Chapter 32
THIRTY-TWO
Romel lays down three train cards and claims his route while Gabe makes a sound in the back of his throat. He hates to lose, and Ticket to Rideis one of his favorite games.
My parents used to have family game night every weekend when I was a kid, usually on Sunday nights. As we got older, sometimes it would be every other week, but they made it so enjoyable that it was something we prioritized even as we got into high school. I’m sure that’s where my collection started. As I look around at the serious expressions of my friends who have adopted this game night tradition, I can’t be mad about it. I love that these guys are cool with sitting around a table playing board games and shooting the shit rather than partying all the time.Normally we try to do it once a month, but with everything going on this year we haven’t had nearly as many game nights as usual.
“So how are things going with Lexi?” Romel asks.
A smile graces my lips. “Great.”
It’s an understatement. Things are better than I ever could’ve imagined. We can’t get enough of each other, and I don’t think it’s just because of her raging pregnancy hormones. I think I’d still want her this desperately even if I wasn’t incredibly turned on by seeing her body grow and change as she carries our daughter.
Who knew it was so hot to watch your woman go through pregnancy?
“How’d she do during the away game trips?” he asks.
“She did okay. Alayna, Danae, or Blaire hung out with her while we were away. I think that helped.” It still burns that we didn’t make it to the playoffs this year, but I’m also glad we’re now in the offseason, and I can focus on getting ready for my daughter to grace us with her presence.
“Syd hated those when she was pregnant with Kay.”
I wonder if he realizes he once again spoke about Syd without his voice hitching. I’ve noticed lately it seems to be easier for him to talk about her. I can’t imagine how he feels having lost her.I’d never recover from losing Lexi, and I’ve only had her in my life a fraction of the time Romel and Sydney were together.
“Laney loves her,” Dom chimes in, drawing a card.
“So does Danae. I think she’s even trying to convince Lexi to hang out with her and my sisters,” Gabe says with a fond smile on his face, and I know how much it means to him that his family and Danae are so close.
If only I could say the same about everyone in my family. My mom calls and texts Lexi regularly, and Dad and Taron ask about her whenever we talk on the phone. Tanner is the lone holdout as far as accepting Lexi with open arms.
As if he knows I’m thinking about him, my phone buzzes in my pocket, and when I pull it out, I see a text from Tanner that immediately grates on my nerves.He hasn’t talked to me in months and this is what he leads with? What the fuck?
“What’s up?” Gabe asks, and when I look up, everyone is already looking at me with arched brows.
I rest my elbows on the table and lean forward. “Remember how I told you Tanner was not on board with Lexi?”
They all nod.
“Well, we haven’t talked since he bailed on Thanksgiving, but he just texted me.”
Romel arches a brow. “Didn’t you tell him you were getting the paternity test?”
“I was going to, but then decided against it since he won’t return any other text I’ve sent him. If he’s going to be an asshole, then he doesn’t deserve that information.”
They all nod. “That’s fair,” Gabe says.
My phone buzzes on the table, and I sit back in my chair as I open the text. My jaw clenches when I see his latest message.
Tanner
I’ve seen too many good guys get taken down by manipulative women. I refuse to watch it happen to my brother.
“You should call him,” Romel says. “Nothing gets solved over text messages. You can’t hear each other’s tone, and things tend to get misunderstood.”
“Give me a minute,” I say, pushing away from the table and heading out onto Romel’s patio.
The phone rings once before my brother’s deep bass rolls through the line. “Hey.”
For a second, I’m surprised he picked up at all, and then I cut to the chase because I’m sick of this shit. “I need you to let this go.”
“You need to stop thinking with your dick and think with your goddamn head for once.”
“Fuck you,” I seethe. “When did you turn into such an arrogant shithead who thinks he knows what’s best for everyone around him? You don’t know shit about Lexi?—”
“And you do?” he cuts me off, his own voice rising. “You think you know her? What has she told you about her life? Have you done a background check? Hired a PI to look into her history?”
“She’s a fucking schoolteacher, Tan. Not a goddamn hooker I picked up off the street.”
“Doesn’t mean she doesn’t have skeletons in her closet. You’re one of the most well-known defensive players in the league right now. You think she’s above wanting to take advantage of your success and fame? In my experience, no one is above that.”
I shake my head, my fingers digging in my hair. “Who the hell are you and what did you do with my brother?”
“I am your fucking brother, Ty. That’s why I’m doing this—because someone needs to. I can’t believe your friends haven’t. I expected more from them.”
“They’re treating me better than you are,” I spit out, my anger rising with every word out of his mouth.
“Have they looked into her?”
“Have you ?”
Silence.
My stomach drops. “Tanner.”
“You need to listen to me, Ty?—”
“Fuck you,” I seethe into the phone. “Fuck you, Tanner. How dare you look into her? Why can’t you fucking trust me? Why can’t you trust her?”
“What has she done to deserve our trust?” he shouts back.
“She’s mine . That’s enough. She doesn’t have to do anything else. You need to respect that.”
“Ty—”
“No. I’m done. Leave Lexi alone. And leave me alone too while we’re at it.” I end the call, and it takes every ounce of strength I have not to chuck my phone across Romel’s pristine lawn.
What a piece of work. I cannot even believe him.
I pace the patio, trying to cool down, but I know I can’t stay out here forever. When I’m convinced I won’t break something, I head back inside. Three sets of eyes settle on me as I sag into my seat.
“Call went that well, huh?” Gabe asks.
“I’ve never fought with my brother about anything serious, but this time…this time he’s crossed the line, and I don’t think I can forgive him so easily.” I rub my face. “I think he’s looking into Lexi’s history.”
“Has she told you about it?” Romel asks.
“Some.”
“Now might be the time to get her to tell you all of it, so you’re not blindsided by whatever Tanner shows you.”
I shake my head. “I’m not going to push her to share unless she’s ready. I know it was bad. That’s enough for now.”
I don’t tell them I suspect it hurts her when she talks about it. As much as I want to know every piece of her—good, bad, and ugly—I don’t want her to have to relive a pain I can never understand just to fill in those gaps in information for me. She’ll tell me when she’s ready, and that’s what matters.
Maybe he’s right and I’m being naive, but I’m trusting my gut. She’s been honest with me since the beginning, and I’m choosing to trust her. She’s the mother of my child, and hopefully someday soon, she’ll agree to be my wife.
I will protect her at all costs, even if it’s from my own brother.