Chapter 14

August's POV

I shut myself in my room after Dad and Samantha left for their date. The house felt empty without them, and I should’ve enjoyed the quiet, but my brain wouldn’t let me. I had hockey replays running on my laptop, highlights from last season in Chicago, and I had my headphones blasting music just to drown myself out. None of it worked.

No matter what, I kept seeing Russell standing there at the arcade like a ghost from Chicago. I could still hear his angry voice clashing with Dad’s in that corner. And the thing that ate at me most was that Dad looked guilty. He’d glanced around like a thief checking if the cops were near.

Not like that was even a surprise. Everything about my dad WAS guilty.

I pulled the headphones off and tossed them on my desk. “Damn it!” I muttered.

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling. How did Russell even get here? It wasn’t like Florida was down the block from Chicago. He had no reason to be here.... unless Dad gave him one.

And this was exactly why I needed Kade's help. But even Kade wasn't forthcoming.

I kept replaying my last conversation with my dad, until I heard the front door open hours later. Laughter floated down the hall, dad’s booming voice and Samantha’s gentle laugh tucked inside it.

My stomach twisted. Samantha was a kind woman and a good mother to Dona. She was the last person I wanted to be caught up in all of this drama.

I stayed frozen on the bed, listening to them. Their footsteps padded down the hallway, and then a door opened and closed. After a few minutes, I heard Dad move again. He didn’t go to his room. He turned into the kitchen.

That was my chance.

I slipped out of my room, careful with my steps, and found him at the counter pouring himself a glass of water. His back was to me, shoulders relaxed like he didn’t have a care in the world.

“Dad.” I called.

He turned his head, raising his eyebrows. “You’re still up?”

“So are you.”

"Because I went on a date." He gave a small shrug and took a sip. “What’s on your mind?”

I crossed my arms, forcing myself not to back down. “I saw Russell.”

The glass paused halfway to his lips before he set it down. “Russell who?”

“Don’t do that!" I snapped. “I saw him at the arcade. You were arguing with him!”

Dad let out a long sigh and leaned on the counter, staring at me like I was being dramatic. “That’s not something you need to get involved in.”

“Not something I need to get involved in?” I asked. “You moved across the country and left me in Chicago, and then I caught you arguing with Russell your best friend, and I’m not supposed to think twice about it? That makes no sense!”

He rubbed the bridge of his nose like I was a headache. “Look, it’s business. Adults disagree sometimes. End of story.”

“No, it’s not!” My voice came out louder than I wanted, so I lowered it quick. “That wasn’t a normal fight. He was angry, Dad. And so were you. What does it have to do with you moving here? Did something happen back in Chicago?”

Dad’s patience cracked. “August, you don’t understand. And you don’t need to. I brought you here for a new start. Not so you could dig through my business.”

“It didn’t look like that to me." I cocked an eyebrow. "It looked personal. And I know Russell, he doesn’t just pop up out of nowhere. If he’s here, it means something.”

Dad tried to hide his annoyance with a laugh. “You’re being paranoid, son.”

"Fine!" I threw my hands up. "Maybe I am being paranoid. If it was just me, yeah sure, do whatever shady thing you’re doing. I'm used to you being already. But Samantha and Dona are in our lives now, and if you drag them into this, I’ll never forgive you.”

Dad’s face went flat. For a second, I thought he might actually explain. His mouth even opened like he would. Then he shut it again. He picked up the glass and drank slowly, controlling himself, like that was enough to end it.

When he set it down, his voice was calm again. “You need to stop thinking like this. Focus on hockey. Focus on school. That’s where your energy should go, not into conspiracies.”

"Like you ever cared about my hockey career." I snorted out a derisive laugh. "And what about Mom's grave? That was why you convinced me to move in with you and Samantha, wasn't it? And I have never heard you mention it again."

"We'll go there eventually."

“That’s not good enough,” I said quietly.

“It has to be.” His tone left no room for argument. He brushed past me, heading toward the hall. Just before he disappeared, he added in a low voice, “And don’t bring this up around Samantha. Ever.”

Then he was gone.

The glass he left behind was sweating on the counter, water dripping down its sides. I grabbed it and swallowed what was left, almost choking on how cold it was.

It didn’t help. The anger in my chest didn’t cool down.

