“Fuck it up?”
“Struggle, I think,” she corrected me with a sharp glare. “I can start the calls and the process, if you are agreeable.”
“You’re offering to help me? But it isn’t my client, and I don’t need your help.”
Angel rolled her eyes at me. “You’recutting all ties. Clients who are potential sex offenders hurt us all, and trust me, withthissponsor, you need my help.”
I thought about it. “Who is it?” When she told me, I smiled widely. “Are you saying, because I fucked their head of advertising at a fundraiser, it’s put me at a disadvantage?”
Angel coolly appraised me. “No, I’m saying because you and Cooper fucked the head of advertising’ssisterat a fundraiser, it’s likely she may not take your call.”
I grinned. “Oh, that’s right, it was her sister. Good times, but we weren’t both with her at the same time. She was quite insatiable if I remember correctly.”
“I don’t need the details.”
“Don’t you?” I goaded her. “I think you’d love the details; you’re quite voracious yourself if I recall.”
Angel blushed and, with lips pressed together, she turned her head and then walked toward my office door. “Forget it, I have no idea why I offered.”
“Because you understand the dynamics of a team,” I said bluntly. “If you are willing to take that task off of Johnathan, I am sure he would be grateful.”
Angel looked at me over her shoulder. “You’rewelcome,” she said smugly as she left.
When she was gone, I checked in with legal on the progress of canceling the player’s contracts. I didn’t employ slackers; my team was the best in their field. Our contracts all had rapid termination clauses for reasons such as this, and although I hoped that we never implemented them, they were there to be utilized as and when required.
As I quickly checked in with Charlie, he told me he was at a private doctor, and there was no evidence of sexual penetration. The girl was still shaken, but he said her nerves were more from the prospect that her parents were en route. He also said she was still in awe that her favorite hockey player had been interested in her enough to invite her back to his hotel room. The likelihood of her telling her friends was high, and only urged me to make sure we were completely free of this whole mess before she returned to school.
Late afternoon, the story had leaked to ESPN, and we were free of all association with him. She was back with her family, and her dad had already called the cops to press charges.
Satisfied that we’d achieved a good result from a shitshow, I caught up with what else I should have been doing today. It was late evening when I headed to the elevator, ready to get food. Angel always did work long hours, and I saw her light on, but having no reason to talk to her, I left her to her work.
When I came back to the parking lot with my takeout, I saw her standing in front of her car, staring at her SUV and what I soon realized were flat tires. I spoke to her, but she never acknowledged me, and my hand landing on her shoulder made her scream.
“Jesus!” I cursed, wincing as she yelped in my ear.
“Why would you do this?” she demanded as she pointed at her car.
Looking at her and then the tires, I was insulted she would think this was me. “Get a grip,” I said with heavy scorn. Walking past her and around to the other side, I saw both tires slashed on this side too. I held up the bag I was carrying as justification for where I had been, which pissed me off — I didn’t need to prove my innocence to her. “I was getting dinner.”
“You want me to believe that this wasn’t you?” she asked me with disbelief.
“Slashing tires?” I scoffed. “Not my style.”
“You have style?” Angel snipped at me as I squatted down to look at the damage. “I don’t believe you.”
“That I have style or that I didn’t do this?” I asked her as I dug my fingers into the knife marks. Standing, I looked across at her. “If I wanted to fuck with your car, I’d have cut the brake lines. This?” I said as I kicked the flat tire. “Amateur hour.”
I knew she was shocked at my candidness, but I didn’t care. Ignoring her, I pulled out my cell from my pocket and called security. “Who has eyes on the parking lot?” I asked, and they told me they both did, and all looked quiet as it was almost empty. “Empty is it?” I asked them quietly. “So, the fact I’m standing here looking right in the camera is an illusion?” As they flustered that they better check the connections, I stopped myself from going to their booth and punching them both. “Yeah, I think you better check the fucking feed.”
Hanging up, I looked around the almost empty lot. “My car is fine.”
“Obviously.” The accusatory tone was not welcome.
“Believe what you want, I don’t care.”
Did she really believe this was me? As I glared at her, she dropped her stare. “Vandalism?” she offered.
“What gave it away?” I mocked her as I turned to the sound of the elevator, and the two security guards came hurrying out. We may be clear of this afternoon’s scandal, but we were stillclose enough to be affiliated. “Get an Uber,” I ordered as I held out my hand. “Keys.”
