“We need him out of the picture. I’m convinced Claudio Vega is a mutant,” Wilfred said.
Staring out of the window before turning around to face the other men, Cederick Hanlon, tall, gaunt, and an owner of a prestigious team spoke quietly: “There’s no legal precedent which states we have the right to kick him out of the game for being born with certain… Talents.”
A few of the other men nodded and groaned in agreement before Cederick continued: “And we’ll have all manner of civil rights groups campaigning against us for being prejudiced if we try to segregate Claudio and his kind. No, we’re going to have to do something more drastic I’m afraid.”
“All I know is that the bookies are losing a fortune. No one can bet against the Giants because they rarely lose, it’s killing the game and making some of our contacts in organized crime nervous,” replied Wilfred.
“Exactly. Gentlemen, I think we are all in agreement then that we’re going to have to do something about Claudio Vega. Something that will remove him from the game. If it pleases everyone I think I have a plan…”
The room was silent, waiting. When Cederick finally revealed his plan, everyone, Wilfred included, was quite, quite pleased.
***
Suzanne Curtis had bad luck. Ask anyone who knew her, they’d tell you just as much, and right now was about the worst run of luck she’d ever had. Her dad was a drunk, or rather, had been a drunk. He’d died in a house fire of his own accidental making when Suzanne was just six years old. With her mother also gone, she was left to move from foster home to foster home. The cards were stacked against her from the very beginning.
It was quite an achievement then that she’d managed to retain a warm heart despite how cold and bitter the world had been to her so far. At just 19 years old she’d seen and done a lot, not all of it healthy, but she was the type of person who always looked out for those around her. If she was walking down a street and saw a homeless man or woman in a bad way, she’d offer up her last dollar, even if it meant she wouldn’t eat that night.
That was just who she was. Perhaps her father had been kind, or her mother, but it was anyone’s guess how someone so hard done by could retain a positive outlook. Yet Suzanne had that. She was selfless, and if there was any selfishness in her, it was only for one thing - how she dreamed of being loved, of being held, of being comforted and told that everything was going to be okay…
She tried to tell herself that as she walked down First Avenue. Everything is going to be okay, Suzanne. You just wait and see.
Without a dime in her pocket and not eating anything for two days, she had to give in. Prostitution was now her only recourse. Things were getting desperate, and in a city that didn’t look down on the homeless too kindly, it was only a matter of time before someone took advantage. A pimp by the name of Max had seen her walking around the streets. He said he’d get her money, food and a place to crash after she bagged her first client. All she had to do was walk around until she was approached, do the deed and then hand the cash to Max.
She felt sick even thinking about it, but what else could she do? Society had failed her and the only thing she felt she had left of any value was her body. Now the world wanted that too.
“Want to make some money?” the voice had said from a darkened doorway.
Suzanne would have normally walked on by, but not on that day, not with the hunger that felt like it was eating a hole in her stomach. Today she’d take any ray of hope as long as it led to food and shelter. She stopped and looked at the doorway. A man in a well-pressed suit was standing there, his hair slicked back and his eyes covered by sunglasses.
“I said, do you want to make some money, kid?”
“Sure…” the words just came out of her mouth. She wasn’t sure. “What is it and how much?”
With a cute smile, tanned skin and blond hair most women would kill for, it wasn’t the first time she’d been propositioned; but this was her moment of weakness.
“It’s nothing bad, just a little bit of fun. If you can handle it,” the man said.
“Yeah…. Okay”.
“There’s an alley around the back from here. You game?” The man grinned, and while his eyes were obscured, his voice sounded gentle. “In fact, it’s a little wet out here and I’d hate for you to catch a cold, Honey. Listen…. I’m staying in a hotel room around the corner…”
“No,” Suzanne said. “If it happens anywhere, it happens here.”
“As you wish.” The man started walking alongside Suzanne to the rear of the building.
Suddenly a car screeched to halt next to them. Before she knew what was happening, Suzanne felt a cloth over her mouth. It was dowsed in some sort of chemical. What, she didn’t know. Then, the lights started to go out and she was bundled into the back of the car.
She tried to scream, but as she inhaled what was on the cloth, she quickly lost consciousness and wouldn’t wake for another three hours. In that time, her world would take a strange turn for both the better and worse.
***
Claudio was in his kitchen, making a sandwich for lunch. Just as he was getting ready to sit down and enjoy it, the phone rang.
“Claudio Vega?” The voice had said.
“Yes?” Claudio responded.
“Listen carefully. We know that you are a mutant. It gives you an unfair advantage against the other footballers.”
Claudio was frozen to the spot with shock.
The voice continued: “If you do not meet us at the Anvil Hotel in the West side of the city by 5PM, we will go to the newspapers with photographic evidence.”
“What…” Claudio didn’t know what to say.
