I rush to catch up with him, snatching him by his scarf.
I lay my hand on his arm. “Hey, what’s going on? Do you know this Heine? I heard that he’s not been involved in the running of the club. He hasn’t watched any of the games at the rink so far.”
Perhaps, these wealthy young playboys throng together at cocktail bars like On the Rocks or in nightclubs in Monaco?
What’s a group of playboys called?A dick of playboys?
“He’s not interested in the club.” D’Angelo stares intently at the wall. “And just like the other billionaires on the board, including Bronwyn, I wish that I didn’t know him. If Charles is suddenly taking an interest in the running of the Bay Rebels, however, then we have a serious problem.”
I stroke down D’Angelo’s scarf, soothing both him and myself. “Strategy?”
“I know this one. I’ve learned from the best.” Shay excitedly reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone.
He switches it on, before tapping on something.
“No comment,” parrots from the phone in an automated voice, followed by the same phrase in every language that Shay has been able to program on repeat.
“My best student.” I smile, proudly.
Shay winks, before switching off his phone.
“As powerful as theno comment rule is,” D’Angelo, my student who has never once been able to keep to that rule shakes his head, “this time it’s not going to work.”
I frown. “Why?”
“Because apart from Heine, coach, and the board, do you know who else has been called into this meeting?”
“The rest of the staff?” I venture. “Atlas? Grayson, Lucas, and other players on the team?”
To my surprise, D’Angelo shakes his head. “Heine only wroteournames on the list. No other players and barely a handful of staff.”
For the first time, cold dread slithers up my spine. My mouth becomes dry.
It’s never a good thing to have your name onanylist.
Well, unless it’s Top Ten Asses of the Year, and D’Angelo has been on that one three times.
“This is serious, isn’t it?” I whisper.
D’Angelo’s piercing gaze meets mine. “It is, principessa. For the last few hours, I’ve been in an online group chat with the rest of the team. Atlas has been feeding me information about what’s been going on here. Apparently, Heine has been circling the arena like a shark all day, pretending to ask casual questions.”
“Then how about we don’t meekly swim into the shark tank?”
“Little fish, we have no choice. But you’re forgetting that I’m an orca.” D’Angelo flashes his sharp teeth. “I eat sharks.”
Shay scrunches up his nose. “Hot, darlin’. But also, don’t let Dee hear you talking like that. He’s a defender of any animal,even billionaire ones who are trying to take a bite out of our arses.”
“No one bites your ass but me.” D’Angelo’s lips pinch. “Whatever happens, I will be in that meeting protecting you both.”
“Do you think that they found out about us?” Terror constricts my heart at the thought.
I lock my legs to not show how shaky I am.
Our relationship is the best thing in our lives but could also destroy us.
I want to be able to be open about our love. I’ve told my family.
Shay hasn’t talked to his family yet, however, and he deserves to control that moment for himself.