Jumping out of bed, she threw on some clothes, headed for the bathroom to wash up, then stepped into the elevator with renewed energy and determination.

Enough was enough. She needed to look her dad in the eye and demand the truth from him. This scandal was affecting her, too, and she deserved to know whether or not the trust and faith she’d placed in her father was justified. Presley’s mess had taken her away from Doug and brought her to Chicago, it had broken up her and Brody, caused stress to tangle inside her. It was time to quit avoiding her father and try to make sense of everything that had happened.

She drove to the Lincoln Center with a heavy heart, knowing her dad was scheduled to be interviewed by the league investigator today. Come to think of it, Brody was being interviewed, too. She hoped she wouldn’t run into him. If she did, she’d be tempted to hurl herself into his arms, and she had no desire to be pushed away again.

Ironic that she’d been fighting this relationship from day one, set on keeping it a fling, and in the end he’d been the one to break things off.

And she’d been the one to fall in love.

Forcing the painful thoughts from her mind, she parked the car and walked to the arena’s entrance. After greeting the woman at the lobby desk, she rode the elevator up to the second floor, which housed the franchise offices.

Her father’s office was at the end of the hall, through a pair of intimidating wood doors more suited for a president than the owner of a hockey team. Tucked off to the right was the desk of her dad’s secretary, a pleasant woman named Kathy who was nowhere to be found.

Hayden walked up to the doors, but stopped when her dad’s voice practically boomed out of the walls. He sounded angry.

She slowly turned the knob and inched open the door, then froze when she heard her dad say, “I know I promised to cover your ass, Becker, but this is getting out of hand.”

Becker…Becker…hadn’t Brody shown up at the Gallagher Club with a player named Becker?

Her blood ran cold. She knew she shouldn’t stand there and listen, but she couldn’t bring herself to announce her presence.

“I don’t give a damn about that…they won’t trace the money…”

Enough. She’d had enough.

Feeling sick to her stomach, Hayden pushed open the door and strode into her father’s office. He was standing behind his desk, clutching the phone to his ear, and he nearly dropped the receiver when he saw her enter.

“I have to go,” he said into the phone, hanging up without giving the other person—Becker?—a chance to respond.

Hayden inched closer, fighting the urge to throw up as she stared into her father’s eyes. His face had gone pale, and she could see his hands trembling as he waited for her to approach.

“So it’s true,” she said flatly, not bothering with any pleasantries.

Her dad had the nerve to feign ignorance. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, sweetheart.”

“Bullshit!” Her voice trembled with anger. “I heard what you said just now!”

Silence hung over the room. Her father looked stunned by her outburst. After a second, he lowered himself into his leather chair, gave her a repentant look and released a heavy sigh. “You shouldn’t have eavesdropped, Hayden. I didn’t want you involved in any of this.”

“You didn’t want me involved? Is that why you asked me to come home? Is that why you practically forced me to give a deposition in your divorce? So I wouldn’t be involved? Too late, Dad. I already am.”

Her legs barely carried her as she stumbled over to one of the plush burgundy visitor’s chairs and sank into it. It was hard to think over the roar of her pulse in her ears. Anger and disgust and sadness mingled in her blood, forming a poisonous cocktail that seared through her veins. She couldn’t believe this. The signs and suspicions had been there from the start, but hearing her father confirm his criminal actions was like a switchblade to the gut.

If someone had told her that the father she’d loved unconditionally, whose flaws she’d always ignored, whose attention she’d always craved, could be capable of such dishonesty, she would’ve laughed in their face. And yet it was true. Her father had broken the law. He’d lied. He’d probably cheated on his wife.

When had this man become a stranger to her?

“Honey…” He gulped. Guilt etched into his features. “At least let me explain.”

“You committed a crime,” she said stiffly. “What’s there to explain?”

“I made a mistake.” He faltered. “I made some bad investments. I…” Desperation filled his eyes. “It was only two games, Hayden. Only two. I just needed to recover the losses, and…I…I screwed up.”




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