"Actually," I find myself shouting more than starting. "Scout's with me. My, uh, girlfriend." I slide my arm around her waist and squeeze her close. "Isn't that right, baby?"
Scout stares up at me, her expression startled. "Uh... yes?"
Enzo stares at us, his expression strained. "Right. Girlfriend."
The exec seems blithely unaware of our tensions. "It's nice to meet the woman who tamed Silas Huxley. You know, they're calling him Defense Daddy over on TikTok. I'm assuming you get treated pretty nice, huh?"
"Oh." Scout's cheeks turn from pink to a mottled fuchsia. Her gaze falls to the ground before us and sticks there. "Uh, yep."
"I knew it." The guy has the fucking stones to elbow me and wink. "You guys make a cute couple."
Enzo snorts. Everyone looks at him and he seems to realize he's not getting paid if he doesn't make me look like a catch. "They’re really something," is the best he can come up with.
"Thanks, Enzo." Ignoring him, I stare down at Scout, but she's busy picking at a loose thread on her dress. "Why don'tyou go sit down? Take a breather. I'll come find you when I'm ready to leave."
“Oh.” Scout looks up at me, her eyes filled with questions. "Okay. Sounds good, Si."
Her pet name hits me hard. She's just playing the game, but hearing her chosen pet name makes my cock stir.
Enzo stares a hole in my chest as I finish up with the BeastMode+ execs, then excuse myself. I head to the open bar. I'm not normally a drinker, but this is an exception. My brother Jett appears at my elbow, nursing a whiskey that's mostly ice. His expression is dark.
I feel his heavy gaze on me. "What?"
"I saw what just went down."
I accept a beer from the bartender, my lips twisting. "Still eavesdropping, huh?"
"Enzo makes your girl uncomfortable and yet, he’s still walking around." His voice is low and serious. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"She's not my girl." The words taste like ash in my mouth. "She's just crashing with me because the organization made her take care of me. It’s a temporary arrangement."
"Yeah? Just in a casual relationship with the girl you've been in love with for years?"
The back of my neck heats. "I am not in love with Scout."
"That's not what I heard." He jerks his thumb over his shoulder. "You just called her your girlfriend. I don't think you've ever had a girlfriend."
"Dude." I roll my eyes. "I was just saying that to get Enzo's goat. He talks about her like she fucked him over in the divorce. But I think it was the exact opposite."
Jett straightens his tie while giving me a look. "So you're saying that not only do you not love her, but you aren't desperately trying to figure out how to wife her?"
Taking a long sip of beer gives me time to make my reply believable. "That's what I'm saying, Jett. Scout and I aren't even friendly."
He gives me a look that says he doesn't believe a single word of it. "Sure. And I'm the king of Spain. Keep telling yourself that, big guy."
I don't answer. I grab my beer and watch the door, waiting for Scout to come back so I can make sure she's okay. I need to see her face and know if I made things better or worse by antagonizing Enzo.
She doesn't reappear for twenty minutes. When she does, her smile's back in place. Professional. Helpful. She acts like nothing happened.
Something feels different, though. I can still feel her hand pressed against my chest. God help me, I fucking want that again.
The rest of the event blurs together. Handshakes with people whose names I forget immediately. Forced smiles for photographers. Promises I'll play better next season, sell more jerseys, be the kind of player sponsors want on their billboards. I do it all on autopilot, but my mind’s stuck on the way Enzo's words landed. The way Scout's face went blank.
I should've hit him, but I didn't. Part of me wonders if I shouldn't just find him and wail on him for good measure. Sure, it would piss the sponsor off. But it would feel sogood.
"Ready to go?" Scout asks. I blink and realize the room has mostly emptied. I grunt and follow her.
Thank god she's not still insisting on driving. Since I've gotten the all clear from the doctor to return to the ice, I've taken back this small measure of control. Driving back to the condo is a silent affair. Scout stares out the window, chewing on her bottom lip. I keep my eyes on the road and try to think of something to say that won't sound hollow or useless.
