“You fucking asshole,” I said, my tone hot with anger. “With your fucking money, you don’t provide for them? She worries about money while you’re living the high life?”
I was about to hit him again when arms pulled at my chest and shoulders. I thrashed to get away, but there was no hope. I was hustled toward the locker room.
“Easy, brother,” Ryke said in a low tone.
I swallowed the blood that had accumulated in my mouth. “Don’t,” I panted. “Don’t leave Dell here with him.”
Ryke looked over his shoulder. “Looks like her dad’s with her. Come on, man, you need a shower and some ice.”
Vic yelled at London. “Get out of our tunnel, motherfucker!”
I slumped, letting Ryke and Vic lead me into the locker room. More than any hit I’d taken from London tonight, his words had knocked me on my ass. Dell had told me she was long over Kyler’s father, but it was clear London wasn’t over her. It didn’t change my feelings for her, but it reminded me once again that she was more than a passing thing for me. Why else had I been so compelled to punish London for talking shit about her? I’d been overtaken by a wave of possessive desire to protect her.
I’d unconsciously called her my girlfriend back there. Whether I wanted to or not, I’d come to think of Dell as mine. Now I just had to hope she wanted that as much as I did.
***
Dell
The sharp slam of my father’s office door made me jump. He’d ordered me in here, following behind me. At least the blinds were closed, since I knew he wasn’t opposed to public humiliation.
“And just what the hell was that?” he demanded, leaning against his desk and crossing his arms. “What are you even doing down here, outside my locker room?”
“I’m off tonight.”
He pointed at me, his face ruddy with anger. “You know that’s not what I mean, Adella! Why in the hell am I going to have to suspend one of my best players for a fight in the tunnel in front of a bunch of damned reporters?”
“Talk to John about that.” I crossed my arms and met his dark, furious gaze.
As he stared, his anger softened into an expression that was almost hopeful. “Are you guys seeing each other again?”
Against my will, I snorted my disdain for that idea. “No. I’d love to never see John again. I’m here to see Luke, and we were standing in the tunnel when John came up and said something that started the fight.”
“Luke?” His brows shot up with surprise. “Luke Hudson?”
“Yes.”
“Why would …?” He sighed deeply. “Tell me you aren’t seeing him.”
“What’s it got to do with you if I am?”
Dad rubbed his temples, the lines on his face making him look tired. “For one, you ought to be at home with Kyler.”
“Sadie’s there, Dad. Single parenthood isn’t as easy as you might think. I love Kyler more than anything, but I’m still a woman.”
“Christ, Adella.” He shook his head. “Hudson’s a playboy. He’s bad news. I played with his father, and he’s nothing but a deadbeat.”
A flare of defensiveness rose in me. “Luke’s not responsible for his father’s mistakes.”
He sighed again. “I have things to take care of in the locker room, but we’re not done. Stay right here until I come back.”
I was caught off guard by him not yelling. It was hard to fight back with him when he was like this. Luke would be a while icing and showering anyway, so I sat down.
I was surfing the Internet on my phone when the door swung back open. It wasn’t my dad, but John who stood there.
“Can you come out here?” he asked.
“Go to hell.”
“Dell, can you just come out here? Please?”
Reluctantly, I rose and walked into the locker room, where John stood alone.
“What?” I asked.
“Our trainer’s gone.” He gestured at the knuckles on one of his hands, which were swollen and bloody. “Can you wrap this for me?”
He looked a lot worse than Luke. John’s eyes were both swollen and his cheek had a large bandage over it. His nose looked slightly crooked, and I hoped Luke had broken it.
He held out a roll of gauze and I snatched it.
“Put your hand out,” I ordered. He walked to a bench and sat down, holding his hand toward me.
“You look good,” he said. I said nothing, wrapping his hand mechanically, as fast as I could so I could retreat back to my dad’s office.
I’d just finished when John stood up and put his good hand on my waist.
“I’ve missed you, babe.” His dark gaze was intense.