Page 46 of Heart on Ice

“Good. I don’t want to lose you again if he breaks your heart,” she says before disappearing out of my office.

I didn’t realize me disappearing during college affected Eve so much. I thought she was too young to understand, but I’m guessing it did. I don’t have time to analyze my failings as a big sister as I rush to Marcus’ office.

“Hey, thanks for coming over,” he says as I enter his office. “Bill has asked for a video meeting in an hour, does that suit you?” he asks.

“Let me shuffle some things around and meet you at my place, yeah?”

Marcus nods. “I’ll text Pierre and Jordan and let them know.”

“How do you feel?”Marcus asks Pierre.

“I feel like I’m going to be sick. This is it. My entire life hangs on this moment,” he says.

“Positive thinking,” Marcus assures him.

It takes us a couple of moments to get set up for the video call, and then we are ready to go. The screen shows Bill and his lawyer, and no one else in the meeting, while we have Pierre, Marcus, and Jordan. I’m sitting off to the side. Bill looks angry as he sits there, the audacity.

“Thanks, guys, for agreeing to meet us,” Bill’s lawyer starts off nicely.

“Cut the bullshit, Steve. We all know why we are here,” Bill interrupts angrily. “So, you want to leave my team. A team we built together, you ungrateful little shit,” Bill snaps at Pierre.

Pierre centers himself, and I can see him squeezing his hands as he tries to remain calm in the face of such adversity. Frankston trots over, noticing his owner’s discomfort, and Pierre strokes his fingers through his long, thick coat.

“If you want to paint me out to be a villain in this story, then go ahead, but we all know who the real villain is. I feel for Michelle and your family. Hope she was worth it.”

Bill’s face turns red. “Are you threatening me, boy,” he hisses through the screen.

Pierre shakes his head. “Not yet, but I’m happy to go public with the video if you aren’t prepared to talk about my future with the club.”

“You fucking snake. I made you and I can destroy you,” he continues to yell at Pierre.

“Whose threatening who now?” Jordan cuts in.

“That kid is trying to blackmail me,” he snips.

“I don’t see it as blackmail. I see it as negotiation. As it’s quite evident that the relationship between the two of you has dissolved. Do you think it’s in the team’s interest for you to keep Pierre there after what you did to him? Also, why would you want someone who holds a bomb in their hand that could at any moment let slip to your family?” Jordan adds.

“Steve, are you getting these threats his team are throwing at me?” Bill asks his lawyer, who nods but doesn’t say anything because he knows Bill doesn’t have a leg to stand on.

“Why did you do it? How could you betray me like that? I thought we were family. I looked up to you like a mentor,” Pierre asks, and you can hear the hurt in his voice.

Bill wiggles uncomfortably. “I don’t know, it just happened.”

“How?” Pierre pushes.

“Kitty is very persistent.”

“She went after you?” Pierre asks, sounding surprised.

“Don’t sound so surprised, boy,” Bill snaps at him. Is he serious? Gloating that he was able to get the attention of the young woman, one of his players’ fiancée’s. He has lost his mind. I’ve lost all respect for this man. “I did you a favor, she was only ever after your money.”

“You did me a favor?” Pierre questions him.

“Yeah, she’s a gold digger through and through. She jumped at the chance to be with someone richer than you, didn’t even hesitate.” Bill gloats.

“So, you slept with her to prove a point. To make you feel like a stud again. Because, honestly, it’s fucking embarrassing knowing Kitty is only with you because of your money,” Pierre snaps.

“Still got to fuck her.” He chuckles.

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