Chapter 33
Nik
“What's good, man?”
I clap hands with Dante and nod to the security as I enter his office. The club is closed right now, and I took a chance coming down here in the daylight, but we leave for another away game tonight, and I need to have this conversation.
Dante leans back in his chair, steepling his fingers, as I grab the chair and take a seat in front of his desk. “Tell me what’s going on.”
I rub my eyes, my body tense. “My sister knows something,” I say the words that make me nervous.
Dante furrows his brows. “What does she know?”
I shake my head. “I’m not sure. I can’t make it make sense yet. Just a few well-placed comments.” I pause, and he waits. “Noelle found something in old college articles.”
He sits up, putting his arms on the desk. “Nik, I don’t know how to say–”
I put my hand up. “I know. Listen, anyone can find that stuff. College articles–”
“Were buried, Nik. Now, I’m not saying forever, but I did my best to work with this guy and keep it all tight under wraps.
The school believed your story. Your friends backed you.
What was printed barely lasted before the school moved forward to a new season.
They were your best cover-up; they didn't want the press glorifying the loss or asking any questions they couldn’t answer. ”
His saying the school buried it quickly makes sense to me. And that’s how I thought it all played out. But looking back now, I’m not sure. They wouldn’t risk their funding if someone had doubts, right?
“What are you getting at?”
He holds my stare and doesn’t fidget. “How did Noelle know to question Trevor?”
“His name's in the articles.”
He dips his head. “And how did she know to look for articles?”
“You think someone sent her?”
“I think you’re a big name and people want what you have.” He eyes me. “Are you sleeping with her?”
I throw my hands up in outrage. “Why does everyone wanna know about my sex life?”
“Because it's the only way to protect you, Nik! I have to know every detail in order to save what we have here.”
I sit back and stare at him. Is she playing me?
“My agent told me to feed her a story, and to fuck her into forgetting why she’s writing about me.
” I let out the breath I was holding and closed my eyes, knowing there was no way I was going to brush her out of my system like that.
I count to ten before opening them again, only to find Dante staring right at me.
Dante scoffs. “You’re a goddamn idiot if you believe that's the reason you took her to bed.”
“Then why are you trying to make me doubt it all?”
“I’m not making you doubt anything. I want to make you aware.
” He stands and comes around the desk, leaning on it, giving off protective vibes.
He’s only about ten years older than me, but he’s lived double my life and then some.
I trust him, and I appreciate all he’s done for me.
“Listen, do I believe she came here with the intent to expose you?
No. But she stumbled upon something, and even though it's putting her in danger, her drive to know is outrunning that fear. Remember what we said about fear being currency?”
I nod.
“You're a smart man with good intuition. It’s why I've got you on my team, and I’ll do everything to protect you.” He stands and puts his hand on my shoulder, shaking me once before rounding his desk again.
“Test her, Nik. Find out if she’s into Nik Papas or Saint.
She won’t write the article if she wants Nik. ”
I sit, letting his words sink in and my thoughts drift back to every night we’ve had together.
The teasing banter, the sexy looks, the intimate touches, the playful words.
Our first night out in Houston, our first night at Touchdown Towers.
Would she have kept the key card for Nik? Or is it part of the set up for Saint?