Delayed Penalty (The Dartmouth Cobras #5)

by Bianca Sommerland

  That Roy hadn’t tried to use Akira in the negotiations was good. He would have if he knew about her. Cort had to make sure he never did.

  “You haven’t given me an offer.” Cort managed to keep his tone light. A dark part of his mind wondered if just reaching over and snapping the old man’s neck would put an end to all this, but the sane part of his brain kept him in check. Even if he got away with another murder, Roy’s death being tracked back to him would have repercussions. The Kingsley family was big, and Roy’s brothers were even more dangerous than he was. Roy’s recent actions made it obvious that Ford snatching the team out from under him had a bigger impact than the profit made by fixing games.

  The big investors had probably been using their “investments” to launder money. Now that they’d gotten out, Kingsley was stuck with a lot of traceable cash. Gambling it would clear that up, but he wouldn’t risk the proceeds without some guaranteed payoff.

  Roy’s next words confirmed his suspicions. “The team must start winning. I know you’ve stepped in for Ford, and you have a better business sense than he does. All the information I have on Lorenzo Keane is that he is very cautious with his investments. He’ll hesitate to make big moves before the trade deadline because he doesn’t believe the team will make the playoffs. Convince him otherwise. If the team makes the playoffs, the stakes will be high.”

  “And what do I get out of this?” Cort mentally cursed at Roy’s smirk. The man knew he had Cort by the balls. He’d play Roy’s game until he could figure out a way to stop. Without anyone getting hurt.

  “I would hate to see you behind bars again, Cortland. You’re a good man. It’s a shame to see you looking over your shoulder all the time, second-guessing your every move.” Roy was using that fatherly tone that had always irritated Cort. Only because he knew what kind of father the man was. “I can make it all go away. Lee deserved to die. There’s no reason for you to suffer for seeing it done.”

  “Right.” Cort opened the door, desperately needing the bite of cold air. He felt like he was being roasted alive in that car, like he’d just stepped into the devil’s office and signed away his soul in blood. “I’ll be in touch.”

  “I’ll let Patrick know to put you straight through to me. No need for you to work with underlings.” Roy let out an airy laugh. “It’s always such a pleasure working with you personally.”

  Cort nodded, then got the fuck out of the car. There was no mistaking what Roy meant by ‘personally.’ It wasn’t often that Roy got one over on Cort. Now he knew he could use Ford, and the threat of jail time, against him.

  But not Akira. Cort didn’t bother acknowledging Patty as he cut across the sidewalk and straight into the Forum. There was no need to even put Akira at risk. Or put Ford through any more. Roy was right. The team needed to start winning. Then some “unexpected” losses would get them out of this mess.

  He’d find a way to control the outcome of the game—as much as possible anyway—and keep everyone he cared about safe. That was all that mattered. And anyway, if the team was gonna survive, they needed all the help they could get. Dirty or not.

  Then again, if the league got wind of it, the team would be toast. But there wasn’t much he could do about that. He had his priorities.

  Fuck the goddamn team.

  * * * *

  Dean nodded to Keane as the other man pulled out a chair for Silver to the right of his seat at the head of the long conference table. Silver gave Keane a regal look, smoothing her black skirt down as she folded gracefully into the high-backed, armless leather chair.

  The sun shone so brightly through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the conference room that it hardly seemed necessary to have the lights on, but for some reason, the room seemed gray. Cold. The meeting wouldn’t start for another half an hour, but Silver had wanted a few minutes to speak to Keane beforehand. And she wasn’t the only one who expected a briefing before they got started. Dean held up a hand as his brother approached, clearly wanting to have a word. He drew Tim out into the hall.

  “I get it. You’re worried that Silver will go for a big move to show she still has some control. Or that Keane will start selling to get us good draft picks for next season.” Dean grinned at Tim’s curt nod. He knew his brother too well. How protective Tim was of his players was one of the reasons that Dean had second-guessed putting him in as head coach. And the very reason Dean had decided to keep him in that position. “We have a good, solid team. I like the idea of first-round draft picks, but I’m not ready to give up on this season.”

