I loved how these strappy black heels looked on me. I parked in my reserved spot under the stadium and took the elevator to the top of the tower.

I was a new woman. A powerful woman. A sexual goddess who had finally spread her wings last night. I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. Every time I looked in the mirror, all I could see was the way I looked in Dylan and Isaac’s eyes. What was it Dylan said? I was a sex kitten. I giggled as the elevator doors opened. I hoped Candy had a latte for me. I was going to need it to make it to lunch time.

“Good morning,” I sighed, stepping off the elevator.

Candy’s face was pinched together. “Va-Vanessa…”

I was practically dripping in pheromones. I knew it. Knowing how sore I was only a turn on. A beautiful reminder of the night I shared with my men.

I noticed her desk was devoid of coffee. “Can you order some lattes for me?” I asked.

I strolled past the desk, feeling like a damn dominatrix in these heels. Maybe I could call the guys up to the office before practice. Shit. I was getting even naughtier. What could we find to do in my office in thirty minutes? I had to leave the heels on whatever they decided. I smiled wickedly to myself.

“Vanessa…” Candy ran after me.

I walked into my office.

Shit.

“I was trying to tell you.” She stopped behind me.

I stared at my grandmother, sitting behind my desk.

“Hi, Grammy.”

I turned to Candy. “It’s ok. I’ve got it. And hold my calls,” I instructed.

Candy dashed back to the lobby.

“Well, you look like a glowing bride.” She eyed me.

“Oh no.” I realized why she was there. My palm hit my forehead. “I’m so sorry, Grammy. I completely forgot about cocktail hour last night. Oh, I’m the worst granddaughter.” I closed the door behind me.

“Not the worst. Maybe not the most considerate right now.”

I stopped in my tracks. Her bitterness still surprised me.

“I had an interview at Sports Now with Dylan and then it was late. I forgot to stop by. I’m sorry. Would you like to go out for breakfast now? I will have Candy clear my schedule.”

“Candy?” She rolled her eyes. “Can’t believe she wasn’t the first person you fired.”

“Grammy!” I was glad the door was shut. “I haven’t fired anyone. I’m certainly not getting rid of my assistant. She’s been a life-saver this week.”

Was that all it had been? A week? I had lived a lifetime in the past few days.

It was starting to feel awkward that I was on this side of my desk. My grandmother looked quite comfortable where she was sitting. It was good to see her out of Warriors-themed clothes for once. She was wearing a peach cardigan over a navy blouse and navy pants.

“Breakfast isn’t necessary. But you can have that bimbo bring coffee. That would be fine.”

“Grammy, what has gotten into you?”

I stared at her in disbelief.

She looked at me without hesitation. “I’ll take cream and sugar.”

I exhaled. I had no idea what was going on. I walked to the door. “Candy, could you order my latte and a coffee for my grandmother, please?”

I closed the door again. It was a few minutes before Candy entered with a coffee cart. I looked at her. I’d never seen it before.

“I ordered it for occasions like this. I hope that’s ok.”

“Of course.” I smiled. “It’s perfect actually.”

“That’s enough,” Grammy snapped. “We are having a meeting.”

I mouthed an apology to Candy as she backed out of the office.

“Grammy, really. What is going on? You’re never like this.”

She stirred in creamer and sugar into the china cup.

“You didn’t come home last night, Nessa.”

I was a grown woman. It wasn’t like I hadn’t spent nights out. I’d gone to college. I’d traveled Europe.

“I didn’t realize you were worried.” I tried to spin the situation. “I’m sorry if I kept you up.”

“It doesn’t matter.” She waved her hand. “I can only guess what had you out.”

I bit my tongue. I didn’t have to defend my adult lifestyle. I had no regrets about my decisions, and last night was no different. It had changed my life.

“I brought you a gift.” She nodded toward the floor.

There was a black safe next to my desk.

“What is that?” I peered at it. How had she hauled that thing in here?

“Call it a gift from the grave.”