“We can make this all go away with a little financial persuasion. Meet us at the hotel and we will discuss the arrangements. Ask for the room booked under Vega at the desk, room 237. Come alone, any sight of anyone else and we’re done”
The black mailer hung up, and Claudio was terrified. They were onto him. Finally after all this time, someone in the game knew he was a mutant. Sure, he could move faster than most, but when wearing his football jersey and pants, there was no way someone could tell his legs were changing underneath. Someone had found out and obtained pictures somehow, at least, that’s what they claimed. Regardless, he couldn’t let his secret out, not yet. He was proud to be a mutant, but there was too much to risk by revealing it. He was pretty sure plenty would say he was cheating, but all he wanted was to enjoy his career and make his family proud. He could not risk what he had going for himself and had to take this meeting.
***
He sensed something was wrong when he entered the hotel. It was difficult for Claudio to go anywhere without being recognized, but the hotel staff, and in particular a scrawny guy in his 40s behind the reception desk, seemed to be actively trying not to recognize him. At least that was the impression they gave. Almost as if they were acting, knowing who he was but pretending not to.
The instructions had been clear - collect a key to room 237 from the desk, then head up alone to the room. If Claudio brought anyone with him, then there would be trouble, and if Claudio wanted this to all go away then he’d better follow the instructions to the letter. That was true, the blackmailers seemed to know: Claudio wanted more than anything for this to go away. He’d brought great pride to his family, and that was more important than anything else.
Claudio just didn’t know how his father would respond to the news, whether he’d think Claudio a freak, or whether he would be bitterly disappointed that Claudio had made so many touchdowns with the advantages his condition gave him; some sort of Darwinian cheat.
His footsteps creaked in the hallway as he finally reached room 237. Looking around he could see no one. Anxiously putting the key in the lock, he turned it, opened the door and then cautiously stepped inside.
“Hello?” Claudio said quietly at first. “Hello?” This time he was more assured.
He walked into the room and was horrified by what he saw. A young
woman, no more than twenty years old was lying naked and unconscious on a worn double bed. Her face was covered in a white powder, no doubt cocaine; and other drug paraphernalia - including needles - were scattered around the place haphazardly. Claudio was immediately concerned about the woman and stepped forward to see if she needed CPR.
That was when he felt it.
A pinprick shot into his arm. He looked down. Some kind of dart stuck out of his skin. The pain soon turned to ice cold numbness as it climbed up his body. As the room began to spin, he was aware for a second as though someone else was in the place, nearby. He thought he saw someone in a suit appear from behind a curtain. Then the room went black, and Claudio Vega’s life would never be the same.
***
Claudio opened his eyes to the light streaming through the blinds. It took him a moment to get his bearing, but when he finally shook the foggy feeling, he was left horrified. He was still in the same dingy hotel room, but the man from behind the curtain was gone. Claudio looked down at his body lying on the bed, and nearly died of shock.
He was completely naked.
Looking to his right the girl who’d been lying on the bed unconscious was still there - still unconscious. Her nose was still smeared in cocaine, as was the bed, and when Claudio touched his own face he could feel the unmistakable texture of a powder.
Panic began to set in. He knew this was bad - really bad. First, people threatened him with, and now he was in what looked like a drug binge with a woman… He looked at her again, noticing this time the thick makeup plastered on her face, thick fake eyelashes protruding and a dark eye shadow.
She must be a hooker, he thought!
That was when the enormity of it all struck him. This was a setup and a pretty elaborate one. He was a 100% certain that someone had taken pictures of him in this state, and that that would end his career with the NFL. More than that, the shame this would bring to his family would be unbearable.
The girl groaned, and quickly Claudio realized that he needed to get out of there, but he couldn’t just leave the hooker like that, maybe she needed medical attention. He didn’t know.
She groaned again, this time opening her eyes slowly. To say she screamed would be an understatement. After seeing Claudio, as naked as the day he was born standing in front of her smeared in cocaine, survival had kicked in and she started yelling for help.
“Please, no, Miss!” Claudio was caught between pleading with the prostitute to stop screaming and trying to cover up his privates with a pillow. “I’m not going to hurt you. I don’t know how I got here.”
“You’re… You’re Claudio Vega?” the hooker said, hesitating.
“No, my name is… Mario…” Claudio was never that great of a liar. “Please, just don’t scream, I’ll help you get out of here safely. What’s your name?”
“Suzanne.” She had indeed stopped screaming.
“Well, Suzanne, why did they do this?”
“You think I know! One minute I was asked up here for a photo shoot and the next thing I know I wake up next to you covered in drugs!”
Claudio wasn’t sure if he believed the hooker, but he didn’t want to wait around to find out if she was being truthful or not. Any minute now the hotel could be swarming with journalists and photographers. He just couldn’t take the risk.
“Okay, Suzanne. What we need to do is get dressed and get the hell out of this hotel,” said Claudio as he pulled on his jeans.
Suzanne wrapped the bedclothes around her to cover up her body. “Could you hand me my clothes, please?”
Claudio did as she asked, and as he did so he noticed something. She was beautiful. Beneath the garish makeup, lipstick and eyelashes, there was something about her. He quickly shook the thought from his head and focused on the dangers at hand.
