Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Bowen
I pushed my clothes aside in the closet with more force than necessary, the hangers screeching against the metal rod in protest. Fucking Harrison. He had upended Parker’s life, and she didn’t deserve it—not any of it. The anger surged, and I tightened my grip on a shirt, nearly yanking it off its hanger before I caught myself.
Now I understood why Parker had kept her father’s identity a secret for so long. Benjamin Brevos? Everyone knew the man who had founded the largest venture capital firm in the world. It was a name that carried power, influence, and more scrutiny than anyone deserved, and the company was currently embroiled in a scandal. No wonder Parker had been hiding. But she was just Parker to me—kind, resilient, warm, with a smile that made everything else fade into the background. Not some billionaire’s daughter, not some tabloid headline. She was the woman I was falling for, the sunshine in my life.
I moved my shoes to clear half of the floor space below, each pair thudding softly against the hardwood. Her background didn’t change how I felt about her. If anything, it made me want to protect her even more.
Selfishly, I felt relieved Parker’s secret was out. Without that barrier between us, we could be open with each other and deepen our connection. I was devoted to making our relationship work despite the challenges of her celebrity.
I shifted items on the shelf above, trying to make room. But was that enough space? I frowned, stepping back to assess my handiwork. The closet was cramped, suddenly inadequate. I needed a walk-in closet. Hell, I needed a bigger place altogether. My condo had been perfect for a bachelor pad, but it was tight for two people.
And yet, the thought of sharing my space didn’t bother me. If anything, I wanted it—wanted Parker to be as comfortable as possible. I wanted her to feel at home. With me.
“Is that enough room for now?” I glanced over my shoulder at Parker. She’d settled on the bed, cross-legged, after emptying her cooler into my refrigerator. She looked distracted, focused intently on her phone.
“What?” She raised her gaze slowly, almost as if coming out of a trance. “Oh, yeah. That’s fine.” She sounded preoccupied, and worry etched lines on her face as she glanced back down at her phone.
“We might need that house your mother was talking about,” I said, trying to sound casual, but the words carried weight. “I’d be happy to buy it.”
She jerked her gaze to mine, her mouth dropping open in surprise. “What?”
I spread my arms, feeling the frustration twist in my stomach. “There isn’t enough room for the two of us here. I don’t even have a walk-in closet for you.” Exasperation tinged my voice. All I wanted was for Parker to be happy, to feel safe and comfortable. But this damn condo already felt like it was closing in on us.
“You…you want to move out of your condo? For me?” she asked with disbelief. “We just moved in together. How do you know…you want that?” She bit her lip. “Don’t you think it’s too soon to make that decision? We hardly know each other.”
I shrugged, trying to relieve the stress. “Sometimes the puck hits the back of your net when you least expect it.”
She grinned at that, but it flickered and died when her phone dinged. Her eyes dropped to the screen, and dread crept back into her expression.
“What is it?” I could feel the shift in the air, the way everything seemed to tense around us.
“I have an alert set for news stories about me. About us. They’re looking into my life in hiding, interviewing Harrison—who’s playing the victim—and speculating about my relationship with you.” She frowned, her knuckles turning white around the phone.
My fists clenched, a surge of protective instincts rising within me. The thought of the media, the public attention, all of it swarming around Parker, made me want to punch something.
She lifted her gaze, worry in her eyes. “They’re digging up dirt about you.”
Fear ran down my spine like ice water. Mom. The realization hit me hard, and I quickly pulled my phone from my pocket, dialing with shaky fingers. “Mom?”
“You’re dating Benjamin Brevos’s daughter?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes, and the media vultures are circling. I need you to take a vacation and get away. Pack a bag and leave. Right now. I don’t care where you go. Just get out of Brooklyn.”
“I can’t just leave work.”
“Call in sick. I don’t care. You’ve got to go.” Urgency tightened my chest.
“Why?” she asked, uncertain.
“The press will be on your doorstep any minute now.”
She gasped. “Shoot! Okay. Maybe I’ll go on that trip to Florida I’ve been wanting to take.” An element of fear crept into her tone.
“Sounds good, I’ll pay. Now go.”
“Love you,” she said softly.
I mumbled “Love you,” the words awkward, and hung up. I breathed a sigh of relief.
“What about your dad?” Parker asked quietly, her eyes searching mine.
I shook my head, a bitter smile tugging at my lips. “I don’t even know where the bastard is. He’s on his own.” The words came out harsher than I intended, but they were the truth. I only took care of those close to me, and my father didn’t fall into that category.
She nodded, her expression softening a touch. “Fair enough.”
I moved to my dresser and began stuffing all my clothes into half of the drawers. As I shoved my socks into the corner, I glanced at Parker. She sat in the middle of the bed, her expression distant, as if lost in a world of worries. “What about tomorrow night’s game?” I asked.
Her eyebrows drew together in a tiny frown. “What about it?”
“Are you going to go?” The question hung in the air between us, heavy with unspoken concerns.
She chewed her lip, a small nervous gesture. “I suppose I could go. I’ll call Eric and give him a heads-up. Maybe even have him escort me.”
“That’s probably a good idea. I can give you two tickets.”
“But…do you think the girlfriends will want me there?” She sounded self-conscious, almost hesitant, and the vulnerability in her tone sliced through me like a blade.
