Chapter 20 #2
“Since Mom came to that gig with fucking Larry?” Hopping from the couch, I strode to the bar.
I needed more. I didn’t care what Drew thought.
It wasn’t his father that…My breath hitched and my eyes stung.
No, don’t lose it. But God, I’d been so fucking stupid.
How could I let him dupe me? Behind me, my phone buzzed.
I stopped mid-pour and twisted around, setting the bottle on the counter.
“Hey, Evan. It’s Drew. Can you, uh, come over here?” He nodded with my phone pressed to his ear. “Yeah, it’s bad. Please hurry." With a ragged sigh, Drew set my phone on the coffee table. "Evan is on his way.”
“Evan?” With a hard swallow, I fought to collect myself. I had to hold it together. Evan had never seen this side of me—the ruthless, bitter side, the chaotic side. The side my friends never crossed. The person I became when I hit the stage.
“Put the bourbon down, Ronan.” Drew strode toward me. “You dodged a financial bullet. Now, let’s figure out how to regroup.”
I put the bottle onto the counter, rested both palms on its edge, then hung my head. “Yeah, okay.” I clenched my teeth.
The doorbell rang only fifteen minutes after Evan’s call. He must have broken every speed limit and run every red light. Drew answered the door with Bean by his side and let Evan in. “Hey, man. He’s over here. Just a word of warning, he’s a little drunk.”
“Drunk?” Evan, dressed in athletic gear, rushed toward me while I sat on the couch. “Ronan, are you okay?” He dropped to his knees between my legs and brushed the hair from my face.
“I’m, um…” As I glanced at him, my resolve crumbled, and my vision blurred. An immense ache worked through my body. With my voice cracking, I said, “No, I’m not okay. I’m fucking terrible. I almost called Jeff my…” My breath hitched.
“Fuck.” He rose and threw his arms around me, pulling my head against his shoulder. “Shit, I’m so sorry. I should have known.” He kissed my head. “I should have warned you to be cautious.”
With his brows furrowed, Drew fell onto the end of the couch. “Jeff can be a crafty asshole. It’s not your fault, Evan.”
Sniffling, I said, “It’s not your fault.
It’s mine. I shouldn’t have let my guard down.
I’m such a fucking idiot. I actually thought…
he cared about me.” Fuck, where had my anger gone?
How had Evan’s presence dissolved it so quickly?
I blinked, and a hot tear tumbled down my cheek.
I hooked my arms around him, squeezing him as if his embrace could heal me.
“Hush, babe. I’m here.” Evan kissed my head.
“Ronan, he played you. You did nothing wrong. Quit taking the blame for this.” Drew scoffed and hopped off the couch. “I’m grabbing water for everyone.”
“Thanks.” Evan released me for a moment, shifted to sit beside me on the couch, and then picked up my empty bourbon glass. “How many of these has he had?”
“Four. I think.” Drew returned with bottled water and handed it out. “We called Jeff, but he didn’t answer, so we left a message. We may never hear from him again.”
“Oh.” Evan slipped his arm around my shoulders. “What do you need, babe? I can stay with you. I have a morning skate, but I can get up early—”
I didn’t know what the hell I needed. Maybe a parent who didn’t fucking abandon me? Maybe for me to have half a brain if he came around again? “Stay.” My gaze roamed to his, and I swiped the wetness from my eyes. “But I don’t want this causing a problem for your game.”
“It won’t. I think making sure you’re okay will be better for my game than going home and wondering how you’re doing. I’d rather be with you.” He pressed a soft kiss against my cheek.
The doorbell chimed, and Bean barked.
“Who the fuck is that?” Evan twisted, glancing toward the door.
“I’ll give you one guess.” With a smirk, Drew strode to the door and opened it. “I was wondering when you’d show up.”
Jeff shoved the door open and pushed past Drew. “Where is he?”
Bean growled and hovered around Jeff’s feet.
“Ronan, do you want to talk to him? Or should I kick him out?” Evan squeezed my hand, resting on my thigh.
Heat burst inside my chest. Through clenched teeth, I said, “No, I’ll talk with him.” I rose and stomped toward him. “What the fuck are you doing, showing your face around here?”
