Escorting the Player (The Escort Collection 3)

I looked around. "Okay, that's all I have for today. Are there any questions?"

Everyone started talking at once.

I swallowed hard as question after question was hurled at me. "Are you saying that Avery's a prostitute?"

"Did you pay her for sexual relations, Chase? Isn't that illegal?"

"How does she feel about the whole world knowing the truth about her background?"

I held up my hands to stop them. Eric had told me the questions would be like this and worse, even though I'd had a friendly working relationship with these people for years. "She worked as an escort, which is different from being a prostitute. An escort is legal in the state of Massachusetts, and being a prostitute is not."

Another reporter stood up. "How is management handling this scandal? Their top player, who was slated to be the NFL player of the year, dating an escort?"

There was an uproar of more questions being shouted, but Eric stepped forward. "My client's done taking questions. On behalf of my client and Warriors management, we all hope that you can respect Chase and his family's privacy at this time." With that, he hustled me to a side entrance where I could get out of the building unscathed.

Eric clapped me on the back once we slid into the waiting SUV. "You did good, buddy. That was not an easy press conference to hold. You handled that like a champ. I wouldn't expect anything less."

I nodded at him.

"Let's get you home. You have some in-person groveling to do."

We pulled up outside of my house, but Eric didn't follow me out of the car.

"She's waiting for you," he said.

"You got her to come over?" I asked.

"I know you need help sometimes," he said. "And that's what I'm here for."

"Chase Layne loves you, buddy."

"Don't push it."

Chapter Twenty-Five

AVERY

I was pacing around the house. Chase said he loved me. He'd said it out loud, in front of management, in front of reporters, in front of the world. And now it didn't matter if Lila tried to blackmail us, or if Jessica and Pax did an interview about us.

Because it was out in the open.

I thought I might be embarrassed, but I only felt relieved.

And desperate to see him.

My phone buzzed.

Jenny: Nice press conference. I told you he had an emotional boner for you. See you around the rug.

My phone buzzed again.

CHASE: Can you please come to the front door?

I ran to it and threw the door open.

Chase was waiting for me, his brow furrowed.

"Why didn't you just come in?" I asked.