Worth the Trade

by Kristina Mathews

  “Ever hear of FITNatural?”

  When she only stared blankly back at him, Clayton continued.

  “You will. I hope to have severed all ties with the team by then. Taking this bet will help us both.”

  “What is FITNatural and what does that have to do with the team?” Hunter held her breath.

  “A nutritional supplement and fitness company I’d invested in.” Clayton sunk back into the chair. “I thought they were legit. An old friend from college hit me up a few years ago. He wanted to start a fitness company, one that was different than anything else out there. He wanted to focus on eating right and conditioning. He had the best nutritionists and personal trainers all lined up. He just needed the cash to get it up and running.”

  “And you invested.” Hunter sat down across from him with a knot in the pit of her stomach.

  “Heavily. And they were so successful that I turned a blind eye to what made them so profitable.” Clayton shook his head wearily. “It wasn’t until Nathan Cooper’s suspension that I even had a clue.”

  “Was Cooper a client of FITNatural?”

  “He was.”

  Shit.

  “So I’ve been going back to Florida, trying to figure out how to get untangled from this mess, but it’s big. Real big. And it’s only going to get bigger.”

  It took every ounce of strength she had not to throttle the man sitting in front of her. She got up and walked to the window. The ballpark was still full, but not because the game was still going. They were celebrating. A huge victory. A step in the direction of everything she’d been working for.

  And it could all come crashing down. Because of Clayton Barry’s greed.

  “So who else knows about this?” Surely the media would have splashed the story all over the place if it had gone public. “Who else knows about your involvement?”

  “Besides your boyfriend? Just my attorney, and the Commissioner’s office.” He followed her to the balcony. “I’ve cut a deal. I’ll tell them everything I know, including players involved, in exchange for amnesty. I can’t go to jail. I can’t do that to my family.”

  She wasn’t sure what shocked her more, the fact that he was going to testify or that Marco somehow knew about this.

  “How is Marco involved?” She needed to know if he was taking steroids. She couldn’t believe he would risk it, but there was so much at stake.

  “He’s the one who called me on it. I don’t know how he knew, but I figure it’s only a matter of time before the whole world finds out.” He sounded defeated. “Please, Hunter. Take this bet. Let me walk away with what’s left of my dignity. Let me do the right thing.”

  “The right thing?” She turned and walked back inside the suite. “You wouldn’t know the right thing if it crawled into your lap.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong. The only two things I’ve ever done right crawl into my lap. Or at least they used to.” He followed her. “Take the team off my hands, and look after my girls for me. I need to know they have someone like you to look up to.”

  “Someone like me?” Hunter laughed. “Yeah. I’m such a role model. I gamble with my team. I sleep with my players.”

  She smoothed back her hair, trying to put everything back in place.

  “I can’t take your bet.” Hunter was furious. With Clayton. With herself. “Oh my God. I bet on baseball. The cardinal sin. Where was my head?”

  “In Marco Santiago’s bed?” Clayton wasn’t so defeated that he couldn’t throw one last jab at her and Marco.

  “I had no intention of sleeping with Marco when I made the stupid bet.” Hunter felt ill. “It was my pride, not my hormones that made me take that bet.”

  “Your pride?”

  “Yes. I wanted to prove to you… No I wanted to prove to myself that I could get this team to the postseason.” And she’d done that. It had been six years since they’d made it to the playoffs. Six long years in which they’d come close, sometimes only a game or two out.

  “You did get them to the playoffs. And I really do think they have a good shot at going all the way.” For the first time, Clayton sounded sincere.

  “It doesn’t matter. I’ve screwed up. Big time. Gambling. Steroids. Sex. What more can I do to ruin my reputation with the league?”

  “You could give up.” Clayton brought her a drink and she took it. “You could back down. But I don’t think you will. I mean it when I say that I want my girls to look up to you. I’ve always admired your determination. Your grit.”

  “My grit? Stupidity is more like it.” She swallowed the aged whiskey. It burned, but felt pretty damn good going down. “I never should have let you push me into making the bet in the first place.”

  “And sleeping with Marco Santiago. Do you regret that?” Clayton looked at her in such a way that she got chills down her spine. Like she could have had him instead.

  “My personal life is private.” She couldn’t regret what she had with Marco. Even now, as she realized she couldn’t have it all. She couldn’t continue her relationship with Marco, remain president of the Goliaths, and sign him to a long term contract. “But with your involvement in FITNatural, when the scandal does break, nothing will be private anymore.”

  It would all come out. Instead of focusing on Marco’s production in the playoffs, reporters would be wondering about his performance in her bedroom. There wasn’t anything prohibiting a personal relationship between an owner and an active player, but there was some language that could be interpreted as “negotiations outside the structure of organized baseball.”

  “Sell to Marvin Dempsey.” Hunter finished her drink. “Work out all the details with him, but do it quickly and quietly. We still have a lot of season left, and we don’t need any more distractions than we already have.”

  “You trust Dempsey?”

  “Yeah. I do. He’ll do what’s right for this team.” She just hoped he was strong enough to survive getting dragged through the mud with her and Clayton.

  “I’ll sell to Dempsey.” Clayton sounded truly remorseful.

