Chapter 54

Chapter 54
Alicia

The morning after everything unraveled felt slower than usual. The city outside the penthouse hummed faintly, but inside, it was quiet. Too quiet. I sat at the edge of the bed, still in one of Damon’s shirts, staring at the way the early light slipped through the curtains and touched the glass of water I hadn’t drunk.

I could still hear his words from last night echoing in my mind.

“Your father wasn’t just a sponsor, Alicia. He was the one who helped build Nathan’s career. He protected him… even after everything he did.”

I didn’t want to believe him. Couldn’t. My father had died years ago, and the thought of him being part of the chaos that had torn Damon’s world apart felt wrong, unfair. But Damon hadn’t looked angry when he told me...he looked broken. Like someone who wished he hadn’t said it at all.

The sound of running water drifted from the bathroom. Damon was getting ready for practice. Even after the sleepless night, the bruises beneath his eyes, and the weight of everything he carried, he still had to show up, still had to play like the world wasn’t caving in.

I stood up, tightening the robe around me, and walked toward the kitchen. The smell of coffee lingered faintly in the air, though neither of us had touched it. My hands shook slightly as I reached for a mug. I needed something normal, something that didn’t carry the scent of fear or secrets.

He came out a few minutes later, dressed in his training gear...dark joggers, his team’s jacket, and that look of focus that made him Damon. His hair was damp, curling a little at the ends, his eyes sharp even though exhaustion lingered there.

“You should eat something before you go,” I said softly, placing a plate of toast on the counter.

He gave me a small nod. “Thanks.”

For a while, neither of us spoke. The silence between us wasn’t uncomfortable exactly, just full. Heavy. Like we were both afraid to say the wrong thing.

Finally, I broke it. “I called Evan last night. He didn’t pick up.”

Damon looked up from his plate, his jaw tightening. “He’s keeping his distance for a reason.”

“Because of Nathan?”

He nodded. “Evan’s trying to keep you safe. He’s been getting messages, threats. Nathan’s been using every angle he can. Evan’s just... staying out of sight until we get this sorted.”

I frowned, leaning against the counter. “That doesn’t sound like him. He wouldn’t just vanish, Damon. Not without telling me where he is.”

“I know.” He pushed the plate aside. “But sometimes staying away is the only way to protect someone.”

I crossed my arms, studying him. “And what about you? Who’s protecting you?”

He let out a quiet breath. “You don’t need to worry about me.”

“That’s exactly what I do, Damon,” I said. “You walk around like you can handle everything alone, but I see the way you come back after practice...angry, exhausted, pretending like the world isn’t sitting on your shoulders.”

He didn’t answer, just stared at the coffee mug between us.

“I know you think keeping secrets keeps me safe,” I continued. “But it doesn’t. It just keeps me in the dark.”

His voice came out low. “I can’t drag you into the mess I made years ago. Not again.”

“This isn’t just your mess,” I said, my throat tightening. “If my father really had something to do with Nathan, if Evan’s getting dragged into it too, then it’s my mess too. And I’m tired of being protected like I’m a child.”

He looked at me then, really looked at me. “You have no idea what you’re asking for.”

“Then tell me,” I whispered. “Help me understand.”

He hesitated, the muscle in his jaw twitching. For a moment, I thought he wouldn’t answer. Then he leaned forward slightly, resting his hands on the counter.

“Your father helped Nathan sign his first major deal. He handled everything....the finances, the brand contracts, the endorsements. When the doping scandal hit the team three years ago, your father was the one who helped bury it. He thought he was protecting his business, protecting you. But Nathan used it. He used all of it.”

I blinked, my chest tightening. “You’re saying my father… covered for him?”

“Yes.” Damon’s voice softened. “And when I tried to expose Nathan, your father begged me to stay quiet. Said too many lives would go down with the truth. He offered me a transfer to another team to keep me silent.”

I swallowed hard. “And you left.”

He nodded. “I left. But I couldn’t outrun it. Nathan followed me, even after your father passed. He thinks I took something from him, something he can’t let go of.”

My fingers gripped the edge of the counter. “What could you possibly have that Nathan wants that badly?”

“Evidence,” he said. “Proof of what really happened the night the scandal broke. Proof that could destroy him...and a few others along the way.”

The air between us went still. Damon looked exhausted, not just from the weight of training but from the years of carrying this truth alone. I wanted to reach for him, to tell him none of this changed how I felt, but before I could, his phone buzzed sharply against the counter.

He glanced at it, his face darkening.

“What is it?” I asked.

He exhaled slowly. “It’s from Marcus.”

My stomach twisted at the name. The betrayal still lingered between all of us like smoke that wouldn’t clear. Damon read the message silently, his expression unreadable.

“Damon?”

He set the phone down and rubbed the back of his neck. “The match got moved up. We’re playing tomorrow night.”

“So soon?”

He nodded. “Nathan’s team is hosting. It’s the first time we’ll be facing him since… everything.”

I reached for his hand. “Then maybe you shouldn’t go.”

He looked up sharply. “You know I don’t have that choice.”

“Then at least don’t go alone,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “Let me be there.”

He shook his head. “No. It’s not safe for you.”

“I don’t care. You can’t keep shutting me out.”

“Alicia.” His tone softened, but there was an edge beneath it. “If anything happens, if you see something that doesn’t feel right, promise me you’ll leave. Don’t wait for me, don’t try to help. Just leave.”

I hated the way he said it, like he already expected the worst.

“You’re scaring me,” I whispered.

He reached out and cupped my cheek. “I’m trying to do the opposite.”

For a moment, neither of us moved. Then he leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. “I’ll be fine,” he said quietly. “We’ll talk after the game. I promise.”

But I’d heard that word before. And it never sounded like safety.

He grabbed his bag and headed for the door, pausing only once to glance back at me. “Lock up behind me,” he said.

The door clicked shut, and the silence that followed felt like a weight pressing against my chest. I stood there for a long time, staring at the empty space where he’d been. Then my phone buzzed in my hand.

A message. From an unknown number.

I opened it, expecting some harmless update. But the words on the screen made my blood run cold.