Pa smiled grimly, then his brow furrowed. He was probably trying to figure out why Oli and I had played musical shirts. His expression softened when he looked at Oli. “Hey, Oliver. Do you mind waiting in KC’s room? I need to have a discussion with my son.”
Double fuck. Pa was more than pissed.
We walked into the house together, and Oli gave me a soft kiss on the lips, then went to my room. My bedroom was on the first floor, so he didn’t go far, but Pa never raised his voice. Whatever the issue was, Oli wouldn’t hear us talking.
“This way.” Pa moved like a general in the army, his spine straight and his arms close to his sides.
He led me toward the dining table and gestured at it before he took a seat. I did the same, ignoring the churning that had begun in my stomach as I mentally listed off all the things hecould be pissed about. I came up short. Other than not being happy about us giving Ren another shot, Pa had no reason to be annoyed.
“What did I do?” I asked. Quietly. Uncertain.
Pa cleared his throat and tapped a piece of paper on the table. I frowned when I grabbed it, but as soon as I unfolded the breakdown of services from Pa’s health insurance, the pit of my stomach gave out.
Damn it.
I had completely forgotten about the hospital visit. Because of college, I was still under Pa’s insurance, which meant he’d get the remaining bill and any information from his insurer. I hadn’t told Pa about the hospital yet, mostly because I didn’t know how to explain it.
“Imagine my surprise when I received this. A bill from the hospital foryou, my son, who usually tells me everything.” His lips thinned, hurt blasting from his eyes. “Why were you in the hospital? I called, but of course, because you’re over eighteen, they wouldn’t tell me. HIPAA bullshit.”
“I didn’t want to worry you.”
He laughed, sharp and full of indignation.
Guilt streaked across my chest in a dull ache. My fingers twitched against the letter from the insurer.
“You’re my son. I care about you and then this happens. You were in the hospital and didn’t even tell me. This is on Renshaw, isn’t it? He’s not good for you.” Pa leaned closer to me.
The immediate need to defend Ren filled me and I straightened, jaw tight. “Ren’s been nothing but supportive. He’s trying to help me. I....”
“You what?” Pa demanded, slapping his hand on the table. “You what, KC? What happened?”
“I don’t know. I was trying to bulk up. Be stronger. I’m a linebacker.” I resisted the urge to flinch away from him. I didn’twant to hurt him more than I already had. If I’d had a choice, I wouldn’t have called anyone, but the doctor demanded and I chose Ren and Oli instead of Pa.
“What did you do? Did you take steroids?” Pa’s tone softened and he sat straighter. The general getting ready for battle.
“No!” I ducked my head with a groan and covered my face with my palms. “I drank too many smoothies. I was adding too much protein powder. I....I was dehydrated, okay? Too much protein powder strains your kidneys. I passed out at practice.”
“Oh, KC.” Arms wound around me. I hadn’t heard him move, but Pa was good at being quiet. He laid his forehead against my shoulder. “Not all power comes from bulk. Look at me. I’ve taken down men three times my size. It’s about how you use your strength.”
I snorted. He wasn’t wrong, but I also wasn’t Pa. He’d trained as an assassin. I was only a college football player. “Gridiron is different from what you do.”
“I know. Why do you need to get bigger? You’re already huge. You’re one of the best linebackers in college today.” Pa brushed his hand over my hair the way he used to when I was younger and upset, and there was a level of comfort that came from his touch. I might be an adult, but he was still the person who’d raised me and protected me.
I wasn’t going to tell him about Hudson, though. Pa would kill him in a heartbeat. The last thing we needed was a dead or missing quarterback.
“Was it Renshaw? Did he tell you that you needed to put on muscle?” The question was silky. Deadly.
God, Pa really hated him. I could see why, but damn it, Ren was ours. I didn’t need Pa to defend me against him.
I shifted out of Pa’s hug. “No, Pa?—”
But he was on a mission. “Renshaw Booth is bad for you. He used you.”
“Like you used Barber?” I snapped.
“Excuse me?” Pa’s eyes widened.
I laughed, but not in meanness. Despite being a killer for hire, Pa had a heart of gold when it came to people he loved. He worried about me. “Don’t act coy, Pa, it doesn’t suit you. Because I remember you following Barber and spying on him. You knew everything about his family. Everything about him. What makes you any different from Ren?”