Page 83 of Too Safe

Football.

Family.

My girls.

The guys.

My priorities have always been straight.

Take care of my health. Focus on the game. Take care of my people.

There’s no room in my life for anything else.

Especially not some manipulative hustler from out of state whose story is as murky as her intentions.

Not today, Ohio.

Not fucking ever.

Chapter 34

Josephine

Aftermyliteralrun-inwith Kendrick in the hall, I was tempted to show up to family dinner in a bathing suit. Or maybe my birthday suit.

Thegallof that man.

But now that I see the guests, I’m glad my rational side took over, and I pulled on a pair of leggings and a LCU T-shirt instead.

I slipped into my seat just as Locke and Decker brought the food out onto the deck. I’m sitting between Kylian and Locke tonight, with Decker positioned at the head of the table. Kendrick is directly across from me, and on either side of him are the two guests I wouldn’t have expected in a million years.

Emilia and Jade.

Emilia and JadeTaylor.

Kendrick’s little sisters.

“She has more meatballs than me,” the one on the right—Jade, I think—announces. She’s eight, maybe nine years old, and I’m almost certain they’re twins. They’re dressed in matching skirts and polos, obviously a school uniform of some sort. Glittery purple beads adorn the end of Jade’s braids. Emilia is rocking Crusaders red and white.

“Hush. I gave you both three meatballs. Eat those, and you can have more,” Kendrick tells her.

He plated their food with ease and wordlessly moved Emilia’s cup to the middle of the table when she almost tipped it over. It’s clear he’s used to caring for them.

I had no idea Kendrick could be anything but gruff and rude. But he’s smiled more in the last ten minutes than in all the time I’ve spent with him over the last few weeks combined. It’s mindboggling that I didn’t even know these girls existed until tonight.

That’s not the only thing that has me twisted. Despite my speed shower and the distance between us at the table, I swear Decker’s hands must have left permanent imprints on me. I’m too in my own head to make eye contact with him, although I can feel his onyx gaze flit to me every now and then.

I’m still reeling from my run-in with Kendrick. There’s no way I’ll push my luck by asking questions or engaging with his sisters right now.

I sit quietly and eat my pasta, focused on twirling the long noodles and dragging them through the sauce on my plate.

“This is really good,” I murmur to Locke, who acknowledges my comment with a smile.

“So, is anyone going to tell us why there’s agirlhere?”

I lift my head, surprised, and meet Emilia’s assessing gaze.

“Yeah,” Jade chimes in. “Uncle Ducky always says no girls allowed except us!”

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