She knew it had to be a business, that the players didn’t necessarily take it personally when they were traded, when they weren’t resigned, when they were sent down to the amateur hockey league, but it certainly had to give them an extra bout of inspiration to play their hardest. One man’s trash was another’s treasure, after all.
There were pros and cons of watching the Gulls play away rather than at home. Unless she was required to go to a watch party – a party thrown at one of the local sports bars that got Gulls’ fans together to watch the game and give them a chance to socialize with other fans and win cool prizes – she had the day off to do what she liked. Madison preferred to watch the game at home by herself so she could hear the announcers and focus on what was happening rather than what was going on around her. Plus, this way, she could yell at the television, curse, and eat whatever she wanted without having to plaster on a fake smile.
Amanda Brown was also a fellow Gulls Girl and the only person who knew about Madison’s relationship with Alec. They tended to work together a lot by request, and since Katella Hanson was in charge of scheduling and was relatively laid back, had no problem scheduling them together.
Madison, however, had not told Amanda what was currently going on with Alec. That was his business, and even though she might feel she needed someone to vent to, she wouldn’t betray Alec’s confidence.
“You okay?” Amanda asked from the corner of the small couch, arching a brow. “You’ve been pretty quiet all night.”
“Just have a lot on my mind,” she mumbled.
“You mean about Alec possibly raping that woman?” Amanda asked.
Madison’s head snapped over in Amanda’s direction, her cerulean eyes wide and her face instantly pale. Madison hadn’t breathed a word of that to anyone. How in the hell did Amanda find out?
“What?” she asked.
“Oh, come on, Maddy,” Amanda said. “Don’t pretend like you don’t know. It’s all over the news, it’s in the papers. Arrest logs are public information, you know.”
“Yeah, but you don’t think –“
“Of course not,” she replied, her voice taking on a much more sympathetic tone. “Of course not. But not everyone else is as understanding as I am. They’re already crucifying Alec in the media and Seraphina, for allowing him to stay on the team.”
“It’s bullshit,” Madison said. “He hasn’t even been found guilty yet.”
“Yeah, but this is the court of public opinion, Mads,” she pointed out, raising her brows. “Seraphina could at least prevent Alec from playing until a decision is made either way. But she won’t do that.”
“She didn’t make Thorpe step down because of him being a suspect in her grandfather’s murder,” Madison pointed out. “And Ken Brown was definitely murdered. There’s no actual evidence that this girl was actually raped save for her word. It should be a lot more difficult to get someone arrested.”
“You don’t mean that,” Amanda said in a low voice.
“You’re right,” Madison said. Obviously, the girls and women who were raped and didn’t actually have any evidence save for their word needed to be taken seriously. She just hated that Alec had to deal with the consequences of a fake rape for some unknown reason. Hell, the victim didn’t even want to publicize her name. Everything was confidential. Alec had no idea who his accuser was until he got to court. But there was the hope that this would all be settled without a trial, that it would come out that Alec was innocent in all of this, and the disturbed individual who caused all of this would get the help she needed.
“I know what you’re going through –“
“No, you don’t,” Madison snapped. She rubbed her lips together, taking a deep breath. This wasn’t Amanda’s fault, she had to remind herself. At least Amanda was someone she could talk to about this. “Sorry to snap. I’m just saying, no one really knows what it’s like when your boyfriend is being accused of all of these terrible things.”
“Maybe I don’t understand the rape part of it,” Amanda said, “but I understand the false accusations.” She took a breath, squared her shoulders, and turned to look at Madison. “There’s something I want to tell you, Madison. Something I’ve been keeping from you for the past couple of months.” She huffed a breath. “Please don’t be mad at me.”
Madison felt herself shift in her seat. “What’s going on, Amanda?” she asked, slightly suspicious.
“Are you okay?”
