I drop my head, hands on my knees, breathing hard. I fucked up. And my whole world saw it.
Who’s Fleski Fighting?
If you’re looking for a reason the Southern Mavericks lost tonight, you don’t need to look further than Dylan Fleski. In all my years of following this game of rugby league that we love, I cannot recall a single time when a player started a physical fight with a teammate.
Let that sink in for a minute. Dylan Fleski punched teammate, Loki Penguilly mid-match. While most of the action was happening on the other side of the field, the Southern Mavericks’ fullback started fisticuffs with a forward. Lucky for Fleski, Loki wrapped him up in a bear hug. On-field mics didn’t pick up what sweet words were muttered between the two, but it wasn’t enough to salvage the game.
Fleski’s errors were costly, his defense was nonexistent, and his head was clearly anywhere but on the game. One bad match is forgivable. But this? This was a disaster.
Rumors have been circling about off-field distractions affecting Fleski’s performance, and after tonight’s game, those rumors don’t seem so far-fetched. If the Mavericks want to be taken seriously as contenders, they can’t afford a Fleski-sized liability.
And with representative selections just around the corner, this performance may have just cost Dylan Fleski a rep jersey for the season. Coaches won’t select a player who can’t handle pressure.
Graeme Masters, Rugby League World
I sit in the locker room long after everyone else has showered and left. The sting of sweat and defeat clings to my skin, but I barely feel it.
I don’t check my phone, because I already know what’s waiting. Graeme Masters is just the first. After the Coach and captain front up for the post-match interviews, the media is going to rip me apart. Social media will be worse.
I press my palms into my eyes, exhaling hard.
It’s just a fucking game.
That’s what I tell myself, over and over.
But it doesn’t feel like just a game.
It feels like I’m losing everything.
Chapter 24
It’s Not A Date
Dylan
“This is bullshit.” I fall into Kenzie’s visitor chair, sans coffee or cake. I’m not in the mood to build bridges. Not when it feels easier to burn down the world until there’s nothing and no one left other than Emma, Saxon, and Sage.My family.
Kenzie doesn’t even blink at my outburst. She just continues reviewing the PR packet on the table between us, like she didn’tjust tell me I have to go on astaged fucking datewith Kylee King, Australia’s most unbearable influencer. I know Kylee in the same way I know of prison. It’s a place many people go, but I have no desire to experience it firsthand. How did Bodhi describe her?
“Mate, don’t go there. It’s like fucking a piece of wood, except at least you can warm up a piece of wood. All you’ll get from KK is splinters and a month of bullshit posts leaked to Distorted Facts.”
Yeah, more leaked bullshit I can live without. “I’m serious. KK is toxic.”
“It’s non-negotiable,” Kenzie says, finally looking up. “The club is still dealing with the fallout fromStalking Gate, and we need the media to shift focus. You smiling in front of cameras with a pretty girl with a big audience? That’s a distraction.”
“I saidno.”
Kenzie sighs, rubbing her temple. “Dylan, if you refuse, they’re going to start looking for someone to blame for the locker room incident again. Loki isn’t talking about why you punched him on the field, but others are. Think about it. Why would two players fight? Why would two players fight after one of them has been visiting the cheerleaders’ locker room? Do you really want to put the target back on the girls? The only thing more scandalous than a player and a cheerleader is a love triangle between two players and …”
My stomach twists. “Stop. Just stop.” I bend over until my forehead hits the desk, pounding it lightly while I try to think.
She’s right. If I push back, the club will start sniffing around again. And if Kareene starts digging, Emma’s name won’t stay buried for long. Fuck. One date has to be enough to throw everyone off the scent. And as long as Emma understands it’s all fake, then, hopefully, she’ll forgive me.
“Fine,” I bite out, sitting up and glaring at Kenzie. She doesn’t deserve my attitude, but I need her to understand this doesn’t sit well with me. “I’ll hold the door but not her hand. I’ll pick up the bill and smile for the cameras, but won’t kiss her goodnight or see her home.”
“One date, four hours. Meet at the restaurant, go to a nightclub. Dance a little, buy her drinks and leave her in the arms of her friends.”
“As long as she knows it’s not a date and I still want to talk about fake dating the woman I want.”
