Page 71 of Traded

There will be no fighting. Not from me.

Not anymore.

Liam gathers me up. He carries me into the bathroom, carefully setting me down in the shower stall and cupping mycheek. Reaching for the shelf, he picks up a large, white, clinical-looking bottle and presses it into my hands. “I’ll sort out your nest, okay? You clean up. Take your time.”

I don’t want him to touch my nest.

But I also don’t want him touching me.

He raps his knuckles against the door before he leaves, offering me a sheepish smile and rumpling his hair. “I think this will really help us, Ro. Proud of you, baby.”

I nod.

Inside, I’m screaming.

Chapter twenty-one

No Photos, Please

Apiece of popcorn collides with the middle of my forehead, making me look up.

“Earth to Johnson.” Ness’s smile is less of a friendly grin and more of asit the fuck up and pay attention.“Did you hear any part of what I said?”

“Sorry.” I automatically reach to shuffle the stack of papers in front of me, searching for the meeting agenda. “Thinking about that brand deal. Where were we?”

Ness always has a perfect, glossy dark red lip. She purses them tightly now. “We’ve been approached by Valerie Adams for an interview.”

Valerie Adams is about as big of a bigwig as it gets in Blackwater. She’s a regional anchor for a national news station, and I know Ness has been stalking her for a national slot for the team’s playoff push promotion. Seems like it’s paid off. “That’s great.”

I glance down at the table. Lauren is watching me, a faint crease between her eyes that I choose to ignore in favor of Ness’s undivided attention. Interviews aren’t normally something I’d get involved in, unless it’s wrangling one of my alphas into taking part. “Who for?”

Ness raps her knuckles on the table. “That’s the thing. She wants human-interest, not sport. But she’s interested in you and Carter.”

I stop rummaging through my papers. “Me and Cart? Why?”

I know why. But Ness looks awkward. “Well… you’ve got a great story. She’s interested in his rise to the top. Thinks it’ll draw more if she gets both of you in for a sit down.”

“I see,” I say softly. She reaches for her laptop, tapping on it instead of meeting my eyes. “Orphan kids climbing out of the gutter is a good sell, I suppose.”

“It’s not like that.” Ness hesitates at my look. “Okay, it’s like that. But itisa great story.”

It wouldn’t be the first time or the second that it does the rounds. There were plenty of articles around the time he got drafted, highlighting hisstruggling roots, hisharsh childhood. But none of them came from him, only what journos could dig up from public records.

Carter rejected every request for an interview. I shake my head. “It’s gonna be a no, Ness. Sorry.”

“You’d control the narrative.” I’ve seen Ness bullish when it comes to other people, but it’s never been aimed at me. I’m suddenly in the crosshairs of a target I didn’t know was raised. She leans forward. “We could really use this, Rosie. The Aces are pulling in a lot of sympathy with their underdog angle. Boone Mercer is front and center in every outlet. Titans are starting to look like the big, undefeated powerhouse, and that doesn’t look great. You could persuade Carter.”

My fingers tighten against the edges of the meeting table. “Has Boone done an interview?”

“No.” Ness tilts her head in question. “But I’d say it’s only a matter of time. If we get you and Carter out there, we can undercut their whole media strategy. The public already loves you. We give them a little more and nothing the Ace team pulls will matter. It’s all hearts and minds at this stage.”

She wants me to trot out beneath bright lights, Carter beside me. To share a stage with him and pull up all of our worst memories to buy ten seconds of sympathy from people who only truly care if the Titans win on the ice.

It sounds like my worst nightmare.

And Liam wouldn’t be happy. I suspect Jonas wouldn’t be, either, if only because he’s not included in the invitation.

“I do a lot for this team,” I say finally. My eyes stay on the table. “I always have. But I’m not doing this interview, Ness. Sorry.”