25. Chase
It’s been a quiet few days here at my apartment in Denver. We haven’t gone back to Hideaway but will need to for a few days this weekend for Jackson’s birthday party.
I make a mental note to double check with Pepper how she feels about big crowds after the whole thing with Conner the other night.
She’s been laser-focused, researching community donation centers for some of Elliot’s things that publicized a need for certain items, such as books, clothing, linens, hygiene products and even memorabilia, which a YMCA two towns over would use for flea market sales to raise money for kids’ sporting gear.
The distraction has been good for her. We have a game this evening and she’s been quiet.
Which I get. I’m not entirely eager to see Conner again either. Put a fist through his face, maybe. But there are rules against that apparently.
While Pepper is in the shower, I open the text chain with my brothers. I”ve kept the Conner thing from them long enough, but I need help. And the Reeves boys are nothing if not creative when it comes to things like this.
Chase:might have a sell out on my team.
Noah: Fuck. Who?
Chase: Assistant Coach.
Noah:give me a full name.
Chase:he”s clean. Coach Riley’s been trying to get him out for years.
Levi:what did he say?
Chase: dropped hints. He was tormenting us.
I don”t have the balls to say tormenting her. Because I”ll lose my shit.
Noah is typing as a curse from Levi comes through.
Noah: assuming you tried to convince him otherwise?
Chase: Coach and I both did.
Levi:Got to get something on him before he goes to the media.
Chase: It”s impossible. The guy covers his tracks like a serial killer.
Levi:what do you mean?
Chase:he”s been known to hit on the Ice Girls. Repeatedly, making it very uncomfortable for them. It”s a matter of time before there”s a report on something more serious.
Noah: harassment is plenty.
I can almost hear my brother”s stoic voice in the text.
Levi: what about Lonnie? Does she know about the harassment?
Chase:I just found out about it myself. The girls don”t tell her. She”ll speak up and they don”t want to lose their jobs.
Levi: Start with Lon. She”ll protect those girls at all costs.
I’m not surprised at my brother’s suggestion, considering where Lonnie is coming from. And if there’s a way to escape a threat, she’ll figure one out.
Chase: I’ll call her. Catch you up later.
I swipe out of the text and dial Lonnie. “Hey, got a few minutes?”
I send Charlie a text that I”ll be back in town tomorrow and will stop by the library to catch up. Heaven knows we have plenty to catch up on. At least I do.
I’ve been keeping my fears bottled up as much as I can to keep Chase from worrying any more than he already is. He had to go to the arena early this morning. Something about a meeting with Coach and Lonnie before tonight’s game, but it gave me some alone time with my thoughts.
My options.
What would I do if…?
I”m still on edge when I step into the locker room to get dressed for the game. My hands are as shaky as they were on my first day.
When will I step into a room and not be afraid of who will judge me…know who I am…what I”ve done? What my father did.
When will someone see me…and not pity me?
Or more recently…see a giant dollar sign. I keep wondering how many more have made the connection between me and Penelope Walker…the missing bride.
Would it matter? How far has Conner gone with his theories? All he has to do is call that number flashing on the screen and say “I found her” and I”m on a plane back to Virginia.
Dropping my duffle bag, I search for knowing eyes in the crowd of girls in the room.
Most of them glance in my direction but look away quickly—or at each other. As if…
As if waiting for a cue.
There’s a quick knock on the door and Lonnie comes in. “Jess, Ruby, Bridget, come with me. I need you in my office for something.”
“What for?” one of them calls.
Lonnie shoots a hard glare. “Now.” She sweeps the room with her eyes and lands them on me, giving me a quick wink then follows the three girls out.
I turn back to the room. Now all eyes are definitely on me.
Lena comes up to me first. Her arms stretching, then taking me in for a tight hug. “I got you girl,” she whispers. “Your secret is always safe with me.”
I blink rapidly as she pulls back and hands me a piece of paper.
But I don’t have time to question it because M.J. is right behind her, offering me an equally tight embrace. “I can”t believe that asshole would turn you over to a man who wants to hold you against your will.”
My mouth drops.
“It’s okay, Lonnie had to tell us, but we’d never turn our back on you.” She also hands me a folded piece of paper.
“Lonnie?”
“She’s one of the good ones,” Tracy says, coming up to me and handing me yet another one. “And so are you. We’re not giving you up without a fight.” Tray winks. “Oh, and I’m sorry about the magazine thing. Conner found out about it and told me I should ask you to be featured and see what you’d say. I didn’t even question it because I thought it was a great idea.” She shrugs.
I accept her embrace, too speechless to speak. I look down at the folded pages but don’t open them. “What about the other girls?”
“They…don’t know. Lonnie didn’t include them in our meeting last night.”
“There was a meeting?”
Lonnie steps back in. Alone. She nods her head to the girls. “Warm up. Go.”
The girls each sweep a hand over my arm and step out.
She closes the door behind them, watching me for a moment. “How pissed are you?” she asks.
I release a breath, taking a seat at one of the benches. “I’m not sure yet.” I’m not even sure I have the emotional capacity to be pissed at this point.
She crosses the room silently and sits next to me. “Conner hasn’t said a word yet.” She nudges to the papers I’m holding. “And as of thirty minutes ago…he’ll likely never even look at you again.”
Frowning, I start unfolding. “What are these?”
“The girls wanted you to have a copy of the statements they made against Conner. The ones they kept quiet because of his title, position, salary. And the sheer fact that Ice Girls are more replaceable than coaches.”
I skim over each one of them, not wanting to read word for word. I feel like this is somewhat private and personal for each of them.
“Chase called me last night and told me what’s been happening…things the girls apparently haven’t trusted me enough to tell me.”
I touch her shoulder.
“Then he told me what Conner said to you at the after party. Coach Riley showed him these a little while ago. If he targets you in any way, including but not limited to discussing your whereabouts, these will be handed over to the police and the league. A million dollars will do him no good in prison.”
“How can we be sure?”
She grins. “Because the minute you’re found, even by someone anonymous, these pages, might just ‘anonymously’ show up on the GM’s desk.”
“That’s…not fair.”
“Neither is treating my girls like his private entertainment. He made a mistake threatening you. Now it doesn’t matter who turns you in, he’ll pay the price.”
“You’re a tough cookie.”
She gives me a hard look. “I won’t have any of my girls threatened.”
Lonnie doesn’t seem like a hugger, but I do it anyway. “What happened to you?” I finally ask.
Her eyes fill with tears she tries to fight. I know that feeling. I can see how much they burn to shed. Lonnie sniffles. “No woman should ever be afraid to live her life because a monster is after her.”
I frown, pressing my hand to her back. “He”s not a monster. He’s just a... perfectionist. I’m not in any kind of danger, Lon.”
“You don’t want to be with him. And he’s not taking no for an answer. Plain and simple.”
Lonnie stands. “Hell, I would have recognized you too. I hope that man of yours has got a plan.”