"Hey, Aria. It's been a long time. You're all grown up," Kai says in a charming, inviting voice.
"Almost," I mutter, shrugging.
Most people my age consider themselvesgrown-uponce they start high school but I'm not like that. I know my dad has sheltered me from the evil of the world but my life circumstances have sheltered me as well. I've never known anyone to die or be hurt, and no one has ever hurt me. Until you've dealt with the darkness and depravity of the world, I still consider said person a child because you see the real world in childlikeness. You don't look at people and immediately wonder if they might want to hurt you.
I'm not ashamed that I haven't reached that level of awareness, but I know it will come eventually.
"Kai is the head coach at Royal High School," he explains.
Well, that helps a lot. I'm guessing he got Dad the job as the assistant coach.
"That's great," I respond.
"I need all the help I can get with those boys. They're like wild bulls. They barely listen to me," he jokes.
My dad laughs but I don't understand how it's funny. They should listen to him. His job is to make sure they're successful on and off the field. If they don't listen to him how can he do his job well?
"We'll get those boys whipped into shape," Dad mutters before fist-bumping with Kai.
"Damn right, we will. Even as bratty as they can be, we still take home the championship every season and those boys are as tight-knit as they come."
"Bound by blood?" Dad asks, a bit of a dark shadow crossing his stare, but it lifts after a moment.
What the fuck was that?
Bound by blood?
"Some of them. The others need somepersuasion." Kai grins with pride as I eye them suspiciously.
"Are they your family or something?" I ask, not understanding at all.
"Something like that," Kai mutters. A secret code stretches across his face. I'm unable to decipher the hidden meaning here. "The guys are on their way. They agreed to help get you two settled."
That's nice of them.
"I appreciate that," Dad responds.
The doorbell rings, signaling the arrival of the team to help us get unpacked.
Here we go.
* * *
So many guys have come,and I've lost count of all their names. Like just about every football player I've ever met, they're all ridiculously handsome and built like bulls, like Kai said.
I focus mostly on unpacking boxes while the twenty-plus men carry in furniture from the moving truck.
We have a lot of stuff so I expect this to be a full day affair.
"Man, take a look at that," I hear a voice come from my doorway but I don't show it much attention.
I'm used to guys gawking at me, and it really gets old. I know I'm built voluptuously but of all places for a couple hormone-fueled teenage boys to stare at me, it has to be in the house my dad and I just moved into.
"Wait, is that Coach Patrick's daughter?" another voice says.
I roll my eyes and smooth my skirt before standing up.
"She has ears, too, fellas," I quip as I turn to the two football players that are staring at me like I'm a goddamn buffet.
