“Mom, this is Kaden. Kaden, my mom, Patricia Springfield.”
“My pleasure,” my mother said warmly, trying to counteract my father’s frosty reception. “Now everyone sit down. Fill us in. We need to know everything.”
Kaden sat stiffly beside me as I relayed everything I knew to my parents. Regret crossed my dad’s face when he realized he’d taken the wrong side and played a part in driving me away. We all apologized to each other, and Dad said he’d be meeting with trusted staff to devise a plan.
We talked well into the evening until I was falling asleep. The family’s live-in housekeeper, Mabel, escorted us to separate rooms. I glanced over my shoulder as Kaden entered the room across from me. He caught my eye and winked.
I entered the room and started counting to ten. I didn’t get to five before the door opened, and Kaden stepped inside.
“I thought this night would never end,” he said.
“Thank you for being here for me. You’ve been my rock through all of this.”
“It’s my pleasure to be whatever you need me to be.”
I fell into his arms and let him hold me. For the first time in over a year, I felt content and safe and loved.
Chapter Thirty-One
Fish Out of Water
~~Kaden~~
* * *
The next day was comprised of meetings I wasn’t privy to. I stayed in my room most of the day, coming down for breakfast and lunch, which was the only time I saw Lanie. Her father didn’t like me, but she’d sworn he never liked any man she dated except for Darrin, and look how that’d turned out.
At dinner, we sat down at the table, and I wondered how many powerful people had dined at this table. I might be a professional hockey player, but deep down, I was just a working-class kid from Detroit. I’d hung with other kids with similar hopes and dreams that hung on our athletic talent. I wasn’t a college graduate or a powerful politician affecting citizens’ day-to-day lives. Instead, I was a fish out of water.
The table conversation was all polite and inconsequential, while I was dying to know what had happened during those meetings today, but no one chose to enlighten me, not even Delaney.
Between the salad and the main course, Senator Springfield put down his fork and leveled his intimidating gaze directly at me. I was a tough hockey player. No one intimidated me on the ice, but this man had it going on, and he held the key to my future with Delaney. I placed my hands in my lap so he wouldn’t see them shake.
“Kaden, what exactly is it you do for a living?” he asked.
Next to me, Lanie stiffened and drew in an audible breath. I ignored her odd reaction, not really giving it much of a thought. She didn’t have a problem with what I did, right?
“I’m a professional hockey player for the Seattle Sockeyes,” I said proudly.
The senator frowned deeply, and he didn’t respond.
Awkward.
The silence extended, and I fidgeted under the table.
“Kaden is very good,” Lanie added, but her dad didn’t seem impressed.
Lanie’s mom rushed to gloss over her husband’s lack of a positive reaction. “That’s very interesting, Kaden. I bet you love it. You must be the competitive type.”
“I do love it, and I’m very competitive.” My answer wasn’t as enthusiastic this time. I glanced at Lanie, not understanding what was going on. Why didn’t her dad seem to like me? Her encouraging smile didn’t help much.
“Do you golf?”
“A little. It’s not my best sport.”
“Under any other circumstances, Joe would love to play eighteen with you.”
“Perhaps another time,” Senator Springfield responded, not the least bit eager to spend time with me.
Fine. I’d had enough of this game, especially since no one had clued me in on the rules. I was tired of being in the dark. “What’s the plan? How do we proceed and keep Lanie safe?”
The senator’s brows shot upward, but I caught a grudging respect in his eyes before he answered. Lanie squeezed my hand to support me or as a hint to stay quiet. I wasn’t sure which.
The senator took a sip of his whiskey and wiped his hands on his napkin before responding. “Keeping Lanie safe is our priority. We invited a few select members of the press to the house tonight for an impromptu interview. They’ll put this story out there, breaking news that Lanie is alive, has been in hiding, and recently decided the situation was favorable enough for her to return home.”
“What about Robert?” I wasn’t letting him off the hook that easily. I needed more reassurance everything was being thought through.
“Robert is being informed of the situation as we sit here. He’ll understand Lanie is off-limits by the time that conversation ends.”
“How can you guarantee her safety?”
The good senator leveled an annoyed grimace in my direction. He didn’t like being questioned. He was accustomed to being the one who did all the questioning and called the shots.
“She’ll have the best security money can buy, and this house is very secure also.”
“Dad, I told you, I’m not staying here.”
“You’ll change your mind. Your friends and family are here. Your career is here,” her father reminded her smugly. I forced myself to study my food so I wouldn’t say something I’d regret.
“I won’t. I love Kaden, and he loves me. I told you that a thousand times today.”
His derisive snort indicated what he thought of her declaration.
“I want Kaden in the meeting with the press tonight.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” the senator said.
“It’s an excellent idea.” Patricia smiled kindly across the table at me, and I smiled back, grateful for the support. I really liked that woman. “Kaden is a sports celebrity. Your people said we should use him to our advantage. The higher our daughter’s profile is, the more difficult it’ll be for Darrin to chance his freedom.”
