Shepherd exchanged his empty glass for the one I’d left unfinished on the counter. “What? Are you not servicing Luke Archer’s dick?”
My stomach turned over. How did he know? How had he found out?
“Don’t worry, Allie. Your valiant Archer didn’t fuck and tell or anything.” He drained my glass in a single sip. “It was just implied in your contract when you were brought on.”
“I was brought on as an athletic trainer. Athletic trainer. The same exact job as the one you have.” When I realized my hands were starting to shake, I wound them behind my back. I didn’t want him to see me rattled. I didn’t want to confirm his suspicions.
“Yes, you were brought on as an ‘athletic trainer.’” He snorted. “Just like the girl last season was brought on as a ‘physical therapist,’ and the one before her as a ‘dietitian,’ and the one Archer’s first season as a ‘guest reporter.’”
The room started to close in on me. I had no reason to believe what Shepherd was saying; just like I had no reason to disbelieve what he was saying. He might have been an asshole, but he was a drunk one right now and couldn’t have just pulled all of that out of his ass if it wasn’t true. Or could he?
God, my head hurt.
“Oh please, don’t be so naïve.” Shepherd dropped his hand on my shoulder and gave me a little shake like he was trying to break me out of shock. “How do you think a team attracts a player like Archer and keeps a player like him? It sure as shit isn’t with just heaps of cash. But it’s not exactly like the Shock can put a traveling hooker on the payroll, so they’ve found legal ways around it.”
I shrugged out from beneath his hand, my eyes searching the room for Archer. He was still in the same place, but he was watching me. When he noticed the look on my face, his brows drew together. His eyes narrowed when he saw Shepherd so close.
It wasn’t true. It couldn’t be. Whatever I did or didn’t know about Luke, I knew he was a decent person. A good man. Someone like that wouldn’t condone or expect the team to hire some new woman every year to be his personal traveling fuck toy. Shepherd was full of shit.
“God, what is the matter with you?” Peeling my eyes from Archer, who looked close to tearing across the room for me, I crossed my arms at Shepherd. “Are you intimidated by me or something? Worried I’m going to take your position as lead trainer?”
His head fell back, and a laugh spilled past his lips. “Oh, yeah. That’s it. I’m truly intimidated by your ability to use your pussy.” My eyes widened, but he didn’t notice or didn’t care. “Please, what did you really think? That you were hired on because you were the best candidate for the job? This is baseball. It’s a boys’ club. The only cunts allowed in are the ones who know how to spread ‘em and bed ‘em.”
At my side, my hand twitched. The pull to slap him right in the middle of this charity ball was so appealing, I could taste it, but Luke was watching me again. I couldn’t give him a reason to come barreling over here and confirm Shepherd’s accusations. “You truly are a heinous person.”
Shepherd feigned insult. “You misunderstand why I’m bringing this up. It isn’t to insult you—it’s to congratulate you.” He clapped a few times at me. “You’ve done your job better than any of the ones who came before. Keep up the good work. Who knows? You might even get a little bonus at the end of the season—with your marching orders.”
I didn’t realize I’d been backing away from him until he cocked his brow at me. I was not going to be intimidated by someone like Shepherd. I was not going to let him think he could fire off some random threats and I’d lose all manner of composure and decorum.
“The wires in your head? Uncross them. Or exorcise the demon you’ve been possessed by. Or have your meds adjusted. And don’t talk to me again unless it’s about something work related.” I didn’t blink as I spoke, moving closer with every word and making sure he saw the seriousness on my face. I turned to leave once that slapping urge took me over again.
“Has he told you about the little boy yet?” Shepherd’s voice carried after me. “The one Incentive Girl Number One got knocked up with his first season?”
My feet froze in the middle of my next step. My heart froze with it.
AFTER THE BALL, I went home and got drunk like I’d never gotten drunk before. I shut off my phone, turned off the lights, and drank my way through the neck and shoulders of a nice bottle of bourbon.