Page 46 of Forever Offsides

“I had no clue,” I admit. “Russel never talked about his dad, and whenever I’d mention it, he wouldn’t say much at all other than he didn’t talk to him. He told me once that he was a former player, but that was it. I never knew a name, and Russel hated talking about him.” I swallow audibly and ask the question I need answers to. “Does Rhett know I dated him?”

“Yes,” Dad answers. “I told him on Monday.”

Wow. So he’s known for five days and didn’t say anything to me. Then again, he hasn’t talked to me all week either, has he?

“Dallas’s GM reached out to me about a possible trade. They want a first-round draft pick and another player, but it’d be a three-way trade with Minnesota.”

“Are you negotiating this?” Crew is incredulous.

“I’ve pushed off Dallas’s GM since Monday morning so nothing has been discussed in detail. I had no idea Russel was coming here, which isn’t a good look for anything. Not for Dallas and not for us.”

“He can’t play on our team, Dad. He has a horrible reputation. He’s a selfish player and gets in trouble on and off the field. Obviously since the piece of shit showed up here uninvited.”

“Crew, take a breath. This is a professional team. You’re not always going to like the guys you share a locker room with, but you’re always going to be a team player. That’s how this works.”

“I can’t believe you’re considering this.” Mason shakes his head.

My dad holds up a hand, stopping this before it gets out of hand. “I haven’t spoken to Russel. I haven’t met with him. I haven’t worked out anything with Dallas. You’re getting ahead of yourselves. I haven’t agreed to anything, but I know he wants out of Dallas, and I know he wants to play here.”

“Will he make the team better?” I ask, even though my voice doesn’t carry.

No one speaks. Russel is talented. He always has been. This game is the most important thing to him, and so is winning. Something he hasn’t done yet, but this team has—two years after he left as a matter of fact. I have no clue about Russel’s reputation because I don’t follow him at all.

“It doesn’t matter, Quinn,” Crew says. “He hurt you, and I don’t⁠—”

“I don’t care,” I cut him off as I hop off the bench and pull my shorts away from the backs of my thighs, where they were sticking.

“What?” everyone asks at once.

“I don’t care. He was four years ago. I’m over it and over him. I have been for a very long time.”

“Is that why you kneed him in the balls?”

I grin. “That was for fun and because he was stupid enough to taunt me. But honestly, he’s not worth broken hands or fines or suspensions. I love you both for standing up for me. I can’t tell you what knowing you always have my back feels like. I’m the luckiest sister in the world to have that. But on the flip side, I have to protect you too and the team you play for. Russel Jones isn’t worth it. He’s not someone you need to give two fucks about because I don’t. If you think he’ll help the team win and won’t be a negative distraction, then bring him on. It won’t impact me unless he gets hurt, because then I can’t guarantee I won’t slip and cut something vital. Other than that, fuck him.”

Mason’s brow pinches skeptically. “You don’t mean that.”

I shrug at him. “I do, though. Truly. He broke up with me. It hurt, but I’ve moved on.”

“You’re being an ice queen.”

I smirk at my father. “That’s Mom. They call me Yang, and I’m fine with it if that’s what I am.” Hell, I’ll wear it as a badge of honor. That chick was cold and ruthless, yes, but she was also a brilliant badass. Men didn’t control her, and they won’t control me. Neither father nor son.

“Exactly, fuck him.” Crew stands. “Why should we bring him back? He doesn’t deserve it. And whether you care or not, I don’t want him near you. I don’t trust him.”

“He picked his sport over me. If it had been reversed…” I trail off. I don’t know what I would have done if I had gotten a residency or job elsewhere instead of here.

Whatever. Honestly, I’m more hurt that Rhett knew and didn’t tell me, which feels ridiculous, but it’s also not. I had sex with my ex-boyfriend’s father. More than once if you count our video call, but more than that, there were feelings involved. Months and months of us talking. He called me his girlfriend.

It’s about as messed up as it gets.

“This is your business,” I say to them, redirecting myself. “Take me out of the equation.”

Rhett said he wished he had a better relationship with his son. That he’s tried over the years. It’d mean a lot for him to have Russel here, and I want that for him because I stupidly care about him.

I brush past my dad and head out of the room. The three of them need to talk, and right now, my head’s spinning too fast to manage it.

I walk down the hall, needing to move, needing space, except as I round the corner, I see Rhett coming out of the locker room where the players must be. He doesn’t see me, but before I can demand answers from him, Russel intercepts him.