Page 62 of Jockstraps & Newspapers
“Good game!”Elliot slapped his shoulder, weaving out of their swarm and into his own.
Renner stood by the team as they huddled together.He grabbed Elliot by the shoulders and shook him vigorously.“Now,that’swhat I’m talkin’ about, Bonesaw!”
Elliot laughed, pulling Renner into a tight embrace.The whole team rushed in and before he knew it, Elliot nearly sank from the pressure of everyone’s love.It was overwhelming that his lungs trembled.Little husks of flesh in his chest, barely able to withhold a whisper of oxygen as he hugged his coach, and as many of them as he could, tightly.Renner ruffled the hair at the back of his head before the team broke from their embrace.
“Now that?That was a nail biter!Good game team, we’ve got plenty to celebrate on that one.I want everyone lined up to thank the Marauders and then it’s showers for the press junket!”
With their marching orders, everyone bolted across the pitch toward the center where the Marauders were already forming.Elliot’s heart thundered in his chest as the adrenaline viciously attacked him.Even inhaling deeply, and exhaling slowly, did nothing to slow its progress through his blood stream.Amped up wasn’t even a good enough descriptor.
Then Fenn came to him and they slapped hands together, grinning from ear to ear.Fenn chuckled, breathlessly, “Good game, man.”
“Great game,” Elliot shook his hand vigorously.His heart still slammed against his rib cage.The Orc shifted, as if to move on, then stopped.
Fenn grabbed Elliot by the sleeve, “Hey, I wanted to tell you…well, the whole team will tell you—it took mad guts to tell the world about Stevie, and it took even more guts of steel to stand your ground.It means a lot to us that you went to bat for the league like that, put your neck out like that.A lot of people who were scared to say something are speaking up now, and it’s cause of you and that newsie.So, you know, whatever happens at the press junket, whatever they say, it don’t matter.Bro, the whole league is behind you.The McMattersons can say what they want and pay their goons to try and sling mud, but those who know—the real ones who know—we won’t forget.And we know whose side we’re on.”
Elliot froze, staring directly at Fenn with wide eyes.“You mean that?”
“With my full chest, bro.We’ve got your back.The league is in your corner.We’re here for you, Bonesaw, you’re not just the Knight’s captain.You’re all our captains!”
Tears welled up in his eyes as Elliot flung his arms around Fenn.The Orc clamped his massive hands around Elliot and clenched him tight.There was a moment of pure reverence as everyone watched them embrace as tight as could be.Elliot’s arms trembled from how hard he hugged Fenn.Then, with a heavy exhale, he slid back and clapped the captain on his shoulder pads.“That means a lot, Fenn.Thank you.”
Fenn said nothing as he clapped Elliot’s shoulder as well and nodded solemnly.The line began to move and other players took their turns talking and congratulating the Knights.Every single one, however, stopped to hug it out with Elliot.Whispered ‘thank you, bro’ and muffled ‘you’re the GOAT’ filled his chest with light and warmth that he could face a million angry wasps wearing press badges.Even if the press was out for blood, Elliot could withstand it.Just to hear all of them.
Chapter twenty-eight
Going to the press
Cassiopeia
Nothingcouldhavepreparedher for an old school press junket.About forty journalists all packed into a room in the gym like sardines, elbow to elbow, with their voice recorders raised and phones at the ready.The only people not scrambling to keep up with the words being spoken were Mr.Pearson and Cass.She was just there to help in any way that she could.Which she was fully prepared to do—but didn’t have to...for some reason.The press junket was suspiciously fine.Not a single question was asked about Stevie or the McMattersons.No one inferred that Elliot was sleeping with Cass, or mentioned her at all.No one asked about anything but the game and the season to come.There was visible relief on Elliot’s face as he explained the complexities of their game strategy, with helpful quips from Toad.Renner and Lee stayed stone faced, as if they were preparing at any moment to have to jump in.But they never did.
It’s as if everyone, and she meant everyone, forgot the whole reason for the press junket.Granted, everyone got their fill of her athlete’s fun quotes, recaps of the game, and what it’s like behind the scenes with the teams...but this wasn’t the shit show she expected.
The doors flooded open and fresh air pierced the scent of bodies cramped into an auditorium.Cass pushed to her feet and waited for Mr.Pearson to finish speaking with someone else from the Salamander Press.They were a part of the smaller print, there to do some recaps of the press junket and all the questions asked.Normally, that would be Cass’s job, but Mr.Pearson already told her that her job tonight was PR deflection.As Mr.Pearson finished with the other journalist, he bound off the seat of his chair and they headed back into the equipment room where Elliot and Renner were waiting.
“Anyone else think that was...odd?”Cass crossed her arms under her chest, stomping up to Elliot’s side.
“Beyond,” Renner grunted, pulling out his phone in irritation.Whoever he was texting was getting an earful.Cass directed her attention at Elliot, but his eyes were appreciating her in the dress.She snorted, pushing on his arm affectionately.The goofy, busted grin on his face as he ruffled the clear fur on the back of his neck made her heart flutter.
“Down, boy,” she teased under her breath.
“What?It’s a good dress,” he breathed sheepishly, leaning into her side.His breathy response against her ear made her shiver.“And you know how much I like your legs in those heels.”
“Careful, wouldn’t want to accidentally go back into heat again.”She had to physically restrain herself from climbing him like a tree for the sharp inhale he took against her ear.Not to mention to feel of his shiver, a soft hand brushing her lower back.They’d promised to be as professional as possible today, but it was growing harder and harder to keep her hands off him.Maybe she was the one in heat now—could that happen?
“I don’t need to be in heatto want to knot you every moment of the day.”He nipped her ear lobe quickly before straightening up, glancing at Mr.Pearson.Him and Renner had gone suspiciously still and quiet.The pair furrowed their brows, eyeing them.
“Uh, guys?”Elliot broke the silence.Mr.Pearson opened his mouth to speak, holding up a finger, when the doors to the equipment room were opened.A rather perturbed Toad motioned for a Marvin McMatterson to step into the equipment room, followed by a lawyer and Lyra.
“Lyra?”Cass blurted out.
“Marvin, what great timing,” Renner snarled.
“Good, I’m so glad everyone is together.It will make this announcement easier.”The rich, stone faced, millionaire stepped off to the side with his lawyer.Lyra stomped over to Mr.Pearson, kneeling beside him to whisper at him tersely.Unfortunately, Lyra had mastered the sharp whisper that no one else could hear.Especially as Marvin McMatterson continued talking.A stack of papers was distributed around the room to the people in it by the lawyer while he spoke.“I would like this to be our official ceasefire.A truce, if you will.We’ve both slung some mud, but I think it would best benefit everyone if we left things to rest as they are.”
“What!”Cass roared, nearly ripping the papers in her hand without looking at them.“Your son gets to just harass as many people as he wants, assault people, get off with a slap on the wrist, and you think for one second I’m going to stop holding him accountable?”
“Stevie has acknowledged his deplorable actions and is seeking help to undo years of childhood neglect that caused him to lash out and act out in order to receive attention he never got at home.You see, I was never truly home and his mother passed so young, you can understand how that effects the young psyche.”Marvin clapped his hands in front of him, as if closing the book on the matter.
