Scout's fingers tighten around mine. "Silas..."
"She was our agent. Our mother. The person who was supposed to protect us and look out for our interests." I stare at our joined hands because I can't look at her face while saying this. "And she robbed us blind. Embezzled millions from our accounts over the years, forged signatures, created fake investment accounts. The whole nine yards."
"I'm so sorry."
"Don't be. She made her choices." I force myself to meet her eyes. "She's in federal prison now. Fraud, embezzlement, tax evasion. They threw the book at her. Hunter lost millionsbefore we caught it. I lost less, but only because I didn't trust her as much as he did. Even then, she got away with plenty before we figured it out."
Understanding flashes across Scout's face. "That's why you keep everyone at a distance. I wondered why you didn't let people in."
"It’s one of the reasons." My voice comes out raw. "She taught me something valuable. People you trust can hurt you worse than anyone else. Because you let them get close. You give them access to the vulnerable parts and they use it to take everything you have."
She steps even closer. I can feel her warmth radiating through the space between us. "I'm not your mother. And I'm sure as hell not Enzo. I'm not here to take anything from you."
"I know that."
Scout pulls a face. Is that why you put up with Enzo?"
The question catches me off guard. "What?"
"He knows. About your mom, I mean. Does he use it against you?”
Fuck. She's too smart. Of course she figured it out. I nod my head, expelling a breath.
"If it gets out, the endorsements start asking questions. They'll wonder about my judgment when my own mother stole from me." I shake my head. "Star player gets robbed by his own mother. Great headline."
"You're a victim. She's a criminal."
“Yeah, well. The media won't see it that way."
"I see it that way." Her voice turns fierce. "You can't let him hold that over you forever. You deserve better."
"I know. Shit.” I rub a hand over my face.
Scout's free hand comes up, cups my jaw with a gentlenessthat undoes me. "Let me in. Just a little bit? See what happens."
I should pull away. I've worked so hard to keep the walls up where they've always been and keep her at a safe distance where she can't reach the parts of me that are too damaged to fix.
But her eyes are so warm and steady. And I'm so goddamn tired of being alone with everything.
"I'm not good at this," I whisper.
"At what?"
"Letting people in. Trusting anyone with anything that matters."
"I know." She smiles but it's small and sad. "You've said as much. Listen, I'm not great at it either."
"Why not? You're good with everyone. You make it look easy."
She takes a breath that shakes on the exhale. "Because Enzo spent five years systematically destroying my self-worth. He made me feel like I was too much and not enough at the same time. Clingy, but not interesting enough to keep his attention. Helpful, but not accomplished enough to be proud of. Present, but not pretty enough to stay faithful to." Her voice shakes. "I gave him everything I had. And hestillcheated. Hestillleft me. He made me feel like I was fundamentally broken."
Rage floods through me, hot and immediate and focused. "You're not broken. He's a fucking idiot who couldn't see what he had."
"Maybe." She shrugs one shoulder. "Or maybe I'm just not what men want."
I growl, "That's complete bullshit."
"Is it? Because I've been living here for weeks and you still won't even look at me half the time. You push me awayevery time we get close. I keep thinking that you feel the pull that I feel too, but I’m always wrong. So maybe Enzo was right about me all along."
