THE LAWYER'S FORBIDDEN SON

thletic facility. The evening air felt heavy and cold agains

the silence lasted

he small open window, hard and unyielding. "My mother works two

losing arguments. "It is opportunity. Highland Park has the best athletic equipment, the best scouts, and the best legal

et out of this?" E

thout missing a beat. "And I fulfill an old oblig

ow, quiet steps until he reached the corner of the building. Once he was out of line of sight f

e door. He climbed inside, shut the door, and s

orney, and the ultimate authority figure in Highland Park. Julian had spent every afternoon of his life runni

ff had walked onto the field and shaken th

drove aimlessly through the quiet, tree-lined streets of Highland Par

park, killing the headlights. He grab

ng. "Julian? Are you guys fin

ry?" Julian asked, his voic

ncil budget," Chloe said, noticing the tone in his voic

n said. "I'm parked b

ed back, and she wore a simple Highland Park sweater over her school uniform shirt. She walked down the

looking at his pale face. "Y

l, looking straight ahead at the dark park t

," Chloe said softly. "The athletics departm

ep," Julian said flatly. "And then he swatted do

n, you've gone against top-ranked cornerbacks all s

eet her eyes. "My dad looked at him differently. After practice, I

ghtly. "What did

said, his voice dropping low. "He said Eli belongs in this program and that he'

n years ago? But your dad didn't even start coaching at Highland Park

ng papers so the district won't flag his address. He never does that for anyone. H

ul with her words. "Do you think there's some

n said grimly. "But I

full force. The sun beat down on the turf as the team gathered

with his whistle between his teet

am offense, run thirty-five zone read. Second tea

around at his teammates. Tyler was lining up at linebacker on the defense, h

eyes. He stood motionless, radiating an intense, quiet focus t

e huddle, his voice hard. "Thirty-five

d behind the center, resting his hands under the center's belt. He scanned the

t!" Juli

his running back, and pulled the ball back into his ribs. He rolled out to

lian planted his right foot and delive

issile. He launched his body forward, driving his shoulder pad straigh

d like a gunshot acr

ped loose into the air. Eli caught the loose ball off the bounce, spun aro

cheers. Tyler ran up to Eli, slapped

ammering against his ribs. The hit was completely

"Turnover! Defense takes the ball! Mi

he turf. The receiver was shaking his head, coughing slightly

of the ball, Julian," the receiver mutt

r. He turned around

ompletely calm, not even breathing heavily. As he p

y, his voice carrying zero arrogance, just pure analysis. "If you do that agains

king a sharp step toward Eli. "I don

. "I'm telling you how to stay on the field. Because if you go down, your dad p

Eli's words hit him harder than

tepping directly between the two boys. His face was cold, his eye

arcus asked sharply, his voice d

, stepping back toward his defensive t

gaze onto Julian. There was no sympathy in Mar

said, his voice quiet enough so the rest of the team couldn't hea

nite in his chest. "I've started at

rcus replied coldly. "Report to the film room after y

ack toward the sideline wi

vily under his shoulder pads. Across the field, Eli was standing with the d

tic facemask. He looked toward the school parking lot, where his

ly, the answers weren't going to be found on the practice field or in the film roo