I propped my fists on my hips, though my heart ached for her. “You know them. Do you think they’re so shallow that they would treat you any differently? They were friends with Parker Smith. You’re still the same person. They’re still your friends.”
Her breath left her in a whoosh , and for a moment, relief softened the lines of tension in her face. “You’re right. They wouldn’t be swayed by my father’s identity.” She cocked her head, her brow furrowed. “Then why haven’t I heard from them?”
“Oh.” I grunted, my chest tightening. “That’s my fault. I called Beck and asked him to spread the word that you needed some time to decompress. I…uh…hope I didn’t overstep.”
She smiled, and the tightness in my chest eased. “That was thoughtful of you. I’m dealing with enough as it is. I’ll see them tomorrow, and we can talk then.” She shuddered, the motion small but telling. “But I don’t think I’m ready to go back to Scrimmage’s just yet.”
I closed the distance between us and placed my hands on her shoulders. Her muscles were hard under my fingers, and I massaged them gently. “Understandable. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”
Her eyes met mine, and in their depths, I saw gratitude and something more—something that made my heart stutter in my chest. The affection in her gaze hit me like a puck to the stomach, leaving me feeling warm and…weird inside.
“What would I have done without you? You came to my rescue, gave me a safe haven…”
I continued to knead her shoulders. “You would have been fine. You’re Parker Smith, and you can do anything you set your mind to.”
She gave me a vivid white smile, one that lit up her face, and like the Grinch, my heart grew three times. My chest could hardly contain the…affection…I had for this woman.
“Put your phone down and leave the news alone for now,” I urged, soft but insistent. When she set her phone aside and allowed me to pull her up and into my arms, I felt a sense of rightness, as if holding her close was exactly where she was meant to be. I rested my cheek on top of her head, inhaling the scent of her shampoo, and let the simple comfort of her presence wash over me. “Everything will be okay.”
She squeezed my waist, her body melting into mine as if she belonged there. “All right. If you say so,” she murmured, playful but laced with a hint of uncertainty. She stood on her toes, kissed my bearded jaw, and then stepped back, leaving my arms feeling empty without her. But I knew we were just beginning. There would be more opportunities for hugs and kisses, more moments to savor.
I almost didn’t recognize the man I’d become under Parker’s influence. She’d turned my grunts into speech—at least with her—and I strung so many sentences together I’d become practically talkative. She’d led me to physically show affection—not just fuck. And one of these days, she’d draw a belly laugh out of me. Sometimes I felt it bubbling up, threatening to break free.
“I’ll unpack. You order dinner. Your refrigerator was empty except for some expired chicken, old take-out, and condiments. And I didn’t bring enough food for two.” There was an underlying warmth to her practicality.
I ordered Thai for dinner, and we cuddled on the sofa while catching up on a reality show she’d been bingeing. It wasn’t something I would normally watch, but I had to admit that someone else’s drama seemed to take Parker’s mind off her own. She kept up a running commentary of advice for the participants. The bonus for me was that I got to hold Parker in my arms for hours, feeling her body heat seep into me, grounding me in a way I hadn’t realized I needed.
The day’s events took a toll on her, and she let out a jaw-cracking yawn. I grunted, my own fatigue settling over me. “Let’s go to bed.” My heart raced at the thought of Parker in my bed, even if we just slept, which was what she needed.
“It’s still early,” she slurred.
“It’s been a long day.” I stretched my arms, rolled my shoulders, and clicked the remote. The TV blinked off. The room was suddenly quiet, the only sound our breathing and the distant hum of the refrigerator.
I brushed my teeth, the normalcy of the routine calming my nerves, and then Parker took a quick shower while I turned down the bed. My hands were unsteady, the nerves getting the best of me. I was playing in the Stanley Cup Finals, for fuck’s sake, yet having Parker in my bed caused a flutter in my stomach that I couldn’t quite shake. Get a grip.
I usually slept in the nude, but I didn’t want to make Parker uncomfortable on our first night. So, I found a pair of sleep pants in the back of a drawer and pulled them on, the fabric feeling foreign against my skin.
It turned out to be the right call when she emerged from the bathroom on a cloud of steam, wearing a functional sleep tee and shorts. Her generous, unfettered breasts swayed under the thin material of the T-shirt, and I had to bite back a groan. I slid between the sheets and opened my arms. When she nestled against me, I was careful to keep some space between our hips, not wanting to push her when she was so tired.
I inhaled the light floral scent of her shampoo, and my chest expanded with satisfaction. My pillowcase would smell like her by morning. The comforting thought made my heart warm.
She sighed against my chest, the sound one of contentment.
I stroked her hair, still damp from her shower, the strands silky between my fingers. “What are you going to do now that you don’t have a job?” I asked delicately, not wanting to disturb the peace that had settled between us.
“I’ll have to figure that out. I have to wait until my father’s scandal blows over before anyone will hire me,” she said.
“What would you like to do?”
“I’d like to teach again,” she said wistfully. “Teaching was something I enjoyed in my old life. Working with teens is difficult but rewarding when you click with them.”
“What did you teach?” I asked, genuinely curious about her old life.
“Computer science,” she said, her passion obvious. “I’m not happy that Harrison exposed me, but the result has a silver lining.” She yawned, loud and long. “I’m going to make the best of the situation.”
I pulled her snug against me. “I know you will.”
As she drifted off to sleep, I hoped I was the best of her situation.