Chapter 8: Onyx
“A freshman?” I asked her as I watched her eyes narrow infinitesimally, and the boardroom was deadly silent as I regarded her. “You went touring colleges?”
“You make it sound sordid,” Angel snapped at me, and I saw her take a deep breath to calm herself. She knew this was a risk bringing this to me. Which is why she did it in the boardroom, with Neil present, thinking he was the adjudicator to our rivalry.
“It seems to be,” I murmured, but she knew by my tone that it was a lie.
“He’s good, he’s better than good, he could be amazing—”
“He’s eighteen.”
“He’ll be nineteen soon,” Angel said as she shifted slightly in her seat. “And it’s not unheard of for very good athletes with tons of potential to be groomed early.”
“Grooming?” I asked her, and internally I crowed with glee. This was just too fucking easy. “We’regroomingteenagers now?”
Angel’s temper made her cheeks redden as she gave up all pretense and glared at me. “You know that’s not what I meant.”
“But we all heard you. You wish to groom him, that’s what you said.” I didn’t acknowledge the muffled snorts of laughter from some around the table.
“You aresucha prick.”
“Okay,” Neil spoke up as I knew he would, and shehopedhe would. “Angel, while it is not unheard of for younger athletes to be signed or represented early, this agency has never adopted that practice.”
Breaking eye contact with me, she looked at Neil. “Why?” she challenged him.
“Excuse me?” he asked her, perplexed.
“Whydon’t we? Tennis players have agents when they’re barely in their teens, why not basketball stars?”
“Because tennis players can wintournamentsat sixteen,” I told her sharply. “They can play the tour, they can win championships, they canearnmoney. Basketball players don’t usually earn anything until they’re playing for a team. You know when that is? Three to fouryearsfrom where your college crush is.”
“You’re disgusting,” she snapped at me. “You haven’t seen him play.”
“Of course I’ve seen him play,” I snarled at her. “He’s an eighteen-year-old kid with a half decent shot and a semi-invested coach.”
“You’ve seen him?” she asked me incredulously.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I scoffed. “I’ve seen enough eighteen-year-old boys playing freshman basketball. Fuck, is he even on the first team, or is he on the bench for most games?” I leaned forward. “Did you try to sign someone who isn’t even first team?”
“He’s a freshman. His time will come. He’sdedicated.”
“He has a broken leg from an underage drinking session because of a stupid dare.”
Angel glanced quickly at Neil, and I saw him wince out of the corner of my eye, and I knew she had told him not to tell me. Not tellme? The person who owned the fucking company.
“It’s a clean break.”
“Aren’t they all,” I said, and I watched as her fists tightened at my condescension. “Cut him loose.”
“No.”
Raising an eyebrow, I challenged her silently. “No?”
“No,” she repeated as she licked her lower lip. “It’s my client.”
“On my agency’s books.”
“Then I’ll take him on as my own.” Her back straightened as she eyeballed me. “You’re right, of course, there is no fee earning potential for you,yet. I want him.” She saw my smirk, and her jaw clenched. “Don’t be an imbecile, it doesn’t suit you.” Angel pulled her long hair over her shoulder. “I drafted a contract, and I haven’t used the resources here—”
