“But you do,” he adds. “And I like you. I trust you. Way back in the draft, I wanted you on this team. We just didn’t have a high enough pick to get you before the Bulls did. You’ve got good instincts, Fitz. And I get that you’re loyal to Foller”—he holds a hand up to stop me when I try to interject—“but I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t remind you that you should be loyal to the team first. Because here’s the thing. When this investigation was in-house, I could protect you. But now it’s out of my hands, and if the League’s commissioner finds something he doesn’t like and you’re tied to him the way you are and the media runs with it, they’re going to lead with every positive thing you’ve ever said about this guy. And that will be damaging.”

“I’m a loyal Rebel.” Even with the tension, the words make me smile. “But you’ve got to understand Foller coached me up since I was a kid, this guy took me under his wing. I mean, Heath, he was at our table for dinner once a week in high school.”

Heath’s face drops. “It hurts, doesn’t it?”

“What’s that?”

“When we realize the ones we idolize aren’t deserving of it?”

I won’t let this go. “I’d run through a wall for the guy even if I didn’t play for him.”

Heath claps his hands together, signaling we’re done here. “Let’s leave it at that then. The League will do its thing and everything proceeds as normal. But this conversation stays between us.”

The read here isn’t that I shouldn’t just not blab to my teammates. He doesn’t want me talking to Foller about any of it.

When Heath stands, so do I. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Good man,” he says, walking around his desk and giving me a firm pat to my shoulder. “I figured you’ve got other things on your mind these days anyway.” Heath reaches for a folded-up paper, handing it to me.

ALL RHODES LEAD TO A WHITE HOUSE WEDDING.

“Just don’t forget that we need them to lead to another Rebels Super Bowl too.”

Chapter 22

“I told you this wasn’t going to end well.”

I tip back the rest of my bourbon as Nick paces. “You don’t need to play the I told you so card so many damn times. And for the record, a League investigation started. That doesn’t mean it’s the end for him. And for god’s sake, it won’t be the end of me.”