Jeff’s brows shot to his thin hairline. Holding his hand out, he said, “Ronan, I can explain. I-I gave you the wrong doctor. I—”
“No, you fucking didn’t. Tell me the truth. You aren’t sick at all. You’ve been coming over here, drinking and eating shit a person in your condition couldn’t.” Trudging in a circle around him, I said, “You’re not jaundiced at all.” Drew had caught it, but I hadn’t been ready to listen.
“But, Ronan, I-I need the money. Please, I’m in trouble.” He threw a glance at Drew and then returned to me. “The past few weeks have been nice, haven’t they? We’ve reconnected. I got to see what a fine young man you’ve become.”
As pain sliced through my heart, I flinched. “What do you mean you need the money?” He was in trouble?
With his forehead wrinkling, he said, “I got into some gambling debt back in Seattle. I fled, but they’ll find me soon enough. If I just had the money to give them, they’d leave me alone and we could—”
“What, make a happy family?” I spat out. I should be careful. He might try to lure me in with something else. “You used me. You manipulated me.”
“N-no, listen to me.” Exhaling a rush of air, he dropped his arms to his sides and said, “Yes, when I came here, I only wanted money. Since I’ve come to know you, I want to stay in your life.”
“Even if I don’t give you the money?” The ache in my chest returned with a vengeance, and the fire subsided. Hell, the money meant nothing to me. If I helped him, maybe—
“Don’t you dare play on his feelings this way.” Evan dashed to my side and pushed me behind him. “If you want to be a father, fucking act like one. Do you have any idea what you’ve put him through?”
“But I…I need the money.” Jeff tilted his head, narrowing his eyes. “I will get the money.”
“You’re not getting shit. If you intend to be the father you should have been, don’t make him pay for it. That’s fucked up.” Evan leered at him. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Why don’t you stay out of this, hockey boy?” He sneered at Evan.
“Dude, don’t start with me.” Evan ticked his head at Drew. “All I need is a reason.” Evan puffed out his chest.
Rushing to my side, Drew grabbed my arms and hauled me away from them. What the hell was going on?
“You hockey players think you’re so fucking tough.” With a maniacal grin, Jeff flicked a glare at me and said, “Ronan is my fucking son, and he owes me. I made him.”
As heat resurfaced in my chest, I scoffed. “I don’t owe you shit!” I wriggled in Drew’s hold. That son of a bitch.
Tightening his hold on my arms, Drew said, “Ronan, settle down. Evan’s got this.”
“Come on, fucker.” Evan shoved Jeff in the chest, and Jeff stumbled backward. “Now that you’ve revealed your true colors, get the fuck out of here.”
Jeff threw his arm up and pointed at me. “No, I need that money. Come on, Ronan. Help your father out. Look at this place? You have plenty of money. I only need a little.”
“Get the fuck out!” Evan thrust his hands toward Jeff as if to shove him again.
Rearing his fist back as if to strike him, Jeff growled. “Fuck off.”
Evan tackled him to the floor and sat on his chest, pinning his arms above his head with Bean jumping and barking around him. “Not smart.”
“Get the fuck off me or I’ll call the police and tell them you assaulted me.” Jeff wriggled under Evan.
I stared, my jaw dropped open. Evan would beat the shit out of Jeff for me.
I didn’t want Evan getting into trouble, not when he was about to play in a playoff game.
I only wanted Jeff to leave. We would never speak again.
“Evan, get him out of here.” Ripping out of Drew’s hold, I called Bean to me and picked him up.
With a snicker, Drew glared at Jeff and said, “It’ll be pretty hard to press assault charges when there are two witnesses here to say you attacked him.”
“If you’ll promise to leave, I’ll let you up.” Evan snarled. “But don’t try anything. I know your promises are worthless.”
“Fine, I’ll leave.” Jeff stopped moving.
After Evan lifted off Jeff, Evan stood and guarded him while he scrambled up.
Swiping at his shirt, Jeff said, “You know what? I take it back.” He ambled toward the door with Evan stalking him. As he turned for a second, he said, “Ronan, you’re a useless little bitch. No matter how much money you make, you’ll always be white trash, just like your mother.”
“Get the fuck out!” Throwing the door open, Evan rammed him in the back, tossing him outside. After slamming the door shut, he jogged to me.
My heart hardened in an instant. I regretted ever listening to a word from that man’s mouth. I should have known better. After setting Bean on the floor, I crossed my arms over my chest. “Maybe I will press charges.”
