Page 112 of The Girlfriend Card
“So we’re riding on this bull, and I’m shaking and bouncing my ass in his crotch, and I can feel his dick, like, growing bigger and bigger against my butt. He felt huge! I got sooo into it. But then the bull started spinning like crazy, faster and faster until we got thrown off, which really hurt—and y’all already know Dakota banged up his knee pretty bad. He wanted to head back to his hotel to take care of his knee at that point. But I’m a hardcore Devils fan, and he’s obviously tall and hot, so I wasn’t going to let him go that easily …
“After promising I’d take very good care of his knee, we took a cab back to my place instead. First thing I did was get a bag of frozen peas from the freezer for his knee, but the second he dropped his pants? Those peas got chucked aside, and we got down to business.”
A series of pictures and videos, with the naughty parts blurred out, showed on the screen. Until now, I’d completely forgotten that she’d filmed me between her legs. I gnashed my teeth. Her photo evidence left no doubt it was me.
“Trust me when I say that I was true to my word, and Dakota didn’t get a single wink of sleep that night. And now you know the story of how I helped the Devils win the Cup last year! So if you wanna put my name on the Cup, Devils, I won’tsay no, because I definitely played a part in us getting past the Sin! To be fair, Dakotadidscore the Sin’s only goal … so maybe he was right about that playing guilty thing. But my team won, and I got an unforgettable night and a great story out of it, so I’d like to think webothwon.”
The video came to an end, and a loaded silence hung in the air.
“You paid her to say all that, didn’t you?” I asked.
He chuckled. “I paid a small fortune to track her down, and then had to pay her another small fortune to get her tell her story, yes. But it’s the truth, isn’t it? You’re not denying her account. She’s got evidence. That’s clearly you in those pictures,Dakota.”
“Okay … but …” I grumbled. He’d had me trapped. There was no way out but the truth. “Alright, fine. I admit it. I was lying about Jane. I hired Ottavia to pretend to be my girlfriend.”
“Ha haaaaa!” Mr. Capuano clapped excitedly. “Amazing! He finally tells the truth!”
“I don’t see why you’re so excited, because all that means is that Ididn’tcheat on Ottavia. I hadn’t even met her yet.”
“Ottaviaknows that, yes, but the public doesn’t. Every single time someone sees you two together, they’ll immediately think of how you cheated on her, and how weak and pathetic she is for taking you back. How long do you think it’ll take before she gets tired of everyone snickering behind her back? How long until she begins to resent you?”
Suddenly, I started to understand what he was trying to do. “So that’s what you wanted to do, huh. Make me look unfaithful to taint our relationship.”
“I also wanted to make you look untrustworthy,” he added. “Which wasn’t hard to do, because that’s exactly what you are.”
“Fine. That’s my rap. I’ll live with it. As long as Ottavia knows the truth, who cares what other people think?”
He snickered. “You don’t seem to realize I’ve also damaged Ottavia’s trust in you. She seemed to believe you really hadn’t slept with that bull girl, because that’s what you’d told her. How is she supposed to trust you now? Knowing how easily and convincingly you lie?”
Damn.He was right. I’d told Ottavia I didn’t hook up with that chick. I didn’t think she’d ever find out I had, or that it’d ever matter.
“I can explain it to her,” I grumbled. “She’ll believe me.”
Mr. Capuano sat on Killer’s desk. “Dakota, it’s already over. Ottavia saw that video and she doesn’t want to see you anymore. If you’resmart,you’ll take my offer and save your career, because she’s already done with you.”
“You’re manipulating her. All I have to do is call her and tell her the truth.” I pulled my phone out of my pocket to call Ottavia, but Mr. Capuano clicked his tongue in warning.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he sang. “Remember my ultimatum: it’s either Ottavia or your career. And I’m telling you right now that Ottavia is already a lost cause for you.”
I countered with some blackmail of my own. “She told me you’re forcing her to marry Leo for political purposes. I could go public with that story, you know.”
He laughed the threat off. “You’d have a hell of a time finding anyone willing to print that story. And even if you did, no one would believe you.”
I grumbled.
But if he were telling the truth—if Ottavia didn’t want to hear a word I had to say—then why would he try so hard to stop me from talking to her?
Wanting to call his bluff, I scrolled to Ottavia’s number in my contacts.
“Dakota, if you make that call, the deal’s off,” Mr. Capuano warned me. “And just so you know, she won’t even answer your call.”
I pressed the call button anyway.
While the phone rang, Mr. Capuano tutted and turned to Killer. “What a shame, Dean. We just witnessed the end of an NHL career. And for what?”
The phone continued to ring.
“She won’t answer, Dakota. Wanna know why?” he said with a wink. “Because I made her the same offer I made you: cut all contact with Dakota, or kiss your trust fund goodbye. Wanna know what she chose?”
