Page 36 of Her Hat Trick Daddies (Game On Daddies #3)

David

I ’ve been watching this shit unfold, keeping my distance. But if this fucker thinks he can just waltz in and come at Shane without provocation? I don’t give a damn if the man is Leighton’s big brother, he’s got another thing coming.

I jump to Shane’s side, and as the two of them storm outside, I’m right there with them. Andy follows, and even Leighton’s on our heels, passing Luna off to her dad.

I’d like to keep the peace, but hell if I’m going to pretend Shane doesn’t have every right to thump this guy.

He’s held it together like a damn saint, keeping his promise to Leighton to control his temper, but Wyatt’s been needling him nonstop.

And that shove Wyatt just pulled was the last fucking straw.

At this point, whether it’s from Shane or me, Leighton’s brother is due a solid punch to the gut.

Wyatt’s obnoxiousness and Shane’s temper were never going to mix, but right now?

This is a powder keg ready to blow. Even from outside, I can hear Luna crying her lungs out, and it’s shredding whatever thin thread of calm I have left.

I’m a grump by nature, but it takes a hell of a lot to piss me off.

And Wyatt nailed it. To a T.

I hate that it’s come to this. Hate that her family is learning about Shane like this. Hate that what should’ve been a conversation about moving Leighton and Luna in with me has turned into a straight dumpster fire. None of this was how tonight was supposed to go.

“So,” Wyatt snaps, eyes locked on Shane, “if you knocked up my sister… are these other two here for moral support?”

“Dammit, Wyatt,” Leighton cuts in, exasperated. “I already told you, they’re all hockey players.”

He whips around to her, eyes blazing. “Yeah? Well, evidently, Shane here is a hell of a lot more than just a teammate. And I’m still not buying whatever crap you’re selling about furniture placement. I’m a cop, Leigh. I’m not fucking blind.”

She scoffs, loud and sharp, clearly questioning his intelligence now.

“We work together. Or have you forgotten that talking sports is my actual job?”

“I haven’t forgotten,” he snaps back, “but have you? If these are just your so-called colleagues, why are you in your home like this with them ? And at this hour? That’s crazy.”

I can see it hit her. Wyatt’s words wound deep. She’s proud of her job, always has been, and his cheap shot is low, even without knowing the truth: not only Shane, but Andy and I have all been with her since she moved to Denver.

But Leighton rallies fast, squaring her shoulders and standing tall. “You and Dad can’t control my life anymore. And it’s driving you crazy . But guess what, Wyatt? I’m a grown woman. I don’t need you flying across the country to try to boss me around.”

“I’ve never tried to control you,” he protests.

She lets out a bitter laugh. “Oh, please. You’ve tried to control where I go, what I do, who I see. But that ends now, big brother. I love you, but this is my life. I call the shots. Not you.” She spins and points toward the house. “Not Dad.” Then she wheels on us. “And not you, you, or you.”

“Oh, darlin’, I wouldn’t even dream of trying,” Andy says, calm as ever.

“Darlin’?” Wyatt spits the word like venom, and I freeze, every muscle locking down.

“He calls you darlin’? What the hell is he to you?

Shit, how old is he, Leigh?” His eyes snap from Andy to Shane to me.

I don’t move a muscle, don’t even look at Leighton.

But Wyatt’s a bloodhound, pointing at each of us in turn. “No. No, no, no. ”

“Wyatt—” Leighton tries to cut him off, but it’s too damn late.

“What the fuck is this, Leigh? You’re with them? With them? ” He spits, voice thick with revulsion.

Leighton’s response doesn’t do much to douse the fire .

“That’s none of your business.”

Wyatt ignores her, plowing ahead. “So let me get this straight. This one,” he jabs a finger at Shane, “is your baby daddy. But you’re what… I can’t even say it.” His face wrinkles in disgust.

I keep my expression flat, but it’s useless. Wyatt can feel it, like a cop sniffing out blood.

