Chapter 26
The sun is already up. Usually, I’d be out at the barn by now, checking in with my guys and getting to work. But I texted Dusty and told him I’d see them after lunch.
Last night was about reassuring Willow. Loving her, and making her feel safe after some piece of shit sent her those photos and upset her. We both needed the time together, to be intimate.
But today, as soon as I leave this bed, I’ll start finding out who did that and figuring out how to make them pay dearly.
Wills is still sleeping soundly next to me. She should be. It was a rigorous night of sex. I wasn’t lying when I told her that making love to her is the best of my life. None of the women I was with before her can even hold a candle to her.
I think, by round four, I finally convinced her. But if she needs a reminder, I’ll be happy to give it.
I kiss the back of her head, breathe her in, and then gently roll away, careful not to wake her as I slide out of bed, pad into the closet for some clothes, and then go downstairs for coffee and to do my business.
Less than ten minutes later, I sit at my desk, open the laptop, and then stare out the window to the mountains and wonder… Where do I start?
I’ve never had something like this happen before. Sure, there were women who claimed they were pregnant with my child, though I’d never laid a finger on them, or people who found out where I lived and hung out on the sidewalk, waiting for me. But I always had the team to call to take care of it. The PR department, or attorneys.
I’m no longer on the team.
I frown and then remember that Will Montgomery told me to call him if I ever needed anything. I never thought I’d have a reason to take him up on that offer.
I’d say this is a damn good reason.
It’s still early, especially on the West Coast, so I send him a text.
Me: Good morning. This is Ryker James. Do you mind calling me at your earliest convenience? I have some questions.
Will’s been retired from professional football for a few years, and he was one of the best quarterbacks of all time. I’m sure he’ll have wisdom, and maybe some contacts, to share with me.
Before I can even set the phone down, he calls through.
“Hey, Will, I hope I didn’t wake you p>
“No, I was just finishing up in the gym. What’s going on, Ryker p>
I swallow hard and push my hand through my hair. “Someone has decided to dick with my girl p>
“Go on.” His voice is hard now, and for some reason, that makes me feel better.
I tell him about the photos that Wills received last night.
“A few things here. First of all, they’re in your home p>
“Some of them were, yeah. And based on the women in them, I’d say it was from more than a year ago p>
“Nothing recent p>
“There hasn’t been anything recent to document p>
Aside from Wills, but we never had sex in the bedroom. Thank Christ.
“That’s the first thing to look at. You’re in Montana now p>
“I am, yeah p>
“My brother is a cop,” Will says, thoughtfully. “With your permission, he can meet someone there and sweep the place p>
“My buddy Mac would meet him there, no problem p>
“Good, we’ll make that happen today. Now, the next thing. There was no threat sent with the photos p>
“No, no message of any kind. Just the images p>
Just then, my phone pings with a text.
From an unknown fucking number.
“Wait, I’m getting something now. Hold on, I’m putting you on speaker so I can read it p>
I tap the screen, put Will on speaker, and then open the text.
Unknown Contact: I’m sure I have your girlfriend’s attention. To keep all these images out of the press, you’ll need to pay me $180,000. I’ll be in touch with more instructions.
I read it aloud to Will, but my ears have started to ring.
“What a stupid motherfucker,” I growl.
“I take it you know who it is p>
“For fuck’s sake he’s stupid. My former agent. He called me just yesterday and asked me to loan him that exact amount of money p>
Will huffs out a laugh. “It’s amazing you did as well in your career as you did p>
“He’s desperate. He owes the wrong people p>
“Not your problem p>
“No, not my problem. But now I have to prove it. I have my brother, who’s with the Secret Service, looking into the phone records p>
“Wow, that’s a cool connection to have,” Will says.
“I know. I’ll call Mac and get things going on that end p>
“I’ll call my brother, too, and be in touch. And Ryker, I know you think you know this man, but if he’s desperate enough to do this, don’t let your guard down p>
“Yeah, I thought of that too. Thanks, Will p>
I hang up, drag my hands down my face, and take a moment to feel… sad.
