27. Evren #2
“Perhaps.” Mert smirks. “You might have everyone fooled, but even you can’t stop someone from jumping ship. And once he’s gone, let’s see how the Sentinels hold up.”
I don’t bother to tell him about the NFL rules against such behavior; there’s no need to reveal my next steps or that he’s digging himself into a hole.
“Those rumors you started were quite clever,” Nina says casually .
I glance at her, not sure where she’s heading with this.
Mert’s smirk deepens, but it’s not the grin of a man with power; it’s the sneer of someone taking pleasure in chaos he didn’t create. “Rumors? Funny how they can be the downfall of even the most untouchable, isn’t it?” He glances at me with satisfaction. “But I didn’t start those.”
My pulse kicks up, a low thrum in my ears. He didn’t start them? That can’t be right. The words echo through my mind, sharp as a knife’s edge. The way he said it, so offhand, so lacking in the usual bravado—it sets off alarm bells, loud and insistent.
Mert’s not the mastermind; he’s a bystander, a scavenger feeding off someone else’s game.
Nina’s gaze darts to mine, and I know she’s piecing it together too.
“You’re not the one behind all this, are you?” I ask. “You’re just latching on to the scraps.”
Mert’s smirk falters for a fraction of a second, just long enough for me to see it. Then he shrugs, tilting his drink back with a lazy air. “Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. Either way, I get to watch you bleed a little.”
It’s not a confession, but it doesn’t need to be. The look in his eyes tells me everything: Mert might have played a part, but someone bigger, someone more strategic, is pulling the strings.
“You’ve dug your grave,” I say. “When this comes back on you, remember that you chose it.”
He opens his mouth to reply, but I don’t wait to hear it. I grab Nina’s hand and leave, my mind already racing with the implications.
Once we’re back in my car, Nate and Zeki turn to face us from the front seats.
“How did it go?” Zeki asks.
“It’s not him,” I say, still shocked. “Quincy, yes. But everything else? The rumors, the sponsor issues, the apparel sabotage? It’s someone else.”
“Who though?” Nina asks.
“I don’t know,” I say. “But maybe it’s time to meet with Harold. Maybe he’s heard something since he’s so well-connected.”
“I hate that guy,” Nina says.
“I know, but it’s just a drink.”
“Fine,” Nina says. “You meet with him, and I’m going to have a word with Quincy. Find out where he stands in all this.”
“Thank you,” I say quietly, squeezing her hand in mine, grateful she’s got my back in this.
The cocktail bar I’m meeting Harold at is a sleek,modern oasis perched high above the city.
I sit at a table near the window. The panoramic view of the glittering skyline of Skyrise is a stark contrast to the cool,minimalist interior.
The soft jazz music creates a sophisticated yet relaxed atmosphere.
Thankfully, I don’t have to wait long before Harold arrives and sits across from me.
“Evren,” he says, a large grin splitting his wrinkled face. “It’s good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you, too.” I slide him the whiskey I ordered for him. “Thanks for meeting with me.”
He takes a leisurely sip and says, “My favorite, thanks for ordering it. But I have to say, I’m surprised you finally took me up on my offer.”
“You know how it is, running a business,”I say, swirling my own whiskey before taking a sip.“You get so wrapped up in it, you almost miss the whispers that start circling about you.”
“People will always have something to say, but it’s usually nothing. What have you been hearing?”
“Well, that’s what I wanted to ask you about. You’re so well-connected. I’m sure you know more than me.”
“Hmm, I have been around a lot longer than you have.” Harold chuckles, a smug look on his face. “And there are some rumors going around…”
“Oh? What are they saying?”
“Nothing good. All negative things about how you conduct business and how unhappy the players are under you.”
“Hmm,” I say. “Anything else?”
“Just something about finding a new sponsor is dragging on longer than it should.”
That catches my attention. It’s probably common knowledge that Stonehaven didn’t renew their sponsorship, but no one besides Zeki, Nina, and me knows that finding a new sponsor has been challenging and that it’s been taking a long time, longer than it should.
“Hmm, it’s been frustrating,” I say, keeping my expression neutral. “But I’ve got it handled. How did you hear about that, though?”
“As you’ve pointed out, I’m well-connected.” Harold shrugs good-naturedly. “And as we’ve established, people like to talk.”
“Must be nice, to have so many connections.”
“It is.”
“What would you recommend to help combat these rumors?” I ask.
“Well, I wouldn’t have let it get that far. But I’d find a way to get a handle on it all, and fast. Rumors can ruin a business if you’re not careful.”
“We wouldn’t want that to happen,” I say, noting that when we sat down, he said the opposite.
“Yes, we wouldn’t want that.” There’s an edge to Harold’s response that rubs me the wrong way, and my gut tells me something’s off.
But why would Harold want me to fail? Because if I fail, the team fails, and he’s supposed to care about that. At least, I’d assume so after dedicating so many years of his life to it.
Even though I don’t understand it, something’s off. But I need proof and right now I only have a gut feeling.
I quickly wrap up the drink after that and head home to Nina and Zeki.
“And?” Nina asks when I walk in .
“Pretty sure it’s Harold, but I don’t understand why he’d do this. He sold me the team, helped speed up the board approval. I just don’t get it.”
“I think,” Zeki says, “it’s time to dig deep into Harold’s background and his connection to the design team and Stonehaven. I can coordinate with Nate and our lawyers, but Glam Pop might be involved too since they are making such an illogical demand.”
“We think,” I say, “Mick’s being difficult because he’s Nina’s biological father.”
“Is this… Are we having a Star Wars moment right now?” Zeki asks in shock.
“Unfortunately,” Nina grumbles.
“Holy shit,” Zeki says. “Well, that changes things.”
“Maybe,” I say, “or maybe not. We’ve kept them waiting long enough. It’s finally time to meet with them.”