Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Bowen
I turned my Highlander into the parking garage nearest Scrimmage’s, my heart thrumming with excitement and anticipation. Speaking with Parker on the phone during my road trip had been a comfort, but it was nothing compared to being lit by her rays of sunshine in person.
The previous night, we’d celebrated the Blazers’ win over the phone. I’d scored the game-winning goal in the third period, and the victory had tied the series at two to two. The thrill of the game still lingered, and hearing Parker had brightened my night even further.
I couldn’t wait to see her again; the anticipation spread warmth and excitement through my veins. My long strides devoured the sidewalk as I approached the bar, my heart beating a little faster with each step. I swung the door open only to freeze as shock rooted me to the spot.
Parker stood in the middle of the bar, but she wasn’t the radiant, sunny woman I’d grown to adore. No, thunderclouds had rolled in, darkening her expression, and my heart clenched as I saw why. An angry man had his hand clamped around her upper arm, his knuckles white with the force of his grip.
I didn’t think. I couldn’t. Instinct took over, and in a heartbeat, I was there, grabbing the man’s wrist and prying his hand off Parker with more force than was probably necessary. My pulse pounded in my ears, each beat reverberating with anger. “Get your hand off her.” The words were almost feral as I fought the urge to crush his hand in my grip. But I wasn’t on the ice, where aggression was expected and referees tolerated it. This was real life, and the stakes were higher. I dropped his hand but didn’t move away, positioning myself between Parker and him like a shield.
His sneer was cutting and filled with venom. “You,” he spat, eyes narrowing with a fury that matched my own. “Get away from my fiancée. This is between Parker and me.”
The air in the bar thinned, making it hard to breathe. Fiancée ? The word hit me like a sucker punch, and for a moment, all I could do was turn to Parker, searching her face for answers. Her eyes, those beautiful Caribbean blue eyes that usually sparkled with light, were wide with fear and desperation. “He’s not,” she said with a quaver. “He’s…my ex.”
A murmur ran through the bar, and I realized diners were turning our way. Servers stopped what they were doing to watch, and a storm darkened the bartender’s expression. A woman at a nearby table absently munched on an onion ring, her eyes locked on us like she was watching a play.
I shook my head, tuned them out, and returned my attention to Parker. A heavy weight of disappointment and confusion settled over me. “Fiancée?” I couldn’t mask the hurt in that single word.
“I’m sorry.” Her voice was small, almost lost in the bar’s noise, but her eyes were pleading for understanding. “I didn’t think you needed to know. He’s no threat to you.” She glanced at the man, her expression hardening in a way I’d never seen before. “Harrison is nothing to me.” Her tone was ice cold as she looked him up and down, her words dripping with disdain. “He and my father were in collusion, manipulating me. He never loved me. He was only with me for the money and prestige.”
The bar fell into a tense silence, the weight of her words settling over the room.
“Sweetheart—” Harrison had lost his edge, turning into someone pathetic, almost whining.
I saw red. My hands balled into fists at my sides, the urge to put this guy in his place nearly overwhelming. “Don’t you dare call her that,” I snarled, stepping closer, daring him to test me.
Harrison held up his hands, trying to backpedal, but he still carried a trace of arrogance. “Dealing with your father was a mistake.” He looked around me at Parker. “I want you back. We were good together.”
“Do you love me?” Parker’s question was sharp, cutting through his words like a knife.
He hesitated, and that hesitation was answer enough.
“That’s what I thought,” Parker said, her tone dripping with finality as she tapped her foot, the impatience radiating off her in waves.
Jack stormed out of his office, his brow lowered. “What’s going on here? Parker, get back to work.”
Before Parker could respond, Harrison turned on the man, his face contorted in irritation. “Mind your own business.”
“This is my business. Leave before I call the cops.” He pointed to the door.
I was more than ready to take care of the problem myself. “I’d be happy to throw him out,” I said, the threat clear.
“Bowen, this isn’t your business, either,” Jack warned, his tone brooking no argument.
“The fuck it’s not,” I snapped back, but my gaze never left Harrison. “Parker is my girlfriend.”
Harrison chuckled, a dark, humorless sound that sent a chill down my spine. “I’ve looked into you?—”
My teeth ground together as the realization dawned. This was the prick who’d had me followed.
“And you’re not worthy of her.”
I sucked in a breath, the statement a punch to my gut. No, I wasn’t worthy of Parker. I knew nothing about healthy relationships. Ugly doubt reared its head.
He barked a disbelieving laugh. “You don’t even know who she is.”
“It doesn’t matter.” The realization hit me like a hard check to the boards. Her true identity really didn’t matter. “She’s my sunshine.” The uncharacteristic admission tumbled from deep within me. “She’s the brightest part of my day. That’s all I need to know.”
A collective aww rose from our audience.
Parker stepped closer, her fingers intertwining with mine, and for the first time that evening she smiled—a small, grateful smile that sent warmth flooding through me. “Thank you,” she whispered.