“Dad, please, be nice.”
“I’m perfectly nice,” he groused, crossing his arms over his chest and glowering at me. If he’d been an opposing hockey player, I’d have glowered right back, but he was the father of the woman I loved. Despite what he thought of me, I was determined to find a way to get along with him. For Lanie and our future.
“Kaden will be in the meeting with me.” Lanie was interrupted from anything further by the main course arriving. As the heavenly scents wafted toward me, my stomach rumbled. Only then did I realize how hungry I was.
We ate the rest of the meal in relative silence. Lanie and her mom did most of the talking, and the senator excused himself to take a phone call.
“Dear, he means well. Please have patience. This is so much to adjust to. He’s so worried about Lanie and not wanting to let her out of his sight again. The thought of her being on the other side of the country terrifies him.” Patricia’s kind smile warmed my heart. Lanie got her kindness and her backbone from her mother.
“I’m trying to understand,” I said, not knowing what else to say. I couldn’t very well tell her that her husband was an ass and a judgmental jerk, even if it was true. The love between these two people displayed itself in the private exchanges they had, the touches, the secret smiles only for each other. Someday Lanie and I would look back at this time in our lives and know all the strife made our relationship stronger.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Back in Town
~~Kaden~~
* * *
Lanie and I barely had a moment’s peace together. For the next several nights, we attended parties and press conferences. My role was to play the supportive boyfriend and hockey player. I was told in no uncertain terms to keep my mouth shut and only answer questions as briefly as possible. Even better, let Lanie or the senator speak for me.
Being me, I’d always been a bit of a rebel and never one to bow down to authority except coaches, and even then, it was a stretch. I swallowed my pride and deferred to her father and h
is staff, even though it galled me to do so. This wasn’t about me. It was all about Delaney. I’d do anything for her.
The senator was all in when it came to the plan to make Delaney so visible Darrin didn’t dare touch her. From what I understood, he wasn’t in town anyway, but a coward like that probably didn’t do his own dirty work.
Tonight, we were attending a party hosted by one of her wealthy, longtime friends in a banquet room of a five-star hotel. I donned a tux for the second time in a week. Wearing a suit and tie or tux was becoming too much of a habit for a guy more at home in jeans and T-shirts. Dressing up was more Steele’s jam. He loved to rock his custom threads. I loved to slum it with my bros, some cold ones, and a good hockey game on TV.
Lanie and I danced a few dances, but not enough for my liking. She was the belle of the ball, in demand with all the men present, whether they were her age or friends of her father’s. I found myself sitting at a table brooding way too much. I wanted her all to myself, as unreasonable as my wants were. I’d never have her all to myself again. She had tons of friends who wanted a piece of her.
I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I was worried.
Delaney fit in here. I did not. She loved being among these people—politicians, agency heads, up-and-coming political types. I didn’t follow politics and didn’t care much about them. I voted in November, but that was the extent of it. Lanie reveled in this environment. Her eyes lit up as she discussed a certain bill or policy, while I stifled a yawn.
“Mind if I join you?”
I glanced up in surprise at Senator Springfield and nodded warily. He hadn’t bothered to seek me out in the week I’d been in town. This couldn’t be good.
He handed me a whiskey on the rocks and sat next to me, taking a sip as he scrutinized me over the rim of his glass. I wasn’t a big whiskey drinker, but I swallowed a mouthful anyway, letting the liquid burn its way down my throat.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” He might come across as conversational and friendly, but I wasn’t fooled. The man had made it clear I wasn’t good enough for his daughter. Maybe I wasn’t in a lot of ways, but I was devoted to her. I’d treat her well. I’d worship the very ground she walked on. Any dad would be happy with such a love for his daughter, except this one.
Sometimes the best way to handle a guy like this was to knock them off their game. I decided to get everything out in the open. I hated playing politics. I wasn’t good at it. Blunt and direct was more my style.
“You don’t like me,” I said, careful to tamp down my emotions.
“I don’t like anyone who dates my daughter.” He actually chuckled and winked at me. Okay, two could play that game. I smiled back. He studied me, sizing me up like any good opponent.
“I’m not going away. I love her. She’s my everything. My life. You’re going to learn to live with me.”
“I can’t bear the thought of losing her again.”
“You won’t be losing her. You’ll be gaining me.” I poked the bear and grinned guilelessly. I braced myself for a coldly cutting remark or even a tirade.
The senator studied me for a long time, but I held his gaze, refusing to give in. He snorted, and his entire face softened. His demeanor, previously frosty, thawed considerably.
“You know, kid, I do admire your guts. There are heads of state who don’t have the courage to confront me like you have.”
“Thank you. As long as you understand I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m coming to that conclusion. I may have to become a hockey fan.”
“You might.”
“It’s hard to dislike a man who’s as dedicated to my daughter as you appear to be. That’s why I wanted to talk to you.”