  Tim nodded, as though happy that Dean agreed. “Good, then let me talk to them. They don’t know the men like I do—don’t know what they’re capable of.”

  “Tim, I know the men. Trust me, okay?” Dean shook his head when Tim let out a heavy sigh. His brother trusted him, but it was in his nature to grumble when he couldn’t get his own hands dirty. Once, Dean and two of their dads had been in the backyard using axes to chop dead roots out of the area where their mother wanted to plant a garden. Tim was too small to pick up an axe—and their mother was afraid he’d get hurt—so she kept him back. Tim had been told he could plant and weed and do everything else, but it wasn’t enough. He didn’t want to do only the “easy stuff.” Their mother had managed to distract him by having Tim make sure their little sisters were all safely out of harm’s way. Dean would use the same method to distract Tim now. “Listen, I need your help. I’ve convinced Landon to play tonight, but he’s . . . this isn’t easy for him. Keep an eye on him for me?”

  Tim nodded again, slowly this time. He gave Dean a shrewd look. “You know I will. But tell me something.”

  “All right. What?”

  “You love him, don’t you?”

  Dean took a deep breath. The way Tim asked wasn’t casual. Wasn’t about Dean caring for the man he shared a woman, and a child, with. This hadn’t come suddenly, and Tim listened to all the things Dean didn’t say, had been listening for quite a while. There was no simple way to explain how or why it had happened. With Landon it was . . . it was all the things he’d never thought possible. And Tim was probably the only person he could openly admit his true feelings to. The only person who would make Dean face them himself.

  “I love him.” Dean lowered his voice as he spotted Cort coming off the elevator. “And I’m worried about him. Not all the men share rooms on the road anymore. I need you to make sure Landon isn’t alone. You don’t know how he is in the middle of the night. It’s bad, Tim.”

  “All right . . . I’d put him with Carter, but the boy needs Ramos to keep him in hand. What about Vanek?”

  The blind leading the blind. Not a good idea. “If it wouldn’t be so disruptive, I’d have Chicklet on the road to take care of Vanek. He’s been temperamental ever since he came back.”

  “I agree. But he’s a team player. And he’s got issues with Perron coming back. Getting him past that would distract Landon.”

  “I think Vanek would be better with Mason. He needs a firm hand, and he’ll respond well to how steady Mason is.” Dean’s brow furrowed. He could go on the road with the team and watch out for Landon himself, but he wasn’t sure Silver was ready to be alone for that long. “Maybe you should just play Hunt.”

  Tim patted Dean’s shoulder and shook his head. “Landon is our only real shot at the playoffs. If we’re making a run, we need him.” He cocked his head. “What about Perron? He’s on the outs with a good half of the team, but Landon seems to understand why he left. To be happy that he’s back. I used to have Callahan and Perron room together because Perron is a calming influence. Callahan never talked much, but Perron was good when he needed to. He could do the same for Landon.”

  “Yes. I think that will work.” Dean squeezed his brother’s shoulder as Tim sighed like he’d grudgingly accepted that he’d done all he could for his men. “Thank you.”

  “Hey, you might love him, but he’s still one of my men.” Tim gave him a half-smile and leaned in for a hug. “Good t
hing you know how to share.”

  “I suppose.” Dean gave his brother a little shove. “Tell Madeline I enjoyed our last scene.”

  “Ha! Just so you know, just touching the bruises you left on her butt gets her ready to go. I should be thanking you!”

  “Remember that if we end up trading one of the men.” Dean hated to shift things from their easy banter, but it had to be done. He refused to let his brother be caught off guard. “You can’t keep them all.”

  “I’d debate that. Quite well.” Tim frowned. “You sure you don’t want me to stay? I can speak for any man on my team.”

  “Again, you need to trust me. I can speak for them as well.” Dean stepped aside so Cort could go into the conference room. “I know who we can give up. And who you can’t.”

  Tim inclined his head. “Got it. And I’ll smile for the press even though this whole thing pisses me off. We haven’t rolled over just yet.”

  “Good. Don’t. The men need that attitude to keep them going.” He pulled the door open behind him, wincing as he heard Silver swearing at Keane. That didn’t sound promising. “I’ll deal with this. Come to my place before the game. I’ll make some lasagna. Amia’s missed you and Madeline.”

