Page 91 of Playing to Win

“Braydon told me. They used you to make him look good, then were going to trash you to keep him looking good.”

My hands started to clench in the gloves, but I fought that down. “It was my job.”

Megan gave the heavy bag a shove. “Dating someone isn’t part of your job unless you’re an escort.”

“Are you saying I’m an escort, Megan?”

“No, but the Blaze used you like one.”

The anger was burbling up again. “What are you trying to prove?”

“You should be fucking angry, not hiding away in your room. They were bastards. Fight them.”

I was vibrating with fury, but, “What the hell am I supposed to do?”

“For now, take it out on the bag.”

I swung. The impact shot up my arm, and the bag moved. Not enough.

Megan cheered. “Show them.”

“Fucking Radner.” I hit the bag hard. Wrists straight, because fuck if I was going to get another injury.

“Who else?”

“Fucking Kira.” I jabbed several times in a row. “I thought she was an ally, if not a friend.”

“Fuck Kira!” they chorused.

“And fuck Braydon!” A cross and the bag swung.

“Fuck him,” Megan agreed.

“What did he do?” Faith asked.

“Stupid fucking viral rant started all this,” I panted as I hit the bag. “Then he has to be nice and sexy and give great”—punch—“orgasms”—punch, punch—“and make me fall in love with a hockey fucking player!”

I froze and the bag bumped into me, pushing me back a step.

“Fuck,” I said.

“Are you serious?” Megan stared at me in shock. I couldn’t blame her. “You swore you’d never just be someone’s plus-one for the rest of your life.”

I swiped my wrist over my forehead. “I know.”

“So what happened?”

Faith interjected. “Sounds like some orgasms happened.”

“Yeah,” I admitted. “But it’s not just that. He defended me against my parents. He offered to face off with the Blaze PR.”

“What?”

“I told him not to. He’s not in a position to make demands with the team.” Though part of me had wanted to let him tell them to fuck off.

Faith shrugged at Megan. “I saw that video, and yeah, entitled asshole. But once I got to know him I was more sympathetic. He came to see me about you, Jayna, because he’s worried. That’s why we’re here.”

Megan crossed over and gave me a hug, sweaty and funky as I was. “I’m sorry, I should have realized.”

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