Daddy's Playbook

The first time Marco Rossi called me into his office, I thought I was getting kicked out. The second time, I realized he wanted something else entirely.

BELLA MORGAN

At twenty-five, I'm an American sports journalist covering European football. My dream assignment: exclusive access to AC Rossi, the championship-contending Italian team owned by Marco Rossi himself.

Forty-seven, former star player, now billionaire owner. Silver-streaked dark hair, Italian accent that makes simple words sound like seduction, and a presence that commands every room he enters.

Our professional relationship is complicated. I need objectivity. He wants favoritism—toward his team, toward him.

"You watch my players very carefully, bella. Perhaps you should watch me instead."

I should maintain journalistic distance. Instead, I find myself in his private box, accepting his dinner invitations, learning that Italian men know exactly how to blur professional lines.

MARCO ROSSI

I built this team from nothing. Transformed a struggling club into champions. I know strategy, timing, and when to make my move.

Bella Morgan arrives with her American directness, her passionate coverage, her complete inability to be impressed by wealth or fame. She treats me like any other source.

It drives me insane. In the best way.

I want her attention. Her admiration. Her complete surrender.

"In Italy, we have a saying: the beautiful game is played both on and off the field."

THE GAME

Press conferences where our eyes lock across the room. Stadium interviews where I stand too close. Victory celebrations where champagne and adrenaline blur into something dangerous.

She fights the attraction. Cites ethics. Mentions objectivity.

I teach her Italian. Invite her to team dinners. Show her the passion behind the sport.

When she finally calls me "daddy" in Italian—whispered, breathless, completely mine—I know I've won more than just a championship.

THE STAKES

When our relationship becomes public, the press goes wild. Her credibility is questioned. His team ownership scrutinized.

She must choose: her career or him. He must decide: protect her reputation or claim her publicly.

But Marco Rossi didn't become a champion by playing it safe. And Bella Morgan didn't become a journalist by backing down from a story.

Sometimes the biggest win isn't the trophy. It's finding someone who matches your passion, play for play.