“Hmm. I don’t know. I thought that once I was rid of my dad’s influence I’d feel so much different—like a whole new person.”

“You don’t?”

“I do but I don’t, you know? I think I thought it would be a cure-all. That I’d stop feeling so much regret and guilt for my part in everything but it didn’t wash that away, just made the tide not so high. I’m working on it though. Therapy is helping a lot.”

“Good. Healing is a continuous process.”

“Where’d you learn that?”

“My mentor.”

“I love that.”

“Thanks. Can’t let you be the only evolved person around here, can I?”

I snicker. “Can’t have that.”

“So now that you’ve finally come to your senses, I guess now is a good time to confess something to you.”

“Oh God, what is it?”

Dante proceeds to blow my mind by telling me that the money I’ve been sending him every month for the last ten years has never seen the light of day. He’s put it all into a trust with the intention of turning it over to me the moment I “got my shit together.”

“I told you I didn’t need it, Livvy.”

“I know, but holy shit.”

“Well, we can go together to get it signed over to you tomorrow. What are you gonna do with it? If you don’t mind me asking.”

An idea promptly springs to my mind. “Actually, let me run something by you.”

After giving Kai the full tourist experience, we take a long shower and settle into bed.

“I’m proud of you, you know?”

Keeping my hand on his chest, I pull my head up to look at him. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. You fought tooth and nail to get the reins of your life back. That’s incredible. All that’s left is the game. So, what’s next?”

I smirk and lean up to kiss his nose. “You’ll see.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Kai

One week later

I’m crowded between journalist after journalist fighting for a spot at the front of Austin’s City Hall where a press conference is being held. I’m pretty sure the conference is supposed to be focused on the NWSL, but the questions seem to be centered around Jason Harding’s disappearance. His civil suits have begun rolling in as well as his criminal charges, but we already know how those will go down.

According to news outlets, he’s been meeting with his lawyers privately but has otherwise not been seen. My name as well as Dante’s and three other athletes he’s attacked have been cleared, but people are speculating if any others will come forward.

There’s demand from Momentum to investigate more of the higher-ups of their company and demand for more diversity in their leadership positions.