I placed my latte on the edge of the desk and walked around the side, stooping to my knees. There was a passcode on the front. I looked at her.

“7-9-5-8. Your father’s birthday.”

“Oh.” I punched in the numbers and the safe unlocked. I lifted the lid. I stared at files of papers. It looked like a banker’s box of notes.

“What is this?” I picked up the one on top, reading the name: Luke Canton. “Why do you have a file on our quarterback?”

She brought the cup to her lips. “I do not have a file on Luke Canton. Those were your grandfather’s.”

I returned to my seat with the folder. I would have to listen to her entire explanation. Trying to pull bits and pieces out of her wasn’t working.

“Did Granddad leave these for me?”

“He probably didn’t expect you to ever see them, but since you are the new owner of the Warriors, I suppose so.”

I flipped open the top leaf of the file. There were articles. Pictures. And a copy of a check. I read the attached memo.

“Granddad paid off a woman who accused Luke Canton of getting her pregnant?” I was shocked.

She huffed. “That’s what it says.”

“You don’t know?”

She lowered the coffee to the desk. “There’s a file on every single man on the team in that safe,” she answered.

“But Luke is married to Lexi. They have a baby. This is damaging. Ludicrous.”

She closed her eyes, opening them again slowly. “I looked at the dates. It seemed to coincide with when he started dating Lexi. There is also a copy of an invoice from Charlie Maine. She came in and handled the situation according to the notes.”

I closed the file. I didn’t want to know what else was in it. But I was relieved Luke hadn’t cheated. I could only imagine the implications. And I hated to think what it would do to his young family.

“Why did you bring this to me?”

“There’s a file on Dylan James in there. Your dear fiancé. All of them. They have secrets. This entire team is built on secrets and lies.” She pinched her red lips together.

I didn’t know whether to dig through the safe looking for Dylan’s and Isaac’s files so I could keep them safe, or find them so I could read every detail. But I heard the hurt tone in her voice.

“You didn’t know?” I whispered. “You didn’t know this safe existed, did you?”

“I’m learning there are a lot of secrets in this family.” Her voice was monotone.

I had a deep and sudden pit of guilt in my stomach. I was one of them.

“But Grammy, I’m sure he just didn’t want to involve you in team problems. There’s nothing good in these files.”

“Is that how you think your marriage will work? You are ok with years of lies between you? You think it’s ok for a husband to hide things from his wife in a vault? Tell me, Nessa. Are you ok with Dylan keeping secrets? Having another life? Maybe another family?”

“Another what? What are you talking about?” I was buzzing. I’d never seen her like this. Everything about this conversation was out of context. The anger started to make more sense now. As she was going through Granddad’s things she was learning new information—information she didn’t like.

I had too. Like how cheap he was with the team. How he treated the players. How everyone in this building had practically hated him. It wasn’t easy to stomach.

“I thought you needed the safe. And I think you need to bring Charlie Maine in. I like that girl, even if she did keep secrets from me. Steve is a weasel. She’ll know what to do with it. Give her the safe and ask her.”

Grammy pushed back from the desk. I was bewildered.

“I don’t understand. You haven’t even finished your coffee. Grammy, don’t go like this. We could still spend the morning together.”

I shouldn’t have missed our time together last night. She was feeling lonely and neglected. I had compounded that by making her feel unimportant. It didn’t help that Steve’s press conference was the way she discovered my engagement. I could only imagine how that must have made her feel with the revelation of the safe.

“I’m so sorry I missed last night. Truly. Please stay and talk to me.”

“I have more business to attend to, dear.” She reached up on her tiptoes to kiss me.

I offered my cheek like I always did.

“Is it something I can help you with?” I asked. “Is it at the attorney’s office. I’ll ride with you.”

She stopped at the door. “No. I don’t need your help with this, Nessa. I think I may have found your brother.”

With that she snapped the lock in place and was gone.

I stared at the closed door.

What in the hell was going on?