  “My night to make dinner, how can I refuse?” Tim winked. Then sobered abruptly. “Besides, it will do Maddy some good to snuggle with that sweet baby after the last false positive. Me and my fucking lame swimmers are making this tough on her.”

  “I thought you were looking into—”

  “No. Maddy wants to do it naturally. You know how she is about ‘if it’s meant to be.’” Tim’s face reddened. He swallowed hard. “Ah, if it wouldn’t make you uncomfortable, we could try—”

  “Damn it, Tim. You know Madeline and I don’t play like that. And I’m not sure Silver would—”

  “Forget it.” Tim retreated a few steps. “Just . . . the doctor told her it’s unlikely I could get her pregnant without help. And if I can’t do it—anyway, doesn’t matter. She’s right. If it’s meant to be, it will happen. I just . . . I know how badly she wants this. And she’d be an amazing mother.”

  “She would be.” Dean studied his brother’s face. “Weren’t you looking into adoption?”

  “We have, but nothing yet. There’s a teen we might take in for a bit, though. Just waiting for the paperwork to go through.”

  “Good. There are a lot of kids out there you can help.”

  “Very true. But now the only ‘kids’ I have to worry about are on my team.”

  “Trust. Me.” Dean left his brother in the hall and went back to the conference room. Silver had quieted down, but her cheeks were crimson, which put Dean on alert. The only people invited to this meeting were Dean, as the general manager, Silver—mostly as an indulgence—Cort on behalf of Ford, and Oriana, who came in a few minutes before the meeting started. Dean had to respect Keane for including Oriana. Out of the Delgados, she was probably the easiest to deal with, but unless she fought her father in court, she didn’t have a legal say in what happened with the team.

  Then again, neither did Ford.

  Keane acknowledging them all individually before beginning on the very topic Dean had expected him to. “This team is floundering. There are holes in the roster which I believe can be filled with some sacrifices.”

  Dean inclined his head. “Granted, but as I’ve told you, I’ve considered this carefully. I gave you an outline of the moves I plan to make before the trade deadline.”

  “Yes, but there are a few names missing from that list that seem logical choices.” Keane opened a folder and tapped it with his forefinger. “Now that Tyler Vanek is healthy, I don’t believe we really need Luke Carter. And I’ve seen the offers that have crossed your desk. Is there a reason we’re hanging on to him?”

  “He’s performed quite well this season.” Dean kept his cool, even though he could just picture Jami’s reaction to even the possibility of Carter being traded. “He’s one of the many young players I believe we can build the future of the team around.”

  “Perhaps. And Ramos? He was a good choice when the team was making a playoff run, but that’s not the case now.”

  Dean’s eyes narrowed. It was no coincidence that Keane had chosen to spotlight those two players first. This was a goddamn test. So he reacted as any other general manager would. “We haven’t clinched a playoff spot, but we’re only a few games out. Handing up one of our best defensemen would be as good as waving the white flag. I wasn’t aware that we were doing that just yet.”

  “We aren’t.” Keane sat up straight, glancing at Silver as though surprised that she hadn’t spoken up. His lips quirked. “If we’re going to make a run, there is the issue of a goaltender. Hunt isn’t ready.”

  Cort cut in before Silver could. “Ingerslov isn’t on injury reserve. Haven’t the Leafs and the Blue Jackets shown interest? If the doctor can clear him in the next week or so, we can get something for him.”

  “I’ve been considering that.” Keane sat back in his chair. “The question is, is Hunt ready to take a backup role to Bower permanently? And is Bower ready to be our starter once again?”

  “He’s ready.” Damn it, I hope he’s ready. Dean didn’t like the idea of losing Ingerslov after six years, but it was a smart move. The few years Ingerslov had left to offer another team could buy them a good slot in the draft pick. Maybe even a solid defenseman which they needed for depth. And better Ingerslov than one of the others. He was unattached. A strong man who could do well with another team.

  Dean couldn’t say the same for Carter. And—damn love the man for it—Ramos would likely retire before leaving Jami.

