Page 8 of Wicked Knight
He wanted me here first thing this morning, but there was no way in fuck I was going to do that. I arrived at dinnertime, so I’ve been home for close to two hours. Tension greeted me at the door, and it never left.
Yuliana does a good job of acting like everything is fine and cuts my father another slice of pie. I almost feel sorry for her. She doesn’t deserve to be caught in the middle of our silent war.
I’m not home often. Especially in the summer. Summer marks the remembrance of my mother’s death. And Tommy’s, too.
It’s been ten years since my mother passed and five for Tommy.
Losing Mom was hard, but she died from a brain tumor. Tommy was murdered. It’s different. His life was stolen from us, and the worst thing is, we’ve never had justice.
My father blames Mackenzie’s father, and that was the start of our family feud.
The hostility is heightened by the fact that Mackenzie’s family lives next door to us.
Everyone is home for the summer, so I spend it away with my friends, at football camp, or I head out to Russia to see my grandparents. I was only around this past week for initiation.
Usually, it takes place in the first week of the new semester, but this year, Aleksander moved it to the week before because he’ll be away on business.
“Thank you, dear.” Father smiles up at Yuliana when she straightens and looks at him again. At least he’s giving her a genuine smile, not the stiff-lipped versions he’s been doling out all night.
“Do either of you need anything else?” She looks from me to Father, and the blunt ends of her freshly cut brown hair brush over her shoulders like feathers.
“I’m good. Thank you for cooking. The food was great, as always.” I give her a curt nod and muster a grin even though I don’t feel like smiling.
The compliment brightens her pale gray eyes and loosens the tight line across her shoulders. “I’m glad you liked it. It’s so good to have you home. I like making sure you eat.” She reaches over and taps my head.
“It’s good to see you, too.”
“I’ll leave you two to talk.” Again, she glances at my father, who gives her a clipped nod. A sign he’s already discussed with her that he wanted to speak to me.
At this point, my younger self would have wished she would stay as a buffer for my father’s abrasiveness. I hate being alone with him.
Part of me still wishes Yuliana would stay because her light chatter about fundraising through dinner served as a great distraction. But I do need to speak to my father in private. I need to know what he’s planning for me, so I know what I’m up against.
The moment Yuliana saunters away, Father leans forward and intensifies his stare. The way a jury would when they’re trying to determine a person’s guilt.
“I’m not sure if you set out to purposely defy me or if you piss with me because you genuinely don’t care.” He steeples his long fingers and sets his hands on the table.
“Neither.” Honestly, the truth is a bit of both, but I won’t tell him that. In any event, he already knows the answer.
“I guess it’s fruitless to argue you with you at this point. Do you plan on spending the week like I requested?”
It was more like he demanded it. “I’m here, aren’t I?” I’m heading back to Raventhorn next week.
“Indeed. I was hoping we could have spent the day going over the things I expect from you. But we can talk about them now.”
“I’m all ears.” I give him a mirthless grin. On seeing it, his eyes narrow with irritation.
“Football is going to be one of the most important things I need you to focus on.”
“You know you don’t have to worry about that.” He doesn’t need to lecture me on football, but, as always, he has to put his two cents in.
I suppose I can understand why. The only other linebacker to go down in history at Raventhorn for being legendary was him.
He and Kade’s father were the same as I am with Kade. They played like one unit, one mind, one body.
When they retired, they bought New York’s team, the Centaurs. That was a venture outside of the family investments business which has made my father billions. His heart has, however, stayed with football.
“I’m just making sure you realize your true potential. You also don’t have to make your choices based on Kade’s.”