Escorting the Player (The Escort Collection Book 3) Read Online Free Page B

sort of drama she loved.
    "I talked to Mickey…" Eric's voice trailed off.
    I winced. "Did he breach his attorney-client privilege again?"
    My friend nodded.
    "So you know that Jessica wants to get married to Pax? Soon?"
    He nodded again. "You're not upset about that?"
    "Nah." I was pretty sure those two deserved each other.
    Eric watched my face. "But…you're upset about what it's going to do to the team?"
    I could see the sympathy in Eric's eyes. He knew me too well. "Yes."
    "Okay," Eric said. "You're suspended for another full week after this, right? And there's no word as to whether the Warriors are going to cut Pax loose?"
    "Yes," I mumbled. "To both."
    "You're going to have to deal with him sooner rather than later."
    I groaned. "I thought you were here to cheer me up."
    Eric sighed. "There's also a crap-ton of reporters outside your house, in case you didn't notice."
    "That's what the pizza guy said." I curled up into a ball, wishing that my coffee would magically transform into a beer and that none of this had ever happened. To me.
    Suspended. Humiliated in front of my teammates.
    "What're you worried about, Chase?" Eric asked.
    I squinted at him. "That might be the stupidest fucking question ever."
    He crossed his legs, his elegant suit out of place amidst the man-squalor. "It's not a stupid question. I'm your agent, remember? Which means you pay me a lot of money to think of things you might not. To look out for you and your best interests. To consider every angle. Remember when I told you not to marry Jessica?"
    "Yep. I remember. Everyone seems to be reminding me these days."
    Eric sighed. "The point is you should have listened to me then. So please listen to me now. Let's go through the steps."
    I sighed and shot him a menacing look. "Seriously?"
    "I'm totally serious. We need to think this through. What are you specifically worried about?" Eric asked.
    I knew Eric well enough to realize that he wasn't going to leave me alone until I played this silly game with him, so I answered. "I'm specifically worried that my team isn't going to respect me anymore. That I'm not going to be able to lead them because they've lost faith in me."
    "And why are you worried that they've lost faith in you?" he asked.
    "That's another stupid fucking question."
    "Just answer it," he insisted.
    "I'm worried that everybody's going to think that I have no dick because my wife left me for a teammate—the worst teammate I've got. And that Pax's going to try to rally them all against me, because that's the kind of shit-starter he is."
    Eric's brow furrowed. "He doesn't care about the team?"
    "He's fucking the quarterback's wife. What do you think?"
    "Tim'll cut him," he said confidently.
    "Pax is an asshole, but he's a strong defensive player," I countered. "We need him more than he needs us right now."
    Eric shrugged. "He needs a paycheck, Chase. Just like the rest of us."
    "He seems to think he can do whatever—or whoever—he wants."
    "We'll deal with Pax. Let's see what management does first." Eric seemed to concentrate on his coffee. "Either way, we have to face the whole thing head on. So let's break it down. Even though you're glad Jessica's gone, you're worried about what your team's going to think of you because you're a cuckold."
    I looked at him grimly. "What the fuck does that mean?"
    "It's a Shakespearean term, buddy. It means you were cheated on. Duped. Humiliated. And everybody knows it."
    I grimaced. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
    "No," Eric said carefully, "it's supposed to help us identify the real problem so we can come up with a solution."
    "I don't think there's a solution to having your wife sleep with your teammate and then leave you for him. In the public eye. With a very large chunk of your money."
    "You're right," Eric conceded. "But there are ways to make you feel like you're back on top. To maintain your team's respect—but if I'm being honest with you, I know those guys. Your teammates worship