me. “This isn’t what it looks like.”
“Yes, it is.” I bit my cheek to hold back the tears that were threatening to come. “We’re done.”
25
Zeke
I sat in silence on the Widows’ bench, deflated, defeated, confused, and above all, heartbroken. All because I wasn’t smart enough to stay away from Wright, I lost the best woman I’d ever been with and cost the Black Widows their chance to go semi-pro. The Widows all glared at me as they cleaned up their materials, and before their coach, Cal, walked away, he warned me to stay far away from Quinn. Before long, I was alone in the cold evening air. I pulled out my phone and navigated to my text messages, but I knew the ones I wanted wouldn’t be there. I’d deleted the texts I got from Wright immediately after sending them. I had no way of proving to Quinn that Wright had set me up.
It was over.
“Well, isn’t this a sad sight?” a voice called out. “It’s a good thing the cameras aren’t running anymore.” I dragged my gaze up to where Wright was standing in front of me. He wasn’t wearing his typical suit and tie, but rather a pair of dark sweatpants and a Colorado sweatshirt. “Tell me, what has Zeke Matheson so sad?”
“If you don’t get the fuck away from me, I’m gonna punch you in the fucking mouth,” I hissed.
Wright smiled, unphased. “I’d like to see you try.” He sighed. “I suppose I do feel a little bad about how things went for Quinn, but she’ll be okay.”
“You don’t give a shit about her or the Widows.”
“No, I don’t, that’s true, but the views they bring in.” He grinned. “My wallet has never been so happy. We’ll take a small hit, delaying the final game, but the anticipation for its reschedule should be good, and just imagine how much better it will be when Quinn is desperate to beat you for trying to sabotage her chances.”
“Can you not count, you whack job? Losing this game meant they’re out,” I hissed back.
“True indeed, but I’ll have no choice but to give them a second chance when their petition gets ten thousand signatures,” he replied. “It’s already drafted and will be released by an anonymous source tomorrow. All I have to do is have a paid fan release the story of how you helped one of their players turn on them, and it’ll be trending in no time. I think I’ll make my announcement of their second chance by next Friday. Give it about a week to trend.”
I said nothing, and he smiled. “My staunch support of the Widows and bashing of your tactics will earn me many followers. ‘I always liked the Widows. I really think they can do it if everyone plays fair,’” he said with faux emotion like he was on camera. His vile grin grew larger as he imagined it. “Sponsors will be pouring in. Of course, the Vipers will have to fall on their sword for this one, but you have no one to blame for that but yourself.”
I nodded. “Oh, please tell me how this is my fault and not because you’re loony toons?”
“If you had just stayed rivals with Quinn, none of this would have happened. I couldn’t have the world knowing that you were a couple. People want bitter rivalries, not cheesy romances. It was bad for business.” He tipped his hat. “Cheer up. A guy like you will bounce back. See you around, Zeke.”
It took everything in my body not to put his face in the dirt. Quinn and I had made our realizations about what Wright was capable of just a hair too late. The damage was already done by then. I drove to Daniel’s house, not quite up to the task of going home yet. I used my key to let myself in, and his place was totally dark. He must not have been home from work yet. I grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge and walked into the living room to wait. I tried to call Quinn, but I was already blocked. I might have expected as much. I would have blocked my number, too.
After another thirty minutes, I heard keys in the door. “It’s open!” I called out.
Daniel walked in and looked at me. “You do know this is my house, right?”
“I understand now,” I replied.
“Understand what?” Daniel asked as he walked in and shut the door behind him.
“I understand why you would just