Trapped and Tackled (Knoxville Coyotes Football #3)

18. Talon

Chapter 18

Talon

I drive back to Knoxville with my hand in Leni’s. The scent of her perfume wraps around us, and memories from last night roll through my mind.

This weekend was life-changing.

I glance over at her. She stares out the window, lost in thought. Music plays through the speakers, and the silence between us is comfortable.

The awkward shit is done. We’ve moved past it.

Relief flows through my limbs and I grin.

As if sensing my gaze on her, Leni turns and catches my eyes. She smiles back.

“What are you thinking about?” I ask.

She blushes and bites her bottom lip. “Last night.”

My smirk widens as I turn my eyes back to the road. “Which part?”

“All of it. But mostly, when can we do it again?”

I snort. “Tonight, I hope?”

Leni nods slowly. “My dad?—”

“Don’t worry about your dad, baby. I’m going to talk to him.”

Leni is quiet and I glance at her.

“You’re worried?” I guess.

She sighs. “Yeah. I’m not sure how he’s going to take it.”

Disappointment churns in my stomach, chasing away my good vibes from last night. But I shouldn’t be surprised. “Because I’m a football player?”

She shakes her head. “Because I’ve been lying to him and Mom for months.”

My disappointment morphs into pride as I process Leni’s words. “You’re going to talk to them, Leni? Really?”

She manages a watery smile. “I want to, Talon. God, I’m scared.”

I squeeze her hand. “Why? Your parents are two of the best, most understanding people I know. They’ll want to know the truth.”

“I don’t doubt that,” she agrees. “It’s more that…I’m so disappointed in myself. For staying with Craig, for making excuses. My parents didn’t raise me to be a coward.”

“You’re not?—”

She shakes her head. “I meant the part about lying to them. I’ve let it go on for so long and now, I feel like I’ve let them down as much as I have myself.” Leni rolls her lips together and shrugs. “I don’t want to tell them that.”

“Len,” I breathe out. “We’ll play this however you want. I’m here for you. But your parents will never not show up for you, baby. And I just can’t look your dad in the eyes and lie to him. About the way I feel for you,” I clarify.

She nods. “Would it be okay if we tell them about us first? And then, I’ll ease them into learning more about what happened with Craig?”

“Of course.”

“It means my dad’s anger…” She trails off, blowing out a breath. “I don’t want you to bear the brunt of his frustration. It’s not fair to you.”

I shake my head ruefully at her concern. I’ve never had anyone look out for me like this before. I like it, but I don’t want her worrying about that shit. “Don’t stress it, Leni. I can take it.”

Relief filters through her blue eyes. “Thank you, Talon.”

“Whatever you need,” I remind her.

We drive the rest of the way in comfortable silence, listening to music and chatting. She tells me more about Marlowe and her concerns for her friend. She explains how much she misses her sister and is going to call Lincoln. She admits how much she loved this weekend.

I listen eagerly, wanting her every thought. I’m still riding the natural high of last night. And then again, this morning.

Getting lost in Leni is easy and for the first time, I understand what Cohen and West went through last season. The way their entire worlds flipped overnight.

It’s something you can’t understand until it happens to you. Until those feelings hit you straight on and change everything. The weird thing is, you crave it more than you fear it. And then, you know it’s the real deal.

Leni is the real fucking deal. So much so, I’m going to man up and tell Coach Strauss about us. I would never do that—risk my relationship with him and the team—if I wasn’t one-hundred percent certain Leni is it for me.

But I’ve been on my own a long time. The fact that this is the first time I’ve ever felt this way is more than telling. It’s everything and I won’t risk my pride or position on the team for what could very well be my once-in-a-lifetime. I’ve watched teammates make that mistake too many times.

While I didn’t fully understand what was at stake at the time, I do now. I’m not risking a real shot, a real future, with Leni when it’s staring me straight in the face.

When we arrive at Leni’s house, I pull in the driveway and kill the engine.

She takes a deep breath. “You sure about this?”

“Positive.”

