Page 34 of Sweet Oblivion

All three people inside that room learned ASL over a decade ago.

He hesitates. Of course he does. I don’t pay his salary, the Kings organization does.

“Pretty sure I’m heading home after this,” I add. “Why don’t you cut out early? Grab takeout for your wife. I’m sure she’d appreciate it.”

His shoulders ease just a little.

“You sure?”

“Go, Bob.”

“I’ve got our boy,”Olivia says, appearing at my side, already signing the words.

“Boy?” I glance at her. “Seriously?”

She grins and dips her shoulder.

Brat.

“Come on, Beneventi. Let’s get this over with.”

And now I feel like I’m about to walk the proverbial plank. Thanks, Liv.

I hold the conference room door open for her, and she walks in like she owns the building—which, to be fair, she kind of does. Or she will one day. We all grew up here. Playing in our parents’ offices. Running around the empty halls. King Corp. is a billion-dollar empire started by our grandfather, who passed away before any of us were even born. Our parents took the reins and built it stronger than they could have ever imagined. It’s as much a part of our family as the Kings or the Revolution.

King Corp. is more than football or hockey. It’s family. And as I open the door for Liv and see our mothers and Coach sitting at the long conference table, I wonder if I’m sitting with my family or my team’s management. It’s usually easier to tell the difference.

“Were you really going to meet with Ryker without me?”Liv asks sharply, heels clicking against the polished marble. Her icy glare sweeps the room. Over our mothers first, then Coach. No one escapes it.

“Well, hello to you too, daughter,” Scarlet fires back, unfazed.The two of them are frighteningly similar.“How are you, Ryker? How’s Delaney?”

“He’s fine. Shall we skip the pleasantries and get down to business, Mom?”So, Liv’s in a mood. Hopefully that works in my favor. She drops into a black leather chair, pulls an iPad from her Birkin, and waits.

Message received.

Guess we’re not easing into this, whatever this is.

I take a seat, positioning myself so I can see everyone clearly. Reading the room. Trying to figure out just how screwed I am.

“Fine.”Scarlet arches a brow and nods once.“Ryker, according to the police report, you beat a man, who had to be put into a medically induced coma, for sexually assaulting your fiancée less than forty-eight hours ago. No charges have been formally filed yet. But the league is requiring us to do our own investigation.”

No surprise there, but it still sucks.

“Are you suspending him?”Liv asks, calm and sharp, and my hands curl into fists at my sides.

I expected this, but it doesn’t make it easier to swallow.

“No.”Scarlet stares at my mother, and something like relief flickers to life in Mom’s eyes and in my chest.“Not yet. Hopefully, it won’t come to that.”

Relief’s gone.

“Pending a full investigation,”Declan adds.“Your last name might be Beneventi, Ryker, but you’re a Kingston. Every move you make is under a microscope. We can’t afford even the slightest hint of impropriety. There can be no bias.”

Of course we can’t. I shift in my seat, my anger like a ticking time bomb counting down the timer. “Spell it out for me, Coach.”

He leans forward in his seat. This man who’s always been an uncle to me off the damn field and a god to me on it. “It means business as usual. Practice. Play. Do what we say, when wesay it, while the league investigates and we work to clear your name.”

Olivia busies herself typing notes.“Is this the statement in my email?”