Willow

 

“I’ll join you if you don’t mind,” Navie said, as I excused myself to use the restroom. It had been twenty minutes since Conner had entered the AFL, and they were chatting about how the press conference would go. 

“Of course.” I smiled. “You can show me where it is.” Once we’d made it out of the room, and away from the men, I hugged her.

“I’m so glad you’re doing okay. I’ve been worried about you,” she said.

“Me? Girl, I’ve been worried about you. I still can’t believe all that happened. I’ll never be able to repay you.”

“Oh, please! I wish I could have done more damage.” She chuckled.

“I’ve never seen a woman so fierce. I was super impressed with your moves.”

“Thanks. I’ve trained in secret for years. My dad knows, but he thinks I’m just working out to stay in shape. Because that’s what ladies do, stay fit to look good for men.” She rolled her eyes.

“That is so sexist. I mean, doesn’t he see how talented you are?” I asked as we entered the restroom.

“No.” She sighed. “He won’t even give me a chance to show him.”

“You don’t have to go?” I asked from the stall.

“No. I just had—I needed a minute.” Her voice dropped at the end.

I flushed and opened the door. “Is everything okay?” I asked while washing my hands.

“Perfect.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m in a bathroom fixing my makeup, while Preston is rubbing elbows with my dad’s business partners, and my dad—well, he just made millions by signing Payne.”

“I’m sorry.” I hadn’t known her very long, but I could tell from what she’d already shared, that her life was probably a walking poster board on how money didn’t equate happiness.

“For?” she questioned, dabbing two fingers of color on her lips.

I dried my hands with the fancy towel. “I’ve debated even telling you this, but I saw the video.”

“Which one?” She stopped fixing her makeup and stared ahead, looking at me through the mirror.

I wasn’t aware there was more than one. “The one where your father tells you point blank that he would never consider you for the cage.”

“Oh.” Her face fell, and she slipped the compact back in her purse. “That one’s a classic. But if you really want to be offended, I’ll bring you down to his headquarters. There, you can see me working in the front office, answering my dad’s phone calls, and taking messages for the fighters.” She smiled sarcastically. “It isn’t all bad, I guess. Sometimes, I mess with the cage bunnies who call looking for the guys.”

I laughed and slung my arm around her neck, as we walked out toward the area where the press conference would go down. I loved Navie. I loved how strong and intelligent she seemed. I knew there were going to be plenty of girls’ nights in our future.

 

***

 

Finding my man just outside the room, I made a beeline to him. I was so worried about Conner. We’d just made two life-altering decisions in less than an hour, and I hadn’t even had time to check on him. I could see he was nervous, which made me nervous.

My stomach was in knots waiting for everything to start, especially when Conner took his seat next to Richard. I did my part and winked at him, trying to reassure him.

Media people started piling in, one after another, until the whole room was packed so tight, I started sweating from all the body heat. Navie’s brother took a seat next to his father, with Steele on the other side of Conner. There were four other men in expensive suits who finished out the panel, but I didn’t know who they were.

Flashes from every direction started going off like fireworks. Conner squinted. I wanted to approach the stage and hug him, but I settled for clasping my hands together as Richard began speaking.

“Thank you all for being here.” Richard’s voice was deep and thick. It carried through the room, as if he were a professional announcer. “This is an exciting time for the AFL, as we are expanding our family today. Conner Payne will be signing a one-year deal. We will take a few questions, but as usual, this will be short and sweet.”

An AFL ball cap sat just to Conner’s left. I assumed they were expecting him to put it on at the end. I knew that wasn’t going to happen. I only hoped the media blitz went well, and Conner was able to answer their questions quickly and efficiently, so we could get out of there.

A scrawny man with khakis and a blue button-up stood with the first question. I glanced at Navie, who sat perfectly poised, her legs crossed and her hands in her lap. She’d obviously attended a few of these before.

“I’ve followed you since your first fight. What do you think has influenced you the most with your ground work? Is that something you lean toward because it’s natural?” Scrawny dude sat back down, ready to take the notes from Conner’s answer.

Conner cleared his throat and looked to Steele before answering. “I feel comfortable on the ground. I’m stronger in my legs, and I’m patient. I don’t mind waiting someone out.”

The crowd snickered. I smiled too, because even though I knew he’d rather chew his right arm off than talk to a bunch of strangers, he was charming with his response, and he didn’t even know it.

“Richard, will Conner be the only new addition to the family this season?” a woman asked from the back.

“We’re not releasing any information about the family’s expansion, other than Conner at this time,” Richard answered, after taking a sip of his water.

“Conner! Do you know who your first fight will be with?” asked someone else from the back.

“No.” Conner’s legs were bouncing under the table. I wanted so badly to crawl under there and calm them.

