Worth the Trade (More Than A Game) (21 page)

“And Barry’s involved?” Marco was steamed. “You have proof?”

“He’s definitely involved.” Antonio pulled out another file. “As for the proof, that’s where it gets murky. He’s backing them financially. That, I know I can prove. But as far as how much he’s involved with the PEDs?” The other man threw his hands up, as if to admit it could go either way.

“The thing that gets me…” He leaned forward, confidentially. “They prey on our guys. You know, the Latinos. Guys who maybe don’t speak such good English. Or maybe it’s just that where they come from, the risk is worth too much to pass up. You know, even half a season’s salary will provide for their whole family back home. Of the two dozen names on this client list, over three-fourths of them are Spanish names.”

“Son of a bitch.” Marco took a deep breath, trying to control his anger for his fellow ballplayers, Latinos, and most of all Hunter. “You say you can prove his financial ties, but nothing more?”

“Yes. I have proof he’s an investor, and I’ll find out how much he knows.” Antonio cracked his knuckles, as if he wanted to hurt the man.

“No.” Marco leaned back against the chair. “This might be better. We know he’s involved in a company that is bad for baseball. But we don’t have any proof of criminal activity, is that correct?”

“Right.” Antonio nodded toward the waitress approaching with their drinks. She took their lunch order and retreated, leaving them alone again. “But I can get more, I just need a little time. And some additional resources.”

“Sure. Whatever you need. But hold off for a bit.” Marco was formulating a plan. “I wonder if he’d be willing to make a deal. If he would sell his share of the team…”

Marco shook his head. Frustration welled up, ready to overtake him. He could think of only one time he’d felt this much anger toward one man. The day his father dared show his face at the Texas ballpark when Marco made his first start. Just because his family’s company owned the naming rights to the stadium, didn’t give him the right to claim Marco.

There was too much money in this game. It tainted it. Money took something good and pure and turned it into something else.

“Is there any way to protect his partners from all this?” Marco was scared for Hunter. He knew how much the team meant to her. “His baseball partners. The team.”

“So this partner? A woman?” Antonio didn’t quite answer his question.

Marco nodded.

“A special woman?”
 

“I can’t let her get hurt by this,” Marco said.

“And you’re sure she’s not also involved?”

“Absolutely.”

“If she’s not involved, she’s got nothing to worry about.” Antonio almost sounded convincing. “So what are you going to do?”

“Whatever it takes.” Marco needed to decide how far he was willing to go to stop Clayton Barry. And to protect Hunter, the Goliaths, and Annabelle. If he confronted the man, it could cost Marco his career. If Barry wasn’t guilty, he could easily have him blackballed from baseball. But if he was guilty, he could ruin Hunter. And everything she’d worked for.

Chapter 14

Marco was the first player to arrive in the visitors’ clubhouse. He took advantage of the peace and quiet to get his head right for the game. He let go of all his outside distractions: the failures of his last game, adjusting to a new city, a new time zone, a new bed. He wouldn’t think about his meeting with Antonio. He couldn’t think about what he’d learned. Or how he was going to tell Annabelle that her husband was a scoundrel, but not the kind she’d suspected.

He wasn’t even going to worry about his next stop. Packing the few things he’d left behind in St. Louis. Facing the apartment he’d thought might finally be home for a while. And he certainly wasn’t going to worry about whether or not Hunter would join him there. She’d said she would, but he couldn’t be too sure about anything anymore.

No. He couldn’t think about the possibility of losing her.

Time to start his pregame routine. He needed to forget about everything that happened or would happen off the field.

“You’re here bright and early.” A man’s voice pierced Marco’s concentration. A man he had very little respect for. Clayton Barry. “What? No late nights with the local ladies?”

“No late nights. No ladies.”

“You’re saving yourself for someone special?” The contempt in the other man’s voice was unmistakable.

Marco busied himself with getting ready for the game. What this man was paying him for.

“You know she’s using you.” Barry propped a well-polished shoe on the bench next to him. “To win a bet.”

When Marco didn’t acknowledge his comments, Barry continued.

“See, she bet me that you could help the Goliaths win the National League.” He chuckled, like it was some sucker bet. “That’s why she’s sleeping with you.”

He must have thought Marco should be insulted. A beautiful woman wanted to have sex with him, and she had enough faith in his on-field abilities that she’d put money on him. He should just go jump in the Atlantic right now.

“So how much did she bet?” Marco couldn’t help but be curious. “Must have been a lot, for her to stoop so low as to fall into my bed.”

“Ten percent.”

“Ten percent of the postseason revenue?” Marco was impressed. Pretty ballsy of her.

“No. Ten percent of the Goliaths.” The smug look on the man’s face told Marco that he had no idea how much she’d risked. Or how much she believed in her team. In him. Barry thought Marco would be insulted. Instead he was incredibly humbled. And even more determined to protect her from this creep.

“Maybe you should up the bet.” Marco stood, facing the man. “What do you say to giving up your full share if we win it all?”

“Yeah, right.” Barry laughed. “You expect me to just give away my share?”

“Or you could sell it. Walk away with no questions asked.”

“And why the hell would I do that?” Barry narrowed his gaze, but there was a hint of fear in his eyes. “You’ve got a lot of balls for someone whose contract is up at the end of the season. When everyone finds out you’ve been sleeping with Hunter Collins, I don’t see a whole lot of offers coming your way.”

