Chapter 34
Mari
The wood of Davina’s hotel door is cold against my rapping knuckles.
I’ve been a sitting duck all day. With training paused, I haven’t left my hotel room. I’ve been living off potato chips and the tea that was replenished by room service yesterday—I’ve unfortunately ran out. There’s just no way I was going to ask Kas if he had any. That’d mean talking to him and undoubtedly veering into an anxiety-inducing conversation about last night.
“You’re not investigating fast enough.” Davina’s bossy tone is audible through the door, her voice leaving no room for argument with whoever is on the other line. “No, don’t give me excuses, I wasn’t born yesterday. Test the samples and tell me if he’s clean,” she continues when she opens the door.
I smile at her and she curls her lip as she points at the phone glued to her ear.
“Yes, I would appreciate regular updates, or I’ll be coming to the lab myself. Yes ... yes ... okay, bye.” Davina hangs up in a huff and shakes her head at me. “The lab results are taking forever considering this will determine what happens to Kas and the fight, fucking ridiculous.” With another shake of her head, she stalks into her hotel room, beckoning me in behind her.
“I just need to talk to someone about all this, Dav.” I seat myself on a chair that’s identical to the one in my hotel room. “And I want to preface this by saying that I didn’t put anything in Kas’s bag.”
“Didn’t think you did. Did you get my email? I CC’d you.”
“Yeah, they’ll have the results tomorrow,” I confirm.
“If he tests positive for that, it’s over. No fight. A career destroyed before it even took off.”
“I know, and I’m freaking the hell out. I can’t stop checking the business phone because I’m scared someone will comment about it. I’m going insane.”
My pleasant smile when she opened the door has since turned into a pained grimace.
“First of all, calm down.”
“Calm down? Davina, look at me, I’m in a constant state of panic.”
I’m in the hotel’s provided dressing gown, my nails have been gnawed down to stumps, and I have pimple patches all over my face because of a breakout.
“Honestly? Me too, I’m just trying not to show it.”
A wave of anxiety courses through me. The only thing that was keeping me somewhat sane was the reassurance that Davina was chilled out about this. Admitting that she’s just as panicked as me has a direct impact on my emotional well-being—not a good one either.
“Oh, I’m showing it.” I bury my face in my hands. “What do we do?” I mumble and look up to her perched on the edge of the bed. “We can’t do nothing, right?”
“There’s nothing we can do until we get the results back to see if Kas is clean or not.”
My eyes find the hotel-branded notepad and pen on the desk beneath her TV. “Let’s make a list of everyone who would have a motive to plant steroids.”
“Mari, you’re going to stress yourself out.” I manically grab the pen and paper. “Mari—”
“Michael,” I say. Davina nods with a dissociative pout. “He got busted for steroids during bag checks. Kas’s bag was at the gym, and he had access. Revenge? Possible.”
Davina sighs and settles back into the bed with her hands latched together over her protruding stomach.
I tap the end of the pen against my lip. “What about that woman at her bachelorette party that Dash slept with? He did something with her, I can’t remember what she was screaming about.”
“I forgot about her, she stormed up to us at breakfast the other day.”
“She could have a vendetta against us.”
Davina laughs loudly. “This is kind of fun, I feel like Nancy Drew. I should introduce The Kid to those books once she’s born,” she says. We’ve officially nicknamed Davina’s baby girl “The Kid” as she keeps coming up in conversation with Davina’s looming due date.
“The businessman Dash bumped into at breakfast on the first day,” I mutter. “And of course, Fletcher Ward.” I write his name in all capitals and underline it two times. I’m completely serious about this list of potential conspirators. “Do you think that Ward would want controversy so badly that he has to force it because we weren’t agreeing to anything?” I ponder.
“Possibly. He plays dirty, so I wouldn’t put it past him. Probably did it when Clive wasn’t looking.”
“Does Clive even like Ward?”
“I like to compare him to a defense lawyer. He doesn’t like who he represents, but if it brings in the money.” She shrugs nonchalantly, rubbing her fingers together.
Money wins, I guess.
“Are you close with him or something?” I ask.
“Or something, we go way back.”
“ Way back, huh?” I wiggle my brows.
Davina rolls her eyes and checks her phone before looking up at me with a puzzled expression. It’s like she wants to tell me something and can’t decide if she should. “Get dressed to meet me at the lobby in thirty. Bring Violet.” She builds some momentum and rolls off the bed.
“What?”
She starts ushering me toward the door, and I snatch some of her unused tea bags in the process.
