conversation we’d had in a long while, and I tried to move on before it went to hell, as it usually did. “I came to check in with Fio about something. Have a good night.” I doubted he would be conscious much longer with the stack of empties lined up on the end table next to his elbow.

“I heard about the girl that found the dead football player. That’s what Fio is workin’ on?”

“Yeah. Skye, our team’s social media manager, found him. It was rough for her last night.” I knew my mistake before I finished talking.Why don’t I ever learn?

Dad’s face went from pleasant to furious, red infusing his already-ruddy cheeks and nose. “Skye? Didn’t you date some girl with that name when you first started playing at Fall Lake?” He pointed a finger at me, and beer sloshed over the rim of the can and onto his stained jeans from the sudden movement. “Don’t let a pretty face sway you.”

My knuckles tightened around the counter as he ranted, the words blurred, familiar, and suffocating.

“Women can’t be trusted. She’ll ruin your life, sway you from the end game. You’d better stay strong and say no to relationships, or eventually, she’ll kill your dreams then leave you in a ditch for some doctor with a bigger salary and a Jaguar and a mansion in Miami.”

Fuck me.It was like watching a replay of every fight he’d had with Mom. But I wasn’t him, and Skye wasn’t her. “Not everyone is Mom, Dad.”

As I moved away, Dad’s slurred words lingered in the back of my mind like an old injury that never healed. When I reached Fio’s kitchen, I felt the tension knotting in my shoulders, the relief of seeing her not enough to quell the dread of whatever might come next. I went to the fridge, pulled out a container, and dumped the contents onto a plate before putting it in the microwave.

“Please, help yourself,” my sister said snarkily.

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