Page 40 of Red Zone

“I have my answer.” She whirled around and ran into the house.

I had a sinking feeling about my intangible family’s life.

“You need to breathe, man,” Ares muttered as he got in the vehicle. “This isn’t just about being pissed. It’s about what you do next.”

As Kylian’s SUV pulled out of the driveway, I stared at the house, its dark windows giving nothing away. A sliver of clarity returned. It wasn’t over. She could run, but I wasn’t letting her shut me out—not again. As we drove away, my thoughts wouldn’t stop spinning. I’d missed all of Lily’s beginnings. I couldn’t change the past, but I sure as hell wouldn’t miss any more.

The SUV ride was silent except for the hum of the tires on the pavement. My mind raced with everything I’d just heard. By the time we got back to the condo, my chest felt like it was ready to explode.

It was quiet when we walked in, the kind of stillness that didn’t match the storm raging inside me. I paced like a caged animal.

“Liam, chill, man.” Ares leaned against the kitchen counter. “You’re not going to solve anything by wearing a hole in the floor.”

Before I could snap back, Aurora and Brielle walked in, each carrying mugs of coffee.

Aurora handed one to Kylian before perching on the arm of the couch, her blue eyes zeroing in on me. “You look ready to explode,” she said softly. “Want to talk about it?”

I scoffed, running a hand through my hair. “Talk? What’s there to talk about? Skye lied to me. She kept my daughter from me for two years.”

Aurora’s mouth dropped open before she quickly closed it. “You’re Lily’s dad?”

Brielle raised an eyebrow. “And why do you think she did that?”

“Because she didn’t think I’d step up.” The bitterness in my voice surprising even me. “She thought I’d choose football over them.”

Aurora tilted her head as she gnawed on her lower lip, worry darkening her eyes. “Would she have been wrong?”

Her words hit like a slap, and I stopped pacing. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“She was nineteen, Liam,” Ares said gently. “Nineteen, pregnant, and scared. From what we’ve heard about your disagreement freshman year, she had every reason to think you’d prioritize your career. And let’s be honest—you probably would have.”

I opened my mouth to argue but couldn’t find the words.Would I have stepped up back then?The ugly truth was, I didn’t know. Maybe Skye had been right to think I would see them as a distraction—just like my freshman coach, and my dad, would have said. But that wasn’t who I was anymore, and I would prove it—to her, to Lily, and to myself.

“But that doesn’t make what she did right,” Aurora added, her voice firm. “You had a right to know. She should have trusted you with the truth.”

Brielle nodded. “You have every right to be upset, but don’t let that anger cloud what matters. Lily. She’s what’s important now.”

Their words sank in, heavy but necessary. I dropped onto the couch, burying my head in my hands. “How do I make up for not being there?” Mav had been right. I’d bailed back then, but that didn’t mean I had to keep running. I refused to let Skye shut me out.

Aurora leaned forward, her voice soft. “You start by showing Skye you’re here to stay. She’s scared, Liam. Scared of what you’ll do, scared of what this means for your future. Prove her wrong.”

Brielle smiled, her hand resting lightly on my shoulder. “And show Lily that her dad is someone she can count on, no matter what.”

I nodded slowly, their words echoing in my head. They were right. It wasn’t just about me and Skye anymore. It was about Lily. I couldn’t change the past, but I could damn well make sure she knew who I was moving forward.

CHAPTER TWENTY

SKYE

Iran inside, slamming the door behind me, shoulders tense as I prepared for a fight. My uncle must have heard my life imploding outside. But he wasn’t standing there on the other side of the door, waiting to bust some heads—his football players’, specifically. Instead, the TV blared with a movie, but no one was on the couch watching. Uncle Tommy’s back was to me as he sat at the kitchen table across from my aunt, who briefly caught my eye and gave a barely noticeable shake of her head.

Tears ran like a river down my face, and I darted for the stairs before my uncle could see.I’m failing everyone—Liam and Lily. And when my uncle finds out, him too. And my aunt?She’d wanted me to tell Liam. They were all so disappointed in me, or would be. Liam was right—he deserved to know. Maybe things would have been different.Or not.I struggled to forget what he’d said to me when I’d known I was pregnant.

I flopped on my bed in the room I shared with Lily, too tired to even wash my face or change out of my jeans and long-sleeved shirt. I buried my face in the pillow, muffling a scream that clawed its way up my throat. The fabric soaked up my tears as I pressed deeper into the mattress, wishing I could disappear.Liam’s words echoed in my head, sharp and unforgiving, each cutting deeper than the last.

I shook from silent sobs, not wishing to wake my daughter. I had no idea how much time had passed before I fell into a fitful sleep, waking the next day like a truck had run over me during the night. Deep circles that no amount of concealer could completely conceal hung like moons under my eyes. It promised to be a hell of a Monday.

Lily was a bundle of energy, and Aunt Eileen had a doctor’s appointment and left early, which meant I had to get my daughter to Little Sprouts Daycare before I went to school. I got her fed, dressed, and in the car in under an hour, which was a miracle. In the car, I caught sight of my reflection in the rearview mirror. The bags under my eyes were darker than I’d ever seen.

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