“What?” Evan stopped at me and Drew and raked his gaze over me. “Babe, are you okay?” He grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it. “I can’t believe what an asshole Jeff is.”
“I can.” Shaking his head, Drew tsked. “Now you know why Ronan’s never had a relationship with him. The guy only came around when he wanted something.” He fell onto the couch, picked up a water bottle, and sipped from it.
“Are you okay?” Evan cupped my cheek and gazed into my eyes. “Talk to me.”
A wave of numbness washed over me, and I said, “I’m as good as a person can be after something like that.” I needed time to process this. There were so many emotions to stumble through.
“Someone needs to stay with him. He’ll feel this later.” Drew arched a brow at Evan.
“I’ll stay with him.” He brushed his fingers down my arm. “I can go to my morning skate from here. All my shit is in my Jeep.”
I peeked at Evan. “If this will cause problems for you, don’t stay. I’ll be all right.” It wasn’t the first time I’d dealt with a blow like this. “I can, uh, work on music.” I forced a grin at Drew.
“Like hell you will.” Drew choked on a snicker. “Evan, stay with him. I think he needs you more than me right now.” Slapping his hands on his thighs, Drew rose. “With that, I’ll leave, so you two can be alone.”
“Okay.” Evan pursed his lips. “Come on, sit down.” He pulled my arm.
“Call me if you need me.” Drew left.
I dropped onto the end of my sofa, my gaze finding my empty bourbon glass. God, what I’d give to have another. “I’m sorry, Evan.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m glad I could be here for you.” Sliding an arm around my shoulders, he pulled me into him. “What are you feeling right now?”
“Nothing. I think I’m still in shock.” I rested my cheek on his shoulder and then turned into him, spreading my legs over his. “I’m glad you were here. Drew’s a strong guy, but it might have required both of us to shove Jeff out the door.”
“And you didn’t need to hear any more of his bullshit.” He scowled. “I can’t believe the shit he said.”
“I know. He was pissed he couldn’t use me to pay off those gambling debts.” I melted against his side, his warmth soothing me. “The worst part of all this? I knew better.” I’d been so fucking stupid.
“Yeah, but I didn’t help.” He raked his fingers through the ends of my hair. “I urged you to trust him. I shouldn’t have.” He huffed. “I’ve never encountered people like that before. Everyone around me has always been supportive and trustworthy.”
“I guess you learned a little something about my world then.” I raised my head and met his gaze.
“Many people in my life have been like Jeff, with only a few exceptions. Drew, Jax, Lily and…you.” Biting my lip, my mind replayed the scene of Evan dropping Jeff to the floor.
Hell, this man might do anything for me, and I loved him for it.
“Where were you when you spoke with Drew on the phone?”
“I was at the gym. I was almost done.” He sniffed his armpit. “I might be a little stinky.” A soft snicker sprang from him. “I have a change of clothes in my bag in the Jeep.”
“Why don’t you get your things?” I planted my elbow on the arm of the couch and rested my chin in my hand.
“Okay.” He rose and then kissed my cheek. “Don’t worry, Ronan. If Jeff comes back, I’ll take care of him.”
I nodded and glanced at Bean, sitting at my feet. I knew there’d been a reason Bean never took a liking to Jeff. “Come on, boy.” I patted the cushion next to me, and Bean hopped up. Bean always soothed me. But now I had Evan as well.
“Be right back.” Evan jogged to the door.
After licking my arm, Bean settled in beside me.
What was I feeling? Disappointed? Sad? Fuck, I didn’t know. I should have listened to Drew. With a sigh, I watched Evan stroll across the room and drop his duffel on the floor by the hallway. “Hey, how about we order Chinese food and relax with a movie? Would that help distract you from Jeff?”
“It would.” A faint grin tugged at my lips. He was setting his career aside to be with me tonight. This meant so much. Were his feelings the same as mine? “Go take a shower and change.”
“Yes, sir.” Evan saluted me, grabbed his duffel and strode down the hallway.
It was nice having him here. What if he was always here? Well, when we both weren’t on the road. I patted Bean’s head. “Hey, do you want a second Daddy?”
Bean opened his mouth wide, as if smiling, and panted with his tongue lolling out.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” I sank into the couch and closed my eyes. Fuck this day.