Page 128 of Pucking the Team

As did thinking what gossip would appear online.

“Hey, stay strong,” Eduardo said. He rested his hands on my shoulders.

“I am strong.” I dabbed my face and looked at him in the mirror. “I’ve been through worse, much worse, but the press,thosepress, they just want dirt and gossip and to make money out of my life and my photo. They’re like parasites and—”

“And you hate them, I know.” He kissed my temple. “But there are many more good people in the world, and you have us now, to stand at your side.”

“I’m grateful for that.” I turned and rested my hand on his chest. “But they seem to know everything, they have photographs of all my movements of late.”

He said nothing. What could he say? The bare bones of my life were about to be spread out for all to see.

Thirty minutes later, Eduardo and I stood in front of a closed delivery door with hotel security conversing nervously with each other.

The mob had been thrown out of the hotel but had yet to depart the valet area.

“Hyenas.” The security man shook his head. “They should never have got into reception.”

“But they did.” Eduardo squeezed his lips into a tight line. He was not happy with the security team. “Any sign of it?”

We were waiting for Theo’s white Jeep to come around the corner. He was to bypass the usual setting down area and come to the back entrance usually reserved for staff and vans bringing in food and linen.

“Yep, it’s here.” He opened the door, and the Florida heat and light flooded in.

Within a second, the Jeep drew up about twenty feet from the door. It couldn’t get closer because of pallets and refuse and recycling bins.

Three car doors opened. Out jumped Ben, Theo, and Dylan. They each wore stern serious expressions and instantly their attention locked on me.

“Thank you,” I said to the security man and stepped into the sunshine with Eduardo’s arm around my waist.

Ben was first to reach me, and he took my hand. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, fine.” I hated that he had worry creases on his brow because of me.

“Honey, this is a mess, but we can sort it.” Theo was also in front of me. “It will be old news tomorrow.”

“I know.”

“Come on, hurry.” Dylan puffed up his chest and glanced up at the hotel. “One of the fuckers could be lurking.” He seemed to pluck me from Eduardo’s embrace and dragged me close.

The next thing I knew I was running at his side to the Jeep.

Ben held open a back door, and I scooted in. Dylan was close behind me. Quickly, I sat. Eduardo jumped in the other side so I was sandwiched between them in the back.

Theo slid into the driver’s seat, and before Ben had even closed his door, he’d revved the engine and we spun away.

“Ah fuck.” Ben glanced up. “There’s someone with a phone up there.”

“Might not be a reporter,” I said.

“Yeah, maybe we’ll get one bit of luck today.” Dylan held me closer. “You sure you’re okay? They didn’t hurt you?”

“No, no, it was just a shock after such a lovely night with Eduardo, and the press are so insistent, and I’m so sorry to drag you all into this and…”

Theo drove past the crowd of reporters. My attention landed on the woman who had asked me about Dylan. Again there was a sharp, piercing quality to her eyes as she stared at the darkened windows of the Jeep. I didn’t know how much she could see in, but it was like she was seeing into my soul, like she knew everything.

“Fuck!” Dylan said with venom. “It’s her. That damn woman again.”

“Who?” I asked, despite being pretty sure who he was talking about.