At that moment, a beautiful smile eclipsed Amanda’s face and her brown eyes sparkled. “I am so much more than okay, Maddy,” she replied and Madison could detect the honesty in her voice. “Madison, me and Dimitri Petrov have been quietly seeing each other the past few weeks.”
Madison’s eyes widened, her mouth dropped, and her eyebrows were pushed up so high they wrinkled her brow. “What?” she asked, her voice filled with surprise. “You and Dimitri? Tell me everything!”
It felt good to be distracted by Amanda’s happy news. At least she didn’t have to worry about her father and Alec’s issues. She could focus on something happy, something her friend absolutely deserved.
Amanda said that after the AllStar Auction back in January, she and Dimitri talked a little bit. She knew she technically wasn’t supposed to engage socially with the players but she wanted to congratulate him on acquiring such a hefty sum for the Gulls Foundation.
“I know he’s going through a lot, what with his divorce and his wife being a complete bitch about everything,” Amanda said. “I also know there are two sides to every story, but everyone knows she cheated on him and is demanding full-custody of their children even though Dimitri is the one that provides everything. Obviously, she’s asking for a shitload of spousal support.” She rolled her eyes.
“Wow,” Madison murmured. “He’s confided a lot in you.”
Amanda shook her head. “Not really,” she replied. “We don’t talk about what’s going on except the basics. I like to think that I’m a distraction from his issues.”
Madison quirked a brow. “Is that what you are?” she asked, her voice tentative. She didn’t want to upset Amanda but she also cared about her well-being. And even though Dimitri Petrov was a teddy bear and one of the nicest guys on the planet, she also knew Dimitri was fifteen years older than Amanda, and age gaps didn’t always work out compared to lovers closer in age. “A distraction?”
Amanda cut her eyes to her friend. “No,” she told her. “I’m not a rebound, and before you ask, I just know. We haven’t actually done it yet, Mads. Like, we basically just talk. I go over to his place and bring him takeout and we eat Chinese food at his dining table and we talk. We’re not lovers. Not yet, anyway. But we’ve kissed a few times. He doesn’t let things get too far.”
“Why?” Madison asked, perplexed.
“I think because he doesn’t want me to think sex is all he’s after,” Amanda replied. “He’s the one who wants to take it slow. I mean…” She let her voice trail off and shook her head. “Maybe I am a rebound, but not in the I’m-sad-so-I’m-going-to-have-sex way. He’s still a father and he cares about how he publicly portrays himself because he knows it’ll reflect on his kids. I just think he wants a friend. And I can be his friend.”
“So you don’t want to be anything more than his friend?” Madison asked, not bothering to hide the doubt in her voice.
“Of course, I do,” Amanda said. “I’ve always been a little bit in love with him, just like every other Gulls fan – both male and female. But learning about who he is, even when the cameras are off, just made me realize how incredible he really is. Madison, he’s really the same person.”
Madison felt herself smile. “I kind of figured,” she replied. “That doesn’t surprise me at all.” She cocked her head to the side. “How did this even start? I mean, I know you congratulated him at the AllStar Auction, but, I mean, what started your… friendship?” She wasn’t sure if that was the right word, but Amanda seemed to prefer it so, out of respect, Madison would
use it as well.
“Well, after people started to trickle out and we started to clean up, I saw him hanging back and fiddling with his cufflinks,” she said. Madison could see her eyes drift off, as though she was experiencing that moment again. “Mads, he looked so… sad, I couldn’t help myself. So I went over to him while you were talking to Katella about where to put certain decorations. And I told him that he had a great game last week, especially when he outskated Bryan Eckols, the rookie from Florida, right? And he just smiled, Mads. And honestly, it was like this little switch went off in my mind that said, Holy crap, Amanda. Dimitri Petrov is fucking gorgeous. And he’s single. But obviously he has kids that are ten years younger than me. And I totally know how weird it is, okay? I’m not denying it. But I like it. I like him. And he likes me. He actually cares about what I say and remembers things like my favorite ice cream and my birthday.”
