Page 28 of Chips & Checks
I pick at the cuticle of my thumbnail. “If it were a one-off incident, it wouldn’t bother me too much, but… it’s not. Let’s just say that he’s not great at respecting physical boundaries.”
“Look, I get it. You’re not going to bench a guy—or blow up a roster spot—just because the new guy says something felt off.” He shrugs like I’m not burning inside. “But if he’s still crossing lines? Maybe there’s a way to keep an eye on things. Quietly.” Bowen glances at me, then back at Renee. “Someone external. No team loyalty.”
Renee’s eyes widen. She runs one hand over her already perfectly smooth bob. “It’s that serious?”
“Respectfully, if he’s willing to touch Violet like that in front of a witness, I don’t think he can be trusted alone with her. He had issues in college, too. She’s not the only person he’s ever targeted that I personally know of. And where there’s smoke...”
Renee pushes her rolling chair away from her desk and gets up. “All right. Thank you for coming to me. I hope you understand that this isn’t something I can decide on my own, and that any major changes will have to be approved by Sergio. Or, more realistically, Dante. I’ll file a preliminary report with HR and bring this to Sergio. We’ll initiate an internal review under the league’s conduct policy. That means confidentiality, documentation, and interviews. If it escalates, legal will loop in the NHLPA and the team’s legal rep. But it starts with your written statement. In the meantime, Violet, I’d like you to send an email documenting today’s incident and any incidents that you’d like me to be aware of. Going forward, please provide documentation in writing if anything else happens.”
“Great,” I say, but my voice is hollow. I should have known that this would boil down to paperwork. That’s how bureaucracy works, right? Or rather, how things get put on pause. Any “investigation” will probably drag on until something serious happens. And it’ll be me that it happens to.
Don’t think that way,I scold myself. You were prepared to keep putting up with Chad’s bullshit. How is this any different? At least now, someone else knows.
“Is there anything else I can do for either of you?” Renee asks. “Bowen, I’ve almost finished going through your paperwork. Everything looks good.”
“Thanks.” Bowen’s voice is almost as brittle as my own, though I don’t know what he has to be disappointed about. He shifts to face me. “Violet, let me walk you out.”
“I have to grab some stuff from my room before I go,” I tell him.
He nods. “Fair. I’ve got things I need from my locker. Meet you at your door in fifteen?”
I nod even as I swallow my disappointment. I’ve been relatively lucky in my career, thanks in part to the fact that half my clients are childhood friends. Plus, my dad works for the same team. I live and work inside this protective bubble. It sucks that proximity to powerful men is the only thing that’s ever made me feel safe—and even then, it’s never been a guarantee. But it sucks even more that, even here, I have to deal with someone who’s willing to test the limits of my personal space. Who’s willing toharassme.
I’m in a grim mood as I collect my purse from my therapy room. At least I’m going to see Ash tonight. When I tell her how today went, she’ll probably buy me brass knuckles, pepper spray, and tell me to knee Chad in the nuts if he ever lays a hand on me again.
Bowen bounds up to the door with his duffle strap slung over one shoulder. “Ready to go?”
“You don’t need to walk me out,” I tell him. “I’ve gotten this far without a watchdog. I think I can brave the employee parking lot in daylight.”
“Maybe so.” He adjusts his bag, flexing those beautiful muscles again and gracing me with a smile that almost pierces my gloom. “But I figure we need a chance to talk.”
“About what?”
“About Chad,” he says, in a tone of voice that implies,duh.“Internal investigations take forever, and half the time they’re useless. I just think… while they drag their feet, we devise a plan that actually keeps you safe. Whatever that looks like—I’m in.”
Chapter Six
Bowen
“What?” Violet stares at me like I randomly started speaking in Klingon. “I’m sorry, who is ‘we,’ exactly?”
I wrinkle my nose. “You and me and… maybe Beck? You two seem like pretty good friends.”
Violet rubs her temples. “Bowen—”
I hold up both hands in self-defense. “Hey, I’m not implying anything. But if he’s willing to help you dodge me at my own welcome dinner, then fifty bucks says he’ll be willing to run interference with Chad.”
“I don’t want to spread this around.” Violet keeps rubbing her temples, but she seems more worried than annoyed now. I’m not sure that’s an improvement. “The more people we tell, the more people get dragged into this. I’m not that kind of girl.”
“Orrrr…” I drag the word out while wiggling my eyebrows. “The more people you tell, the more people can help you deal with the problem before it gets worse.”
She sucks in a breath. Evidently, the possibility of Chad’s behavior escalating has already occurred to her. “True. But why areyouhelping me? Cam’s like a little brother, but you’re…you.”
I open my mouth. Close it. Try again.
“Because I don’t like seeing you tense up every time Chad walks into a room. It’s not good for the team if you can’t do your job to the best of your ability.”
Violet tilts her head. Waiting.