“I’m doing my own private investigation and you’re coming with me.”
I reach the lobby in twenty-five minutes. The door between mine and Kas’s room remained firmly shut and I heard him exit. The sound of him leaving made me anxious; it’s exactly how I imagined he felt when he heard me leave my room yesterday.
Violet told me that he’d gone out somewhere with Devon. She couldn’t tell if he was upset or just completely unbothered. With Kas, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the latter.
Violet appears next and I can hear her stilettos before seeing her. She’s wrapped up in a one-shoulder mini dress and the smallest purse known to man.
“Hello, sexy,” she says with a twirl. “Are we going on a date?”
“I don’t know actually.”
“What? You invited me .” She trails her eyes over my mid-length dress plastered to my body. “And I’m overdressed.”
“Well, Davina invited me . I’ve also decided to wear heels, so we’ve both probably overdressed.”
As if on cue, Davina emerges from the elevator. She’s in a casual, stunning sundress that matches her emerald-green sandals and the star of the show, her huge designer sunglasses.
“We’re both overdressed,” Violet mumbles, gazing between ours and Davina’s outfits.
“Evening,” Davina drawls, peeking over the rim of her glasses. “You both look lovely.”
“As do you,” I say, lowering myself into a dramatic curtsey.
“Would any of you like to let me in on what’s going on?” Violet says.
Even though Violet looks at me, Davina speaks first and manages to explain the situation in the most direct way possible. “We found empty PED containers in one of Kas’s bags. Mari and I don’t believe he’d do or bring any.” Violet’s jaw hangs low. “Kas was getting drug tested at the time and the fighting community will probably hear about it soon. To beat the gossip mill, I’m conducting my own investigation.”
Violet chokes out an unbelieving laugh. “Wait, wait, wait. You found steroids in Kas’s bag?”
“Correct,” Davina says.
“And this is an investigation?” Violet asks.
“I’ve accepted a date with Clive at a sports bar so I can pick his brain about his team’s steroid use.”
Crickets. Violet stares at Davina, and I rack my brain for any type of professional way to ask her what the hell she’s doing.
“Clive?” I say with surprise.
“Clive,” Davina confirms.
Violet clears her throat. “Sorry, but who is Clive?”
“Ward’s manager and Davina’s ...” I’m unable to finish my sentence because I have no idea who Clive is to Davina.
“Friend. We were promoters back in the ’90s and reconnected recently.”
Violet giggles uncomfortably. “ Riiight ... last question, why am I here?”
“Couldn’t let you miss out on the fun, Violet.”
Violet’s matte red lips quirk up at Davina’s response. “Well, I’m more than happy to be involved. I just wish you gave us a better indication of the type of bar we’re going to.” Violet gestures between our outfits.
“Sports bar. Wilmer’s, to be exact. C’mon, ladies.” Violet and I flank Davina as we leave the hotel foyer. “We need to work fast because if Clive doesn’t know, he won’t catch on to my intentions. Mari, how’s damage control going?” Davina starts scouting out a cab on the main road.
“No damage to control. I’ve drafted a social media statement for Friday, just in case.”
Kas’s social media seems normal. Nothing besides the usual tags, unread DMs, and new followers. We don’t have a PR team like Ward, so I’ve have to make the statement general if the speculation calls for it.
Davina stares at me for a moment, throwing a dirty look at a man who catcalls us. “Why Friday?” she questions.
“Because it’s just before the weekend when there’s a big boxing match going on. The attention on Kas will die off and he can go somewhat unnoticed.”
Davina flashes me a look of admiration. “Genius. What would I do without you?”
Violet winks at me behind Davina’s back.
All three of us amble into a cab and Davina takes the front seat.
We don’t speak until we reach the bar’s parking lot where Davina calls my phone. “Stay on the line so you can listen in. Connection is spotty at the bar,” she says.
I’m a little too excited at being Davina’s spy with Violet. The determination to find out who has decided to threaten Kas’s chance at professional fighting has my blood running hot.
“So, why do you suspect Ward?” Violet whispers, cautiously eyeing the driver.
Davina smirks. “He said he wanted controversy, but we refused to give it to him.”
“He really hates us. Even his wife, remember?” I add.
Violet nods, recounting the time I told her about Olive’s message. “Hate’s a strong word,” she chirps.
“Hate is what fuels MMA. It’s unpredictable, gritty, and violent. If people want saints, they can watch a fucking golf match,” Davina says, hopping out of the car and ducking her head back in to address me and Violet. “Now, let’s go investigate.”