“So, let me get this straight. If Dad and I had shown up a little later… would we have walked in on something else?” His guess hits a little too close, and even though we barely shift, the tension is screaming loud enough for anyone to hear.

“Damn it, Leigh,” Wyatt snaps. “What the hell have you become? What would Mom think if she were still alive?”

Leighton scoffs in disbelief. Her hand flies back, trembling, eyes shining with tears, but before she can land the slap across his face, Wyatt grabs her wrist, hard, and yanks it down.

“How dare you bring her name up!” she shouts, her voice cracking, teeth bared.

And how dare he lay a hand on her. My blood spikes. Shane and Andy are already moving, and I’m right behind them.

Shane gets there first.

His fist smashes into Wyatt’s jaw with a sick crack, snapping his head back a step.“Don’t. Touch. Her,” Shane snarls, eyes blazing like he’s seconds from going feral.

I’m quick, but Shane’s always been quicker. Andy’s already thrown himself in front of Leighton, shielding her. I close the distance fast, not sure if I’m about to pull Shane off or join in. Probably both.

Wyatt stumbles, but doesn’t fall. He shakes it off and steps right back in, shoving Shane with both hands, hard.

“Do that again and see what happens,” he spits, face twisted in a smirk as he squares up, nose to nose with Shane.

“Stop it!” Leighton screams, struggling to push past, but Andy’s got her around the waist, holding her back.

Shane adjusts his footing, muscles coiled, jaw set. His glare could cut glass. The tension is suffocating.

I move in, sliding to Wyatt’s side, keeping my voice low but lethal. “Apologize to her. Now.”

But he turns to me, sneering. “This is between me and my sister. You’d be smart to back the fuck off. I’m a cop. I’ve got people coast to coast who’d come running with one call. Trust me—you don’t want that smoke.”

Andy lets Leighton go, stepping in on Wyatt’s other side. He towers over him. Wyatt is not small, but Andy’s size makes him look like some cocky rookie mouthing off before his first hit.

“And you’d be smart to treat your sister with a hell of a lot more respect,” Andy warns, voice cold. That tone? It only comes out on the ice, right before he levels a guy.

Still, Wyatt is stubborn. He doesn’t apologize, but at least he finally lets up, realizing he’s outnumbered.

Good.

Because one wrong move, and none of us are holding back .

Leighton turns on her heel and storms back to the house. At the door, she doesn’t even look back. Just says flatly, hand on the knob, “Get out.”

Damn. She’s tossing her own brother out.

Or so I think, until she adds, “All of you. Please… leave.”

Wyatt steps toward her again, but Shane and I block him without even thinking. Emotions are crackling like live wires. I don’t know their family history, but I don’t trust him not to do something stupid.

“Leigh, I…” Wyatt begins, but stops abruptly. With a grunt, he spins around and stomps down the street, disappearing into the dark.

Andy, gentle now, says, “I’m sorry, darlin’.” His voice is soft, the apology she deserves, just from the wrong person.

Leighton shakes her head. “Go home. All of you. Now.” Her voice breaks, raw and uneven. I know she’s crying now, even if I can’t see the tears. I can feel them in every word.

I gesture silently toward my SUV, and Andy and I start heading that way.

But Shane isn’t done yet.

“Leighton,” he says, voice tight, “I’m not sorry for hitting your brother.

I held my temper as long as I could, but he disrespected you.

And god help me… he grabbed your hand. Nobody touches you like that.

” He sucks in a deep breath, rubbing the back of his neck.

“But… I am sorry that we just made this harder. ”

She doesn’t move. Doesn’t answer.

“I’m sorry, too,” I add.

And with that, we pile into my SUV. I make damn sure to steer us away from the direction Wyatt took as we head back to my place.

But as I drive, silence thick around us, one thought gnaws at me harder than the rest: What if that punch didn’t just hit Wyatt?

What if it knocked the whole damn thing off course?