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I hadn’t actually planned to seduce her, but my dick fully supported the idea. Any time we were alone with Riley, my dick had high hopes. Not this time though.
“I want you to talk to my mom about George.”
Riley stiffened under my arm but kept walking at a steady gait. “Why?”
“She’s a lawyer, and…” I stopped myself from making the same logical arguments I’d made before. Riley had heard them already, and they hadn’t swayed her.
Instead, I pulled her to a stop in a patch of moonlight and let my emotions lead. “I hate that George has any control over your life. I hate that I can’t do anything to protect you from him.”
“It’s not your job to protect me.”
“I want it to be. I love you, and I want you happy and healthy and naked as often as possible. I want to play football with you until we both have so many concussions we don’t remember who we are, and then I want to fall in love with you all over again.”
She let out a shaky laugh. “Parker…”
“You don’t have to say anything back, but I wanted you to know how I feel. I’m not playing games with you. This is—”
Riley slapped a gloved hand over my mouth, mercifully stopping my tirade. “You’re insane, and I love you too. I want a future with you, preferably without the concussions and George’s interference, so I’ll think about talking to your mom.”
I tried to say something, but she leaned her weight into her hand.
“After Christmas, Parker. I’m not going to let my drama ruin your time with your family.” She lowered her arm, replacing the heat of her hand with the cool press of her lips.
I pulled her close, deepening the kiss with a growl. Riley loved me. This perfect girl wanted a future with me, and I’d do anything to make it happen.
25
Parker had a ridiculous number of cousins, mostly male, and they were all as cocky as him. After spending early Christmas with the Shaws, I’d come to several conclusions. My dad had done his best, but I’d missed out on the joy of a large family, and Parker had come by his football talent naturally.
Despite not following Parker’s career—or college football at all, apparently—the cousins insisted on a backyard football game. They grudgingly allowed me to join, and I took great joy in smoking all of them.
Coach would have given us his worst disappointed speech if he knew we were risking injury by playing backyard ball, but Ilovedproving people wrong when they underestimated me. Besides, they couldn’t hurt me if they couldn’t catch me.
Late Saturday night, after all the festivities were done and the cousins had left, I talked to Gina. Normally, I’d rather run over shaved glass than let a relative stranger know about George and his bullshit, but Gina didn’t feel like a stranger. Thanks to Parker, she understood parts of my life I couldn’t put into words.
I told her the entire fucked up story.
After, all three of us—me, Parker, and Gina—sat around her kitchen table with tea and leftover garlic bread while I opened the letter from George’s lawyer. The single page of typed correspondence made my stomach cramp with dread. I laid the paper flat on the wood so I wouldn’t have to read it aloud.
The heater kicked on with a hum, the only sound in the room other than rustling paper and my slow breaths. I scanned the message, understanding the gist of the lawyer speak as anger tightened like a fist in my throat.
He wanted more money. They were petitioning to increase the amount he received every month due to my unwillingness to maintain the house myself. I glanced over at Gina, relieved to find her frowning down at the letter.
A second piece of paper was tucked inside the first with George’s tiny handwriting scrawled across the page. He’d included not so subtle reminder that he’d been “generous” thus far with his knowledge of my poor decisions and he’d hate for the information to affect my current standing at the university. The disgust on Gina’s face warmed a part of me I’d thought long cold since Dad died.
Parker scoffed quietly next to me, but he stayed silent otherwise, letting me lead the show.
My first instinct was to burn the letters and let George do his worst. Not a great response, legally. With a sigh, I pulled out my phone to call my usual bargain lawyer. As usual, he didn’t answer, so I hung up without leaving a message.
“Asshole,” I muttered under my breath.
Gina pressed her lips together for a long moment. “Your lawyer?”
I set my phone carefully on the table. “He’s basically useless, but he’s cheap.”
She took my hand. “Let me act as your lawyer, pro bono. I’ll work with a Wisconsin lawyer on the initial ruling and see what options you have.”
I couldn’t look at her. Shame and resentment for George knotted in my chest, making it hard to accept the lifeline she was offering. Parker’s hand landed on my thigh, warm and reassuring. His touch pulled me out of the spiral, and I let out the breath I’d been holding.