An older gentleman threw a question at him without being called on. “Will Trevor Steele be your trainer? How will he have time to train full time, plus fight his own bouts?”

“I’m—”

Preston, Richard’s son interrupted Conner. “It’s undecided at this stage who will train Conner. Same goes for where that will take place.”

Steele grinned from the side, but Conner did not. I could see plain on his face Preston was pissing him off. So could everyone else in the room, which I was sure would be splattered across the front page of the sports section tomorrow. His nostrils flared, larger and larger, as he stared him down. I cleared my throat, hoping he’d hear me and get ready for the next question. He did.

“Payne, everyone wants to know. Are you single?” asked some blonde bimbo who’d clearly gotten her job as a sports reporter because of her DD’s. Gag.

Conner’s brows pinched together, and he scowled. My insides tickled with glee as he ignored her out of protection for our privacy. After he looked away, clearly dismissing her stupid question, Navie snorted from my side. The room became so quiet, I could hear the tick from the clock in the corner.

A young male reporter in the front row stepped up next. “Now that you’re under contract, what sponsor deals are you expecting?”

“I don’t expect anything,” Conner replied.

Chatter filled the room, with each reporter fighting for the next question, until a strong female voice could be heard above the crowd from my right. I looked over, recognizing the voice. “Do you think because you’ve killed before,” Dana said, her voice strong and clear, “along with the time you served in prison, it will contribute to your fighting in terms of your mindset?”

I gasped. First, I was shocked at Dana’s callousness, and secondly, confused by the personal information she knew about Conner.

The crowd gasped as well. After a couple of seconds of silence, the media in the room began snapping photos, yelling out into the room, one right after the other, asking if the allegations were true.

Conner’s face had lost all color. He sat quietly, his shoulders hunched, looking as if he’d seen someone raised from the dead. My body moved toward him without thought, as did Steele.

Not one word was spoken from the stage, as the flashes from the cameras continued their assault on Conner’s body. I reached him within moments, and grabbed his arm. Pulling him up, I led him down the steps and into the only room I could find with a door. Steele followed, closing and locking it.

“Hey.” I stepped in front of Conner, trying to get his attention. His shoulders slumped forward, regret and embarrassment clear on his face. He didn’t respond. “Sweetie, look at me.”

“Man, come on. That bitch was just trying to get a rise out of you for whatever rag she is writing for. I told you this might happen. All we have to do is release a statement, and tomorrow, it will be some other poor fucker.”

“That bitch is going to get sued,” I ranted. “I don’t know how Dana found out about your past.” No wonder I hadn’t heard from her. She’d been ignoring my emails, but I had so much going on with Conner and his career, I almost welcomed the reprieve. “I swear, Conner, I didn’t tell her a thing. I never even mentioned you, except the one interview I did. And that was—”

“That’s Dana?” He barely whispered it. Had I not been paying attention, I probably wouldn’t have even heard him.

“Yes. She’s been shady lately. I wanted to tell you more, but I didn’t want you to worry about my job, when you had all this going on.” I opened my arms and gestured around the room.

He closed his eyes and shook his head. “Her name is not Dana.”

Confused, I asked. “What do you mean?”

Loud knocking came from the other side of the door, along with voices I didn’t recognize. I worried how we were going to get out of there. Conner leaned up against the wall, looking more defeated than ever before. Panic seized me, causing me to feel off kilter. I placed my hand on the side of the wall to help keep my balance.

“Her name is Cyndi Hanky. She’s the mother of the boy I killed.”

Steele and I looked at each other before turning back to Conner. My guts clenched, feeling like I was in the middle of a nightmare. It couldn’t be real. It had started as such a happy day, and Dana, or Cyndi—whatever her name was—had tarnished it, making me wish it had never happened. Even with all the positive things that had happened, her appearance and the fact that she’d exposed my boyfriend’s one true fear made me wish I could go back in time and pay more attention to the bad feelings I’d had about her. I should have questioned her more. Of course, I could’ve never guessed she would have been capable of such malice, but in the split second I had before Conner began to panic, I was disappointed in myself.

“I have to get out of here.” Conner moved with purpose toward the door. “I have to go.”

“Hold up. Let me clear the way, and you guys can—” Steele tried to help.

“No.” Conner gritted his teeth. “Move.” He shoved Steele’s shoulder. “Get Willow back to the hotel.”

“Conner, wait! Don’t leave me.” I knew he was already gone mentally, but I wanted to be with him, so I could help him figure this mess out.

“I’m sorry. I just need some time.” He turned back to Steele. “Get her back safe.”

I felt like grabbing onto his leg and making him drag me behind him. I wanted to beg him to let me go with him. “Steele?” I cried as Conner opened the door to a flash mob, and pushed his way through the crowd forcefully. All I saw was his back muscles contracting, as he barreled through everyone standing in his way.