“About what?” Suspicion crept into my tone. He was definitely up to something. I took a smaller sip this time, grateful for the boost of courage.
“This is Lanie’s legacy. I groomed her to be in politics. Her degree is in politics. Look at her. She’s enjoying every minute of being back here among like people.”
His dig regarding like people wasn’t lost on me. “What are you trying to say?”
“She belongs here, not in Seattle, far away from the movers and shakers who make this country what it is today.”
“She belongs with me.” I bristled, ready for a fight, but tamped down my anger. Guys like him fought with their wits, not their fists, and I knew a thing or two about using my wits in a fight. Hockey wasn’t just brute strength. It was strategy, getting in your opponent’s head, matching them mentally and physically.
“Here, I can protect her. I have the connections and the means. If she’d approached me to begin with, I’d have moved heaven and earth to keep her safe. Can you do that? Do you have those connections?”
“Would you have? She told me you sided with Darrin.”
“I did, but she’s blood, and I will always pick my daughter over anyone else.”
“You drove her away by asking her to lie for your protégé.”
“The biggest mistake I’ve made in my lifetime, and trust me when I tell you I’ve made plenty.”
“I can keep her safe. I have financial means.”
“I know what rookies make, and while it’s impressive, it’s not the kind of security I have access to. And what about when you’re on road trips?”
“I’ll figure something out.”
“But you haven’t done it yet. You don’t have a plan.”
“Well, no, not yet.” I resisted the urge to squirm under his accusatory gaze. He had the upper hand, and we both knew it.
“Her going back to Seattle endangers her life. Besides, she wants to stay, but she’ll go with you if you insist,” he said.
“She doesn’t want to stay.”
“Of course she’s not telling you that, but I know her. I’ve caught her longingly listening to a lively political discussion, heard her start to make plans with her friends and then realize she can’t. I’ve seen it in her eyes. She’ll go back to Seattle with you because my daughter honors her commitments, and when she loves someone, she loves them with all her heart.”
I opened my mouth, but no words came to mind. I was in a state of shock. I wouldn’t have been more caught off guard if a fan had snuck out of the stands and broken a hockey stick across the back of my head.
“I know you two love each other. Sometimes when you love someone, you have to do the right thing even if it’s the wrong thing for you. If she stays here, she stays safe and happy. That doesn’t mean you can’t see each other when it’s convenient.”
Convenient?
I didn’t want to be her convenient boyfriend, I wanted to be her priority. At least one of them.
“We both want what’s best for Lanie.” Her father patted me on the shoulder in what was a calculated fatherly gesture on the surface but more controlling underneath. The man was good, and I was out of my league assuming I’d be able to match wits with him. “Think about what I’ve said. If you love her as you claim, I think you do, too.”
What was the right thing? I wanted to do what was best for Lanie. What if being with me wasn’t what was best for her?
Lanie’s joyous laughter caught my attention. I searched the groups of guests for her and saw her in the middle of a crowd of peers her age. I’d met some of them. They had ties to DC politics, and some attended the same college she had. She caught my eye and did a double take when she noticed her father sitting next to me. She spoke to a few people near her and disengaged from the group, heading straight for us.
The senator sat back and crossed his arms over his chest, not in any hurry to go, waiting for his daughter to wind her way through the crowd to us.
“Have a seat, my dear,” he said with the fake jolliness of a department-store Santa.
Her gaze slid to me and back to her father. “I think I will.”
She leaned toward me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Such a tiny gesture, but my heart soared.
Her face shone with a radiance I’d never s
een except after a good orgasm.
“You’re happy,” I noted.
“I am. Thank you, Kaden. Thank you for convincing me to do this. I’m so happy to be back here with all my friends and family.”
My face must’ve fallen, because she rushed to add, “And you, of course.”
“Kaden, get us another round, please.”
I hesitated, but Lanie didn’t rescue me. She was oddly silent. Reluctant to leave her alone with her father, I had no choice. He was up to something, and I might as well let him do his best. It wasn’t like I would be able to keep him away from her for long anyway.
There was a line at the bar, and a couple guys my age in expensive suits and perfect hair chatted me up. They were hockey fans, and I answered them politely, despite my anxiousness to get back to my table. Lanie and her father were now leaning in close together, having a serious conversation. Were they talking about me?
I pushed such paranoid thoughts from my muddled, insecure brain, ordered a wine, a whiskey, and a beer. I managed to extract myself from the hockey fans and return to the table.
Lanie and her father broke apart, wearing twin guilty expressions.
“What’s going on?”
Lanie stared at her wine and didn’t answer.
Her father almost burst at the seams, falling all over himself to tell me the news. “Senator Crandall has an opening coming up on her policy staff. This is a plum job, and Delaney would be perfect for it. She’d get to set policy and have a positive influence on future policy.”
“That’s sounds fascinating,” I lied. Working on policies sounded numb-ass boring.
“Where is it at?” My voice shook slightly, but I was beyond caring what this man thought of me.
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