Chapter 1 The ultimatum

Dean 

"I want you to pay attention to what I'm about to show you." Ethan's tone was level, but I could still feel the heat of his fury. 

I swallowed as he handed me the tablet, stomach churning as I stared at the glaring, red headline. 

"Is our favourite party boy on another bender?" 

"Mr. Hawke_" 

The general manager raised a hand to stop me, his mouth pressing into a thin line. "I don't want to hear it, Morgan." 

"This isn't what it looks like." 

One eyebrow hiked up. "So you weren't plastered drunk and making a fool of yourself last night? You didn't have two blondes on each arm with your zipper all the way down?" 

I narrowed my eyes at the photo and winced. "Well, no. I mean, yes, but_" 

"Is that you in the photo, Morgan? Yes or no?" 

I hung my head, cursing the moment I decided to step into that bar. In my defence, yesterday's game had needed to be wiped out of my head and what better way than alcohol therapy. 

"So not only is your team playing like shit and throwing away every chance of getting to the playoffs, but you, the captain are also determined to ruin what little reputation we have." 

At that my jaw ground together. "These photos are grossly exaggerated." 

"I don't care for your damn excuses. The only truth that matters is the one being carried by the news stations and every blog that matters in the world of hockey." He roared, slapping his palm down on the table. "To them, you're nothing but a party boy, and that's all you're ever going to be until you do something about it." 

"Sir, I can get Penny to_" 

He let out a humourless chuckle. "You know, your reputation used to be bad, but now it borders on trash because they think you've chosen to sleep around and waste your life away instead of starting a family with Penny Spencer."

I winced at that, then winced again at the pounding in my head. I was still recovering from all the booze from last night, and now I was being verbally shredded by the GM. It was the perfect start to any day. 

"I can fix this." I blurted out. 

"Oh you had better." He leaned back in his chair. "We're losing sponsors, fan support, and even the love of our home city. Matter of fact, you're on thin ice, Morgan." 

Ethan Hawke rose up from his chair and crossed over to the floor to ceiling windows. "The league thinks you're no good. The shareholders are saying you've got no more good plays left in you, and I'm tempted to believe them."

My eyes went wide with horror. "That's not true. I_"

"It's not me you need to convince, it's the world. I like you son, and I think you're a good player, but right now, you're a bad bet." 

Bile crept up my throat, and I had to curl my fingers to stop them trembling. 

"You have one month to convince the world that you're more than a party boy." The older man's eyes narrowed. "If you can't clean up your image and be the beast on the ice that you once were, you're done."

"Sir_"

"That will be all."

I knew a dismissal when I heard one. And without another word, I stood up and walked out, heart pounding in my chest. I knew I should be grateful that he was even willing to give me this chance, but all I could feel was terror and bitterness. 

As I made my way down the hallway, my phone began to buzz. Relief washed through me as soon as I saw the caller ID. 

"Dean, are you alright? I saw the headlines and they're brutal. I wouldn't read them if I were you." Penny rushed to say. 

"Too late." I muttered. "Ethan Hawke just ripped me a new one and ordered me to get my shit together. How soon can you be in Boston? I need you." 

Penny and I had met two years ago at a charity event, and since then, we'd been in a mutually beneficial arrangement. She was my arm candy for events and when I needed to get the press off my back, and I helped her evade the matchmaking pressure from fans. 

"About that_" 

I stopped breathing. "Penny. Don't." 

"I just boarded a flight to London. I need a break from the paparazzi, the fans, the label, the fame." She sighed. "I'm sorry, Dean."

"You can't do this to me. Not now. Penny, you have to understand, I'm this close to being booted off the team. I'm about to lose everything." I whispered urgently, my fingers fisting in my hair. 

"I wish I could help. I truly do." Penny said. "But I can't. And Dean, you deserve more than this. We both deserve to find people who truly love and care for us. I know your_" 

Goddamit, I didn't want to hear her preaching about true love and what not. She could believe in all that fairytale bullshit for all I cared, as long as she was at my side in the next few hours to dig me out of this mess. 

"This is an emergency. We promised to help each other." 

"I've done my part." She hissed. "Don't you dare make it look like I haven't helped you at all."

"When will you be back?" I asked slowly. "You can take a break for a week or two and be back in time for_"

"I know the right woman for you is out there somewhere. You're never going to find her if you continue like this." She said. "I'm sorry Dean." 

And then the line went dead. I stared at the blank screen for one second before letting out a roar and flinging it across the hallway. 

Penny was dead wrong. There was no right woman out there for me. There wasn't even a wrong one. 

But some truths were better left in the dark.