Page 43 of Sin Bin Bully

I ignore them all, tossing the phone onto the passenger seat. Whatever shitstorm's brewing, it can wait until I've had a drink and a moment to think.

As I step out of the car, the phone starts up again, its insistent buzzing a harbinger of the chaos to come. Knowing I can't ignore this, I fish the damn thing out.

I groan, swiping open my phone and tapping on Joe's messages. A link stares back at me, taunting. Fuck it. I click.

The headline hits me like a sucker punch:NHL Star Sam Warwick Caught Leaving Known Drug Den Amid Steroid Use Rumors.

"Son of a bitch!" I roar.

My blood boils as I storm into my house, fists clenching and unclenching. Those vultures twisted everything. One visit to Kim's place, and suddenly I'm a junkie? Fuck that noise.

My phone rings again, piercing through my rage. I snatch it up, ready to unleash hell.

"What?" I snarl.

"Sam." It's Joe, which is probably not the right person for me to talk to right now. "Tell me you've seen the article."

I laugh, bitter and harsh. "Oh, I've seen it alright. What the fuck, Joe? How'd this shit get out so fast?"

Joe sighs, static crackling through the line. "It's bad, Sam. Really bad. We need to get ahead of this before-"

"Before what?" I cut him off. "Before they crucify me in the court of public opinion? Too fucking late for that."

"Listen," Joe's voice drops low, urgent. "We need to meet. Now. Your place or mine?"

I run a hand through my hair, tugging at the roots. "Mine. Bring the PR team. And Joe? Tell 'em to bring their A-game. We're going to war."

The line goes dead, and I toss the phone aside. I debate if I have time to head down to the gym, needing to work out all the anger pounding through me.

My mind races, replaying the scene at Kim's apartment. Nathan's smug face, the junkies scattered around like human garbage. And now, thanks to those bloodsucking paparazzi, it's all tied to me.

The doorbell chimes, jolting me from my thoughts. I stride to the door, yanking it open to find Joe and a small army of suits behind him.

"Let's get this shitshow on the road," I growl, stepping aside to let them in.

As they file past, setting up laptops and pulling out phones, I can't help but think of Kim. My little dancer, caught up in this mess because of her scumbag brother. I'll fix this. For both of us.

I slam the door shut, turning to face the room full of people who are about to try and save my ass. Game on.

20

KIM

Kim

Ican't help but notice the change in Sam's demeanor. The once-cocky hockey star now paces the marble floors of his mansion like a caged animal. His anger is palpable, and I swear I've never seen anyone seem more deadly…

Or hot.

Yeah. I've accepted there is something is fucking wrong with me if I'm attracted him like this.

His mother's sleek Bentley has become a fixture in the circular driveway, and men in crisp suits file in and out of his study daily. But no one has sought me out at least.

"Fucking vultures," Sam mutters, slamming down his phone as I creep up to the open door of his office. He's been letting me out of my room some with Kelsey's supervision, and for some reason, I came to find him.

I pause, my curiosity getting the better of me. "Everything okay?"

His steel-gray eyes lock onto mine, a storm brewing behind them. "Just peachy, little dancer. Come here."

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