“Be careful, Colt,” Julianna replies back. “I don’t want to see anything happen to you.”
Fuc
king Christ. Could that look of anger from Julianna that she was shooting at me, could that actually be because she was upset that she thought I was placing myself in danger? That she wasn't upset that I was going to steal the thunder, but she was more worried?
If that’s the case, then she’s gotta be feeling the same thing for me that’s been going through my brain for her.
That alone brings a smile to my lips. Even as AJ Ledoux – that fucker from the News of the Times – shouts his question, “Colt Stackford, were you coerced into having sexual relations with Julianna Heaton?”
I seriously want to throttle that man. And considering his mousy features, his fucking skinny as shit body except for his potbelly, his beady fucking eyes, and his oily fucking skin, I could do it in one hand while asleep. But standing there, reporters looking to me to answer his question, and I realize this is his field. I’m just here as a guest.
“I was not forced into having sexual relations with that woman,” I say pointing towards Julianna and doing my best Bill Clinton imitation. I actually get a few laughs but AJ doesn’t stop.
“With all due respect, Colt,” AJ continues. “I think you’re being intimidated into covering up for what’s been done to you, and what you’ve been forced to do.”
Now I’ve really started to have enough. It’s bad enough that this guy is going after Julianna but now he’s standing there and literally telling me what I should be thinking. Who the fuck does he think he is?
“Oh yeah?” I sneer and I feel Julianna place a hand on my shoulder. But I don’t stop. “Why don’t you tell me what the fuck is going on then?”
All eyes are on AJ. Good. That motherfucker can stand there and make accusation after accusation but I’ve put him on the spot now. Now he’s actually gotta figure out something with all this shit.
That’s when I feel Julianna’s hand squeeze my shoulder and her face take on a worried frown.
It’s only when AJ starts to speak that I realize the mistake I’ve made.
“I think,” AJ says and pauses, as if relishing the spotlight. There must be at least 100 million Americans watching and with the newspaper and fucking internet coverage, not a single person in America is going to not know what happened here today. Probably biggest fucking audience this motherfucker has ever had. “I think you and Ethan Blake were coerced by Julianna Heaton into engaging in depraved sexual relations with her,” he says in one quick sentence and the room goes fucking crazy.
Somehow it quiets down and AJ continues, “I also think that using the power of securing your contract due to salary cap requirements, you were then further coerced into sexually assaulting Ethan Blake in the locker room.”
Fucking Christ. Is this shit for real?
“I think that you’re still being coerced by keeping silent. I think your latent homosexual tendencies have been flared up by that woman,” AJ says, pointing at Julianna. “And I think that it’s because of her that you’ve become unworthy to play in the league – just the same as she’s become unworthy of managing a team.”
Jesus Christ. I’m about to cuss him out when out of the corner of my eye I see the Commissioner. He seems very, very interested in what I have to say. I can't believe people are taking this shit so seriously.
“That is categorically untrue,” Julianna says. “It’s nothing but a pack of speculation wrapped in conjecture that’s then presented on a foundation of lies.”
“Oh yeah?” AJ says with a malicious fucking smile. “Prove it?”
“I don’t think it’s on us to prove anything, AJ,” I snarl back at him. “We’re not the ones accusing you.”
“And neither are you the ones dropping press releases in my lap stating that the New York Nailers have a culture of sexual pay for play, are you?” AJ asks.
That takes me short. What the fuck.
“Oh, no,” Julianna whispers and I look over. Her face is frozen and she looks like she’s about to pass the fuck out. “He didn't,” she mumbles.
She actually understands a bit faster than I do what's going on.
It takes me till AJ actually spells it out, “I have a statement from Larry Summers, who is now representing Ethan Blake,” AJ says, “He tells me that Ethan Blake was coerced into giving sexual favors with Colt Stackford to Julianna Heaton in order to maintain his position as defensive end with the New York Nailers.”
This is fucking insane! How could Ethan do that to us? AJ continues, “And then when he expressed misgivings about the matter, he was sexually assaulted by Colt Stackford in the New York Nailers locker room.”
Motherfucker. Did he just go on ahead and throw Julianna and me under the bus? I look over at the Commissioner. He’s frowning. Looking directly at us and frowning.
Fuck.
I’m never going to play for the NFL. Ever. Again.