“Morning,” I mutter as I walk up beside her.
“Please,” she says, finally looking over at me. “Be civil.”
I snort. Not because I find it funny, but becausethatis way too big an ask.
“Oliver,” she warns, soft but firm. “I mean it. Don’t let him destroy you. Please.”
Thepleasetugs on something in my chest.
“I know,” I whisper. “Best efforts.”
“Thank you,” she says, her voice surprised, like she didn’t expect me to agree so easily. Truth is, I want to put him through the ringer. I want to make him feel as unwelcome as possible. Actually, I want to punch him immediately upon introduction. But she doesn’t need any of that from me. She needs me to stay away from causing chaos and keep as much off her plate as possible. I hate it, but that’s the job. On and off the pitch, my job is to hold the line.
“But,” I add, stepping closer and lowering my voice. I wait until she meets my eyes, until she sees how serious I am. “Don’t let him have power over you. You’re Addison fucking Scott.”
She smiles for a moment—quick, flickering, but it’s there. It’s like seeing the sun cut through clouds for half a second.
“Thank you,” she murmurs. Before I can say anything else, someone calls her, and she’s off to fix a camera and lighting dilemma. And I’m left standing here, ready to walk into fire for her.
I shove my boots on harder than necessary, jaw tight, as I listen to Carlos talking about how many cameras will be on us. Sebastian’s already preening, checking himself in a mirror like he’s imagining whichside is his best. And Harry’s just standing there juggling, because keepers are a weird breed.
They’re all grinning like it’s Christmas morning, and I can’t blame them because they don’t know any different. They haven’t learned yet that the cameras don’t just watch—they dissect. They take what they want, as much as they want, and twist whatever’s left.
Brennan sits down on the bench of his stall, next to mine. He’s a quiet lad, not shy, just content to not add any more noise. With three kids at home, I think he prefers to zone out at training.
“You’re quiet,” he says.
I shrug. “No more than usual.”
He doesn’t buy it. “That’s my point, Ol. You hate interviews, cameras, media, the whole bit. I expected you to be the one flipping tables over this, and instead, you’re just calmly getting ready for training like it’s any other bloody Monday.”
I lean back, dragging a hand over my jaw. “And?”
“And you know something,” he accuses me.
Of course I do. But Addison told me that in confidence, and I’m sure she wouldn’t want it getting out. Then it’s just Matt controlling her all over again.
But Brennan’s also my best mate on the team, and I can’t bring myself to just lie to him.
“Mate, just… just watch your back with him, that’s all.” It isn’t much, but it’s a crumb.
Brennan raises an eyebrow. “What the hell does that mean?”
“Let’s just say… I don’t trust blokes who smile with their mouth and not their eyes, alright?”
He doesn’t press. He just gives me a slow nod. “Got it, mate.”
I turn back to putting the rest of my training kit on. Everyone else is still buzzing, but I tune it out. I’ve got no patience for it. I don’t care if hewrites some glowing review of the team, or of me. If he even so much as breathes wrong near her—I might lose it.
“Don’t let him destroy you.”
She doesn’t understand. He already did, by destroying her.
We’re all gathered at the touchline of the pitch like we’re waiting for some kind of inspection. Even the staff’s out here. Gaffer and Stan are deep in conversation. Gaffer looks thrilled, and Stan looks like he’s biting his tongue in half. Stan might be the only person besides Addison and me that’s unhappy about this whole thing, albeit for different reasons.
Stan’s a local bloke. This club is everything to him. He’s fiercely protective of it. Underneath his gruff demeanor and permanent frown, I actually admire that about him. You can’t fake loyalty like his.
Even Addison’s out here, which is not at all normal. Usually during training she’s holed up in her office, hard at work, juggling schedules and press events. But Agnelli wanted everyone out here for the arrival.
