But Ottavia’s sweet voice filled my ear.“Hi!”
Her voice was a lifeline, and a surge of hope shot through my racing heart.
“Ottavia, it’s me!”
Thank God she answered!I thought. Unable to contain my excitement, I jumped out of my chair and threw the middle finger right in Mr. Capuano’s face, mouthing the words,Fuck you.
“Listen, Ottavia, I—” I began to say, but she interrupted me.
“This is Ottavia. I’m not available right now.”My hopes were shattered when I realized I was listening to her voicemail greeting. My heart was crushed as I listened to her pre-recorded message.
Stunned, the phone slipped from my hands.“Leave a message and I’ll get back to you. Thanks!”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying to gather my thoughts. Mr. Capuano’s smug grin only intensified, relishing in my apparent defeat.
“As I was saying. She chose her trust fund over you, Dakota. Don’t take it personally. Anyone in her position would.”
My shoulders slumped.
“Because I am fair, I will make youonefinal offer, Dakota,” he said. “Cease all contact with Ottavia from this point forward, and I will let you play this season.” He stuck out his hand. “Deal?”
I stared at his hand. I didn’t want to.
“Shake his hand, Dak,” Killer urged me. “I’m telling you, you’re going to have the best year of your career. It’d be a damn shame to throw it all away over a woman who’s already moved on.”
I grumbled, still staring at Mr. Capuano’s hand.
“There are plenty of other fish in the sea, Dak,” Mr. Capuano added, chuckling like we were buds. “And if Dean is right about you, you’ll be drowning in pussy this season.” He winked. “Just hopefully not before any big playoff games this time around.”
Fuck …
With no other choice, I reached out and gave Mr. Capuano my hand.
“Deal,” I murmured.
“Deal it is,” he said, and we shook.
28
Videos Don’t Lie
Ottavia
IknewDad was behind it all …
When this horrible day began to unfold, I knew he would try, but I didn’t think he’d actually succeed in breaking me and Dakota apart. I’d underestimated him. I’d underestimated them all: Dad, Leo,andDakota.
But I never could’ve guessed Dad knew all along about how I’d met Dakota, because of Leo’s deceit. I never could’ve known that Dad would have Dakota followed around everywhere, waiting for him to slip up.
Scratch that. He didn’t merely wait for Dakota to slip up.
No, he documented Dakota slipping up, again and again and again and again.
After I left Leo’s, I didn’t even know where to go. I had several places I could stay—my house, Leo’s, Dakota’s—yet I felt so alone, so manipulated, soliedto by each and every one of those people. It was the worst, loneliest, most devastating feeling in the world.
With nowhere else to turn, I called up Sienna and asked if I could stay at her place for a little while. I’d been spilling my guts to her ever since. She now knew basically thewhole story.
I lay on Sienna’s living room floor, my face buried in my hands. I wasn’tcryinganymore, at least,but I wasn’t exactly making happy noises, either.
