Dirty Play:Sports Romance(24)

"Did you say anything?"

"Of course not." She sounded pissed. "But this is insane. I can't leave. They're stalking me."

The car pulled up to the curb and Coach and Sam slid out, leaving me in the car alone.

"I can get you out of there." I tried to think what security team I  trusted to escort her from the building, but I'd pay whatever I had to  in order to keep her away from those vultures.

"I'm supposed to fly to San Diego tomorrow."

"I know. I know." It was all happening so fast. It was starting to crash  down, and they had barely scratched the surface of this story. If I  could make it through the weekend, and walk out of here with a Super  Bowl ring, there would be a way to handle the press.

"This is exactly what I talked to you about," she seethed. "You've risked it. Everything, Wes."

"No one knows anything. The only story that's out there right now is that I might have had more than a sprain."

"I can't believe this. I can't believe this is happening."

"I'll fly you out tonight. Beat the press by a day. We can talk."

"I can't leave. I have patients."

I scratched the back of my head. "I need you here."

She sighed into the phone. "I can try to get someone to cover my shift. I'll call you back."

I felt the relief sink into my shoulders. She could be here tonight. By my side. Battling this with me.

"I'll book the flight."

"All right, but I'm worried this is going to get worse before it gets better."

"It might. But it's going to blow over, Doc. Trust me. I've ridden out worse scandals."

It wasn't the right moment to tell her about how many women had accused  me of knocking them up, or the guy who threatened to expose my private  gambling ring. Ben was just one more on that list of people I'd paid off  to keep their mouths shut.

"I guess I'll see you tonight."

"Yes, you will. I've gotta go. Coach is waiting."

I walked into the sunlight and into the hotel. I wasn't prepared when a reporter popped up from behind a plant.

"Wes, do you want to comment on the rumor that you used HGH and regenerative gels to repair broken bones?"

"Who the hell are you?" My hand was already balled in a fist.

"Jerry Cole with the Sports X." He pushed a recorder in front of my  face. "Is it true? Did you use substances banned by the AFA?"

I shoved his hand out of the way. "I'm not commenting on rumors."         

     



 

"So was it really a break and not a sprain? Did the Wranglers lie about your injury?"

I walked away, heading toward the elevator.

"Did your girlfriend help you get the HGH? Did she have access to the illegal substances? It's Dr. Lennon Ashworth, right?"

At the mention of her name, my eyes blazed. Who did this fucker think he  was? Before I had a chance to deck him and flatten on the marble floor,  Stubbs was next to me, pulling me into a conference room. He slammed  the door behind us.

"Calm the fuck down, Blakefield."

My chest was heaving. My pulse was thumping.

"They're going to drag her into this," I groaned.

"Stop right there." He put his hands up. "I don't want to know anything.  Nothing about your hand. Nothing about HGH. Nothing about you and your  girlfriend. Don't say another word. If there is an investigation, I want  to be able to say I know nothing. Got it?"

"Then why'd you drag me in here?" I glared at him, feeling my blood pressure starting to drop.

"To stop you from punching out that reporter in front of everyone. I  can't help you with what's already happened, but maybe I can stop you  from making a mistake today."

I hung my head. "Thanks."

"You'd do the same for me."

"I would."

"Get up to your suite. Get on the phone with your agent and come up with a plan."

I chuckled. "You make it sound simple."

"This is all just noise, man. Noise because no one wants the Wranglers  to win." He slapped me on the back, then poked his head out the door.  "That guy's gone. I think you can head up now."

"Thanks, again." I felt calmer, less likely to slug someone. There was a  way out of this. There always was. I just had to figure out what it  was, and how much it was going to cost me.





Twenty-Six





Lennon





I was about to land in San Diego. My world felt ripped apart. The press  hounded me. Wes had been accused of cheating the AFA rules, and I was  five days late. I was never late. My period ran like clockwork.

One thing at a time. I couldn't tell Wes about that now. Could be a  total false alarm. But I couldn't help it. My hand went to my stomach,  wondering if there was a little life there. Had Wes and I made a baby?  My chest clutched with anxiety at the thought. We couldn't be parents.  And not now, with this scandal falling from the sky.

I walked down the jetway, stopping to find my luggage before locating  the sign with my name on it. Ever since I left Wes's apartment with a  new security detail, I felt the need to look over my shoulder. I didn't  trust anyone. I couldn't strike up a conversation with the lady next to  me on the plane who babbled on and on about her twins. What if she  tweeted something about me? What if she tried to weasel out some  personal detail about Wes?

This level of scrutiny had made me paranoid, and it had only been a few hours since the news broke.

The driver took me downtown to one of the hotels on the water. It was  the perfect San Diego scene. Romantic and magical. The lights sparkled  on the water. But all I could think about was what Wes and I had to  face. He was waiting for me. He had actually said on the phone that he  needed me.

I straightened my shoulders and walked through the revolving door.







I knocked softly on the door. It opened, and Wes's massive shoulders filled the frame.

"Hey."

"Hey, Doc." He pulled me inside, crushing my mouth with his lips. "Welcome to San Diego."

I didn't want to let go. I hadn't seen him in days, and it felt good to  be in his arms. To feel his strength wrap around me. He was warm and  safe. I forgot about the storm brewing outside and just listened to his  heart beat against his chest.

"I missed you." I tipped forward on my toes to touch his lips again.

"It's been a hell of a week here." He took the bag off my shoulder and  rolled my suitcase into the bedroom. "I already have a glass of wine for  you."

I twisted my lip. "I don't think so. Maybe some ice water. Still feeling  a little queasy from the flight. We had a lot of turbulence." I  couldn't believe I had made that up, but I wasn't going to scare him for  no reason.

"Uhh, okay." He dropped a few cubes and poured water into the crystal glass. "Here you go."

"So, what's the latest? What did your agent say?" I sat on the couch and waited.

"Lennon, I have to tell you. I want to tell you all of it."

"Okay. What's the plan?"

"I'm not talking about the plan and how I'm digging myself out of this  fucking hole. I'm talking about the truth. The truth you asked for weeks  ago."         

     



 

I stared at him. His jaw was set in determination. "I've been taking  HGH. Injections in my thigh." He sat next to me. "And I had a procedure  done by a doctor to fuse my bones together with a gel."

"Oh my God."

"I know. I know you think I've crossed a line and I did. Hell. I knew  what I was doing. And I didn't care. I wanted to win. I wanted to be  here at the Super Bowl. It was all I could think about. All I could  dream about."

"And now? Do you still think it was worth it?" I asked quietly.

"Maybe." He hung his head. "That's the thing. I still want to win. And  if it wasn't for this damn reporter, I wouldn't think anything about it.  I'm only worried about being caught. I'm not sorry about the drugs or  the procedure." He cupped my cheeks between his hands. "And I want to be  able to tell you I'm sorry. I know you think it's wrong. And I play  dirty. I cheated. I only care what you think about me. I don't give a  damn about the rest of the world. But I don't want you to look at me  thinking I'm a liar. Because with you, I'm not."

"Are you going to admit what you did?"

He dropped the warmth against my cheek. "No. Why would I do that?"

"To own up to it. To be honest with the AFA and your fans."

"Before I left Sunday, we said something to each other."

I'd never forget it. The way the word had rolled off his tongue. The moment I knew he owned more than just my body.

I nodded my head.

"And I do. I love you, Lennon. But you can't ask me to do this. I'm not  going public. My agent has a way to kill the story and the  investigation. It's going to take a huge chunk of my savings, but I've  got new endorsements lined up. I'll recover the money in three months,  tops."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "You're not serious. You're going to live with this lie?"