Page 123 of In the Safety's Zone
I felt the need to clarify that neither of us had done it but I was silently telling them that they hadn’t fucked up by letting me compete. I wouldn’t bet on games when I could just play in them and earn almost my entire salary from last year weekly. I wouldn’t risk my people and the name I was building for myself to bet on some fucking games.
“And you’re saying Jill and Antonio’s asses are saying this?”
I felt like Choo was about to hop a flight to New Orleans to find wherever Jill was laying her head. After she pulled that bullshit with getting a mortgage on the house he’d gotten for her he took her name off of it and put it in a trust. She got put out and ended up in her people’s old house. Choo paid to fix it up and I fronted the money for the first six months of her bills. I wasn’t sure about him but I never asked her anything else about how she was living. I’d barely spoken to her since then unless it was to tell her she couldn’t have more money from me.
“They are. The rumor has already hitAthlete Dirtbut the two of you are big-time players. Someone from a more reputable station is going to pick up the story, throw allegedly on there and have tongues wagging.
“‘Twan should be able to weather this storm because although he’s an asshole he’s never been in any trouble.”
“That’s how we talking about your brother, Ant?” He was trying to joke but now wasn’t the time. There were too many people who might be scrutinized because of their association with me if this came out.
“If y’all need to suspend me while it’s investigated I understand.” I stood tall with my shoulders rolled back because I had no problems doing what I had to.
“Suspend you? Who was saying anything about that?” Stew was looking as though I’d insulted him and I probably had.
“I don’t want to be a distraction for the team. I’ll take the loss until we get my name cleared because I promise you I ain’t do this shit.”
“Anthony, we know you didn’t.”
I nodded at Billy appreciating that she had my back but now I was looking around the room at everyone else. “How y’all feeling?”
“Anthony, we know your character. We see it everyday and the hard work you put in to be better. Never doubt we’re coming behind you with everything we've got.” Parker’s face was unreadable but I assumed this was his business face. “We’re at the point where we’re reaching out to your parents. Right now we’re waiting to hear on what the league might want us to do.”
“The league? The fuck they got to do with this?” I wasn’t naïve but I didn’t think this would need to go past the organization yet. Especially since it was a lie.
“You know they’re going to say something about the integrity of the game.”
“Integrity? When they’re still out here denying them boys the CTE care they need because they don’t want to pay up the additional premium? How many abusers get to play but they want to talk about integrity?” I was getting angry again because I knew the league was gone try some shit with us. They didn’t like Parker’s ass because he didn’t capitulate to their bullshit the way his father used to. He was too progressive for them and cared about his players. That kind of independent thought among moneyed men was never appreciated.
“You called us up here for the heads or for something else?”
“Something else. We wanted to get y’all’s input on the statement we’re going to release to the media.” Bobby spoke up and Steph was nodding her head.
“What do we need to say?”
“That the allegations aren’t true and that we’re doing everything we can to find the origin of the rumor. Neither of you are going to allow someone’s bitterness at your success to be a distraction while you’re both having exceptional seasons.”
I was grateful he was here because I would never come up with that on my own.
“Sounds good.” Antwan still looked bothered and Bobby caught it too.
“But?”
“Doesn’t feel like enough.”
“We’re doing this to pre-empt anyone from trying to pick the story up as fact. They can report on it as a rumor but if they cross the line and declare it as truth then they’re walking into my territory.” Billy was smiling and Bryan was nodding his head like he wanted somebody to fuck up and accuse us of some shit.
“And if they do?”
“Then we sue the fuck out of them for slander. Between Billy and the legal team, we’ll be able to ensure that more than an apology is had.” Parker had no problem emphasizing the organization was behind us and I had hope for the first time in the last half hour.
“What aboutAthlete Dirt?”
The team had plenty of trouble with them because of what had gone down with Money all year and I knew their patience with that blog was about done.
“They’ve hidden it as a blind item but it’s thinly veiled. I’m already working on it.”
Billy’s eyes were dancing like a lioness that scented an injured giraffe. The sympathy on her face had disappeared andshe straightened the black pinstripe double-breasted pantsuit like we would adjust our pads before putting in work on the field.