I slammed the glass back onto the counter harder than I meant to. My hands pressed against the edge of the counter until they hurt, but the pain was better than the storm in my head.

I could handle Dad screwing with me. He’d been messing up my life for years. But Samantha didn’t deserve this. And Dona... no way. Not even if I disliked her. If they got caught in whatever he was hiding, I’d never forgive myself.

I pulled away from the counter and walked back down the hall, closing my bedroom door behind me. I sat on the edge of my bed, elbows on my knees, staring at the floor like it had answers.

My phone sat on the nightstand. I glanced at it for the hundredth time this week, wishing it would light up with the one name I’d been waiting for. Kade.

As if my thoughts had conjured him up, my screen buzzed with his name.

I snatched the phone up so fast I almost dropped it. “Where the hell have you been?!"

“Relax,” Kade’s calm voice floated through the line. “Do you think this stuff is easy? It took me longer than I thought to dig up anything useful.”

I threw myself against the bed. “I’ve been calling you every damn day for updates. You left me hanging.”

“Because there was nothing solid at first,” he replied. “But now I’ve got something, and you’re not gonna like it.”

I sat up abruptly. “Tell me.”

A pause, and then I heard the sound of papers shuffling. “So... your old man and Russell have been tied up in some fraud schemes, mostly fake insurance claims, and then they cooked some real estate deals, money moving where it shouldn’t. Russell’s name is all over some of the paperwork I traced. And your dad is not far behind him.”

My heart felt as though someone had tied a rope around it.

“Fraud,” I muttered. “Of course.”

“I don’t know the full scope yet,” Kade continued. “But this wasn’t some small-time thing. It’s been going on for years. And if Russell’s name is there, that means he and your dad were partners in this.”

I let out a broken laugh. “I knew it. I always knew he was up to no good. I just needed proof.”

Kade hesitated. “Look, maybe he had his reasons—”

“Oh, he had a reason all right,” I laughed again. “Money. That’s all he ever cared about. Making a crazy amount of it, no matter who he stepped on to get it.”

Silence filled the line for a moment. I could hear my cousin's breathing on the line

“Thanks for this, man,” I finally said, dragging my hand over my face. "I appreciate it."

“Hey, you did me a solid one too, helping me with my Academy fees.” Kade replied. “And don’t thank me yet. This is just the beginning. I’ll keep digging until I find out exactly what he and Russell were hiding. But Augie, you need to watch your back. If I found this, others can too. And your dad is not the type to sit quietly if he thinks you’re sniffing around.”

I sighed, lying back against the bed. “Yeah. I figured.”

Kade’s tone went soft. “How’s it been over there anyway? With Samantha and Dona?”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “Samantha’s… good to me. Better than I expected. Not a wicked stepmother, at least. Dona, though? She’s been the annoying stepsister straight out of a cliché. But living with them is not as bad as I thought it would be.”

“Keep it that way,” Kade said firmly. “Don’t drag them into this. Whatever your dad’s mixed up in, it’s on you to make sure they stay clear of it.”

“I know,” guilt curled in my stomach. “That’s what scares me. I don’t want them involved, but I don’t know if I can keep him from dragging them in too.”

“That’s your job now,” he pressed. “Protect them. Call me whenever you need help, and don’t wait until it’s too late.”

“Okay. Thanks, Kade.” A beat passed before I asked, “When are you finishing up at the Police Academy, anyway?”

“Very soon,” he answered. I could hear the hint of pride in his voice. “Another few weeks, and I’ll be out. Hopefully, I’ll see you down here in Florida after that.”

“I’ll be there,” I whispered, though part of me wasn’t sure if I believed it.

His voice lightened. “Hey, I’ve been watching your games, you know. You’ve gotten better, playing for FSU really suits you. Keep this up, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the national team picks you up.”

That pulled a genuine smile out of me. “You really think so?”

“I know so,” he replied without hesitation. “You’ve got the skill, Augie. Don’t waste it because of whatever might be going on in your private life.”

I closed my eyes. “Appreciate that, Kade.”

“Anytime. Now, get some rest.”

“Yeah,” I murmured. “Goodnight, cous.”

“'Night.”

Then the line went dead, and I was left staring at the ceiling again.