Andy was my agent since I started in the league. He always went to bat for me, got me good contracts, and was good to me. Hell, I recommended him to other players. It was only in the past year, when he could sense that I was nearing the end of my career, and he got desperate, that things got bad.
He was never my friend, but I respected him.
I trusted him.
And now he’s nothing.
I hear movement from the bedroom, so I leave the office and walk to the kitchen to make my girl some coffee, and when I return upstairs, I find her just coming out of the bedroom, ready for the day, yawning.
“Is that for me?” she asks.
“Of course.” I pass her the mug and lean down to kiss her pouty lips. “Good morning, sweetheart p>
“Morning.” She sips her coffee and hums. “That’s good. It always tastes better when you make it p>
I can’t help but grin at that. Christ, she’s cute. “It does p>
“Mm-hmm.” She steps into my arms and snuggles against my chest. “I thought you’d be out with the guys p>
“No, I have to figure some stuff out first p>
She frowns up at me. “What’s happening wi p>
I cup her face and kiss her softly. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t want you to think about it. I’m handling everything, and when there’s news to share, I’ll fill you in p>
“Promise p>
“Yes. I promise.” I kiss her again. “You need breakfast. What do you want me to make for you p>
Her eyes soften again. “You’re always feeding me p>
“I’ve been hungry before. The people I love will never go through that. We have eggs and potatoes. Or oatmeal. Or bagels and smoked salmon p>
She rubs her hand up and down my chest. “I’ll go make myself something. My voice isn’t quite awake enough to jump into work yet anyway. Do you want to join me p>
I start to say yes, but my phone rings, and it’s Mac.
“I have to take this. Rain check p>
“Of course p>
“Oh, and how about if you and I go swimming this afternoon? Just you and me. It’s going to be hot again p>
“You, mostly naked and wet and all to myself? It’s a date.” She winks and then heads downstairs toward the kitchen, and I take the call and walk back into my office.
“Dude, what the fuck is going on?” Mac begins before I can even start talking.
“What do you mean p>
“What do you mean, what do I mean? The retirement was a publicity stunt, and you’re coming back to the team? That’s kind of fucked up. I mean, I’m one of your best friends, and I had to find this out from the team p>
I pace my office as more anger pulses through me.
“Mac p>
“Yeah p>
“I’m not coming out of retirement. Jesus, no p>
“But Andy told Barry p>
“Andy has lost his motherfucking mind.” I shove my hand in my pocket and stand at the window. “He’s trying to extort money out of me, man. And I need your help p>
Mac is silent for a moment, and then the fun-loving persona is gone and his deep voice rumbles through the phone.
“What do you need p>
I lay it out for him, and by the time we hang up, we have a plan in place.
Then, I make a call to Barry, the owner of the Blizzard. After the press conference, he told me to call anytime, so I’m taking him up on that.
“This is a surprise,” he says into my ear.
“Hello, sir. It sounds like we have a situation p>
“If you’re talking about your idiot of an agent, no. There’s no situation p>
I feel my shoulders drop with relief. “He no longer speaks for me, sir p>
“I know that. But I can plainly see that he’s hell bent on fucking with you, son. What are you going to do about that p>
How is it that literally every single other person in my life is so damn supportive? How did I luck out this way?
“There are several moving pieces right now, but I have a feeling that Andy’s going to end up in jail. That’s between the two of us, of course p>
He’s quiet for a moment. “The team’s legal and PR teams are yours to use as you need,” he says. “You may no longer be on my starting lineup, but you’re still one of ours, and we’ll take care of you, Ryker p>
“He threatened my girl p>
“Then we’ll take care of her too. Like I said, whatever you need. Just give me the word p>
“I can’t thank you enough p>
“You don’t need to. You lived and breathed for this team for fifteen years. We haven’t forgotten that. Just let me know how to help p>
“Thank you, sir p>
“We’ll speak soon p>
I hang up and let out a deep breath. As long as Andy doesn’t send those photos to anyone else, everything is going to be fine.