Page 52 of Rafferty

Callum waves me off the bus and thankfully, there are no reporters here.

Yet.

“I just texted you the address of a clinic that’s waiting for you to draw blood for testing. Take an Uber and come straight back here. Do not talk to anyone at the clinic about this.”

“Did you talk to our attorneys?” I ask, needing some good news.

Callum nods. “They’re reaching out to get copies of the photographs and lab results, but you can bet the reporters won’t give up their sources.” Yeah, no need for that. I know damn well who that shit came from. “But it could take a while to have experts analyze it.”

“So I’m suspended until then?” I ask bluntly.

“I don’t know, Rafferty.” Callum scrubs his hands through his hair. “I still have to talk to Brienne about it, and we have to get our PR team on this so it’s spun the right way.”

“What is there to spin?” I snap at him. “It’s all a fucking lie. That’s what we say. Put me in front of a goddamn camera right now and let me defend myself.”

Callum listens to me patiently but shakes his head. “Not right now. We’re going to handle this exactly how our lawyers and PR people tell us how to handle it. Until then, you’re going to have to be patient.”

“And what about my reputation?” I ask, throwing my arms out. “This is going to be in all the papers and across all the TV news stations in the next few hours. If I don’t say something, I’ll look guilty.”

“The team is making a formal, strongly worded statement on your behalf. I promise we will reiterate our full trust in you. Again, I’m asking you to have a bit of patience.”

I swallow a retort, knowing I’ve probably reached the limit of disrespect I can show to Callum. “And what do I do after the blood test?”

“Stay in your room,” he says.

“I can’t even go to the game?” I ask incredulously.

“It’s best if you don’t. Hopefully by the time we get back to Pittsburgh tonight, we’ll have a better plan.”

I can’t do anything but accept his decision. I order an Uber and Callum waits with me until it arrives, although he spends the time texting on his phone. He gives my shoulder another squeeze just before I get in the car and then I’m left alone with my ugly thoughts.

♦

The drug testwas a piece of cake, but I was told the results could take up to a week to process. My mood is black and dismal by the time I arrive at the hotel.

No one’s in sight, most likely resting or having some lunch. I briefly consider texting North and Atlas to see what they’re doing, but remember that Callum told me to stay out of sight.

In my room, I stretch out on the bed and dial Tempe, having no clue if she’s at work. I can’t remember what she told me, and that’s only because my thoughts are so jumbled right now, I can barely remember my name.

“Hey, babe,” she answers, her words a balm I didn’t know I needed. Immediately, some of the anger and hopelessness dissipates, because I know that no matter what happens, I have the girl.

I try to tell her what’s going on, but the words are stuck in my throat. My silence apparently concerns her, because she intuitively asks, “What’s wrong?”

“Something bad happened.”

Before I can even explain, she says, “I’ll fly there. Tell me where to go.”

My heart responds to her gesture with a delicious squeeze of affection. “No, I’ll be flying back tonight, but if you’ve got a few minutes…”

“I have more than a few minutes.”

So, I explain everything, the words tumbling out. I include my suspicion that Tansy has orchestrated this whole thing, but I know Tempe will make that leap on her own. Her gasp of shock hurts more than anything, because I can hear how personally she’s taking this on my behalf, and I don’t like to burden her.

“That’s awful, Raff! I really should come to you—”

“No, stay put. I’ll be back late tonight,” I cut in. The last thing I need is for her to be caught in this shitstorm. “Hopefully I’ll have more information by then.”

“I wish there was something I could do for you,” she murmurs woefully.

---