I had to do something about this, and I also had to warn Axel. And soon. Before anyone else saw this. Then the team and Jock probably should be told.

I hurriedly dressed and ran a comb through my unruly hair. A brief glance in the mirror made me cringe, but I didn’t have time for makeup or any of that other shit. I grabbed the doorknob and paused. In my half-awake state, I hadn’t processed that I didn’t have any idea where to look for Axel, nor could I pound on his door after midnight since he was rooming with my brother.

The equipment staff had a list of all the guys’ cell numbers in case we needed to ask them a question about equipment preferences. I found it on my phone and texted Axel’s number.

This is Geneva. Call ASAP.

I didn’t wait long before my phone buzzed.

Axel: Can’t talk. Your brother is awake. Where are you? I’ll come to you.

Me: Room #1223

Axel: On my way.

After what seemed like a lifetime but was only about five minutes, I heard a sharp rap on my door. I opened it quickly, glanced up and down the hall, and stood back to let him in. No one was out and about.

He hurried inside, and I shut the door behind him. He held out a paper bag.

“I’m not sure what’s up, but since it was urgent, I assumed whiskey was in order.”

“It is.” I grabbed the bottle, filled two glasses with ice I’d gotten earlier from the ice machine, and poured the whiskey. I handed one to him. I drank the other one and poured myself another.

He watched me with amusement. He wouldn’t be amused for long.

“Look at this.” I held my phone out to him with a screenshot of the Facebook post.

His brows furrowed in confusion, but he took the phone from me. You had to love a man who followed directions. I waited impatiently as he stared at the phone screen. His mouth dropped open in shock and surprise, which quickly turned to white-hot anger.

“What the fuck?” he shouted. “She can’t just let this go so it can die a natural death?”

“Shhh. You’ll wake everyone up on this floor, which is mostly equipment staff and coaches.”

“Just when I think Jock is starting to forgive me, this could potentially open up old wounds. I’m calling my attorney as soon as I can get the bastard out of bed. See if I can force her to take this down.”

“We need to talk to Jock, as difficult as this will be, then you’d better run all this by the team publicists. The whole thing sounds like drunken rambling, but it’s better to get on top of it, just in case.”

“You’re right.”

“She pointed the finger at an unnamed Sockeye player. This might go viral at any moment. Let me kick her ass for you.”

“You’d do that for me?” His crooked smile didn’t reach his eyes, but I did see gratefulness and something hard to define in their depths.