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A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, a cunning glint in his eyes. This was a man who wanted something, and now I was thoroughly on the defensive. “You know, I wasn’t sure, but I think it could be a good thing Dalton’s taken to you so well.” He chuckled as if it were an inside joke. “He could benefit from someone reminding him what hard work and focus looks like.”

I felt my spine straighten involuntarily at the backhanded compliment, trying to keep my face as impassive as possible. Was he testing me to see if I’d say anything about how he spoke about his son? Or was he just a dick?

Probably both.

“All due respect, Mr. Langley, but I don’t think he needs any reminders from me. Dalton is one of the hardest-working people I’ve coached. He’s a natural leader, and his dedication is inspiring. You should be proud.” There was a little more edge to the last part of my sentence than I’d meant, so I slapped on my sweetest smile, hoping he wouldn’t notice. Because while his comment rubbed me the wrong way, this man still held my career’s fate in his hands.

His eyes narrowed, the pleasant mask cracking briefly before it was back in place as if nothing happened. The chuckle he let out was so fake it was pathetic. “Of course. I only meant that Dalton has always been…well, susceptible to certain distractions, and I trust that you would want what’s best for him and the team. You know how relationships can complicate things…” the words trailed off.

Maybe I’d been reading too many mafia books, because something about the way he spoke made me feel like I was being threatened.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Langley. Our relationship won’t get in the way of our careers.”

He nodded but didn’t look satisfied with my response. “That can be a difficult thing to balance. Emma managed to do a wonderful job. She was…quite the woman. You know all about Dalton and Emma, right?”

Heat crawled up my neck. Dalton’s dad was definitely a dick.

My jaw worked overtime to keep my mouth shut so I didn’t tell him what an asshole move it was to bring his son’s ex up. Not that he needed to hear it—he knew what he was doing. The smug look on his face shown like a neon sign reading “guilty.”

“Yes, we’ve met, actually. Gave her eyesight advice.”

“She was perfect for him,” he continued, like I hadn’t spoken. “Emma understood the world of hockey, as a successful sports reporter. Was always there in the stands, proudly wearing his jersey. Knew exactly how to carry herself in front of the media, of course. Tall, beautiful girl. Made him look good.”

He glanced at me, gauging my reaction. But if he was hoping to find tears in my eyes thanks to his cutting words, he had the wrong bitch.

“Wow, sounds like she must have really messed up to make your son not want to be with someone so perfect,” I said, flipping him off from under the desk.

He cleared his throat, clearly caught off guard by the fact that I wasn’t curled in on myself, feeling inadequate. Part of me wanted to know what he’d been planning to say if I’d melted into a puddle of self-consciousness. No wonder he liked Emma so much—they were two peas in a pod with how they treated people.

“Yes, well, I only bring this up because the media loves her. She’s one of their own. Everyone loved seeing Emma and Dalton together, and they’re bound to compare you two when they see you tomorrow.”

Bullshit. He was bringing up my boyfriend’s ex in some gracious act of warning? Unlikely.

“Thank you for the heads-up, Mr. Langley,” I said, voice cool and unwavering. “But I’m confident I can handle any comparisons. As a woman in a male-dominated field, I’ve learned to grow a thick skin and be confident in what I can do, rather than worrying about what someone else is doing. And, quite frankly, the only person I care about preferring me is Dalton.”

His smile froze for a beat before he nodded, the collected façade slipping. “G…good. I like to hear that. If you need resources or additional support, just let me know. We take care of our own here.”

“Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind,” I replied smoothly, though his offer felt like it came with strings attached.

“I’ll be around for Media Day, of course,” he said, adjusting his suit jacket. “I look forward to seeing how you and Dalton handle yourselves. You’re part of the Desperados family now, Ms. Contreras. I trust you’ll represent us well.”

Standing, I nodded to him, not chancing another of his handshakes. “Absolutely.”

I held his gaze as he gave me a final assessing look before striding out.

Silence settled back into the office, and I let out a breath, feeling like I could finally think straight.

The audacity of that man to bring up Dalton’s ex.

The entire interaction felt like he was testing for weaknesses to exploit. If he thought I’d crumble at the mention of a tall blonde who treated people like shit, he had no idea who he was dealing with.

Fuck, I need to lift some shit.

TWENTY-NINE

DALTON

HIP THRUST ME, DADDY