CHAPTER 29 #2
My masculinity and my femininity went to war within myself and I felt rage channelled suddenly through my voice unlike ever before. “I want everybody out,” I snapped.
There was silence.
“I mean it, get out!”
The consortium members looked at each other, then to Isobel.
“Do you need a minute, Ms Liu?” she asked.
“I'm sorry,” I said suddenly. “Did I not make myself clear? I don't need a minute. I don't need a single second. I don't just want you and your consortium of hatred to out of my boardroom, I want the lot of you to get the fuck out of this football club. My football club!”
Shock rippled around the room.
“I reject your bid... Very fucking strongly!”
“I care too much about this club and this community to let those people take over,” I said, my hands still shaking as I left the boardroom with the last of my lawyers.
“Security says they're off the premises now, Ms Liu.”
“Good.”
“Where are you going now?” he asked.
“There's some people I need to see.” I looked to him. “I trust you can make your own way out?”
My lawyer nodded.
“Thank you,” I said, then dashed off on my knee-high gold boots in search of the Maynes.
Eddie and David were stood guard outside the dressing room.
“I couldn't do it,” I said.
Eddie turned as white as a ghost. “You couldn't stand up to them?”
“No,” David said, smiling. “She couldn't sell the club.”
Eddie whipped his neck to look at his brother, then back to me. “Is he right?”
“I sent them packing, Eddie. They're gone. The deal's off... Your job's safe.” I looked between them to the door to the dressing room. “I can't say the same about these two, though.”
Eddie breathed out. “Excuse my language, but thank fuck for that. When David called me last night, saying you needed our help on something, I was in two minds about getting involved again. But it seems you've got under my little bro's skin, so I did it for him.”
“You did it for the good of the club, Eddie,” David said.
I couldn't help myself, I needed to put my hand in someone else's and grabbed onto David's. “Thank you.”
He squeezed mine. “You're shaking, Sasha.”
“I'll be fine. I just need to deal with them.”
“Do you want us to go in with you?” David asked.
I shook my head. “I need to do this myself-”
“We'll wait out here,” Eddie said firmly.
I nodded, reluctantly pulling my hand away from David's. “The consortium wondered where they were. I didn't tell them.”
“They've been locked up a good hour,” David said.
“You still have their mobiles?” I asked.
David produced them.
“Has there been any activity on them?”
“No, Sasha.” He handed them to me.
“I'll give them back to them. I just couldn't take any chances while the consortium were here.” I unlocked the door. “I need to deal with these two. I just fear I might not have enough to justify what I want to do with them... In the eyes of the fans.”
“You do, Sasha,” David said. “If the fans knew the truth, they'd understand.”
I opened the door to the dressing room.
I stood, feigning confidence, with my arms folded and my gold boots apart.
“What the hell's going on, ma'am?” Kyle demanded. “Why'd Eddie lock us in here?”
Drew had his hands in his pockets, his long hair flowing down to his shoulders as he stared at me.
“Maybe your assistant can explain it to you, Kyle,” I suggested.
Kyle looked to Drew.
Drew said nothing.
“Oh, come on, Drew,” I said. “You were always the brain of the operation when it came to you two.”
Drew reluctantly peeled his eyes from mine and looked to Kyle. “I think we're done here, mate.”
“Done? What d'you mean?” He looked to me. “Ma'am?”
“Ma'am? It must pain you to say that, Kyle.” I took their mobile phones and tossed them across the room to them. “What was it you warned me, stop polluting the minds of innocent children at once? My heinous sins must cease. That was my final warning?”
His jaw dropped.
“I believe you even addressed me as Mr Wang.” I tutted. “I expected more from Broxburgh's Reckoning, as you so eloquently signed it, than to settle for ma'am in person.”
“What's she talking about, Kyle?”
“Oh, leave it out, Drew, as if you weren't involved in putting the brick through my window. You probably put the idea in his head!” I could feel my anus contract around my butt plug.
“But the note was written in your handwriting, Kyle, and you were stupid enough to brag to Willie McGlinchey about it-”
“Willie's on our side,” Drew snapped.
“Think again, numb nuts. And what side would that be anyway? The side of misogyny and transphobia? Maybe also conspiracy, vandalism and orchestrating a campaign of hate towards me?”
“Ma'am, we didn't-”
“Shut up, Kyle,” I said. “I know you and Drew were involved in the protests. I have witnesses. People talk. Not everyone you think is on your side actually is.”
Kyle looked frantically to Drew. “That's not true. It's not. It can't be. Is it?”
Drew raised one eyebrow. “Look where we've taken the team. We can get this team to the play-offs-”
“You two were involved in the takeover,” I insisted. “You were with the consortium.”
