Page 67 of Wild Card

“Yeah. She knows I can’t pitch.”

“I’m not talking about baseball, man—I’m talking about the card game, and Mallory. There’s another game this Friday night.”

“I know. I heard about it.” I glanced around, curious who else might be listening to our conversation. There was always someone listening.

“The fact that Elias keeps having meetings while you can’t attend or moving them so they’re not anywhere near the team house is total bullshit. I know Coach doesn’t know he’s doing that.” He scoffed, rubbing his chin.

“You know I don’t care. I don’t want to go anyway, but Mallory wants to.” Marcus had met her a few times, and he liked her, but he was also wary of her because she was technically a reporter.

“Mallory wants to go?” He reared back like he was shocked.

“Why is that so hard to believe?”

“You mean you don’t know?” He stood, watching me like I was a zoo exhibit.

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

He let out a sigh and rubbed his neck. “I would have said something, but you keep going over to her house. I haven’t seen you in days.”

“Just tell me, Marcus.” I was getting irritated that he wouldn’t just cut to the chase.

“It’s been leaked she was the one in that room instead of Taylor Beck. It’s also been leaked that she’s writing an article about the team.”

My stomach dropped out. If that were true…if they knew it was Mallory, then…

“Who else knows?”

Marcus watched me for a second before shaking his head. “Everyone knows, man. They know she’s after the story she isn’t authorized to write. They’re going to shut her down.”

My mind raced while I tore through the options available to me. I didn’t think they’d hurt her, but they would make it to where she couldn’t write her article.Fuck.I had to try to fix this.

Chapter Twenty-Four

“Why doyou think they wanted us here so early if they’re not even here?” Taylor asked incredulously.

It was early, and my dad and Jackie still hadn’t come out to the veranda to start brunch with us. We usually tried to get together every Sunday, but the previous weekend hadn’t worked for them because they’d taken a quick trip to the Keys. Now it was Friday and we were here at eight in the morning. Both of us had classes later, although I didn’t know if Taylor had been going to hers. Every time Iwashome, she seemed like she was there too…even when she should have been in a class.

It was odd.

“I don’t know. His event thing is right around the corner…we could have just postponed,” I said, leaning forward to sip my mimosa.

“Exactly!” Taylor jutted her hands out in front of her like I’d just said exactly what was in her head.

“Do you have a date?” It was a topic I’d been trying to avoid since we’d never talked about that photo she had taken with Decker that night, or the fact that I’d made it seem like he was into her then suddenly he wasn’t.

Taylor sipped her drink, cautiously eyeing me over the brim of the flute. “I don’t know…I mean, I was going to ask Decker, but then you seem to be having lots of orgasms with him, so I don’t know.” She shrugged like it was no big deal that she heard me having orgasms through the wall. My face burned at the idea that she had heard me.

I must have stayed quiet for too long, because suddenly her eyes were on me.

“You’re bringing him, right?”

“I was planning to,” I answered sheepishly, like I was ashamed of something. Did she have anyone she could ask? What was I talking about? This was Taylor—of course she had someone she could ask.

Her eyes narrowed as if she was trying to sniff out my lie. “Mal, just promise me you won’t go with Elias Matthews.” Taylor’s lips pursed as she leaned forward. If I wasn’t mistaken, she was looking around to ensure no one overheard us.

I shook my head. “Uh…I didn’t know you knew him.”

“He’s dangerous. The rumors…I mean, I’ve heard rumors about him. I think you should stay away from him.” She softly pleaded with me while holding her fork in a viselike grip.

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