Page 47 of Bar Down

Marcus nodded, pieces falling into place. "Reed wants both our positions. Analytics and communications under his control. This financial pressure is just the mechanism."

"Classic Reed," Stephanie's voice held bitter knowledge. "He always finds leverage. In Boston, it was doctored emails. Here, it's your player analytics."

Marcus stared out the window at the Toronto skyline receding in the distance, mind working through possibilities. "If we can prove Reed is behind this, we have leverage."

Stephanie's eyes widened slightly. "You want to counter-blackmail a blackmailer?"

"I want to neutralize a threat." His voice was cold, precise. "Reed miscalculated. He thinks financial pressure will make us fold. He doesn't understand what happens when you corner someone who calculates odds for a living."

"And what happens?" Stephanie asked, studying his face.

"They identify your weaknesses and exploit them." The simple statement held a promise of methodical retribution that surprised even Marcus.

The bus hit a bump, jostling them closer together. Neither made an effort to reestablish distance.

"This won't be easy," Stephanie murmured, fatigue evident in her voice despite the tension still visible in her shoulders. "Reed has connections throughout the league."

"So do we," Marcus countered, already planning his approach to Chenny. "The team trusts us more than they trust ownership."

Stephanie's head dipped slightly, brushing his shoulder. "We have less than sixty hours to figure this out."

"Fifty-eight hours and thirty-nine minutes," Marcus corrected, the precision providing some sense of control over a situation that felt increasingly chaotic.

Her soft laugh held little humor. "Always exact, aren't you?"

"It's who I am."

"And I wouldn't want you any other way," she admitted, the words slipping out as if surprising even her.

The bus slowed as it approached the airport hotel, lights from the lobby spilling across the parking lot. Stephanie straightened, her mask of professionalism sliding back into place, but her hand remained firmly in his.

"Stay with me tonight," she said quietly, the request carrying multiple layers of meaning. "I don't want to be alone with this hanging over us."

Marcus studied her in the dim light, noting the vulnerability beneath her practiced composure. The request wasn't just about physical comfort or connection—it was about facing a threat together.

"Of course," he replied simply.

Around them, players began stirring as the bus came to a stop. Dmitri stretched dramatically, Jax collected his bags, and Kane called out room assignments. In the shuffle of movement, Stephanie's fingers disengaged from his, but her eyes held the connection.

"I'll come to your room after check-in," Marcus said, voice low enough that only she could hear.

She nodded, relief softening the tension in her shoulders momentarily.

As they exited the bus, Marcus caught sight of Chenny, tablet tucked under his arm. Tomorrow on the flight, they would bring him into their confidence. As Marcus followed Stephanie into the hotel, he felt a strange certainty amid the chaos. Reed had miscalculated. He thought threatening them financially would drive them apart, force them to make individual decisions to protect themselves.

He hadn't counted on them trusting each other to work together. And Marcus hadn’t imagined that he would spend the night with a woman he cared about deeply while the threat of blackmail hung over their heads.

But some moments were worth savoring, even with the clock running down.

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