“No, we weren't,” Kyle said. “I mean, we aren't. Tell her, Drew... Drew?”
I felt my chest expand as I breathed in.
Drew's eyes didn't flinch from my face.
“Drew, tell her.”
“He can't,” I said. “Drew's been involved in campaigns against me for a long time. He's tried to take my club from me.”
Kyle shook his assistant's shoulder. “Drew, speak up or we're toast. You said it yourself we're done.”
“She can't fire us, Kyle... Relax.”
“Can't she?” Kyle asked.
Drew grinned, took one hand from his pocket and flicked his hair from his shoulder. “No, Ms Liu just came in here to say her final piece before she sets off into the sunset.”
I clenched my folded arms tighter. “You sure about that, Drew?”
He nodded.
“Your phones have been awfully quiet, I hear.”
Drew's gaze remained unwavering.
I looked to Kyle. “Thank you for your services to the club, Kyle, but you're fired with immediate effect.”
“What?” he demanded. “Me? Just me?”
“Security will escort you out, Mr Guernsey,” I said.
“Drew, do something. You said it'd all work out. What's happening?”
The door to the dressing room opened. Eddie glanced inside, then nodded to a security guard to enter.
“Your contract was only ever temporary, Kyle. I'm afraid there'll be no severance package.”
“This isn't happening!” he cried. “Drew, do something. You said your people have this!”
The security guard marched him out of the room.
Eddie mouthed to me, asking if I wanted the door left open.
“Closed,” I said quietly, then turned back to Drew as the door shut on us.
“Just you and me now, Sasha,” he said. “You can't fire me. There's no point. We both know it's irrelevant. The consortium will want me at the helm regardless of what you do in here.”
I let my arms slip from their folded position and marched up to him, employing all the sexuality in my step which I knew would be lost on him but was for the benefit of my own confidence. “You sure about that?”
He flinched, but only just.
“You think the consortium sent me in here to sack Kyle?”
He clicked his tongue.
“I didn't take the deal, Drew. The takeover isn't happening.”
“What?”
“Your plan failed. You got close, I'll give you that, wrangling your foot in the door and you even almost manipulated your way into the big seat.”
“Are you crazy?”
“It's over, Drew. You, Kyle, the consortium, the takeover, the fucking protests, I can wave bye-bye to you all today.”
“Sasha, what're you doing?” he asked, his demeanour changing. “We've got a match tomorrow. Who will you get in to manage the team now?”
“Not you, Drew, that's for sure-”
“Don't do it, don't bloody-”
“Drew Heseltine, you're fired, now get the fuck out-”
He grabbed my arms, his strength immediately shocking me into silence. “You don't know these people in the consortium or what they're capable of!” His face contorted, as if at once angry and afraid. “They're relentless! They want your club! They'll destroy you for it!”
My rectum tightened on my sex toy.
“Don't be so stupid to think your problems end by getting rid of me!” He twisted my arms in his palms until the pain became unbearable. “I'm warning you, Sasha Liu, they'll uncover your biggest secret!”
“Eddie, David!” I squealed. “Get him out of here!”
The brothers ran in to restrain him.
“You okay?” David asked.
I nodded, yet the pain had barely begun to subside. “I just want him gone.”
“Let's go,” Eddie said, and started to frogmarch Drew out.
“Your day's coming, Sasha!” Drew yelled, trying to wrestle himself out of Eddie's grip. “I promise you, they're coming for you just as they came for me!”
The door slammed shut behind them.
I threw myself into David's arms. “Oh my God, I'm so glad that's over.”
He rubbed my back sensually.
“I'm so glad you're here,” I whispered.
He held me tighter.
I looked up to him. “I felt safe, just knowing you were outside.”
The door opened suddenly.
We broke apart.
“Security has him now,” Eddie said. “They'll get rid of him.” He looked at us properly. “You two okay?”
“Yes,” David said, fixing himself. “I think I'd best get going.”
I was surprised, yet said nothing. I didn't feel I should risk embarrassing him in front of his brother.
“No worries, bro,” Eddie said.
David walked to the door. “Good luck with everything,” he said. “See you 'round.”
I watched the door close over behind him.
“Young love,” Eddie said.
“What?” I asked, worried yet another rumour about me had got out. And already.
Eddie laughed.
I didn't.
“Ah, it's nothing really. The wee lad has a date today.”
“He does?”
“Aye, some lassie he's been trying to keep quiet about.”
“Well, not really any of my business, Eddie, is it?”
“No, ma'am, you've enough to sort out today... Like figuring out who the hell you're gonna find to take charge of the team against East Fife tomorrow.”