Karl and our GM, Kesmond, were already waiting. They stood and greeted us before we were all seated at the table. The acknowledgements were done and Sovoya was ready for business. She quickly unzipped the portfolio and removed paperwork. Two sheets that she passed out to all of us.
“What’s this?” Karl asked, turning to Kesmond, not bothering to look at the paperwork, instead expecting Kesmond to summarize the details. I also didn’t touch the copies she placed in front of me, choosing to see how this would play out. Without any doubt whatsoever, I trusted Sovoya with my career. She was indeed the best and often more of a threat because she was underestimated. She played into that because being a woman and an underestimated shark often worked in her favor.
“We’re all very busy, so I won’t hold you gentlemen long,” Sovoya began before she motioned to the paperwork she spread across the table. “This is what Ryland is demanding for the new contract you’re going to give him.”
She was so damn serious and cutthroat that I couldn’t do anything but laugh, which brought everyone’s eyes to me. I shrugged, as if not having a clue what she was talking about because I honestly didn’t, which prompted me to pick up the documents she handed over and do a quick scan.
Average annual value of thirty-four million a year. Guaranteed money of eighty-eight million at signing with a total of a hundred and forty million injury guarantee that would convert to a full guarantee by March of my second year of the contract. All I had to do was stay on the roster and healthy and the money was locked in.
Damn, she wasn’t playing, and from what I could see, there was no offset language that would allow them an out on the guarantee money. If I got cut and moved to another team, the Sharks would still owe me the full amount without credit of what a new team would have to pay me.
“Ryland gets a five-year contract…” she began, gaining my attention.
“We’re not discussing a contract with Mr. Parks. I’m well aware that you know his future with the Sharks is not guaranteed at this point,” Karl stated smugly, dropping back against his chair, steepling his fingers.
“You’re correct in that we are notdiscussinga contract. I’m giving you our demands. I’m only offering a courtesy of letting you pretend you have a say in how this plays out. Which is why we’re here.”
Kesmond cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably next to Karl. “Ms. Lanier…”
Sovoya turned her eyes on Kesmond, giving him room to speak his mind because don’t get shit twisted, this was her damn stage and she was the leading lady. His eyes darted toward me before he began.
“There are several factors that have to be considered before we can effectively discuss Mr. Parks’s future with the Sharks.”
“You would be correct. Let’s start with how Karl wants to get rid of my client because his wife wants to fuck him and Ryland refuses.” Karl’s eyes flared in surprise before she continued. “While I would agree that having Ryland on roster is a bit of achallenge at times because his moral compass is seemingly never in use, there are lines he refuses to cross. Which I’m grateful for…” She mumbled the last part and cut her eyes my way. I smirked. “Engaging married women, or should I say accepting invitations from married women into their beds, is a hard line for him.”
I watched Karl’s expression stone over then turn volatile while Kesmond attempted to maintain some sense of professionalism. “Should I understand what you’re talking about?”
“As the General Manager of this team, you absolutely should. Karl is allowing personal shit to cloud his judgement about not only my client’s future withyourteam but other players as well. Please understand, if Karl’s recent behavior is accepted as the blueprint for how he handles business, no credible players with halfway decent representation will join your franchise. Word will get out because I will be very vocal about how the Sharks are treating a veteran player who has more than proven his value here.”
I chuckled at the way Sovoya intentionally labeled ownership of the Sharks as belonging to Kesmond, which Karl also picked up on.
“This is my gotdamn team. I do with it what I please,” he snarled.
“Actually, it’s your wife’s team.Shedoes with it as she damn well pleases.” His jaw locked tight as fuck and Kesmond exhaled a resigned sigh, which had me frowning, trying to understand what the hell was happening.
“We’re done here. Get the fuck out of my office, and Parks, I hope you enjoyed your time in a Sharks jersey because your agent just made sure this was your last season wearing one.”
Sovoya lifted the tablet, tapping and swiping the screen before she pulled up a video that had all of our attention as soon as it began to play.
“You have no respect for yourself or this marriage.”
“Oh I thoroughly respect myself, sweetheart. Which is why I make my happiness a priority. What makes me happy is fucking my way through the Sharks roster, so that each time you see them on the field, you have to wonder just how many times they made me cum knowing you couldn’t.”
“This is getting out of hand and I will not stand for the disrespect.”
Mia’s voice was heard next and she laughed boisterously. “What are you going to do, Karl? Nobody tells me no. I want Ryland Parks, and if I don’t have him, you don’t have him on this team. Imagine how that’s going to piss off a lot of people.”
“You want to fuck your way through a roster, do it somewhere else. You’re going to ruin my gotdamn team.”
“Your team? Oh I’m sorry, did I miss something? Last I checked, my name was on the paperwork. My family's money is what purchased the franchise. The Sharks are mine. Every single one of them, and if I want to fuck them on the field, in the locker room, or in our bed—and I have done all three—that’s exactly what I’ll do. I told you what I want. Either you make Parks understand that I’m his only option for keeping that jersey or I will. I told you no more chances and you didn’t listen. You fucked your PA and my best friend, so I’m fucking every player on the team. I hope they were worth it, love, because I’m having the time of my life.”
Kesmond slowly moved a hand down his face and glared at Karl. Neither of them said a word before his focus was back on Sovoya. He tapped the contract. “I’ll have this drafted and reviewed by our legal team today. You’ll have the contract emailed no later than tomorrow by close of business.”
“No the fuck they will not,” Karl growled, glaring at Kesmond.
“I’m going to assume that your ego is what’s making you talk right now because I refuse to believe you’re that fucking stupid. If that video leaks, it will ruin our franchise. Your wife is sleeping with the players as vindication for you cheating on her and demanding that you trade one of our players because he refuses to reciprocate. That’s a human resources nightmare. You deal with your wife, I’ll deal with this.”
“You might want to deal with his wife too because apparently he doesn’t know shit about women,” I said coolly, highly amused that this man not only didn’t have any respect from this team but at home either.
