Page 15 of Who's Saving You
Me: You know it.
Sloane: Well, if anyone can break him, it’ll be you
TRICKIE NICKIES
Me: Y’all ready to watch the Rage get cooked tonight?
Loving: Bro, they’re gonna fold like a lawn chair. I got Florida Suns by 10
Soba: Cap. Our defense is LOCKED. And with yours truly as QB? They don’t stand a chance
Me: Yeah, but I heard Mitchell limped off in practice. He good?
Soba: Nah, he’s fine. Just needed rest. Dude’s always doing that “hobble-walk” for attention
Loving: Exactly. Drama queen behavior. He learned from the best
Soba: I’m a diva, not a drama queen
Me: What about Jack, though? Haven’t seen him mentionedin warmups
Loving: I heard he tweaked his ankle. Might be a game-time call
Soba: Low-key might be out. They’re keeping that under wraps, but my thinking is if he's not in the walkthroughs, he ain’t suiting up
Loving: Damn, bro, rookie QB gonna have a rough go tonight
Soba: Nothing's rough when you’re this good
Soba: Also, you guys should be this invested in your own team
Me: Just looking for that inside scoop
Loving: Ask your reporter friend for the inside scoop
Soba: FACTS
5
Nik
I walk down the back alley of a four-story building, the one named Club Trick. Just as in football, a trick play is all about deception. And that's exactly what this place is: a nightclub and bar on the outside, but with a speakeasy room that requires a password to enter. The one I wear an oversized sweatshirt with the hood up to hide my face, dark jeans, and Timberland boots to. The opposite of Saint Nik.
Besides owning two hotels in downtown Mistletoe Falls and a restaurant on the water by himself, Dante Shivers and I co-own Club Trick. He and I have a business arrangement that began when I was in high school. He was the guy running the gambling ring my father was wrapped up in. The same one he gambled my college tuition money, and more, to. So when the time came for me to go to school, andthe money was gone, Dante paid my way—as long as I worked for him and kept my mouth shut.
I’ll never forget my first meeting with Dante. I was a young, scared kid who knew nothing about this part of the world. All I knew was that dad told me he was in trouble, and I vowed to do whatever it took to protect my family. When I walked into that back room with my dad that night, I felt like a lamb being led to the slaughter. But when I stood tall, ready to accept consequences for my dad’s behavior, Dante respected it.
He said, “You protect your own, even if it costs you. That’s rare in my world, and it’s why I’m in your corner now.”
I started off with little jobs. I was big, and I was good at getting things I wanted. He’d send me out to collect and make sure people knew not to fuck with him or his business.
But Dante quickly learned I had a really great grasp on the game. I knew plays and expected lineups before they landed on the screen. It started out simply. He’d ask which team I thought would win, if I thought they’d cover the spread. And then it grew from there.
Despite how our relationship began, we’ve become friends as well. We trust each other with our business. Some days, I want out of this type of life. I just want to be a football player, but then I remember everything Dante did for me, and I know I'll continue to sacrifice peace of mind to be loyal to him. In a choice this dark, it’s hard to find someone to trust. So when you do, you have to hold onto it. He’s the only one in this building, besides his security, who knows who I really am when I come here. Here? Saint doesn’t exist. Nik Papas doesn’t exist. I use an alias on all paperwork that ties to the club. W. Priestly runs a legit business, but because it’s mixed with some non-conventional means of income, I can’t have any of it lead back to Nik Papas.
I’ve no doubt Dante would make sure that if anyone figured it out, he’d make them disappear. I’m far too valuable to him, so he works harder at covering my tracks than I do sometimes.
The alley reeks of piss and garbage, and I glance behind me before knocking twice, pausing, then once more. A small slit in the rusted door opens, and a pair of eyes stares back at me.
