Page 36 of Second Goal

“You know something?” Kane asks, gaze searching mine.

I shake my head. “She owed someone money, that’s all.”

“She told you that?”

“Yeah.” I rub the back of my shoulder, muscles tense.

“Who? How much?”

I wince, knowing in a way I’m breaking her trust by telling Kane. “I don’t know. Some asshole from when she was living on the streets. I’m taking care of it.”

“You’re taking care of it how?” he asks, slowly, suspicion creeping into his voice.

“Doesn’t matter. Let me figure things out. The last thing she needs is you lecturing her.” And the last thing I want is her running.

Silence stretches between us, an unspoken power struggle that I eventually win when he looks away and nods. We leave the locker room, not speaking. Despite the calm I presented to Kane, I can’t help but feel a sense of panic pinching the back of my neck. She took out more money, which means she lied to me. She still owes that douchebag more. And she still won’t tell me why.

Brynne and Kiley are waiting for us when we come out.

“Da-Da.” Noah runs at Kane who scoops him up, tickling him until he’s giggling so hard his face is bright red.

Kiley shifts from one foot to the other, fidgeting when she looks at me. Not caring what Kane or anyone else thinks, I pull her into my arms and kiss her. She gasps against my lips, then I feel her smile.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

Her cheeks fill with color when a couple of the guys coming out of the locker room whistle and make remarks.

“Ignore them,” I tell her, keeping her attention on me. “They’re just jealous.”

Her fingers curl in my shirt, and she says quietly, “I can feel Kane watching us.”

I grunt and glance over at my best friend. “You have a problem with this?”

He gives me a hard look, but when Brynne nudges him, he sighs, and says, “Not at all. Just be good to my little sister.”

Kiley inhales sharply, and I nod at Kane, glad that’s where he went with it.

I keep my arm around her shoulders as we walk to my car. We get a few more comments, and I notice a few photos taken. Once the media realizes who she is, I have no doubt our relationship will be plastered all over the place. I’ve never been one to air my private life. But I want the world to know she’s mine.Mine. Whatever that means.

Kiley tenses against me when a few fans pull out their phones and snap a dozen photos.

“You okay with this?” I ask her.

“People are going to think we’re together,” she says softly.

I pull her tighter. “We are together.”

Despite her attempt to hold it back, I see the small smile curve her lips. “So we’re... dating?”

I smile down at her. “I guess we are.”

“Okay,” she says, that smile broadening. But I notice something else in her expression. It’s faint, but it’s there - fear. It’s almost tangible, lurking in the shadows, hidden in the secrets she’s keeping.

Doubt and insecurities wash through me, voices I’d thought I’d quieted.

You can’t protect her.

Nothing lasts forever.

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