Page 10 of Red Zone

“Why is that your problem?” The words were out before I could take them back.

“Because he’s family, whether we like it or not.” Her voice was a soft reprimand.

“And when he hocks the TV for beer money? Is he still family then?”

The memory burned like an old scar. Dad had broken into my room, stolen the money I’d saved for the combine—and decimated my shot at the NFL. His drinking had hijacked my future before I’d even had a chance. With no other choice, I’d accepted the scholarship to Fall Lake University and enrolled, altering my future and adding a few more years to achieving my goal.

The cop mask she wore when we fought about Dad fell into place, and her jaw hardened. “I’ve got it handled. This is a temporary development, not something you need to worry about.”

“Bullshit. You have a job. What’s he going to do with all that unsupervised time in here?”

“He won’t ever be at the house when I’m not. I’ve got connections.” Her arms crossed over her chest—her tell that she was digging her heels in and gearing up for a fight she would not lose.

I knew better than to engage when Fio was like that. I settled for a warning. “Don’t let him fuck up what you made for yourself. He’s poison, and you know it.”

“I appreciate your concern, but as I said, I’ve got it handled. You focus on what you need to do—school and securing your future. I got what I wanted. It’s my turn to deal with him.”

I grunted a nonresponse. It wasn’t that I didn’t appreciate what she’d said, I just hated laying anything on her doorstep, and our dad could derail the best-laid plans.

Fio grabbed a plate and shoved it into my hands. “This conversation is over. Let’s eat.”

I couldn’t fight her on that and piled my plate high. Grabbing a glass of water, I followed her to the small table. It was later in the evening, after my failed attempt at finding clarity, by the time I sat across from Fiona at her kitchen table. We tucked into our food, neither of us talking until we were almost halfway through our meal and the edge of my hunger was sated.

“How are Ares and Brielle?”

Fio had been there when Kylian and I went with Ares to rescue Brielle after her dad’s illicit past had come calling. “They’re good. She practically lives at the condo.” I swallowed another bite. “It’s not that bad having Kylian’s fiancée and Ares’s girlfriend around.”

Fio laughed, setting down her fork and shoving away her plate. “Maybe you’re finally coming around to considering a relationship.”

I glanced through the open-concept living room to where Dad was passed out in the family room and pointed my fork in his direction. “How can I take that risk?”

“You can’t know until you try.” Her voice softened. “You’re not Dad, and really, will you let his shortcomings define you?”

I didn’t bother answering because it was hard as fuck not to do that. I battled the past constantly, but every failing grade and what’d happened with Skye freshman year were reminders of how I wasn’t good enough. I badly needed a change of subject. I’d had enough heavy to last a lifetime. “I have to get tutoring for that stupid chemistry class.”

“Why did you have to take chemistry? That’s not an easy class.”

“My advisor screwed up and thought I’d filled my science elective. That was the only thing I could take by the time hefigured it out. As it was, I started chem the day after add/drop closed.”

“Shit. That sucks. How’s the tutoring? Is it helping?”

“Skye is my tutor.”

Water sprayed across the table as Fio choked on her sip. While she coughed and wiped her mouth, I sopped up the rest that’d landed on the table, thankfully just shy of my food. I would’ve been annoyed if her spit take had ruined the rest of my dinner.

“The girl you were so hung up on? The same one who you practically stalked the campus trying to find for a solid month?” At my nod, her eyes lit up. “Maybe you can try dating her again.”

I snorted at that impossibility. “She has a kid.”

“How old is the kid?”

I shrugged. “How should I know? Two? Three?” I didn’t need to ask to know Fio was doing the same mental math that I had.

“Could it be yours?”

“She had dark-brown hair, but so does Skye.” But one thing still hit me hard. “And bright-green eyes.”

“Shit, Liam. Do you think?—”

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