Page 102 of Unwritten Rules
“Is everything okay?” I ask when he reaches us, voice wavering.
Dad looks between me and Sinnett, eyes hard, and gestures over his shoulder with his thumb. “You two, follow me. Now.”
Now my heart is beating for a different reason.
Sinnett and I share a confused look when Dad turns his back on us and walks back down the tunnel, stomping as he goes.
“What the hell is going on?” I whisper, worrying my lip between my teeth.
“I don’t know,” Sinnett responds, voice deep. “But judging by the look on his face, it can’t be good.”
Tense silence settles over us as we follow my father into an empty room filled with training equipment, offering a level of privacy for whatever conversation is going to take place. What feels like a hundred different scenarios swarm my mind, but I’m unable to focus on a single one.
Dad closes the door behind him, folding his arms over his chest. He looks between Sinnett and me, standing a few metres away from each other, confused as hell.
“What’s going on, Dad?” I ask, voice trembling. “Is everything okay?”
“You want to know what’s going on, Tatum?” Dad hisses, his words lashing at me like a physical assault. Oh, my God. He only ever uses my full name when I’m in trouble. “Would either of you care to explain this photo I received an hour ago?”
Sinnett and I share a confused look while Dad pulls up something on his phone, holding it up for us to see. We step closer to get a better look, and once realisation dawns on me, ice floods my veins and my heart drops to my toes.
Sinnett and I kissing on the beach yesterday. As clear as the sky outside and as obvious as the shock seeping into my features.
Shit.
Who took the photo? We were basically alone on the beach, but with how good the quality is, someone must’ve been lurking in the background that we overlooked. Was it the media? A fan?
I swallow hard as my heartbeat grows erratic, pulsing at the base of my throat. My right hand reaches for my fingernails, picking at the skin around the nail bed. “Dad, I can explain…”
“Explain what, Tatum?” Dad roars, shoving his phone into the pocket of his long pants. The tips of his ears are red, something that only happens when he’s ready to blow his top. “I told you not to go there with any of the players, and you went against me. You betrayed me and the trust we shared.” He turns to Sinnett, directing his anger at him now, finger pointing at his chest. “Andyou. I made it very clear you were to stay away from my daughter.”
“Phil, let me explain,” Sinnett says, voice even despite the tension rolling through his shoulders.
“No!” Dad booms. “The photo speaks for itself. I made myself clear about you lot staying away from Tatum, so imagine the betrayal I felt seeing my halfback going against my word.”
“Dad, please,” I plead, desperate for him to not do this. “Just listen to us.”
“How long has this been going on?” he demands, directing the question at me.
“Dad…”
“How long, Tatum? I won’t ask again.”
I exhale a sharp breath at the same time Sinnett runs a hand through his hair. “A month.”
“Fuck,” Dad hisses, throwing his hands in the air. “I can’t believe this, Tatum. I trusted you, and this whole time you’ve been seeing him behind my back?”
Tears sting the corner of my eyes, but I don’t have the energy to blink them away. Instead, I focus on my father freaking out about me and Sinnett. I knew this would happen eventually; Iwasn’t naive to the fact that my relationship with Sinnett would have to end eventually. But I didn’t think it would happen so soon. I thought we had more time.
I don’t want it to end.
“And what about your career?” Dad turns to Sinnett, throwing his hands in the air. “You need to be focused, not frolicking around with my daughter.”
“I am focused,” Sinnett defends, squaring his shoulders. “If it wasn’t for your daughter, I wouldn’t be wearing this jersey. She helped me through my lowest time and reminded me why I’m here chasing this dream.”
“It doesn’t change the fact that you betrayed me,” Dad hisses, shaking his head. “I can’t fucking believe this. I truly can’t.”
I step toward my father, the skin around my thumb stinging as my nails dig into the skin. “Dad, don’t think for a second that Sinnett isn’t committed to this job. He has worked his ass off to get back on the field, despite whatever was going on between us. The Wolves are his life, and you know it.”
