Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 70269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
I took a deep breath. It had been humiliating enough to admit I’d made a mistake. But at least my father wasn’t continuing to yell at me about it. He’d have plenty more reasons to be angry once I explained about Zeke. “I’ve been watching the Badgers practice. You know Devil and Angelo have gotten me into hockey.”
“What’s there to get that angry about at practice? They weren’t even playing another team, much less those assholes from New York.”
Pops hated the New York team with every fiber of his being, and it made me smile. If only he could joke around with us more often. I wondered if he was less serious before the attack that had left him with minimal use of his left arm and plenty of scars. “There’s a particular player I am interested in.”
I felt Val stiffen beside me, and I knew he was trying not to laugh. I wanted to smack him, but I shoved my hands in my pockets instead. “I had a client meeting, and when the client walked in, it was that same player.”
Pops’ eyebrows rose. “And you had no idea? You didn’t invite him to see you?”
“No, sir. He used a fake name when he made the appointment, and I had no idea.”
“And he signed a contract with us?”
“Not initially. He was concerned about borrowing from someone who had a connection with the team.”
Pops narrowed his eyes. “That’s bullshit, and you know it. Tell me what you’ve done.”
“Don’t be too hard on him, Pops,” Val said.
He frowned at Val. “Now you’ve really got me worried. Spit it out.”
“I’ve been…pursuing him. I’ve taken him on as a challenge.”
Pops nearly came up out of his chair. “You’re fucking stalking some hockey player, and that led to you punching a security guard and getting arrested? You better be damn glad it wasn’t worse. What if we hadn’t had the connections to get the charges dropped?”
“I guess I would’ve been stuck in jail.”
“Yeah, we really need that.”
“I’m sorry for letting my temper get out of control.”
“But not for deciding to stalk an NHL player as a game?”
I wanted to tell him he didn’t understand, that the instant connection I had felt was as real as what Val felt for Liam, but I didn’t think he’d listen. “He needs the money because he’s in debt to some assholes out in Vegas. He just transferred onto the team from there.”
“You’re stalking Zeke Balogh.”
“Yes, sir.”
Pops whistled. “No wonder you’re obsessed.”
“I saw him first, and you’re supposed to be straight.”
Pops chuckled. “He’s not my type, but anyone can see how gorgeous he is, and if I wanted to take him….”
“Don’t.”
“I see how you got so easily riled up.”
I shook my head. “It’s more than that. These men are threatening him, and—”
“He should be able to pay off a debt. He got an excellent contract with Boston.”
“Not as good as he might have. The end of last season wasn’t great for him. He was under pressure, and he…he had a gambling problem.”
“He has a gambling problem,” Pops said. “You don’t get over addiction like that.”
I knew that too well. “He hasn’t placed any bets since he got here.”
“That’s good for him, but the family doesn’t need to be mixed up in this.”
“Zeke’s in danger. He can’t pay the entire debt right now, and they are going to come for him. I will not let that happen.”
“You will do exactly what I say.”
“He signed the contract, so we have to give him the money. We can’t go back on our word.”
Pops gave me a look so cold I shivered. “If I tell you to tear up the contract, that’s exactly what you will do.”
“Then I’ll find another way to help him.”
Pops looked up toward the ceiling. “What the fuck did I do to get such stubborn sons?”
“Would you really want us to be weak and easily molded?” Valentino asked as he poured Pops another measure of whiskey.
Pops took a sip and settled back into his seat. “Earlier you said he didn’t sign.”
“I went to the arena to convince him, but he wouldn’t talk to me. I followed him to the players only area. I was going to drag him out of the locker room if I had to.”
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Vito. Marchesis don’t make a scene. All you had to do was wait for him to come out.”
“He would’ve been with other players, just like in the locker room.”
“Yeah, but then you might not look like a fucking psychopath.”
Pops had a lot of nerve to call me a psychopath. The man was a legendary assassin. There were people who thought he could literally disappear like a puff of smoke. He’d killed with ease and precision, and he’d started when he was only a kid. But mentioning anything like that would only make this go worse. Much worse.