24. Serena
SERENA
Hell hath no fury like me when I’m hungry, tired, and overwhelmed.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
—Serena’s Secret Thoughts
Hendrix
Did you tell him yet?
Serena
That I’m taking the position? No. He’s been in meetings all morning. I think he’s taking the King Corp. jet to the game tonight.
Hendrix
Any chance you’ll be coming with him?
Serena
Umm. No. That’s not how I plan to tell my father I’m dating one of his players.
Hendrix
Is that all we’re doing?
Serena
Not like I can tell him we’re fucking, Superman.
Hendrix
My handprint is going to look so pretty on your ass tonight, princess.
Serena
If that’s supposed to be a threat, you’re going to have to do better.
Hendrix
Does that mean you’ll come over after the game? It’s a short flight. I should be home by midnight.
Serena
What about Bodhi?
Hendrix
What about him? He thinks he had a sleepover with a very real princess.
Serena
Hendrix . . . I don’t know.
Hendrix
We’ve wasted so much time, Serena. Come over. I’d come to you if I could.
Serena
Your schedule is already hard enough on kids. Be there when he wakes up tomorrow morning. Have a good game.
“Serena,” my assistant buzzes me through the intercom. “Max would like to see you in his office.”
Nothing like being summoned.
“Thank you,” I tell her before crossing the floor to Dad’s office and letting myself in. “You rang.”
“You came.” He winks like we’re playing cards at our dining room table instead of making decisions that will affect the rest of my life. “Have a seat.”
I pull out the chair across from him and sit, steeling myself for what comes next.
“Have you made your decision?”
I guess he’s not wasting any time. He never does, so I’m not sure why I thought today would be any different.
“I have,” I tell him with more confidence than I necessarily feel, but you know what they say—go big or go home. Guess I’m swinging for the fences. “I’d like to take you and King Corp. up on your offer.”
“That’s fantastic—”
I hold up a hand. “On one condition.”
Dad crosses one leg over the other and sits back in his chair, like he’s readying for a negotiation. He’s not wrong. “Go on.”
“I want to name my replacement here,” I tell him, more relaxed than I expected to feel.
“And do you have someone in mind?” I swear there’s a smile he’s fighting that’s attempting to pull at his lips.
“I already told you I do,” I remind him and lean back in my own chair, knowing with my whole heart this is the right move for the Revolution and one day for the future of the company.
“Teagan. She’s the perfect person, Dad. And one day, if I’m running King Corp.
, I want Teagan running the Revolution.”
“I’m not sure I’ve ever been more proud of you than I am right now, Serena.
This company, these teams, this is the legacy we all leave you and your cousins.
The future of the Kingston name is in your hands.
Protect it. Fight fiercely. It’s your name and your legacy.
It’s what you’ll leave for your own kids one day.
Be proud of it.” He stands and walks around his desk, moving directly in front of me.
“If you want Teagan trained to be my replacement, I trust your judgment. I can’t say I’m not going to miss you around here, honey.
But I want you happy, and it seems like this is the right direction for you. ”
I rise and wrap my arms around his waist. “I am happy, Dad. Thank you for trusting me.”
Dad’s arms envelop me as he presses a kiss to my head. “How about you go tell Teagan before you clear your desk out.”
“Really?” I wasn’t expecting this to go quite so smoothly.
“Yes. Go enjoy being unemployed for a few days, and we’ll get things moving on the deal and get the legalities of the new King Corp. structure finalized. I’ve got to leave for the game.”
I rest my head against my father’s chest and take a deep breath. “I love you, Daddy. Thank you for always being supportive.”
“I’m in constant awe of the woman you’ve become. You’ve made your mother and me incredibly proud.” His hold loosens, and he takes a step back. “I love you.”
“Have a safe flight.” I kiss his cheek and move to the door. “I’m going to go tell Teagan the good news.”
Serena
I did it. I’m officially done with the Revolution and should be starting with King Corp. sometime over the next few weeks. My nerves were all over the place. But I did it. And I was able to advocate for Teagan and then offer her my job. It was such a crazy, special pinch-me moment.
And you were the first person I wanted to share it with. You scare me, Hendrix. The fact that we can slip right back into our old shoes so easily scares me. I like the person I am now more than the person I was then. I clawed my way here, and I don’t want to go back to that broken girl.
That’s not your fault. It’s mine.
I’m not even sure what I’m trying to say . . . except that maybe I hope you can be patient with me.
Have a good game tonight.
Serena
Hendrix . . . Your first official in-season game with the Revolution and you scored two goals! What a great game.
Hendrix
Thanks, princess. Want to celebrate with me tonight?
Serena
I could probably be convinced.
Hendrix
The code to my door is 3273. Be in my bed when I get home.
Hendrix
“Everything okay with Bodhi?” Nixon asks, looking down at the phone in my hands in the dimly lit, quiet cabin of the Revolution’s team jet.
