Chapter 5

CHAPTER

FIVE

ALEXANDER

For the last hour, I’ve watched the video on a loop of this motherfucker hitting her, and every time I notice another detail.

There’s too much crowd noise to hear what’s said, but I can guess. Her body language speaks volumes.

The first few times I hit play, I watched the drunk motherfucker come on to her. She politely says no several times, but he ignores her. He finally starts to walk away, and then she says something to him. He spins around and hits her across the face. The entire video is less than a minute.

After each view, I want to do something different to him. Instead, I focus on what I can do. I can make sure he never plays ball again. Anywhere. That’s not nearly enough punishment, but it’s something I can make happen. A quick email to the Commissioner with this video should do it. I send a draft for Jack to review and tell him to send it first thing in the morning.

I watch the video again. And again. I’ll have to trust the justic e system to take care of the rest. I hit pause and send another text to Jack, telling him to contact the top law firms in the city and ask them to refuse to represent Pauly, regardless of how much money he’s willing to pay. I try not to throw around the Decker name for favors, but this is one time when I’m making an exception. Sorry motherfucker, but I hope your smug smile and entitlement are attractive to your cellmate, and he doesn’t believe in the no means no rule either.

After the tenth view or so, my attention to detail shifts. I focus on her. Dani Franklin. She’s not some nameless victim. No. She’s strong, not just physically, but a woman who can stand up for herself. When she says no to him, there’s no flirty smile sending a mixed signal. Nothing to be confused about. She’s firm. Serious. It’s obvious her no means no.

She deflects his advances without being aggressive. She turns her body and moves from sitting at a high-top table to standing, so she has more choice in movement. Aware. The chair becomes a barrier between her and him. Smart. All great self-defense moves. He says something and takes half a step back. Then she seems to get the last word, and a small smile of satisfaction graces her luscious lips. I bet it was something sassy. She seems sassy. Full of sunshine and fire.

She never loses focus on her attacker until she does. There’s a split second where Tyler barely enters the frame, taking her attention from Pauly, and she shifts her attention to her son. Her look turns from satisfaction to panic in a millisecond. She doesn’t want Tyler near this situation and steps toward him, another defensive move. Mama Bear is protecting her cub.

That’s when the motherfucker strikes. She’s caught off guard. He hits her across her left cheek with a cheap shot. She shifts slightly to deflect the blow, but there’s still enough force to knock her off balance, and she falls to the ground.

The video then shifts from her to him, a smug smile on his face. You don’t have to be a lip-reading expert to see him call her a bitc h. The person who took the video gets jostled around, and it ends a few seconds later.

I watch the video over and over, and each time, I’m more intrigued and captivated by this woman. The curve of her neck. The focus of her amber eyes. Her delicate fingers as they carefully remove his hand from her thigh. Her devotion toward her son.

My guilt weighs heavier each time I watch. I punish myself and watch it one more time. Then another. I played a part in this. I paid him millions to play a game and feed into this motherfucker’s entitlement. How many other women did he accost? I’m willing to bet she wasn’t his first.

I fire off a text to Jack and Jessica requiring sexual harassment training for everyone immediately, and request to review the employment contracts to make sure they have zero tolerance for this behavior. As much as I hate contracts, I’ll use them to my advantage when I can.

I think about Ashleigh. What if someone like Pauly hit on her? Could she defend herself? I send another message to Jack and Jessica asking for a self-defense course for all female Reaper personnel, the WAGS, and their friends. Immediately.

I feel a little better after sending those texts. Jack confirms he’ll make it happen. Then he asks if I’m okay. I send him the video as my response. He’s been radio silent ever since. He knows me well. I’m not fucking okay. Far from it.

I’ve taken action and done what I can control in this out-of-control situation. I jot down a few other items to follow up on tomorrow, making a note to ask how we can sponsor women’s shelters for domestic violence and offer these self-defense classes monthly to the community. Women should be safe from motherfuckers like Pauly Jackson, and I will do my part in making that happen. I’m disgusted that men behave this way and, worse yet, get away with it.

I pull up the internal coverage of the game. We have cameras everyw here. It’s the bottom of the fifth, and the Reapers are up by two. The promotions team is doing a between-innings activity on the field near the first base line involving Scoville and some kids. The camera pans to Ashleigh and Darcy, laughing with Tyler’s grandparents. I look back at the kids, realizing they are Archie and Tyler. They’re trying to pop a balloon tied to the mascot’s foot. I don’t see Dani. I text Ash and watch as she pulls her phone from her pocket.

Where’s Dani?

ASH

Suite. Boys wanted to be closer to the action.

I guess you can’t get any closer. Is she okay? You left her by herself?

She’s fine. She’s not alone. She’s with her friend Jenny and Casey Samuels. Besides, Jules is there.

Great.

I’m glad she met Casey Samuels tonight. Casey is a lovely woman, a devoted wife, and an adoring mother. I think she’s a book editor or something. Her relationship with Joey seems good. They’ve been together for years, and despite the demanding travel schedule, they appear to be a solid family. Archie’s a great kid, and Joey is an involved father, helping coach his little league team when he can.

But Jules? The thought of the charming bastard in the same suite with Dani makes me stop my self-torture, turn off the video, and head back downstairs.

When I get closer to the suite, I regret how I acted toward her. I practically interrogated her and left. I didn’t even notice she was there with a friend. Fuck. I was so rude, but knew I had to get out of there before I lost my temper. She’ll think this industry is ful l of assholes like Pauly Jackson. That’s no excuse for my unacceptable behavior, though. I guess I need classes on how to treat women too.

Miss glass-half-full, overflowing with sunshine, sass, and love, Dani Franklin. She’s stunning and exciting and someone I need to apologize to. Again.