Ballers: His Game (Ballers Series Book 1)(58)

“Long story short, he broke my baby’s heart. The team got in his ear and he took the easy route. I now have a grandson that lives in Australia and a daughter that puts little effort in allowing me to see him. It also put a strain on my relationships with my other two children. Not that I don’t try.

“The things they did to the two of them as a young couple. Stephanie wouldn’t let me help her. With my support the young man may have made different choices. Bradley is a different man and you deserve to be happy Tam. Your parents raised a fine young woman.

“I have seen many things in my years and your father has seen me through a whole lot. So I am going to see you through this,” he finishes.

“Wow, Cyrus. I didn’t even know you had children,” I murmur in shock.

He chuckles. “You’d have to have been around the firm a pretty long time to know. Talking of my wife and children has long since become taboo. It is my hope that someday you will get to meet Stephanie and that fine young grandson of mine.”

“I hope so too.”

“Now back to you, take as long as you need to sort yourself out. I will handle things on this end. You just let me know if you need anything. You have options,” Cyrus says.

“You know somedays I just want to go home,” I chuckle.

“That can be an option, Tamara. I’ve told you in the past I need fresh blood in New York. I would love to have a new partner there,” he offers.

“Home is where the heart is, and right now my heart is in Texas,” I sigh into the phone.

He chuckles again. “Be well, Dear.”

I hang up the phone still not knowing what my next step is but grateful to have Cyrus in my corner. I haven’t cried once throughout this mess, but suddenly the dams give way. This isn’t about the money. It is about being able to do what I am good at, but most of all it is about holding on to the man that has become my rock.

B

Once Ellerie and I had a long talk we made some life changing decisions and started to put in calls to set things in motion. I intend to fight for Tam and her happiness. When I pull this off it is going to mean big changes for the family overall. I have no doubt I will pull this off though.

When I get home the house is quiet, a little too quiet. If I remember correctly Stacey was supposed to spend some time with Ellie since she is back in town. When I get to the base of the stairs I hear loud sobbing cutting through the silence.

I start out in full run. When I make it into the room Tam is curled up in a small ball, sobbing her eyes out. My heart breaks and I know I have made the right decisions. For now I crawl into bed and let her sob into my chest until she is ready to talk.





Chapter 24


“When were you going to tell me about losing your clients?” I say into Tam’s hair as I feel her relax.

Tam huffs before turning her face up to look at me. “How did you find out?”

“Eli may have let it slip out,” I shrug.

“Ugh. I should have known,” she shakes her head, placing her head back on my chest she pushes her hand up under my t-shirt and starts to rub my chest. I rub her back with one hand, pushing the other into her hair to massage her scalp. “Telling you wouldn’t have made any difference. It would have just distracted you. You and Ellerie have this season’s win at the tips of your fingers. I have been thinking of making some changes with the baby coming anyway.”

“Don’t do that Tam. Don’t make it seem like this is not a big deal to you. You love your job, hell you are great at it. And for the millionth time, you and our children are the most important thing in the world to me. When I wake up in the morning you and Ellie are the first thing on my mind. Are you safe and are you happy, that is my job to know and make sure of. You have no idea how it guts me to come home and find my woman in tears.

“When I imagine what I can live without, you are not among that list. This thing that we,” I lift her chin and point between the two of us. “Are going through, it affects our entire family so we are going to work this out like a family. And in this family Tam, Daddy takes care of things.”

I watch as heat fills her eyes at my words. I let them sink in fully as she swallows hard. I think I am finally getting through once and for all, but I know action speak louder than words. So I will prove what I mean to Tam sooner than she knows.

I continue. “You and I are getting married in just a few weeks. We are going to start our new life together and no one, and I mean no one is going to get in the middle of that. You feel me Tam?”

“Yeah Big Country, I feel you,” she says with a sultry smile.

Her hand that has been rubbing my chest makes its way confidently down to my belt and she starts to unfasten it. I reach for her hand and still it. “Sex doesn’t fix everything,” I throw her own words back at her, lifting a brow at her with a teasing smirk.

“No, but good head does,” she teases back and wiggles her eyebrows at me.

I release her hand without question. The things this woman can do with her mouth are amazing. Tam laughs and shakes her head at me, but she does manage to get me unfastened and out of my jeans and boxers quickly.

I don’t realize I am holding my breath in anticipation until her first slow, long lick up my shaft. I heave a heavy breath and bite out a curse as she covers me with her warm mouth, sending a shudder through my body. This woman was made just for me.