  “Very well. So we will trade Ingerslov. Our hopes rest on Bower. With that settled, if we are making a playoff run, we should make a bid for a strong offensive defenseman. I trust you to find us a suitable candidate—I don’t want to give you the impression I intend to be a meddlesome owner—” Keane paused as Silver made an angry sound in the back of her throat, but then smiled as Dean silenced her with a hard look “—but I need you to know you will have a bit more leeway financially. I’m prepared to meet the cap.”

  Silver sucked her teeth. “You do know you can’t throw money at the Cup to win it, right? A little thing called faith might help, though.”

  Oriana put her hand over her sister’s. “Silver—”

  “Is quite right,” Keane said. “And if I didn’t have faith in this team, I wouldn’t have bought the shares from your brother.” He gave Silver an indulgent look. “Did you have anything to contribute, Miss Delgado? You clearly aren’t pleased with my plans for the Ice Girls.”

  “No, I’m not.” Silver moved to stand, then glared at Dean when he cleared his throat to get her attention. “This is my project! And it’s worked so far! Cutting the advertisement and limiting tryouts to right before next season ruins my plans for another show.”

  “The show cost more than it brought in. Giving the Ice Girls segments in the Cobras’ show will strengthen their connection to the team and lower the astronomical expense of location shoots.”

  That made a lot of sense. Dean hadn’t wanted to stress Silver with the details, but renting a mansion for a week for a show that had been a complete flop had serious financial repercussions. Several networks had backed out of airing it. The cruise had been a success, but the players had been involved.

  Despite the logic, Dean expected Silver to argue. He wasn’t sure she’d be able to help herself. But she surprised him by folding her hands on the table, meeting Keane’s eyes as she spoke calmly.

  “I’ll give you that, but I need to have some control over the Ice Girls and how they’re run. You brought in Sahara without discussing it with me or any of my management team. I like her and I think she’s great for the team, but an unintrusive owner wouldn’t acquire a player without running it by the general manager.” A blush stained her cheeks, but thankfully no one brought up her acquiring Scott Demyan, so she continued steadily. “I’d appreciate the sa
me respect.”

  “You will have it.” Keane’s lips curved into a genuine smile, as though Silver had impressed him. “I’m willing to contribute to the Ice Girls’ success. Please don’t hesitate to come see me if I can help in any way, but rest assured that from this point on, I will leave the girls to you.”

  Silver blinked, then returned Keane’s smile with a genuine one of her own. “Thank you.”

  “Now that that’s settled, I would like to broach a more . . . personal matter.” He turned to Cort. “I appreciate your attending this meeting on Ford’s behalf. I hope he’s doing well?”

  Cort winced, glancing over at Silver as the color left her face. Dean held his breath as Oriana—who’d been quietly observant so far—left her chair and went to kneel by Silver’s side, speaking softly to her.

  Keane frowned and gave Dean a disapproving look. “I wasn’t aware that Silver didn’t know about her brother’s injuries.”

  “This is a private matter.” Dean took Silver’s hand, ignoring Keane and Cort as they discussed Ford’s condition. “Dragonfly, with how upset you were about your family losing majority ownership of the team, I didn’t want to bring up anything else to upset you. Ford is fine.”

  Lips thin, Silver jutted her chin up and stared at him. “No more. You don’t get to decide how much I can handle anymore. Either of you.” She snapped her gaze to Oriana, who nodded quickly. Clearing her throat, Silver stood. “Please excuse me. I hope you understand, but I really need to see how my brother’s doing for myself.”

  “Absolutely.” Keane stood, walking with Silver to the door. “I will write up an outline of anything else we discuss and email it to you by the end of the day.”

  “I’d appreciate that.” She let out a tight laugh. “I was surprised by everything, but I have a feeling you’re gonna do good things for this team.” Her eyes narrowed as Dean stepped toward her. “Don’t, Dean. Stay here and do your job. We’ll talk tonight.”

  Oriana moved to stand by Dean’s side as Silver walked out. Strangely enough, she was grinning. She snickered at his questioning look. “I wouldn’t want to be you, but if you put how pissed she is aside, you’ll see what I do.” She took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh of relief. “Silver’s back.”