“Suzanne… I can’t be seen with a hooker, so when we get to the fire exit and get out of here, we’ll both need to go our separate ways.”
Suzanne looked at Claudio angrily. “You think I’m a hooker?”
“Well…” Claudio was a bit lost for words.
“Well what?”
“The way you’re dressed. You look like…” Claudio suddenly realized he was being rude.
“They must have plastered this makeup on while I was knocked-out!”
“So, you’re not a hooker?” asked Claudio.
“Well… It’s complicated!”
“Everything is.”
Once they were both dressed, Claudio opened the door into the hallway and looked. The coast was clear. Stepping quietly yet quickly, soon they made it to the fire escape and after descending a few flights of stairs they rushed through the last door and found themselves standing in an alleyway at the back of the hotel.
The rain drizzled down from above, the sun now hiding behind darkened clouds. Suzanne held her hands out. The rain pattered against them. She then tried desperately to wipe the makeup from her face. Claudio laughed loudly.
“What’s so funny?” asked Suzanne, confused.
“Your makeup is smeared all over your face. You look like a failed clown.”
“I’m not sure I find this funny… Look… Claudio, Mario, whatever you call yourself, you better get out of here before anyone sees you.”
Those words started something. Staring at Suzanne, he saw that kindness and selflessness that she had and was captivated by it. Ever the gentlemen, he tried to make amends for his joke.
“Suzanne. I’m really sorry about all of this. Please, let me give you some money, to help make up for all of this.”
“You mean so I keep my mouth shut? Don’t worry, I don’t want to tell anyone about this!”
Claudio stepped closer to Suzanne. He pulled out his wallet, and then held out a bundle of notes, at least several hundred dollars.
“Please. I don’t mean it that way, it’s just, you look like you’ve fallen on hard times,” Claudio pointed at a hole on the arm of Suzanne’s top.
She’d never have accepted the money under normal circumstances. But these were anything but normal circumstances. She hadn’t eaten in days, and again the hunger took over, stretched her arm out and held the money gently.
Click.
They both heard the sound at the same time. Spinning around, there was a photographer, who quickly disappeared into a street nearby. Of course, Claudio could have easily caught him, but that would just have made things worse.
Claudio parted from Suzanne with a heavy heart. He knew that at the same time next day, newspapers and sports websites around the world would be filled with scandal.
He was right.
He spent the first few hours of the day in his penthouse. He couldn’t even bring himself to look at the news. His phone had been ringing for hours – it was his brother, Cristiano. His agent rang, people from the Giants too. It was a mess. Claudio knew that the people closest to him were trying to find out what had happened, where all of this scandal had come from, but the last people Claudio felt like facing were his family.
Finally, he gave in and picked up the phone.
"Brother! What have you done?" Cristiano said on the other end of the line.
"I haven’t done anything. It’s a stitch up," Claudio pleaded.
"They have pictures. Have you seen the news?"
"No. I’m not sure I want to..."
Cristiano began to grow angry. "You can’t bury your head in the sand. You need to make a statement."
"What could I say?"
"I think you’re going to need to come clean about the whole thing to try and save your reputation. At least people will see that you’re honest," Cristiano said, waiting for a response. But Claudio didn’t feel like he had one. His brother didn’t seem to believe that the incident was a stitch up.
"Claudio... are you there?" Cristiano’s anger was increasing by the second.
"Have you spoken to dad?" Claudio asked his brother.
"Yes... He’s... Maybe it’s best if you speak with him yourself..." said Cristiano, h
esitatingly.
"Please, Cristiano. Tell me what he said..."
"He’s ashamed. He’ll talk to you when he’s calmed down. Maybe you should leave him for a while..."
Claudio’s heart sank. All he wanted was to make his father proud, it was all he’d ever worked towards, but now that had all been undone by whoever had set up the conspiracy to frame him.
"No, I’ll be there in an hour." Claudio hung up and got ready immediately.
By the time he drove out of the penthouse garage in his Lamborghini, the press was waiting for him. Like a swarm of bees, they surrounded his car taking pictures and trying to get an interview with him.
Claudio was shocked, but it should have been expected. He was the world’s biggest sports star and now he’d been filmed handing over cash to a prostitute. Things were bound to be chaotic.
After passing the crowds of reporting vultures, he drove for an hour, finally making it to his father’s villa. It was usually quiet, a cozy little place in the hills, but Claudio realized then that this calamity was going to follow him wherever he went.
It took all of his might just to push through them:
"Can you respond to the rumors that you’re going to be expelled from the game, Claudio, for bringing it into disrepute? Claudio?" A reporter was in his face.
Claudio had to calm himself and not physically handle the reporter. He had to get through to his father’s house and get inside as quickly as possible without losing his temper.
Closing the door behind him, Claudio could see Cristiano waiting by their father’s side. Their dad was sitting in his armchair, his head in his hands. He looked up at the sound of Claudio’s footsteps.
Romance: Marriage of Convenience Romance: Billionaire's Inheritance Bride ( Billionaire Bad Boy BBW Romance) Page 7