Page 67 of The Defender

“That’s what you meant.” She set her jaw. “If people want to talk, let them talk. And while I understand why you’re uncomfortable with the situation, Vincent and I are adults. You can’t tell us what we can or can’t do outside of work.”

“You’re my daughter. I canabsolutelyweigh in on your life insideandoutside of work.”

Brooklyn’s eyes flashed, and I instinctively braced myself for indirect impact. “Really? That’s hilarious, considering you haven’t been there for most of my life. I’ve lived here for over a year, and we never connect unlessItake the initiative to plan something. When we do talk, it’s almost always about football. You haveno ideawhat’s going on with me, and now you’re trying to steamroll over me without even attempting to see things from my perspective. Respectfully, Dad, I get that you have an image and a reputation to maintain. But don’t pretend you’re a concerned father who cares about his daughter’s personal well-being when your past behavior has indicated otherwise.”

Her words landed with the force of an atomic bomb. Silence mushroomed, the heft and weight of it making my skin prickle.

Brooklyn angled her chin up, her mouth tight but her eyes suspiciously glossy. The sight cleaved through me.

I desperately wanted to cross the room and pull her into my arms, but this was a family problem. I was the one who’d inadvertently triggered the explosion, and comforting Brooklyn right now would only make things worse.

So I stood there, fingers digging into my palms and chest aching, while Brooklyn and her father stared each other down.

Coach’s nostrils flared. “We’ll discuss this later when we don’t have company.” His voice was tightly controlled. He didn’t look at me, but I felt his searing condemnation from ten feet away. “Whatever your opinion about my parenting skills, you have to admit I’m right. This will get out eventually. If you want a serious future at Blackcastle, Vincent has to move out. Immediately.”

“You don’t have to worry about that because I’m not accepting the job offer.”

My gaze flew to her face.What the fuck?She’d been hesitant, but she’d never indicated she would actually leave Blackcastle.

A second vein pulsed in Coach’s forehead as his carefully calibrated calm cracked in half. “You’re accepting the offer.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Why thehellnot?” His voice slowly rose to the decibel of a shout.

“Because I don’t want to work in an office where I’m constantly living in your shadow. It doesn’t matter if Vincent stays or leaves. People willalwaysfind a reason to doubt me. If I want to be taken seriously, I have to leave the club.” Brooklyn sat straight and proud, her expression resolute.

My stomach knotted. I’d grown so used to seeing her at work that I couldn’t fathom the idea of her absence.

Blackcastle without Brooklyn.

I felt a little sick.

Coach gritted his teeth. “Where exactly are you going to work if not at the club?” he demanded.

“I’ll figure it out.”

“In other words, you don’t have another offer lined up, but you’re turning down a sure thing.”

“Yes.”

“Goddammit, Brooke. If you’re doing this to spite me?—”

“I’m not.” The fight bled out of her, and she suddenly looked exhausted. “Not everything is about you, and you’ve been ‘hands-off’ my entire internship. You can’t just swoop in at the last minute to tell me I’m making the wrong decision. I’m declining the offer, whether you like it or not. I’ll make it official tomorrow.”

“You—I—” Coach spluttered. He was breathing so hard I almost called 999 in anticipation of a heart attack.

I cleared my throat. “With all due respect, sir, I think we should all take a?—”

“Shut it,” he growled. “I’ll deal withyoulater.”

Fuck me. That didn’t sound good.

But what the hell, I was in deep shit anyway. I might as well say my piece. “You’re upset, Brooklyn’s upset. Emotions are running high for understandable reasons, but I think we should all take a step back before we say anything else we regret.” They glared at me with matching stony expressions. I wisely refrained from mentioning how alike they looked at that moment. “I’ll move to a hotel and make it work. We’ll keep this a secret, and no one will ever find out.”Besides all the people who already know.“After that, we can move on. This isn’t something to have a falling out over.”

Minutes ticked by in excruciating silence. Neither of them acknowledged my suggestions, but eventually, their boiling hostility was reduced to a mere simmer.

“Why did you come by in the first place?” Brooklyn asked her dad. She appeared to be making a concerted effort to keep her voice even.