But Harrison wasn’t done. His eyes gleamed with cruel satisfaction as he threw out his final card. “She’s above a mere hockey player,” he sneered. “She’s Parker Brevos, Benjamin Brevos’s daughter.”
A stunned hush fell over the room. Then it exploded into a cacophony of voices, everyone reacting at once, but all I could do was stare at Parker. Now I understood. Now I knew why she hadn’t wanted to tell me. She was afraid—afraid that this would change everything between us.
Jack’s mouth dropped open. “ Billionaire Benjamin Brevos’s daughter?”
I met Parker’s gaze, searching her face for the truth. “Is it true?”
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her voice trembling as she whispered, “It is.” The fear was palpable, almost choking her.
I squeezed her hand, pulling her closer. “Baby, you’re still Parker Smith to me. My girlfriend, and the woman I—I want to spend my days and nights with.” I faltered on the last part. Now wasn’t the time to dig into what that really meant.
I turned my focus back on Harrison, fury surging in my veins. “You bastard. She was happy with her anonymity. She’d built a life for herself. You ruined it.”
Parker, quivering with emotion, shoved her empty tray into Jack’s chest. He fumbled with it, startled, as she launched herself into my arms, knocking the air from my lungs. I wrapped her up and held her tight against me, right where she belonged.
“You understand,” she murmured in awe.
“I do,” I whispered back and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. The warmth of her in my arms grounded me in a way I didn’t know I needed.
Applause erupted around us, catching me off guard. My cheeks burned, but I didn’t care. All that mattered was the woman in my arms.
Harrison’s face turned an alarming shade of red as he pointed a finger at me. “Her father won’t let this stand.” With that, he stormed out of the bar, leaving a trail of anger in his wake.
Parker lifted her head. “Is he gone?” she squeaked.
“Yeah, baby. He’s gone.” But even as she stepped out of my embrace, I couldn’t bring myself to let her go completely. I kept one arm wrapped around her waist, needing to feel her close.
Jack’s bark cut through the murmur of the crowd when he ordered the servers, “Get back to work.” They scattered, the show over, but the strain between us lingered. His face was hard as he looked at Parker. “I accept your resignation,” he said, his tone final.
Her eyes widened in shock, and she stuttered, “Wha—what?”
He stood firm, his hands on his hips. “I can’t have Benjamin Brevos’s daughter working here. You’d be a security liability.” His eyes flicked to the phones still pointed our way. “Leave now, before this goes viral. We’ll cover the rest of your shift.”
Parker held back tears, her world crumbling before my eyes.
He crossed his arms. “This is the way it’s got to be.”
Parker nodded, then bowed her head as she sniffled. She turned and shuffled toward the breakroom, her steps heavy with defeat. I followed, not caring what anyone thought. She needed me now more than ever.
The breakroom was small and oppressive with its cinderblock walls and stark lighting. It was a place that had seen too many long shifts and tired employees, and I hated to think that my sunshine had taken her breaks in this unpleasant place. But little could dull her light—except for Harrison and having her secret exposed. My hands clenched into fists, fueled by the fire in my chest.
Parker dumped her apron into the laundry bin and walked to the lockers. She spun the dial on the padlock with mechanical movements. She retrieved her purse, her face a mask of resignation.
A brunette stepped into the room, the commiseration in her expression looking phony. “Sorry you got fired.”
Parker turned to her warily. “Thanks, Steph.”
Steph lit up and said, too eagerly, “I have tomorrow off. Let’s hit the club downtown. It will be fun!”
Parker’s eyes narrowed, suspicion flashing across her face. “You wouldn’t give me the time of day before you knew who I was, and you stole my tables. Why would I go out with you?”
Steph’s smile faltered, her hands balling into fists. “Are you above us now?”
Parker frowned but stood firm. “No, but I can see through you.”
I wanted to cheer.
Steph glared, her face twisting with anger. “Bitch,” she muttered before stomping out, her sneakers slapping the concrete floor.
I watched her go, my protective instincts still on high alert, but my focus quickly shifted back to Parker. She looped her purse over her shoulder, preparing to leave, but the way she avoided my gaze cut deep.
I stepped forward, gently lifting her chin with my finger so she had to look at me. “It will be okay once things settle down,” I said softly, trying to reassure her.
But when she met my eyes, the doubt and fear swirling in their depths made my chest ache.
“I’ll follow you to your apartment,” I said, determination hardening my voice. “And we’ll pack your bags—and your Charmin Ultra Soft.”
Her brow furrowed in confusion. “Why?”
“You’re moving in with me.” My tone left no room for disagreement. “My building has security. Yours doesn’t.”
She shook her head, her lips pressed into a stubborn line. “I will not hide in your apartment.”
I stepped closer and said, firmly but gently, “Until this blows over, I’ll be at your side when I’m home. No arguments.”