Page 6 of Cursed Fox (Willow Creek Security #4)

CHAPTER SIX

Nancy

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" There was no way I heard my son correctly. Like many kids, playing in the NFL was his dream. Most never got the chance. And to just throw that away after one season?

No, just no.

"I've been contemplating it since the end of the season, and I think it's the right choice. Obviously the pressure of playing at a professional level is too much for me."

I couldn't believe the words coming out of this kid’s mouth. The man I raised to never be a quitter, to follow his dreams, was just going to walk away because he had a few bad games?

"No." That was the best I could manage without beating my son over the head to knock some sense into him.

"What do you mean, ‘No’? This is my decision."

"Maybe. But hell will freeze over before I let you throw away your dream like that. I know you better than that, which means something else is going on for you to even think something so stupid." I had to work hard to keep myself from shouting.

My blood was boiling, and if I thought for even a second that Jimmy felt that way because he truly didn't want to play anymore, I wouldn't fight so hard. But I knew him, and all he’d talked about during college was getting into the NFL.

It wasn't just a dream to him, it was something he’d worked his ass off for.

There was no way he would just give that up.

"There's nothing else going on."

I really looked at my son, but despite how hard he was trying, he couldn't look me in the eye.

"Bullshit. You've always been a terrible liar. Since you were a boy, if you couldn't look me in the eye, I knew you were lying. So stop with the nonsense and tell me the truth."

Lex shifted from where he stood on the other side of the room, and I had almost forgotten he was there. For a moment, I felt embarrassed that he was witnessing my family drama. Then I remembered why he was there to begin with.

The threats. They had to be the reason Jimmy wanted to quit. I just needed to get him to admit it so we could help him.

"Have you received another threat recently?" I pushed.

My son shifted his eyes away from me.

Bingo.

"Show me," I demanded, but Jimmy shook his head. "Why not? You've read me every one before this. What makes this one so different?"

Then a light bulb went off in my head and it hit me. There was only one thing more important to my son than football.

His family.

"Did they threaten me or your sister?" I didn't have to see Jimmy's face to know I was getting closer. I could tell by the way his body stiffened. "Show me, please." I used my take-no-shit voice with him.

Finally, Jimmy sighed as he walked over to the kitchen and pulled a piece of paper from one of the drawers. He walked back over to me and practically slapped the paper into my hands.

I unfolded the letter and began to read.

You pathetic overpaid bastard. You should never have been born, let alone drafted to the NFL. You're worthless and can't play football for shit. This is your last warning. Leave the Pioneers or your mother dies.

By the end of the note, I was ready to murder whomever wrote those nasty, vile things to my little boy. I didn't care how old he got or how much taller than me he was, I still saw the little boy he was when he first put on a football helmet.

"You're not quitting." My voice vibrated with the anger I felt rushing through my body.

"You read the letter," Jimmy argued. "If I don't, he's going to kill you."

"Let me read that." Lex was across the room and snatching the piece of paper out of my hand before he finished the statement. I didn't bother to comment on his rude behavior. I had a more important argument to have with my son.

"No one is going to kill me. I work in the most secure building with a bunch of guys who would gladly kill someone to protect me."

"You live alone, Mom."

Like I needed the reminder that I was an empty nester. People weren't kidding when they said it was lonely. Especially as a single mother.

"And I can protect myself. Wes made sure of it."

"I'll protect her."

My head shot over to where Lex was still reading the letter. He didn't even pick his head up when he spoke.

"I don't need protection," I argued. I didn't need Lex to think I was some damsel in distress who needed saving. And I certainly didn't need to be spending any extra time with him. He was here for Jimmy, not me.

"Isn't that why Wes contacted me?"

He finally decided to grace me with his eyes, and damn I wished he hadn't. His stare was too intense. I felt like he could see right through me and straight down to my soul.

"No, I asked Wes for help finding out who is threatening Jimmy."

"I'll protect you," Lex strangely replied. "I want to see the rest of the letters you've received."

"My agent has them. The only reason I kept that one was because it threatened my mother. I was going to have a private investigator look into it."

I scoffed at the idea. "You know damn well Wes and his teams are better than any private investigator."

"Yes, I know that. Wes is amazing as always, but I didn't want you to know about this."

Something about the way Jimmy said Wes's name was off. Usually he adored the man, but right now he almost sounded pissed. "Why did you say Wes's name like that?"

"No reason." Jimmy looked away as he answered.

"Didn't we just talk about lying. You suck at it, so fess up and tell me the truth."

This conversation was becoming more aggravating by the minute.

I thought this type of stubbornness ended after the teen years.

I didn't expect to be dealing with it with my twenty-four-year-old.

And to be honest, I didn't have the patience for it. I’d used that all up when they were younger.

Now I was just a sexually frustrated middle-aged woman with a short fuse.

"Fine." Jimmy sounded equally as exasperated as I felt. "You always talk about how amazing Wes is and how much he's helped our family, but where is he now, huh? He sent this guy instead." He threw his arm out at Lex.

It was in that moment that I realized what was going on. Jimmy’s father had left at a critical time in his life, and he’d looked up to Wes like a father figure since the day they’d met. Jimmy wasn't pissed at Wes. He was hurt that he wasn't there to help.

"Oh, Jimmy." I softened my voice. "If Jennie wasn't battling cancer, you know damn well Wes would be here. He's always looked out for us, but his family needs to come first."

"You always said we were like family to him."

I had said that, and now I wished I hadn't. I built Wes up to be this great protector, and the one time we needed him, he couldn't be there.

This was my fault. Not Wes's. He made the right choice when he chose Jennie, and I respected him more for that.

"We are like family to him. But Jennie is his wife, and right now she needs him more than we do. Wes didn't just write us off. He went against all my wishes and contacted Lex so we would have someone. He still cares. It just looks a little different this time."

I watched as several emotions flittered across Jimmy's face. I let what I said sink in and gave him time to come to his own conclusions. I couldn't force him to accept the situation. He would either understand Wes's predicament or he would stay mad at the man. My hope was the first.

"You're right. It's selfish of me to think these threats should overshadow what Jennie's going through. I'm sorry."

I walked over to my son and gave him a hug. It was so strange to lay my head on his chest when it should've been the other way around—me comforting him.

"You don't need to be sorry. I understand this is hard, but we'll get through it together. And without you leaving the NFL."

Jimmy groaned. "I don't want to put you in danger, Mom."

I merely chuckled at his frustration with me and stepped back. "I'll be fine. I can protect myself. And I doubt Lex is going to leave me alone."

Lex didn't hesitate to add, "Nope."

"See." I glanced from my son to Lex, and frowned. He was focused a little too intently on the piece of paper in his hands. I shook my head and turned back to Jimmy, whose attention was also on Lex and the note. "There's nothing to worry about. You can focus on your game and know I'll be safe.”

Jimmy finally looked back at me and responded with a cryptic, "We'll see."