“You tell anyone about Hunter”—Marco stepped closer, towering over the other man by a good six or seven inches—“and I’ll tell Annabelle about why you’re here in Miami. Then I’ll make sure everyone knows about what FITNatural is really selling. The Player’s Association, Major League Baseball. The press.”

The color drained from Barry’s face. He trembled as he stepped back.

“I’m giving you a chance to get out before you’re forced out.” Marco kept his tone friendly, but gave him a look that let him know he meant business. “Annabelle was a friend of mine. She doesn’t deserve to be dragged through a major scandal. Neither do your daughters.”

At the mention of his daughters, the other man deflated. He dropped his head into his hands, covering his eyes and then raking his fingers through his hair.

“You stay away from my wife and children.” The threat contained no real force. Just defeat, as the man turned to leave.

Marco had faced his opponent. He was ahead in the count. Now it was a matter of time before he’d find out what Clayton Barry would do next. Would he challenge him? Or would he do the right thing and take the walk?

Marco couldn’t control what the other man did. He couldn’t control what his teammates did. He could only control what he did. He would do his part to win for his teammates, his fans, and most of all for Hunter.

* * * *

A soft tap on her office door interrupted Hunter’s focus. She was making the final travel arrangements for her minor league players so they could get to the ballpark in time for the game on Tuesday. She’d already booked her flight to St. Louis. If anyone asked, she was going along to make sure the rookies settled in okay.

“Oh, you’re busy.” Annabelle took her sunglasses off the top of her head and twirled them by the earpiece. “I won’t bother you.”

“No, that’s okay. I’m just being neurotic, making sure every detail I can control is, well, under control.”

“So what details are you working on now?” Annabelle sat down in what was becoming her usual chair. “If you don’t mind my asking.”

“Just getting the September call-ups to the big club.” Hunter wondered if she needed to explain what that meant. She sometimes forgot that not everyone ate, slept, and breathed baseball.

“I’ve been watching the games. Hoping to learn more about baseball.” Annabelle sounded proud of herself. “I know that you’re allowed to bring up extra players for the last month of the season. That’s what you mean by September call-ups.”

“Yes. We’re bringing up seven guys. And I’m sure they’ll all make their flights. I just hate it when the team is away. I get so nervous. Like something could go wrong and I won’t be there to fix it.”

“That’s how I feel when I’m away from my girls.” Annabelle gave a knowing smile. “But I suspect you’re missing Marco, too.”

Hunter felt heat creep into her cheeks. Yeah. She missed him. But she wasn’t going to admit it. Not out loud.

“Here I was thinking you’d be sitting back, relaxed, waiting for the team to win just a few more games before celebrating making the playoffs.” Annabelle’s smile faded a little. “But I guess there’s still plenty to do.”

“Sure. And I haven’t been putting in as many hours in the evenings as I would normally.” They both knew Marco was the reason her nights were full.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Annabelle surprised her with the request. “I can make plane or hotel reservations. I can order equipment or the cute little hats that say ‘National League Champion.’ That’s kind of like shopping.”

“You wanted to go shopping?” Hunter was pretty pleased with her wardrobe. Marco had been even more pleased by her new look.

“No. I want to learn the business side of baseball.” Annabelle’s tone took a very serious turn. “I started watching the games, so I could learn. Okay, and to see a little bit of Marco in action. He’s good, isn’t he? Like, really good.”

“Yes, he is a very good player.” Hunter kept her jealousy in check.

“I thought maybe if I showed more of an interest in the game, and yes, even in Marco, then maybe Clayton would show more of an interest in me.” Her voice was tinged with sadness now, but with an undercurrent of resolve. “But I think we’re beyond that. I think I need to learn the game—and the business—so that if I do divorce Clayton, I won’t be in the way. So I’ll be able to help keep the team successful.”

“You’re thinking of divorcing Clayton?”

“He spends more time in Florida than in California.” Annabelle twirled her sunglasses almost furiously. “That must be where his heart is.”

“Oh, Annabelle, I’m so sorry.”

“He can have Florida. He can have everything. I only want the house. The girls. And the Goliaths.”

“You want the team?” Hunter couldn’t have been more surprised if she’d said she wanted Marco back.

“My fair share. I don’t want to push anyone out of the way. But I do want something I can build for my girls.” She reached into her purse for a tissue and blotted at her eyes. “So I can show them that a woman can have it all. A career. A passion. A man who truly loves her.”

Hunter was a little confused. One minute Annabelle was telling her she was considering divorce. Then she was talking about true love the next.

“You’re my hero, you know.”

“Me?”

“Yes. You’re the real force behind this team. Obviously Clayton doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s got his head so far up his ass he doesn’t even realize what an idiot he is. He thought he could push you out, make you give up control of the team. But we can’t let that happen, can we?”

Did Annabelle know about the bet?

“You’re the brains of the entire Goliaths organization. And I have a feeling you have been for a long time.”

“I’ve always had certain instincts.”

“Like signing Johnny Scottsdale and Bryce Baxter. And trading for Marco.”

“I knew each of them could be a huge factor in our run for the postseason.”

“Tell me, truthfully, did you have your eye on Marco for more than just his defense?”