“But she only needs one to dribble. We got to start somewhere, and if she’s going to play power forward for Lynx, she’d need all the practice she can get.”
“Whoa. What makes you think she’s playing forward? She’s playing guard.”
“Oh, and which guard might that be?” Keiran asked with narrowed eyes.
“She’s a shooter, of course.” He shrugged as if it were a done deal.
“Funny. I think she’s better on point. She’s a leader.”
“My kid. My say,” Keenan answered smugly.
“Oh?” Sheldon snapped. The guys ignored her and continued to argue.
“Dude she’s playing for Liberty,” Dash growled, bringing the conversation full circle.
“I don’t know, man. Lynx usually gets first pick over Liberty. She’d have a better team behind her.”
“I agree, except she’s playing forward not guard.”
“I know how we settle this.” Dash grinned.
“How?”
“Suit up.”
They took off at once. Keenan ran upstairs while Keiran and Dash shoved each other to get to the back door first. Sheldon blew out a breath and pointed a thumb over her shoulder. “Can you believe them?”
“I hope Dash doesn’t think he’ll decide our son’s life.”
“Of course, he has. Whether he likes it or not, he takes after our father. It’s just that his methods don’t require him to be as huge of an asshole.”
“Have your parents brought up that custody issue again?”
She snorted, cast a nervous glance toward the stairs, and shook her head, apparently reluctant to discuss it with Keenan in hearing distance. I still couldn’t believe her parents had demanded custody be given to them in the event of her death. When Sheldon refused, they threatened to remove her from the will until she conceded.
“Have you still not told him?”
“And give him more ammunition to make things worse when he sees them again? He’s a hot head.”
“Good point, but he may find out somehow.”
“Keenan is a great father to Kennedy. What is your parent’s issue?”
“They believe he’s a flight risk, as my mother put it.”
“So,” Willow began, her eyebrows pinched sharply with confusion, “what’s the deal? Did Keenan run when he found out you were pregnant?”
Sheldon shook her head with her eyes cast downward. “He left the night Kennedy was conceived.”
“Do you think he would have stayed away if he knew about her?”
“I have no doubt nothing would have kept him away.”
“Hey, Shelly!” Keenan came running down the stairs holding a sleepy Ken as if she were a bomb about to detonate. “Your daughter pissed all over her sheets again. Handle this, will you?” He passed her to her mother and jetted out the door before Sheldon could respond.
“Keenan, you jerk!”
“Oh yeah.” Willow deadpanned. “Dad of the year award is definitely his.”
Sheldon shook her head and took Kennedy back upstairs to clean her up, so I decided to head out back where I could already hear shouting and swearing and the rhythmic sound of a basketball dribble.
“Oh, my.” I heard Willow gasp lustfully beside me. I was temporarily blinded by the sight of three impressive bare chests glistening with sweat as they savagely fought for the ball. I wasn’t sure how well basketball could be played with only three players, but it was apparent the game was no longer the objective.
Keenan managed to steal the ball from Keiran and knock him down in the process. I winced at how hard he hit the ground. Just as quickly, he bounced up and stole the ball mid shot. Keenan cursed and took the offensive along with Dash.
I grew nervous watching. Sweat pooled between my breasts and my breathing escalated. Watching Keiran move and play—specifically without a shirt—was overwhelmingly stimulating.
Dash and Keenan closed in on him. His eyes shifted between the two, looking for weakness. It didn’t seem likely. I thought he was done for, but then his eyes found mine. He smiled, winked, and made his move.
The ball was thrown high in the air. He threw a fist into Dash’s finely cut abs and an elbow into Keenan’s regal nose and shoved past them as they groaned in pain in time to catch the ball.
“Hey!” Willow yelled. “He can’t do that.” She turned to me with eyes ablaze and as wild as her hair. “Can he do that?” I shook my head, feigning concern, and tried to hide my smile when he made the basket and turned with a cocky grin.
“Come on, pussies. We playing ball or having tea?”
Dash moved first and took Keiran to the ground. He managed to slam a fist across his jaw before Keenan surged forward, knocking Dash out of the way, and taking his shot at his face. I cringed at the sight and sound of Keiran getting pummeled. They began to exchange blows uninhibited.
“What’s going on?” Sheldon asked as she entered the backyard.
“Keiran scored and they started beating the crap out of each other.”
Sheldon’s eyebrow lifted, and her eyes flashed with aggravation. “They do realize they’re grown men and not teenagers anymore, right?”