Page 59 of Played

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River and Mal rode most of the afternoon in the back field, tearing up the small dirt track she used for the bikes. They hadn’t finished putting the bikes put away when she saw the TV. Grabbing the remote, she and Mal watched Laurel talking to a Cycle magazine reporter outside D&T. River shook her head as the thorn in her side talked about being in negotiations with John Meniere at D&T. “Bitch, he doesn’t go by John, nor has he ever. Something’s going on.”

“It smells fishy from here.” Mal shrugged.

“That bitch has always smelled fishy.”

“You calling Riot?”

“No, I’m past letting Laurel fuck with my head. He’ll call when he can and fill me in… wait.” River watched as three pissed off men walked out of the building behind Laurel. The film crew caught the whole thing. Michel and Jason had security remove Laurel from the property as they explained that Miss Canyon was in no means in negotiations with anyone from D&T Racing, nor would she ever be. Jason went on to say if Miss Canyon ever stepped foot on the property or came near anyone associated with D&T, including riders and teams, they would press charges for harassment. When the interviewer focused on Riot asking if the latest leak was true that he and Laurel had been together last week rekindling their relationship, Riot punched the guy in the face.

The next clip showed Riot in handcuffs being put in a squad car. “I don’t think he’s gonna make it tonight,” River mumbled.

“I don’t think he’s gonna call and explain anytime soon either.” Mal stared at the TV wide-eyed. “You know Duncan punched a guy like that over you seven years ago.” Mal snuck a glance at River, who was chewing on her lip, watching the recap. Mal grabbed River’s phone as it rang. “Hello?”

“River?” Jason asked.

“No, Mal. River’s busy right now watching her maybe-boyfriend being shoved in a cop car after punching a news reporter in the face. Would you like to make a statement on that perhaps?”

“Mal, let me talk to River.”

Handing the phone over, Mal sat down, watching the train wreck again as River stepped outside to talk. All Mal could do is wonder what fresh hell it would be now.

“Hey.” River waited for a reply. She could hear Jason barking orders at someone and Michael trying to calm him down. Seemed Laurel got just what she wanted. Turmoil.

“Sorry, River. Listen, I was trying to catch you before you saw the news.”

“It’s fine, I’m fine. How’s Riot?”

“It might be good he’s in jail at the moment.”

“Why would that be good?”

“He can’t kill Laurel.”

“What spurred all of this today?”

“We signed Archer Morgan and listed him as a rider for our team for the upcoming season. And that set her off.” That was the best they could figure based on her demanding Riot tear up the contract she wouldn’t leak to the tabloids that they were getting back together.

“How can I help?”

“Stay at the ranch. Do not go anywhere that you can be caught off guard in an interview of any kind.”

“I’m good with that.”

“Thanks. Now let me go get your man out of jail.”

River hung up and wondered if anything other than death would get Laurel off their case. It boggled her mind why someone would waste so much time fucking with someone the way Laurel had done with her. Who was Laurel Canyon anyway to think she could continually get away with this shit? That was the million-dollar question. No one ever thinks, “Hey, I should really find out who this person is before getting involved with them.” Famous last words for some unfortunate idiots. What was she thinking? She was one of those idiots. “Mal, fire up that laptop of yours and let’s do some digging.”

“On?”

“Laurel Canyon. It’s time to turn the tables on that bitch.”

“Grab a bottle of wine, it’s gonna get deep,” Mal called out, stepping onto the patio.

Maybe digging into the bitch’s world might keep River from finding her and beating her to a pulp. Grabbing a bottle of pinot and two glasses, she headed for the patio and some detective work. Two steps towards the door and River turned around, grabbing a second bottle of wine. It would take at least two to focus on Laurel Canyon’s life. Setting the bottles down, Mal asked, “Are these twist tops?”

River laughed. “No.”

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