“Is he over his wife?” Madison asked, wrinkling her brow.
“I think it’s going to take a lot longer for him to fully realize that they aren’t going to be this happy family like he thought,” Amanda said, choosing her words carefully. “But Dimitri is all about loyalty. If you betray him, it’s done. And he’s done with her.”
Madison was silent for a moment. “Are you happy?” she finally asked.
Amanda picked her eyes up and beamed. “Yeah,” she said, sounding genuine. “I am, Maddy. I really am.”
Chapter 10
Alec Schumacher returned to Newport Beach the evening after Game 1. They had won, but just barely. Alec had barely touched the puck but it wasn’t for lack of trying and it wasn’t because his teammates were treating him any differently. The Vancouver Grizzlies were fucking tough.
It did not help that news about Alec broke just before his flight. Everybody and their mother had something to say to him, whether it was just before puck drop, as he was checking into the hotel, as he was leaving the locker room after their team had won, as he boarded the plane. Coach Cherney had sat him down and warned him such a thing could happen. Alec did understand that and knew to expect it. He told Alec to keep his mouth shut, not to react, and to stand his ground if any of the sports media decided to try to ruffle his feathers and ask him about his personal life rather than his play.
Surprisingly enough, the sports media stayed quiet about the rape allegations. When they went into the locker room and questioned Alec, they stuck to the basics. One skimmed the thin line by asking if there was anything preventing him from having a better game, but he never actually verbalized the scandal, even when Alec denied the claim.
Alec tried not to think about it. He needed to keep focused and stay on track. Once everything was over with, then he could spend more time analyzing what happened, but for now, he was set to meet with Clara Daniels and Seraphina, and he hoped this would be the first step in the right direction.
He went straight from the airport to the Ice Palace. The cabbie was unusually quiet – either because he didn’t know who Alec was or because he knew if he said something stupid, Alec wouldn’t tip. Either way, Alec appreciated the silence. It allowed him to clear his thoughts for a little bit. He planned to meet up with Madison later this evening for food and to discuss how the meeting went. He felt light, knowing he would see her again. He hated being away from her, even for short periods of time. Which sounded crazy, because Alec was not the sort of man to get overly romantic about anyone. He loved his mother but he never loved anything else.
Until Madison walked into his life.
And thank God for that.
As usual, Seraphina’s office door was open. However, the Gulls owner and manager was not alone. Sitting in the chair across from Seraphina was a petite redhead that looked his age, possibly a year older than he was.
This was Clara Daniels?
She looked like she was barely old enough to see a rated R movie, let alone go investigating his rape case. She was short, with boundless curves that would make any guy with eyes turn their head, but she wore conservative clothing that did a good job at hiding them. Her hair was long and straight, her makeup minimal. Not that she needed it. She had a natural sort of grace about her.
This was supposed to be his PI?
“Well,” Clara said, standing up and giving Alec a sardonic smile. “I see my reputation precedes me.”
Alec felt the tension in his body ease at her words, and when Seraphina offered him the seat next to the PI, he slid into it with ease. She followed suit, and Clara did as well. As long as she understood why she might be questioned, Alec was okay with hearing her out. She was young and beautiful – he almost felt bad that he immediately wrote her off. Madison would have strangled him because the same was true for her as well.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Alec said, extending his hand.
Clara shook it. “And you as well,” she said. “It seems you have a bit of a problem, Alec Schumacher.”
Alec chuckled, the sound awkward. He wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that. Little wasn’t the word he would have used, and problem was an understatement as well.
“Listen,” Clara said, shifting her brown eyes to Seraphina before resting them back on Alec. It was like she wanted them to know she was talking to both of them rather than just Alec or just Seraphina. “I’ve read about what’s going on. I’m slightly familiar about what’s being reported. Initially, I thought this was some girl using Alec to try and make a name for herself. Maybe get rich in the process. But the fact that her name hasn’t been released publically makes me think she’s someone who’s out for revenge.”
