Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 81635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 408(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 272(@300wpm)
"Are you fucking serious right now, Cooper?" She folds her hands over her chest. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Why would I leave to give everyone the satisfaction that I’m running away?" She looks at Nico. "Their minute is over."
Cooper just glares at her and then storms out of the room. I don’t hear the press, so I know that Nico probably had them kicked out. "I’ll give you guys one second," he says, stepping out of the room.
"Franny," I say, my voice breaking.
"No." She shakes her head. "Now you need to get your ass in that room and go out there and fuck shit up." She smiles. "And by fuck shit up, I mean go score goals and not Rocky Balboa." My heart settles into place seeing her smile. She walks to me and puts her hands on my shoulders. "Now give me a kiss and go get ’em, tiger."
I laugh, holding her face in my hands. "You really are perfect." I kiss her softly and then let her go when I hear a knock on the door.
"Time's up," Nico says. "I need you in the room." I nod at him. "Frances, I’m going to take you back to the lodge." She nods at him. "But I need to speak to the team."
"Take your time." She takes her phone out. "I have something to take care of."
I walk away from her, and every single step I take, there is pressure on my chest. "It’s going to be a shitshow," Nico says from beside me. "The press is out there going nuts."
"I have no words," I tell him. "Except when I find out who leaked that fucking footage." My mind goes straight to Tiffany. "I’m going to bury them." My hands fist, and the rage comes to me now, rage like I’ve never felt before. Walking into the room, I stand right in front of Cooper, who stands up. Everyone is on alert. "I let you have one shot at me," I tell him, "but if you touch me again, you can bet your ass I’m going to fight back."
Chapter 29
Frances
I look down at the phone seeing the email that has just come in.
Taken care of. Call Ma later.
I’m about to answer the email when the door opens, and Nico stands there. "Ready?" he asks, and I put the phone in the back pocket of my jeans. When I walked into the arena tonight, the only thing I was worried about was that I would slip and mention Wilson’s name. Never in my wildest dreams did I think a sex tape would up that.
"I’m sure my father is having a coronary," I tell him as we walk out of his office. When Nico came to get me, it was a minute after the footage was aired. I was standing there with everyone else, watching the screen speechless. So many things were going through my head. So many thoughts, but the only thing that really went through my head was making sure that Wilson knew I was okay. I knew that he would be surprised also, and I knew that he would worry about me and not himself. He may have this big strong façade, but he’s put me first since we started all of this. "Thank you for taking me to see him," I say as we get into the elevator. "He would have been a mess if he had to worry about me."
"I just hope they don’t kill each other out there," Nico mumbles, and I laugh.
"Well, this is one way to tell my parents I’m dating him,” I joke with him as we walk out of the elevator, and he walks me back to the lodge, stopping at the closed door.
"You ready?" He puts his hands in his pockets, and I tilt my head to the side. "Do you want me to stay with you?"
"I’ll be fine," I say, and the minute I step in, it’s on.
My father looks like he’s been pulling out his hair. My mother sits with Allison beside her with tears in her eyes. Uncle Max sits on the chair watching my father, and I can bet you money he’s making sure that my father doesn’t fly off the deep end.
"What did I miss?" I smile as I look at the couch where Vivi sits with Alex. Julia, Erika, and Jillian all sit at the square table in the corner. They smile at me, and I am thinking it’s for encouragement.
"You have some nerve." My father looks at Nico, and he stands there looking at him. "Taking her to see him and stopping me."
Nico laughs. "You put yourself in my shoes, Matthew. If this was going on with your team, would you let anyone get close to them?" My father glares at him because it’s the truth. “When he’s not in the arena, then you can talk to him. But here." He points at the floor. "This is my house, and you are a guest."