Page 32 of Shattered Reign

A slow, knowing smile spread across Easton’s face. “More than you know,” he replied as he put his fork down and leaned back in his chair. “I look forward to the adrenaline rush and the crowd cheering us on. There is nothing quite like it.”

“I have a good feeling that next season will be even better.”

“I have no doubts.”

I watched as the two nodded at each other. Not only did they share a brotherhood with one another with their Chevalier memberships, but football was a huge bond they shared as well. It was more than just a game for them. I assumed that no matter what was happening off the field in their lives, they could always count on each other when it came to leaving everything on the field.

Although I didn’t have much to add to the conversation, I was grateful for my brother and my—I wasn’t exactly sure what Easton was to me—for trying to keep the light conversation going. It was a way to avoid all the awkwardness that surrounded us, which made me wish the ground would open up and swallow me whole.

“Do you all have any plans for winter break?” my mom asked when the chatter about football died down and the silence became too much.

“Nash and I were thinking of going to Vail to go skiing,” Raven chimed in.

“That would be really nice,” my mom said as she turned to me.

I wanted to blurt out that I’d already been out of the country, but the majority of the people at the table had no idea about that. Instead, I glanced at Easton before I said, “We haven’t discussed it yet, but I’m sure we’ll think of something.”

Well, that was before my father decided to utter his first words of the night.

“Well, it must be nice to have plans for the holidays that don’t involve trying to salvage your career.” The sarcasm dripped over his words, and I hated him for it.

The table grew quiet, the previous friendly chatter replaced with an uncomfortable tension. I couldn’t help but wonder if Mom or Nash had told him that I’d been the one who leaked the information about him to the press.

Dad’s eyes shifted between Nash and my mother before he landed on me.

“Van, stop it.”

I looked over, somewhat in shock that my mother had spoken up.

Instead of listening to his wife, my father slammed his fist down on the table, making me jump. “Your fucking daughter disappeared when her family was in a crisis and shows back up a week later. What kind of shit is that?”

“Don’t speak to her like that or about me that way,” I said before I could stop myself. The anger had grown within me so swiftly I couldn’t control it or my words.

“Excuse me?” My father started to stand up before he continued. “Do you want to say that again?”

“You heard me just fine,Dad.”

“Bianca, if you don’t—”

That was all it took for me to snap. I stood up too and yelled, “If I don’t, what? Bow to your every need and keep my thoughts to myself? You want everyone to follow your lead and do what you want them to do, but that’s not how this world works. You fucked up. You were the one who was caught cheating on your wife of twenty-seven years and embarrassing our family. It was all your fucking fault, so frankly, I don’t give a shit about what you have to say because it is meaningless. It’s all pure bullshit and you know it.”

With how red my father had turned, I was convinced he was going to launch himself over the table to fight me. But before he could think about doing anything, Easton jumped up too, putting himself between me and my father.

“Bianca, we’re going to head out. And Van, you’re going to sit back in your seat and enjoy your meal and pretend as if you didn’t even think about striking your daughter,” Easton said firmly, daring anyone to doubt him. As he clenched and unclenched his fist, I knew he was barely hanging onto his self-control and was liable to throw away his promise to me.

I stared at the two men in front of me before I grabbed my purse and walked out of the room and grabbed my coat. As I finished putting it on, Easton, my mom, Nash, and Raven joined me in the foyer.

My mom pulled me into a hug without saying a word, and I was left standing there for a few moments in confusion and didn’t move a muscle. It took a few seconds for my brain to compute before I was able to wrap my arms around her and give her a hug back.

“We’ll talk later,” Nash said.

I gave him a small head nod. When I turned to look back at Easton, he had his coat on and held out his hand for me to hold. With our hands intertwined, we walked out of my parents’ home together and into the night air. It was the first time I’d been able to breathe clearly all night.

19

BIANCA

The front door slammed shut behind us. I could have sworn the sound echoed through the neighborhood, even though I was sure the noise only sounded loud to those of us who were near it. As Easton guided me to his SUV, it felt as if we’d only just arrived seconds ago. Hell, I doubted we’d been here longer than twenty minutes.

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