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That bitter taste just got worse for them. Before I was pissed, now I was a man protecting his woman—and no one made her cry until she was throwing up.
Meeting the rest of the team’s eyes, I let them see the anger I was feeling, something that shocked them given that I was the easy going one on the team. One by one, they all nodded, showing me their support.
Cam and Missy might have the attention of any gossip loving members of the public, but I had something more powerful—my brothers.
My phone buzzed in my hand, and when I looked at the screen a dirty grin grew on my face.
Apparently I also not only had her brother and his team, but I had her father’s, too.Chapter 8AshleyI was so caught up in my thoughts—the humiliation and devastation at what Cam had told thousands of readers about our supposed sex life—that I didn’t realize we’d pulled up in front of Hayden’s house until I opened the door to get out.
Walking around the front of his vehicle, Kip met me at the front. “I’m sorry I—”
“It’s okay,” I cut him off, trying to hide how much it hurt that he was bringing me here instead of to his house. “I get it, you’ve got your reputation to think of.”
“No,” he replied slowly, stopping me when I went to move around him. “That’s not why we’re here. Your brother asked me to bring you here first, and then we’re going to speak to someone about how to sue the shit out of them all,” he informed me, and held his arm out for me to take. “If you will, ma’am.”
Slowly taking his arm, I walked next to him, doing my best not to put my full weight on the just healed part of my foot while I thought over what he’d said.
Hayden was meant to be away with his team—why was he here?
I was so caught up in my thoughts and watching the ground so that I didn’t stand on a rock and hurt my foot, that I didn’t see who was waiting for me at the entrance to my brother’s house. It wasn’t until Kip squeezed my hand that I looked up.
“Hey, ladybug.”
Blinking, I took in my dad. I hadn’t seen him a lot recently because he was always busy doing things and living the life of a retired famous footballer.
“Dad?”
I’d only just finished saying his name when I was caught up in two strong familiar arms and pressed into his chest. Tears I’d managed to stop came back as it all hit me at once. The betrayal and hurt, old and new, and the feelings of being completely lost.
But I wasn’t lost. My brother had given me a place to live and had gotten me through the first shit with Cam, then Kip had caught me when I fell—literally—and had looked after me when I’d hurt myself, he’d protected me when there was no security, he’d been my anchor today when I’d seen the article online… I wasn’t lost at all.
And when my dad growled, “We’ll make them wish they’d never even said hello to the reporter,” I felt like my feet were firmly on the ground.
But my brother adding, “It’s already started,” as he wrapped his arms around us both healed something I hadn’t ever acknowledged.
I’d been trying so hard to be strong, to live my life and be independent. I’d been angry and hurt by my dad not being there like other dads, but right now, when he knew I’d be feeling vulnerable and violated, he was here to protect me, and so was Hayden.
And it was all thanks to the man standing behind me with a small smile on his face.
My footballer, Kip.“So, you’ve been making these for a leukemia patient at Seattle Children’s Hospital?” Rajesh, the Seahawks’ lawyer, asked as he looked at the box with the bands I’d made for Liberty in them. “And you’re going to sell them to raise awareness and money for people affected by it?”
The PR rep, Riley, leaned over and picked one up, examining it closely. “I don’t know how you did it, but these are a work of art. The beads attract attention, but the ribbon packs a punch.”
Dad had been sitting quietly while we talked over the plan of action against the magazine, Cam and Missy, but when he’d heard about the bands, he’d flown into action on his phone, tapping wildly on the screen with a small smile on his face.
Leaning forward, he said, “Putting the bullshit with those assholes aside, I think we need to do something special with those bands. I’ve contacted the guys from my team, and they’ve agreed to come out of retirement to play a charity game against the Seahawks to raise money for Liberty and the charities. What do you say?”
