Page 74 of Chips & Checks
I’ve seen that laugh in locker rooms and press boxes. Across dinner tables and beneath bedsheets. But right now, watching her in that sunlit kitchen, barefoot and totally at ease with her family… it hits me. I don’t just want to sleep with her. I want to be invited in. To that life. That light. That laugh.
Maybe it’s already too late. Maybe she’s already it.
The girl. The game-changer. The one I’d throw every damn rule away for if I wasn’t so scared I’d drown in her.
“She is,” I say at last. “I really like her, Dad.”
He shoves his shades back up and resumes his relaxed pose. “So drop the nonsense. Stop pretending you’re not falling hard for this woman. And let her get to know you, no rules, no protections, all in.”
“Seriously?” I was hoping for some real, tangible advice, notthrow caution to the wind and let your heart guide you.
Dad clears his throat. “I mean,someprotection.”
I get to my feet. “Okay, I’m out. We’re not going to talk about that.”
Violet and Briggs emerge from the house with a giant pitcher of mimosas and some spare glasses. Maybe it’s the conversation she and Briggs were having, but Violet seems a little distracted. I recognize the pinch in her mouth. God, she’s so fucking cute. I want to kiss her, but after her reaction in the coffee shop this morning, I doubt that any impromptu PDA would go over well. I slide in beside her and pour myself a drink instead.
I’m taking my first sip of citrus and champagne when Mom asks, “So, Violet, what’s going on with that handsy fellow we saw last night?”
I choke on my drink, and Violet’s shoulders hunch toward her ears. “You mean Chad?”
Lenyx cocks his head. “Yeah, what’s the deal on that? Did you two hook up or some point, or something?”
“Lenyx Louis Sawyer,” Layla warns.
He holds up both hands. “Hey, no judgment. It just seemed like there might be a little love triangle thing going on.”
“It’snota love triangle.” Violet bites out the words. “Chad’s a creep. He’s pushing the boundaries between patient and therapist.”
Vi’s mom, Layla, isn’t much taller than she is, but she immediately goes on the defensive. “What did he do? Do I need to get involved?”
Briggs takes his wife’s hand. “If anyone needs to step in, it’ll be me. I work for the team.”
“And the team is handling it,” Violet says. Under the table, her hand lands on my knee, and she gives me a squeeze. “He’s usually better when Bowen’s around.”
“You shouldn’t have to work in conditions like that,” Layla insists. “Tell the team. Maybe not Dante, but Julie would put a stop to that. Or Renee.”
“We’ve already told Renee,” I say.
Lenyx’s eyebrows go up. “We?”
“I was able to corroborate her description of an earlier incident,” I hedge.
“And is the team taking any measures to mitigate harm?” Mom’s got her executive face on. “Because if they aren’t, that could be grounds for legal action.”
“They’re doing an internal investigation. I don’t think we can say anything more than that right now.” Violet tucks her hair behind one ear with her free hand. The other is still gripping my leg. I lay my palm over the back of her hand and give her a less brutal squeeze than the deathgrip she has on my kneecap. She smiles, and her fingers ease up until I can slip my own in between them.
“Excellent.” Mom sits back. “And if you ever need a lawyer, you know where to find me. I’ll hook you up with Britt. She’s one of the best sports attorneys in the business.”
“I’m sorry about this, kiddo.” Briggs’s shoulders droop. “I’m the one who signed him. I’d heard some rumors about him, but I thought he was a playboy, not a creep. I went back through his records the other day, but it doesn’t have anything concerning in his file.”
“Because people are afraid to speak up,” I say. “I’ve seen how he treats people. Guys like him are really good at covering their tracks with money and lies. He knows how to protect his own ass, and for guys with his talent, a lot of coaches and agents are prepared to look the other way.”
“Maybe so, but not on my watch.” Briggs slams the last of his mimosa and reaches for the pitcher again. “I’m not going to let him off the hook, and that goes double when my kid’s involved. Speaking as an employee of the Venom, he’s going to regret being unprofessional. Speaking as a father? If he doesn’t get hisshit together, they’ll never find the body. People forget how long I’ve worked for Dante.”
“Allegedly, you might know how to hide a body,” Mom says drily.
Briggs nods and points to her. “Yeah. That. And if anyone starts asking questions, I’ll go outside in the street, yell a few times, and rally the troops.”
