“Okay, moving on,” he says smoothly. “Cae, I’m going to be fine. The doctor wants me to start taking a different kind of medication. Your pack is going to need to go back to Nashville to jump back into the season, and I think…you should go with them.”
“Dad,” I growl.
“Don’t take that tone with me,” he says, pulling me closer. I’m careful with the wires he’s hooked up to as I lay my head on his chest. I don’t care what the beeping of the monitors say, I need to hear his heart beat. “You’re bonded to them, right?”
“Mostly,” Levon replies.
“As I was saying,” Dad says, making Levon flush. Even in bed after a heart attack, he still has the ability to scare the shit out of my alphas. That’s a special skill. “You’re going to miss them if you’re so far apart. It’s just the way a new bond works, Cae. You can call to check on me whenever you want and I’ll answer. Even in the middle of a game.”
“Ugh, don’t do that,” I giggle. “I worry about you.”
“That’s my job,” he says seriously. “Friedrick is out of line for his actions, and he’ll be lucky if I finish out the season with him.”
“Dad,” I hiss, glancing at my alphas. Santo still isn’t back yet. I hate to remind him of the elephant in the room, but I think I need to. “You may not get another chance to coach if you quit.”
Miles’ face clouds over while Levon frowns, knowing what I’m talking about.
“There are more important things than hockey, and I’m holding it,” Dad says, squeezing me gently. He rolls his eyes as tears burn in mine, but I can tell he’s just as affected. “We’ll figure it out, honey.”
“That’s some bullshit,” Levon grunts. “You were defending Caelia when all of that went down.”
“His reputation was affected by the lies spread by my old team,” Miles sighs. “If I believed them, think about what the Knotty Pucker League believes.”
“Meh,” Dad mutters. “Troy told me he’s leaving the team. His wife did a ‘tell all’ interview that was all fabricated lies. It’s destroying him.”
“Bitch.”
“I’ll agree with you on that,” Dad says. “Troy needs a break from all the shit coming his way. Human Resources is already aware of this decision, and the public relations team is struggling to keep this contained.”
“Poor guy,” I say. “He’s had a rough time. I feel bad.”
Miles makes a face at my sympathy but begrudgingly nods. “Troy has some good moves. I think he’ll be picked up pretty quickly. There’s a team in Savannah that’s in its first year. I wouldn’t be surprised if they try to draft him once the decision is made public.”
“I hope he doesn’t stop playing,” I admit. “The public is going to be a nightmare.”
“All he needs to do is hold a press conference to shut them up,” Dad says. “Troy was the victim in this.”
“That doesn’t always matter,” I say, thinking about what happened to me with a shiver.
“We never went public,” Dad reminds me. “You were really young, still are honestly, and weren’t in a position to make a statement at the time. Maybe that was a mistake.”
“I was a mess for a long time,” I say. “Hell, I still am some days.”
We’re all quiet while I silently count my dad’s heartbeats. Creepy? Maybe, but he scared me.
My mind whirls from thought to thought, and by the time Santo walks back into the room, I make my decision.
“I’ll go to Nashville,” I say. Santo trips, eyes wide, making me realize that I may be a little ahead of myself.
“No, don’t say another word,” Miles growls. “I’m holding you to this decision.”
Smirking, I watch as Santo connects a few dots.
“You’re coming with us back to Nashville? Really?” he asks, sitting down beside me.
“Since I’m unemployed and Dad goes back on the road soon for games, I think that’s best,” I explain.
“Damn, old man,” Miles grunts. “You’re still going to go back like nothing happened?”
