Davis sips his wine. “I’ve been dying to know how Micah reacted to you hanging out with his girl’s best friend.”
The smirk he gives me lets on what I’m pretty sure all of us were thinking. If I fuck it up with Tab, it will cause complications for Micah since Raeann and Tab are so close. “He doesn’t hate me yet.”
“And he’s not going to, right?”
Jeez, when did all these guys get protective over Tab, too?
Then again, family is family. I wouldn’t hesitate to protect Briar or Charley if I had to. Which is exactly what I’m counting on when gathering the guys together tonight.
McNally impacts all of us. If he did take things into his own hands with Micah, there’s no telling what he’s capable of when it comes to everyone else on the team. Hell, the other players might have their own stories to tell. It might be something where we have to put the word out again. Just like when they all stepped up to help Micah by emailing Big Al their concerns. At this point, he has to be looking into McNally as well.
But you know what happens when people get squeezed. They can do some damaging things.
“No, he has nothing to worry about. Tab and I are it.” I shrug. It still feels a little surreal to say. Especially in front of the guys because they know how I operated. They had a front row seat.
“That’s great, Newb. I’m glad to hear it.”
“Now, when’s your turn?” I ask.
Davis makes an unamused sound. “Not for lack of trying, but no one has been quite the right fit. Or if they are, it just doesn’t work out. I think I’m cursed.”
Reid and Cade walk in, then Micah shortly after. We greet each other with knuckles or handshakes, and when we’ve all ordered a drink, I get down to business before Micah can even open his mouth.
“It’s McNally,” I start.
“Dude,” Cade says. “What is this fucker’s problem?”
Reid’s face is complete stone. “Tell us what’s up.”
It means a lot to have him behind me because he’s one of McNally’s golden boys. I was once, too, but then the whole dating show happened, and I’ve proven to him I can think for myself, I suppose.
“Is this about the show?”
Micah chuckles, but it’s dark, like he stepped right out of a horror movie.
“It’s about the fire.”
I look to Micah, and he gives the quick rundown of what he found out from the fire investigator.
“You’re shitting me,” Reid seethes.
“What the fuck?” Davis barks. “I almost don’t believe it.”
“Freeman’s getting a second opinion.”
“That might be the worst of it, but that’s not all.” Micah peers over at me.
I straighten my shoulders a little. I don’t know why, but it means a lot to me that he’s letting me run this show. It’s as if he might have a whole new level of respect for me.
“McNally threatened my spot on the team. I was in breach of the contract for the show, which he threatened to deal with legally, but he also warned my spot on the team might be up.” The guys start to respond to that, but I shut them down. “That’s not the part that makes me mad. It’s the fact that he slept withone of the two remaining girls, telling her that if she did so, he’d guarantee I’d pick her in the finale.”
“Is that rape?” Cade asks, his face hardening.
“It feels like it,” Davis says. “If he did that to someone I love, I’d be…” He trails off, but we all understand. Whatever it is, it’s not fucking right. Maybe Andrea was right, we can’t actually call it rape, but we can call it something else. A power imbalance. Using sex for leverage.
“Whatever it is officially, the woman feels violated, and that’s all that matters. I have her number, so I can keep in contact with her.”
“I can contact a lawyer,” Davis offers. “Gain some insight on if she has a case.”
