Page 109 of Power Play Daddies

“Did you really tell Daisy to take a step back? Did you really tell her that she was a gold digger?”

The silence on the other end is deafening. I can practically see her squirming. “I didn’t call her that. I?—”

“Then what the hell did you say?” My teeth grind together, jaw tight. “She said you told her that she was going to mess up our careers. You told her it would be very bad if she got pregnant. You told her to leave me alone, basically.”

“I was just trying to protect you!” she shoots back, defensive. “Sheisa gold digger, Mason. She’s not someone you should be getting involved with. You’re going places. You’ve got a future.”

I slam my fist into the wall behind me, cursing under my breath. “Don’t you ever talk about her like that again. You don’t know shit about her, and you sure as hell don’t get to call her names. Daisy’s important to me.”

There’s a pause. I can almost feel her staring at me through the phone, eyes cold. “You think she’s going to stick around when things get hard? She’s just a temporary fix, Mason. That’s all she is. A fucking puck bunny. I just know it.”

The anger inside me burns brighter. “You don’t get it, do you? She’s not just some girl, Mom. She’s carrying my kid.” The words hit me hard, but I don’t back down. “She’s carryingyourgrandchild.”

A small laugh escapes her, but it’s bitter. “I knew she was going to fucking do this. You need a prenup, Mason. You’re not thinking straight. She’s just?—”

“No.” I cut her off, my voice low, furious. “You watch your fucking language, Mom. Don’t ever talk about her like that again. I’m serious. If this is how you really feel, if you think she’s nothing but a mistake, then you can just skip my next game. You don’t need to show up.”

There’s a long, tense silence. I can hear her breathing heavily, like she’s about to explode. “You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”

“Dead serious,” I say, holding back the rage building in me. “She’s my family now. And if you can’t accept that, I’m not wasting my time arguing with you.”

I wait for her response, but all I hear is the click of the phone hanging up.

I throw my phone on the couch, clenching my fists. What the fuck is wrong with her? Why doesn’t she get it?

Daisy’s everything to me. She’s not some sidepiece or some mistake. She’s mine. She’sours.

The anger’s still simmering, but beneath it, a cold ache is forming. I can’t believe my mom would do this. I just can’t.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Daisy

I’ve pretty much movedinto Beau’s place.

I’m not complaining. It’s cozy here, and besides, I can’t keep staying at my place when Slim seems to have decided he’s taken up residence here, too.

I swear, the cat’s got a better life than I do. He gets all the comfy spots on the couch, has Beau to scratch behind his ears, and he doesn’t even need to pay rent. Lucky bastard.

I’ve spent the last week bouncing back and forth between work and Beau’s.

Being here has a certain… comfort to it. Beau and the guys aren’t around much, so I’ve had the place to myself a lot. It’s like I’m getting used to the rhythm of things here.

I don’t mind it at all.

I’ve been writing the smaller engagement pieces for what feels like forever, but now the article’s done. The first draft.

I roll my shoulders, cracking my neck as I stare at the document on my screen.

A tiny knot of nerves pulls at my stomach. This is it. This is what could either make or break the next step of my career.

I walk into Janice’s office with my head held high, like I’m the queen of the world. But inside, my stomach’s doing flip-flops.

“Hey, Janice. I’ve got the first draft,” I say, keeping my voice steady even though I’m anything but calm.

She looks up from her desk, a frown on her face, but it softens when she sees the article. “Great,” she says, motioning to the chair. “Sit down. Let’s see it.”

I do, crossing my legs as she clicks through the draft on her screen, scanning over the words. I can’t tell what she’s thinking.