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“What do you want?” The question comes out in barely a whisper. A dead giveaway that he’s onto something big.
“After Aiden went live with his story, I realized there was much more to the player than met the eye. I’ll admit, I was wrong about him. He doesn’t deserve to be dragged through the mud like I originally planned.”
“You’re disgusting,” I spit the words. “You get off on hurting innocent people. Don’t act like you don’t.”
He shakes his head. “Not true. But…you’re not innocent. Are you, Pippa?”
“Stop calling me that,” I snap. “It’s not my name.”
He shrugs. “The thing is, he’s not the story anymore. I think what people will want to hear about involves you. The woman he’s with. Her secrets?” He puckers his lips and tilts his head.
I’ve never wanted to punch someone in the face more than I do him at this moment.
“The sad part is, he will have to bear the consequences of this story.”
I take a step back. “Are you threatening me?”
“Threaten? No. Being real with you? Yes.” He moves forward, trying to get under my skin, but I move back. “For Aiden to break a ten-year streak of avoiding that awful woman, there’s a story there. I’m telling you now that if I uncover anything, I’ll have no choice but to run with it.”
“Of course you will. You’re moonlighting as a journalist, but you’re a scum just like the paparazzi.”
His face turns hard. “I am a journalist, and I’ll be renowned one of these days.”
“So what is this? Your pre-award gloating? Get over yourself, man. You’re a subpar snoop who only sees what he wants to see.”
He huffs out a humorless laugh, and I know I’m poking the bear. This man’s ego knows no bounds, and I’m striking a nerve. Probably not the smartest move.
“This is a warning. If you have anything to hide, anything that will hurt him, the only way to save him from the fallout…”
“Is to leave.”
He nods, and for the first time, he doesn’t appear cocky or even happy about what he’s doing to me.
“You seem like a good girl. Like someone who truly cares for him. If you’re hiding something, do you really want to take him down with you?”
With that, he turns and walks off, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
My stomach turns, and I know I’m going to be sick.
I don’t even know how I make it up the elevator, but I fall to my knees at the base of the toilet, emptying my stomach contents into the porcelain ring.
Despite my hatred for that damn reporter, he’s right. It’s only a matter of time before the press catches on. It’s only a matter of time before someone finds out what I did. Hell, Aiden might already know.
The question is…what am I going to do to save Aiden from the fallout?
48
AIDEN
Something is off. I can’t put my finger on it, but I can tell.
Cassidy has been acting strange. Different.
I shake off the thought and head toward the ice, knowing I can’t be distracted tonight.
This game is important.
Coach is trusting me to have my shit together, and I can’t let him down. Fuck. I can’t let my team down. This is our shot at the Cup. We haven’t been this close in years, and I won’t be the reason we lose that opportunity.
