Cameron

When I first got drafted and played my first season, I was thrilled to travel to different away games and experience new cities. I didn't travel much as a child, and after my mom passed, I never wanted to. It took me a long time to come out of grieving and want to do something with my life, and football was the first thing that allowed me to take my first full breath again. It seemed fitting that my first traveling experiences would be because of the one thing that saved me.

But now? Traveling isn't as fun anymore. I've been to these cities before and have seen the same buildings, landmarks, etc. Plus, after finding out Maddie was pregnant, the last thing I wanted to do was leave her two days later for an away game.

The media is still in an uproar after the photos were released of Katie and me at the gala. It didn't help that Maddie and I left the hotel together hand in hand, allowing the paparazzi to snap as many photos as they'd like. I refuse to allow anyone to tear us apart, so I showed the world who I will always choose.

I'm sure whenever Katie sees the photos I'll hear an earful, and sure, it could push her to release the video of Maddie, but at this point, I've done whatever I can to try and delay it. If Katie decides to release the video, I'm going to let her. Maddie and I are having a second child, and the health of our marriage and her pregnancy is more important than a damn video. I've officially learned my lesson.

We're in Dallas this week, and it's an important game for us. With us being 11-3 this season, we need to win tonight to clinch our spot in the playoffs. I'm trying not to let the nerves get to me, but I've never gotten this close to leading the team to victory. There's an unspoken weight sitting on my shoulders that I can't seem to shake.

My music is on full blast through my headphones as I step off the bus to head into the arena to the guest locker room. Cameras snap away, and I'm sure paparazzi are shouting questions about Maddie and Katie, but I shut the world out for a reason. I can't think about any drama when we have a spot in the playoffs at stake. I need to focus.

When the doors close behind me, I breathe a sigh of relief and strip the headphones off my head, finally being surrounded by only the low chattering of the staff doing their various jobs.

This is not the time to panic. I shouldn't be thinking about Maddie and whether or not she's okay. I shouldn't be continuously checking my phone to make sure Katie isn't calling with one of her threatening phone calls. As it is, Maddie and I haven't had the time to truly discuss my choice to attend the gala with Katie and where we go from here. All we've come to an agreement on is to keep our heads down and push through this.

I open the door of the locker room more aggressively than I intend to, finding Ryan shoving his duffel bag into one of the cubbies. "Hey, man. You ready for this game?" When I don't reply right away, he flicks his gaze over me, etching his brows together. "Are you okay?"

No. I'm not okay, but in this profession, any outside forces don't matter. I have to push them into a compartment and gear up for this game. My team can't know I'm weak. "I'm fine," I reply with a nod, putting my duffel bag next to his. "A little nervous, but I'm fine."

He chuckles. "Come on, man. We've all seen the news. I know you're going through it."

I shrug. "It is what it is. Comes with the job, you know? Rumors are rumors."

"So you and Maddie..."

"Are happier than ever," I tell him. "I went with Katie as an acquaintance. Nothing more."

He throws his hands up in defense. "Alright. Sorry for asking. If it's truly nerves, we're going to be fine, man. It'd be weird if you weren't nervous, right?"

More players file into the room and take up the spots beside us, giving me a reprieve from answering. I'm tempted to throw my headphones back on, but I can't when I'm the quarterback. I'm supposed to be motivating my team right now, not hiding away from the world.

And isn't that fucking insane? I told myself when Katie first approached that I wouldn't let her ruin my life again. I swore she wouldn't get to us, and somehow she sank her claws into my brain again, controlling me like her damn puppet.

"Oh, I forgot to apologize about Nina. I didn't realize she was doing a study abroad program. She wanted me to tell you that she hopes you'll think of her in the future if you ever need a nanny again."

My eyes immediately snap to his. "What?"

"Nina," he explains slowly. "The nanny I was going to refer? I reached out to her to see if she was available, but she decided to do a study abroad program in Australia. I meant to tell you, but I assumed it didn't matter because you found someone else who seems to be working out."

Time instantly stills.

The murmuring of the guys around me fades, and all my attention zeroes in on him. "So, the nanny who worked for you never showed up to the interviews?"

I'm hoping he's playing some sort of prank on me and that any second now he'll break out in laughter, but his expression remains serious as he shakes his head.

What.

The.

Fuck.

If the woman who showed up to those interviews wasn't Nina, then who...

"Excuse me," I mutter, storming out into the hallway. I'm still shirtless, but I don't give a fuck. I frantically pull my phone out of my pocket and dial Maddie's number, but she doesn't pick up. I try her again and get the same result.

"Pick up, pick up, pick up," I groan, slumping against the wall.

It keeps going straight to voicemail, which doesn't surprise me since she's at work, so I resort to pulling up the security camera app on my phone to investigate the house.

I don't see either of them at first, but when I click into the living room, Izzy and Nina are together on the couch and watching a movie of some sort. Izzy is smiling and laughing, which causes Nina to laugh too, but it doesn't bring me any sort of relief. The woman sitting beside my daughter isn't who she claims to be, and I can do nothing but wait until Maddie calls me back.

Fuck, the game.

I more than likely won't be able to answer.

How did I miss this? When she came into the interview and said her name was Nina, I assumed she was the woman Ryan told me about. It was my mistake. Mine. I put my daughter in danger because I assumed she was in safe hands.

I try Maddie again, cursing when it goes to voicemail.

"Mads," I start, completely out of breath. "Listen, I need you to give me a call as soon as you get this. I'm at the game, but Ryan..." I shake my head, needing to speed things up. "Look, I need you to get home to Izzy as fast as possible, alright? Nina isn't who we thought she was, and—"

"Holden!" Coach calls.

Fuck.

"I have to go, but please get home to Izzy as soon as possible. I checked the cameras and she's fine, but until we figure out who Nina really is, she can't be alone with our daughter. I won't be able to check my phone until after the game, but I'll call you as soon as it's done. I love you."

Shoving the phone back into my pocket, I take a second to rest against this concrete wall, inhaling deeply through my nose and exhaling out my mouth. If I were in California, I'd drive straight to the house and kick Nina out on her sorry ass for lying to us in the first place.

I don't get it. How did she keep up the act in the interview? Instead of telling us the truth, she chose to go along with the story that she was Ryan's former nanny. She knew the age of his kids for crying out loud! How did she fucking know that?

"Holden, let's go! We've got a game to prepare for."

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I attempt to ignore the ball of nerves sitting like a brick in the pit of my stomach as I head back to the locker room.

This is one of the most important games I'll play, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that I won't be completely present.