  “What about Annabelle?”

  “She’s filed for divorce.” He hung his head.

  “She thought you were cheating on her.”

  “In a way I was. I was cheating in so many ways. Just not with other women. You have to believe that. You have to make her believe that.”

  “Why?” Hunter knew too much about their personal lives already. “Why would you think I could convince her of that?”

  “Because you’re friends. She respects you and admires you and she wishes she were more like you.”

  “Please.”

  “Just look out there.” Clayton pointed to the still rocking ballpark. The game had ended some time ago, yet no one wanted to leave. They were all enjoying the moment. They were winners. They were a part of something special. Something that doesn’t happen every year. This could be the year. Everyone hoped. Believed. And no one wanted to give up that feeling.

  Hunter didn’t want to give up on that feeling. The team had come too far to let her mistakes ruin everything they’d worked for.

  Chapter 17

  Hunter walked into the clubhouse with the postgame celebration well underway. They had an off-day tomorrow and an afternoon flight to Phoenix, so they might as well enjoy the moment.

  She gave a few congratulatory handshakes and pats on the back before finding Marco holding court in the center of the clubhouse. He was surrounded by several of his teammates, Bryce Baxter, Johnny Scottsdale, Roberto Luis, and Diego Garcia were among the players laughing and celebrating with the man who’d hit the game winning home run.

  Hunter was pleased with the way the team had come together over the last few months. In some clubhouses the Latino players kept to themselves, separated by language and cultural barriers. The veterans stayed away from the rookies, and vice versa. The players who’d been brought up in the farm system felt threatened by the guys acquired through trades or free agency. But not here. They all see
med to be united with one common goal. Hunter thought Marco had something to do with the way the team had come together but maybe she was a little biased. It could just as easily have been Johnny Scottsdale who’d gotten Bryce Baxter and Roberto Luis to act like brothers instead of a couple of guys who had nothing in common except their jobs.

  Before she could think too much about it, Marco spotted her. He handed his champagne bottle off to Garcia and started toward her. His blue eyes shone with excitement and desire as he swept her up, twirled her around and kissed her right in the middle of the clubhouse.

  She should protest, but he kissed her long and hard and with his erection pressing against her she couldn’t think about why she would want him to stop. She couldn’t think about scandal or steroids or that stupid bet. She couldn’t even think about baseball at the moment.

  The room erupted into whistles and cat calls and someone dumped champagne over the two of them. Marco interrupted the kiss only long enough to warn her to keep her eyes closed. So she did.

  Finally when they came up for air, Marco pulled her up to a bench and drew everyone’s attention to them, as if they weren’t all watching them already.

  “Gentlemen, do you see this lovely lady here?” He held her up on a makeshift pedestal. “She’s the reason we’re celebrating together tonight. She brought us all here. Each and every one of us. Okay, maybe not you, Sully, you came over with the gold rush. But the rest of us are here because she had the foresight to make sure we were drafted, signed, or traded for.”

  They laughed at his remark about Sully, but a lot of the guys simply nodded when he spoke of how they’d come to be part of the team. Marco looked up at Hunter, smiling that sweet, sexy, so-hard-to-resist smile.

  “And I, for one, am not going to let this lady down.” He turned to face the crowd, his teammates, coaches and trainers, their families, and the reporters who were recording his little speech. “I know this is just the beginning. And it’s not going to be easy. But nothing worth fighting for ever is.”

  He could be talking about the team, or he could be talking about their relationship. Probably both.

  “So I’m ready to fight. I’m ready to give everything I’ve got to get to the next level.” He pulled Hunter closer. “Are you with me?”

  The clubhouse erupted in shouts and “Yeah. Let’s do it. We’re with you. All the way.”

  Hunter’s eyes filled with tears, overcome with emotions she couldn’t keep under control. They flowed down her cheeks and the second Marco noticed, he whisked her into his arms.

  “Let’s go,” he whispered. He led her to a cab. There were too many fans still lingering around the ballpark to walk to his apartment. He gave the driver the address to her place. Hopefully they’d have privacy for one more night, at least.

  “What’s wrong, baby?” Marco wiped her tears and dropped tiny little kisses on her face, neck, and head. “Did I go too far?”

  “No. That’s not… It’s…It’s everything.” Where should she start? “My father…”

  She broke into more sobs and Marco just pulled her against him, holding her, loving her.

  “Your father would be very proud of you.”

  “No. He’d be proud of the team, but not of me.”

  “We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.”

  The cab pulled up in front of her house. Hunter reached for her purse, to pay the driver, but Marco put his hand on hers.

  He pulled out his wallet, paid the fare, and exited the cab with her.

  “Hunter, I know something is bothering you. More than just people finding out about us.” He followed her to her front porch. Her hands shook as she unlocked the door.

  “I bet on baseball. I got involved with a player, I… I’ve ruined everything.”

  “You haven’t ruined anything.” He locked the deadbolt behind them.

  “I should have known better.” She shook her head.

  “So you regret being with me?”

  “No. No, that is the one thing I don’t regret. But, Marco, even if we win, it will be tainted.”

  “Because we slept together?” He sounded angry. Hurt.