She turns to me. “I don’t want you to feel like you’re jeopardizing your career or position with the team for…this.” She gestures between us. “It’s new and?—”

“I know how I feel about you, Len.” I need her to trust my instincts the same way I do. “And I admire your dad too much to sneak around. He’s the type of man I want to grow into. What would he do?” I quirk an eyebrow, already knowing the answer.

Leni sighs. “The same as you. He had to fight for my mom’s hand in marriage. He was a German immigrant, and she was from old Southern money. There were different expectations set for her.”

“And?” I press, wanting to know how the story unfolded.

“He didn’t back down and eventually, my granddaddy respected him for it.”

I smirk. “You just proved my point.”

“But it wasn’t easy, Talon. For years, my mom’s parents didn’t accept Dad. They gave him—both of them—a hard time.”

“Nothing has ever come easy to me, Len. To be honest, if it did, I wouldn’t want it. Wouldn’t trust it.”

“Okay,” she breathes out, looking worried.

For a moment, nerves rattle through me. “This is what you want, right?” Shit, am I reading this wrong? Am I moving too fast, expecting things from Leni that she’s not ready to commit to? It’s easy to want something in the heat of a moment. It’s something different to admit to it the following day.

Her eyes widen and panic flickers over her expression. “More than anything,” she breathes out. “I guess it’s just, more than I expected. You’re more than I ever hoped for.”

I shake my head, cupping her cheek affectionately. More than anything, I want to lean over the console and kiss her. But first, I want to man up and come clean with Coach.

As much as I want his blessing, want to earn his respect, I’m not willing to walk away from Leni regardless of what he says. It’s a scary realization.

For years, I lived and died by the unspoken rules of my football team. Now, I’ll break them all to take my shot with Leni.

She gives me that sunny smile I love, and we exit the SUV.

Rolling back my shoulders, I walk to her parents’ front door and wait for her to let us inside.

We’re in the foyer for about twenty seconds before Coach and Vicki round the corner. Coach’s expression is guarded while Vicki’s is hopeful.

I pull in a settling breath and hold out a hand to Coach.

He shakes it, his grip firm, his eyes searching mine. “How was the weekend?”

Leni sighs and tilts her head toward the living room. “We should talk.”

“About what?” Vicki asks, sounding worried.

“Well, for starters, Marlowe,” Leni admits.

That seems to relax her parents slightly. We follow her into the living room.

“Would you like something to drink, Talon? Or to eat? Are you guys hungry?” Vicki’s eyes dart between Leni and me.

“I’m fine,” Leni says.

“All good, Vicki. Thank you,” I reply.

“What happened with Marlowe?” Coach frowns.

Vicki pitches forward in her seat and I note the worry in her expression. The Strausses are such good people. It’s hard to imagine families like them exist. Could I ever have that one day? Will they ever fully accept me?

I hope so. I temper down the feelings that rise in my chest and turn my attention to Leni’s explanation as she fills her parents in.

She tells them about Toby and the boat.

About the rumors of Marlowe’s biological father.

At this, Coach swears, and Vicki clasps a hand over her mouth.

But then, Leni starts to paint the picture of Toby losing his cool, raising his fist to her and Keller.

Coach is on his feet when Leni says, “And then, Talon put him on the ground.”

Coach whirls around, pinning me with his gaze. “You good?”

I hold up my hands. “I’m fine. We…we left the lake house and checked into a hotel for the rest of the weekend.”

Coach frowns. Vicki’s eyes ping pong from Leni to me to Coach and back to me. Understanding dawns on her expression but Coach still looks confused.

“Why didn’t you come home?” Coach asks Leni.

She looks to me helplessly and I realize this is it. This is the moment.

“I have feelings for your daughter, Coach.” I man up, say the words, and lay it on the line.

Vicki sniffles and it’s a punch to the gut. Is she horrified?

But when I glance at her, she doesn’t look horrified. She looks like she’s trying to get a handle on…happy feelings.

Coach’s eyes narrow, his expression twisting harshly. “Excuse me?” he snaps. “What the fuck did you just say to me?”

“I have feelings for Leni, sir. Real feelings,” I repeat.

