Page 139 of Off Limits
For a moment, she’s speechless. ‘Sorry?’ she repeats. ‘What are you sorry for?’
‘I know how much you like him.’
Jewel screws up her face. ‘In a like… he’s a stud, from far away, you know? I’ve barely said two words to him. I mean, he’s cute, I’m jealous as hell, but… why didn’t you tell me?’
‘I didn’t tell anyone ’til Thursday night.’
Jewel launches herself at me and gives me the biggest bear hug, practically lifting me off the ground. ‘I’m so happy for you,’ she whispers, and relief floods my veins.
‘I was so scared to tell you. And, anyway, it’s lost me my job.’
‘Is that why Samantha Conway fired you?’ Ashlyn asks.
I pull back from Jewel and nod again. ‘For both those reasons.’
‘Hold up,’ Harmony says, getting to her feet. ‘Serenity’s not finished. Y’all need to hear everything.’
I offer her a pleading look.
Jewel is aghast. ‘There’s more?’
‘Serenity was being blackmailed. By Brody Conway,’ Harmony states.
It takes me a few more minutes to bring everybody up to speed, all the way up to Dalton Briar accompanying me to Brody’s apartment last night. Jewel remains with me and holds my hand as she listens.
‘That’s how I got Persia’s uniform back. He wanted me to wear it, but I took it, put it in my bag and brought it with me to the Danube this morning. It was still there when Kathleen brought it to the office when Ms Conway fired me. So, it now looks like I’m a thief too.’
‘But you said Brody didn’t know about you and Jake,’ Tori says.
‘He didn’t. But I kissed him in the basement parking lot. The whole thing must have been captured on CCTV. Brody had all the evidence he needed.’
‘And you think he’s fed the whole thing to his motheranonymously?’ Shawny comments. ‘What a rotten creep.’
Jewel hugs me again.
‘Does Jake know you’ve been fired?’ Imara asks.
‘Sam Conway ordered me not to contact him. Said she’d already told Coach Holland to take away all the players’ phones before the game.’
‘The game is tomorrow night!’ Angel exclaims. ‘What are they, twelve? That’s ridiculous.’
‘Surely we can get a message to somebody,’ Lacey echoes.
The room erupts again. Harmony shushes everyone. ‘I’ll send a message to Ally Briar. She’s gone to Tennessee. But, right now, there is nothing the men can do,’ she says. ‘This is up tous. When Persia got fired, I let it happen. I didn’t push back. All she did was go to one party. Her actions didn’t warrant her losing her job. The same for Mona. She was going through a rough time, and nobody had her back. I blame myself.’
Almost the entire room objects to her statement.
‘Plus, I’m sure that Serenity is not the only one to have harboured a few secrets in this squad,’ she says.
A second silence descends.
‘I include myself in that group,’ Harmony adds quietly.
‘Please tell me you finally slept with Hud Briar,’ Angel voices out loud.
There is laughter. ‘I may have had some very good, very hot sex with Hud Briar, all night on Thursday and most of yesterday afternoon, yes.’
The room erupts once more and this time I giggle, because finally it’s not me we’re talking about.
