It’s not even ten minutes before the plane’s doors are being closed to prepare for the flight. My dad stands in the aisle of my row, the players going silent.
“I hope everyone got good sleep last night, because this one’s going to be a grind,” he says. “Patton’s officially on the IR. I want everyone watching their film on this flight. If I catch anyone so much as glancing at social media or pictures of your girlfriend, you’ll have my foot so far up your ass you’ll be choking on my shoelaces. No fucking around. We need to be laser focused on tonight’s game.”
There’s a low rumble of players saying, “Yes, Coach.”
“Also, my daughter Talia is joining us on this trip.” He looks over at me. “Stand up and say hi.”
Fuck. I shoot him a side-eye glare as I stand, turn, give a weak smile and a one-second wave, and then sit back down.
“She’ll be helping out the coaching staff for a while, and I expect everyone to treat her with the same respect you’d give me. She isn’t a team employee, but the rules are simple: be nice to her, but don’t touch her. Ever.”
I bury my face in my hands, mortified. He’s acting like I’m a sixteen-year-old virgin.
The “Yes, Coach,” refrain is louder this time. I can only imagine how many looks Lucien is getting right now.
He sits down next to me, but I refuse to look at him, focusing on the view of endless runways outside my window instead.
Anytime I or one of my sisters are around one of Dad’s teams, it’s always been this way. I’m sure it stems, at least in part, from my mom cheating and leaving him for another hockey player.
I didn’t know what was going on when it all happened, because I was so young. Now, though, I see how hard that must’ve been for him. Cheating is the reason I haven’t talked to my mom in five months, and the reason things are tense between Dad and Audra.
When Kyle told me he’s in love with my sister, Mom took Audra’s side, but Dad took mine. And that meant a lot. He could’ve stayed neutral. Said he loved us equally and we needed to work it out on our own.
He didn’t, though. He said she was wrong and he was disappointed in her and wanted nothing to do with Kyle. That meant a lot to me. Not because I’m vindictive, but because it’s validation that I didn’t deserve what they did to me behind my back.
My dad’s been through it twice. I was burned badly enough the first time, though. I’ll never expose myself to that kind of heartbreak again.
Chapter Four
Lucien
* * *
Once again, Talia Turner is glaring at me. But this time it’s in the Tampa visiting team training room, where I’m waiting for someone to help me stretch.
“Don’t give birth, Beaumont,” she says, exasperated. “This is what Melina told me to do.”
“Go tell her to find someone else. You’re not touching me.”
She shakes her head. “I’ve done this many times. It’ll be me touching you, and it’s fine. Now get on your back. Apparently your routine is long, and I’m not missing lunch just because you’re a pussy.”
My teammate Silas snickers nearby. “Tell him, Talia.”
I scowl at him. “Easy for you to say. I want to keep my sac attached to my body. Why don’t you touch her?”
He puts his palms up in mock surrender. “I’m not touching her, but if Melina wanted her to stretch me, I’d do it. She’s here to help the team.”
Talia’s scornful hum says otherwise. “I’m here because my dad thinks I’ll be happier if I’m contributing to something bigger than myself. But after five months of eating ice cream like it’s my job, I’m not sure there is anything bigger than me.”
There’s a note of amusement in her voice, but Silas and I both give her confused looks.
So she’s down on herself. And no wonder, after what that assfuck Macintire did to her.
I lie back, still worried Turner will come into the room and jump on top of me like a pro wrestler over this.
“I just need my back and glutes stretched a little,” I say warily. “It’ll be quick. And you have to be careful not to push my feet too far.”
“Melina told me what you need. And I have a kinesiology degree, so I’m not going to maim you. Unless you piss me off, so don’t do that.”
