SYLAS
“How are you doing?” Harlow asks, her tone wary but empathetic.
Her genuine concern almost levels me, and I don’t know why.
Even though we’ve not worked together long, she’s nothing like my previous agent.
I imagine if I had shared this news with Camden, he would have lost it, would have probably already called my parents, maybe tried to bury the news the way they did.
He’d have definitely made sure it never saw the light of day.
This entire situation is fucked. Thinking about it makes me want to do questionable things. But I don’t. I already have many regrets; I can’t add more.
“I’m okay. I’ve had some days to process it. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
“Sylas, it’s okay.” She leans forward, resting her elbows on her desk.
“I can’t imagine how overwhelming all of this is, but I have questions.
I know this is probably the last thing you want to talk about, but it needs to be done before the media gets ahold of this.
Considering who your parents and some of your family members are, people are going to be invested.
We want to avoid them digging into your business. ”
Hockey players aren’t particularly high in the fame hierarchy.
We’re professionals and get paid millions, but that doesn’t mean we have the tabloids keeping tabs on us the way they would A-listers.
There are certain athletes who are in the spotlight and can’t ever catch a break, sure. But it’s not usually hockey players.
Unless you have parents and family members who are globally recognized like mine.
And because my parents are all about appearances, Thea and I have unfortunately been in the spotlight.
Albeit not as much recently because we don’t live with them, nor are we close.
Though the public doesn’t know that. My parents have kept the fact that Thea hardly speaks to them quiet, and I don’t engage with them unless necessary.
I sigh. “Yeah, I know. Ask, and I’ll do my best to answer.”
She grabs her mouse, double clicking, and then begins to type. “Okay, was the mother a one-night stand? Who is she? Has she made any demands? What—”
“Wait,” I interrupt, the pulsing in my head easing as I think about Anna.
“I should have mentioned this first, but the mother isn’t just some random girl.
We dated back when I was in college and after.
I was actually going to propose, but then I got injured and I wasn’t thinking straight.
Being the dumbass that I am, I ended things. ”
The ring is still tucked away in my closet, and it’ll probably stay there until I die. Unless Rosie wants it. I don’t see Anna wanting it or me. Especially after everything she went through. I don’t even know half of it, but I’m confident my parents put her through hell.
“What?” Harlow’s expression is nothing short of astonished. “You were going to propose? How did you manage to make sure that didn’t end up in the tabloids?” She gapes, staring at me with comically wide eyes.
“My parents.” I don’t hold back because Harlow needs to know; after all, she represents me.
“They weren’t fans of Anna, but Dad put up with her because he saw she didn’t distract me from the game.
In fact, I did a lot better when we were together.
Mom wasn’t happy about it, but Dad didn’t intervene, so neither did she.
That was until the breakup. She paid a lot of people to make sure it never got out and yeah… ”
I’ll never forget the way Mom’s face lit up when I told her why Anna wasn’t coming to dinner. The absent way Dad glanced at me. The confusion that crossed Thea’s face when I explained we were over.
Don’t worry, Mom had said. No one will ever know. I’ll take care of everything.
“I wasn’t in a good headspace. I thought my career was over and—” I drag my bottom lip between my teeth, clamping it hard until I have no choice but to release it. “I acted impulsively.”
“Oh.” She scratches her temple. “Well…the media is going to have a field day when they find out you’re not gay along with finding out you have a kid, of course.”
My lips crack a smidge at the humor in her voice. Unlike some of my teammates who are notorious for partying and having women around, that isn’t me. The media has speculated, but I can’t bring myself to care.
It was something Camden hated. He constantly tried to set me up.
Had women sent over to my hotel room when we were on the road, hoping I’d take the bait and let them in.
Or that I would entertain the idea of coming across like a playboy instead of the brute with anger issues and a lack of self-control.
So assumptions were made, and I didn’t correct them.
“I know this is a lot to take in. I know you didn’t anticipate for all of this to happen. Me being in a new city, new team, and, well, now with a surprise kid. I know—”
“This is an easy fix.” She waves me off. “When you called me, I thought you were going to let me know you hit somebody again and were in jail. Or that…I don’t know, you killed somebody? I’ll take this over fighting outside the rink and murder.”
“I contemplated it,” I state, hands fisted on my bouncing thighs. “My parents are the reason I didn’t know about Rosie. I missed out on two—almost three—years of my daughter’s life because my parents couldn’t stand the fact Anna wasn’t like us.”
Rage simmers again. It’s hot and thick, choking me until Harlow snaps her fingers.
“Whatever you’re thinking, don’t. It’s not worth it. You have a kid you need to think about, and just know if you act rashly, it’ll be on the internet forever. One day she’ll grow up and find out. So breathe in and out. It’s going to be okay.”
“You say that like it’s easy. You’re not the one who fucked it all up and has equally fucked-up parents.” I groan, dropping my head back.
“It’s not going to be easy. I’m going to have to put out many fires and unlike Clara, who holds a lot of sway in the industry, I don’t.
So it’s going to be hard, but it’s going to be okay.
I’ve got your back and many others will too.
We’re going to make sure you control the narrative.
We’re not going to let anyone and certainly not your parents have power over what happens from here on out.
Only you. So trust me when I say this, it’s all going to be okay. ”
I’m not sure I feel one hundred percent confident, but for the first time in a while, I breathe just a tiny bit easier. “I trust you.”
“I would hope so. So now, tell me about Anna. What went on there? And how did your parents make sure you didn’t find out?”
I want to smash my head against her desk, but instead of doing that, I walk her through exactly what happened.
“This is what we’re going to do: we’ll talk to Anna and bring her up to speed on what’s going to happen from here on out.”
“Let me talk to her first. This is going to be a lot for her.”
“Makes sense. As soon as you do, get back to me. We have to start planning what we’ll do as the start of the season approaches.
I don’t want to scare either of you off, but you just got traded.
There will be eyes. Do not stress or get caught up in what’s being written online.
Everything is going to be okay. Now go talk to her and then we’ll move on to the next step. ”
If Anna doesn’t already hate me, she will now.