Coach gapes at me. “Leni, go to your room.” He points toward the hallway without ever looking her way.

“Friedrich,” Vicki murmurs.

“Daddy,” Leni says, moving closer to me and lacing our hands together. “I’m an adult. I don’t need your permission to date?—”

“My house, my rules,” he growls.

Vicki shakes her head.

“Fine!” Leni throws a hand in the air. “I’ll just move in with Talon then.”

Shit. My thoughts scatter and nerves zip through my chest as the situation deteriorates. I keep a firm grip on Leni’s hand though. Because the one thing I’m not losing today is her.

“Coach,” I say, holding his eyes. “I respect you more than any other man I know. I’m not saying this as a fleeting thing. You know me, and I hope you know my character. I’ve never had a serious relationship before.”

“Trust me, I know,” he interjects.

Vicki stands beside him and places a warning touch on his forearm. “Keep going, Talon,” she says, not unkindly.

“Leni’s it for me, sir. I didn’t expect this to happen, but it did and I’m not asking for your blessing, either. I’m telling you, man to man, because I admire the hell out of you. I’m falling for Leni.”

“It’s been one weekend,” he seethes, holding up a finger.

“It’s been brewing longer than that,” I admit.

“You just got out of a relationship,” he accuses his daughter. “Is this…a rebound?” He gestures between us.

Damn. That fucking hurt.

“Friedrich!” Vicki hisses.

“What?” He glares at her. Then, back at me. “No, no. I don’t accept this. Leni, get up to your room. Talon, get the hell out of my house.” Then he stalks from the room. The back door slams closed a moment later, and I wince.

“He’ll calm down,” Vicki says by way of apology.

Beside me, Leni rolls her eyes but, like her mother, doesn’t seem to take her father’s reaction seriously.

“Come on, I’ll walk you out.” She tugs on my arm.

I stand beside her, bewildered and unsure what the next step is.

“Talon,” Vicki says as I walk past.

I pause to look at her over my shoulder.

She offers me a genuine smile. “Thanks for taking care of my baby girl.”

“You’re welcome,” I say sincerely. “I’ll never not look out for Leni.”

She regards me for a long moment before nodding.

Leni leads me to her front porch. When the door closes behind us, she heaves out a sigh. “Well, that went about as well as I expected.”

I snort. “You don’t seem distraught over it though.”

“Nah.” She shrugs. “Dad will come around. He just processes things…slower than Mom.”

I shake my head and wrap an arm around her waist. She rests her head on my shoulder.

“Can I take you to dinner tomorrow night, Leni?”

She gazes up at me. “I love how optimistic you are, Talon.”

I peer down at her, frowning. “You didn’t think I’d throw in the towel because your dad isn’t thrilled for us, did you?”

“No.” She presses a kiss to my chest, snuggling closer. “But he’s going to go fucking brutal on you tomorrow. You’ll be way too tired to go out to dinner.” Her eyes meet mine, a playful spark of amusement in their depths. “I can come over and cook for you instead?”

I snort out a laugh even though her words ring true. Coach is going to put me through the grinder tomorrow. But knowing I can come home to a home-cooked meal and Leni? That alone makes it all worth it.

“I’ll see you tomorrow night then.”

“What would you like for dinner?”

“Surprise me.”

She presses up on her tippy toes to brush a kiss over my lips. “I will.”

“I’ll leave a spare key for you at the front security desk. Come by whenever.”

She nods. “Don’t worry about Dad, Talon. This isn’t easy for him, but his reaction has more to do with me and my dating a football player, then it does with you being upfront and honest. You’re a good man and deep down, he knows I’d never do better than you.”

I snort. “I’m not sure about that, Sunny Leni. Get a good night’s sleep.”

“I will. But only because I expect you to keep me up tomorrow night.”

I laugh, shaking my head as I walk to my SUV. There’s the confident, quirky woman from Coach’s stories. I’m getting glimpses of sunshine again and even though my career, hell, my identity is on the line, it doesn’t feel as terrifying as I thought.

Instead of overthinking how this decision will affect the team, I spend the night wondering what Leni is going to surprise me with for dinner tomorrow night.