  “No. Because I bet on baseball with a partner who’s involved with selling performance enhancing drugs to ballplayers. And you knew about it.” She tried to put more distance between them. “You knew Clayton Barry was involved, but I don’t know how or why you found out.”

  “Annabelle asked me to have him investigated.” He leaned back against the door. “I only agreed because I thought it would hurt you, if he was cheating on her. I wanted to protect you. I had no idea what he was into.”

  “Annabelle asked you. And you couldn’t say no.” She waited for the familiar stab of jealousy to hit her, but she was too exhausted, too heartbroken to care.

  “I’m not the bad guy here.” Marco raked his hands through his hair. “I should have told you as soon as I found out, but I thought I could convince him to get out before all this came down.”

  “He’s selling his share.” She might as well tell him that part of it. “To Marvin Dempsey.”

  “He was supposed to sell it to you.” Marco looked like he wanted to hit something. Not her, but she feared for the plaster in her hallway.

  “That wouldn’t do any good.” Hunter dropped her purse on the bench just inside the door. She was exhausted. If she was alone, she’d be tempted to just curl up on the rug in the foyer. “I slept with a player. I bet on baseball. I broke the rules. They’ll ban me for life. Like the 1919 White Sox.”

  “No. They can’t do that. I won’t let them.” Marco leaned against the wall, balling his fists in frustration.

  “What can you do?” Her heart was breaking. Everything she’d worked for her entire life was within reach and she was going to lose it all. Not only that, but Marco could go down with her. “No. You need to stay out of it. I think…I think we should stop seeing each other.”

  “No.” He stood over her, his hands on her shoulders. “I’m not going to just walk away from you. From us.”

  “Marco, do you realize what you have to lose?” She couldn’t let him give up his career trying to fight the system. There was a reason there weren’t any women high up in the baseball ranks. It was an old boys’ club, and she’d been fool enough to think she could use her brains to get into it. Her knowledge and love of the game weren’t enough. Her business skills were one thing on paper, but when it had come down to it, she wasn’t ready to take over.

  “Yes. Yes, I do.” He reached for her hand, but she pulled away.

  “Maybe you should go.” She went to retrieve her phone. “I’ll call you a cab.”

  “No. I’m not leaving.” Marco took the phone from her. He took her face in his hands. “I’m not going anywhere. Not tonight. Not ever.”

  * * * *

  Marco looked into Hunter’s eyes. He saw a world of emotions swirling in their depths. Fear, despair, hope, and unless it was his feelings shining back at him, he even caught a glimmer of love. He couldn’t let her go through all that alone.

  He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. He kissed her until he felt her soften. She went limp as his kiss deepened. He’d like to think it was because she was surrendering to his undeniable charm and prowess as a lover. But he had a sinking feeling she was just giving up.

  Still, he swept her in his arms and carried her up the stairs to the master bathroom. They were both covered with champagne and maybe, just maybe, he could wash some of her troubles down the drain.

  He turned on the hot water, testing the temperature before he carefully and tenderly started to remove their clothes. Hunter was first. She stepped mindlessly into the large marble shower and Marco followed behind her. This wasn’t about sex. Not for him, although his body was more than willing to go along with it.

  He poured shampoo into his palm and began to lather up her hair. He massaged her scalp and he could feel the tension slowly slide away along with the suds that swirled down the drain.

 
Hunter moaned beneath his touch. Her eyes were closed and what was left of her mascara ran down her cheeks. He couldn’t help it, he turned her toward him, kissing away the traces of her tears.

  “I wish I could tell you everything is going to be okay.” He wanted to reassure her, but she placed her finger over his lips.

  “Shh. Don’t talk. I’m done talking for the night.” She opened her eyes and all he saw was raw desire. “Just hold me, Marco. Please.”

  He never could resist her “please.”

  Marco took the handheld sprayer and rinsed her hair. He rinsed her body, wishing he could wash away her pain. He adjusted the nozzle to the massage setting, and ran it across her back and shoulders. She rolled her neck from side to side, allowing him to give her this.

  He moved the shower head down her back, concentrating the pulsing jets on her lower back. She moaned in pleasure and he moved her so she could lean on the marble wall. He nudged her feet wider and he aimed the water lower, between her thighs.

  With a whimper, she let him know he’d found another spot that needed attention. She squirmed and writhed and he knew she was getting close to losing her mind.

  She bucked and moaned and he brought his hand around to stroke her, and hold her up.

  “Turn around,” he commanded. She obeyed. “Grab onto my shoulders.”

  It took a little maneuvering, but they found a position where he could finish blowing her mind. He wanted to give her this. Needed to give her this.

  She dug her nails into his muscles. The onslaught of pleasure overtaking her.

  “Marco.” She shuddered, gripping him even tighter. “Pleeeeee—”

  He dropped the shower head as she wrapped her legs around him. He thrust deep inside her, could feel her pulsing around him. He pressed her against the wall hoping like hell he could stay on his feet as he drove into her. Hotter, wilder and more intense than he’d ever had.

  The water nozzle danced around at their feet, spraying in all directions.

  His emotions were dancing around in all directions, too.