You’d think we’d be rowdy as fuck after a win, especially the first win of the season, but everyone’s tired and ready to be home.
We’re also all aware that the hockey season is long and you’re only as good as your last win. We’ve got a long road ahead of us.
“Yeah, man. He’s with Grace. She just texted me to let him sleep there tonight and to grab him in the morning.” Man, do I owe my sister.
“When’s Britt’s mom coming to help?”
“She’s shooting for some time next week.” At least according to the last time we spoke. “We’ll see how that goes. She’s staying with us until she finds a place.”
“How’s that going to work?” he asks.
“What do you mean?” I grumble, too damn tired to talk in fucking circles. “The house has four bedrooms and a finished basement. There’s plenty of room, and I don’t think she’ll need to be there long. Teagan said she’d hook me up with a realtor when Mel’s ready.”
“Listen, brother, we’ve all tried to give you space, but we’re all worried about you. And I guess I’m going to be the one to go there, so don’t shoot the messenger, okay?”
I lift my hands in surrender. “I’m listening, but I honestly don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”
“Serena Kingston.”
Well, shit. I should have known this was coming. “What about her?”
“What’s going on with her? I’m going to assume since you two were so close before college that you’re not just fucking around now, right?
” The flight attendant stops by and hands us each a water.
“Thank you,” he tells her, then looks back at me.
“I mean, I’m going to need you to tell me you’re not dumb enough to go there with Max Kingston’s daughter if you’re just using her to get over Britt. ”
I see fucking red, which isn’t fair because I’ve never talked to Nixon about any of this.
Not really something I feel like doing on a plane full of our teammates and more than one of her cousins. Not to mention two of our goddamned coaches. But hey, why not. Asshole.
“Listen, there’s a lot more to it than what you think you know, and I’m not about to get into it here.
But you need to know Serena Kingston has been the love of my life since I was eighteen years old.
I know it, she knows it, and Britt knew it.
” I fight for the control I can feel slipping as I drop my voice.
“Anything more than that is too complicated of a conversation to have on this plane.”
Fucking hell. She and I haven’t even worked through everything yet.
“Damn.” He whistles. “I didn’t know it was like that.”
“Yeah.” I grab the back of my neck and squeeze. “No one did. And no one else needs to. Not right now. When that happens is Serena’s call.”
“How’s she feel about Melissa coming to stay with you and Bodhi?” he asks, and my stomach sinks. “Dude . . . tell me she knows.”
Yeah . . . Maybe we should have had that conversation. “We haven’t talked about it yet.”
“Might want to get on that, Hen. I can’t imagine that’s going to be comfortable for either woman.
And remember, I’m asking this from a good place, and I’m on your side, but seriously, do you know what you’re doing?
It sounds like you’ve got some heavy history, a dead wife, a kid at home, and a soon-to-be former mother-in-law as your roommate. Do you have room for anything else?
“I’ll make room,” I grumble, annoyed as fuck by the question. “Listen when I say this, Nix. She’s my Kenzie. She always has been.”
“You gonna ask her to marry you?” he asks, completely stone-faced.
“I asked once, and she said no.” I think back to that night and every fucked up thing that came after, wishing like hell I could change things. But you can’t change the past. You’ve got to live with it and try not to make the same mistakes in the future. “I’m trying to give her time.”
“You sure that’s the right move?”
“I’m not sure there’s any other move to be made,” I admit. “Sometimes loving someone means trusting them to decide what they can survive.”
Whoever is sitting in front of us grumbles, “Bullshit.”
The fuck?
“She’s too good for you, asshole.” Cohen Kingston turns around, looking pissed as hell.
Because of course her cousin is sitting in front of me. “You think I don’t know that?”
“I don’t give a shit how many points you score. You hurt her, and I’ll break your fucking legs.”
“All right. Let’s calm down, Kingston,” Nixon groans.
“Just stating facts.” The cocky little shit smiles.
“And I’m not the worst you’ve got coming for you if you do.
My sister and cousins are fucking crazy.
You fuck up, and Saylor, Aurora, and Olivia will castrate you slowly, then throw your shit in a mason jar and sit it on the windowsill in the kitchen for everyone to see. ”
“Dude,” I choke. “That was graphic.”
“Remind me not to piss off your sister,” Nix stares back at him, a little green.
“Just saying, those girls make me look like nothing.” Cohen smirks, and at least he’s not telling me something I don’t already know.
“Listen, Livvy knows everything,” I admit, and Nixon punches my arm.
“The fuck? What do you mean Livvy knows and your brothers didn’t?”
“I figured it out,” Ares adds from across the aisle as Leo leans around him and smiles like these two assholes have been listening too.
I drag my fingers and thumb across my head, rubbing my temple to fight off the headache these assholes are giving me.
“Seriously, I’m tapping out of this conversation.
I appreciate everyone looking out for Serena, but I promise you,”—I look between them, glaring—“all of you. There is no one Serena will ever be more safe with than me.”