“Revenge?” Alec asked, furrowing his brows and giving her a look.
“Hear her out, Alec,” Seraphina told him. “Clara has gotten closure for every single client she’s ever had. It might not be what the clients want to hear but she’s gotten to the bottom of it.”
“My goal,” Clara said after nodding her than to Seraphina, “is to get to the truth. You have your truth. The other party has their truth. But then there’s a third truth. And this truth is the real one. Just because you hire me does not mean I’m going to find what you’re looking for. I’m not here to build a case for you against an ex or to try and help you claim your rich, old aunt is senile and can’t leave her money to her cats. That’s not what I’m about. I’m about the truth.” She grinned, shrugging her shoulders with obvious discomfort. “Which I already told you. So… yeah.”
“Clara went to school with my sister,” Seraphina told Alec. “She knows what she’s doing. If anyone is going to get you results, it’s her.”
“But I must warn you,” Clara said, her tone serious. “There are things that I find out that my clients don’t want anyone to know. No one is perfect. Everyone has skeletons in their closet. Hell, I have skeletons in my closet. None that are relevant here. But anyway, so, yeah. I can help. But I might find out things about you that you don’t want me to know and I’d be bound to turn that information over to her.” She tilted her head in Seraphina’s direction. “Are you okay with that?”
“I have nothing to hide,” Alec said, the look on his face serious.
Clara glanced back at Seraphina. There was a look on her face that said she did not quite believe the hockey player. Alec wasn’t sure if he should be offended or understanding. Clara did this for a living, which meant she might already be conditioned to not believe her clients when they told her things.
“Then I’ll start today,” she said with a grin. “Why don’t you tell me your side of the story, Alec? Just for my notes. Like I said, I’ve kept up with the papers and the media. I’ve heard the official statements made by the police department. What I want to hear is your side.”
Alec felt tension in his back start to dissipate. Besides Madison and Seraphina to a degree, Alec hadn’t had anyone actually ask his side of the story. And it felt good to be able to share it with someone and get it off his chest.
As such, he told her everything, from the minute they touched down to Orange County, from when t
hey collected their luggage and headed out of the jet. How some of the players lingered at the bar while he headed straight for the sliding doors, eager to get home. He almost slipped up in that moment, almost told them about Madison and how he couldn’t wait to see her. He wasn’t one to be romantic, wasn’t one to gush about Madison even though she was worth it, but as he spoke of her, his heart swelled and he realized just how lucky he was to have her.
Instead, he claimed exhaustion. How he couldn’t wait to collapse onto his bed and fall asleep.
From there, he spoke about the two officers waking him up early the next morning. How rude they were. How they already made up their mind about him. How they thought he raped a girl he had met at the airport bar.
“I told them to check the tapes,” Alec said. “I don’t know if they listened – they seemed pretty gung-ho about pointing the finger at me. But I’m positive airport security has footage of a bar. You will see that I’m clearly nowhere on the tapes. I would bet my entire career on it.”
Clara was silent for a moment. “Did they mention your accuser?” she asked.
“That’s something else that pissed me off,” Alec said. “They mentioned that someone accused me, a female, but they wouldn’t tell me who it was. Aren’t I entitled to know who’s accusing me of rape? Especially considering I didn’t do it?”
“Actually, it’s pretty common for the police to withhold that information to protect the victim,” Clara informed him. “Even if she’s lying – which you’re assuring me she is – it’s still part of the procedure. Let’s use an example of a real rape: if a girl gets raped, goes to the police station, and reports it, and – like you – her rapist is allowed to bail out, if he knows who’s accusing him, what’s to say he won’t go find her and do worse things to her? It’s a good policy.”
Alec nodded his head. He understood it from that perspective. But when it came to his situation, he felt nothing but screwed. He didn’t know who was doing this to him or why. Which meant he couldn’t solve this for himself.
Rumors & Roughing: A Slapshot Novel (Slapshot Series Book 5) Page 6
