*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated thank-you so much*
"Hayden," says Joe as we are having breakfast together in our hotel room in Ohio. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asks taking a drink from his coffee cup.
"Joe, I have to do this," I say, "I hate the idea of seeing Mack but I need to do this."
"I think it's too much for you and the babies," he says. "I told you that you shouldn't get involved in stressful situations and I feel like facing your rapist is going to put way too much stress on you and the babies, Hayden. I'm not saying you shouldn't I'm just saying you shouldn't meet with Mack now it's risky you need to think about your health and the health of the babies."
"Roman, I know you're worried but everything will be all right, I promise," I say.
He shakes his head, "why do you have to be so stubborn, Hayden?"
"I'm not being stubborn," I say.
"Yes you are, you have always been stubborn," he says with a soft smile. "Not that I don't find your strong-willed personality hot but I don't find putting yourself and our babies at an unnecessary risk is not hot. Can't you wait till after the babies are born?"
"Roman, I have lived with this for over 5 years, it's eating at me, I know I forgave him but I want to forgive him to his face." I say.
"He doesn't deserve forgiveness," he scoffs. "He's a fucking animal that preys on women. I hope that these charges stick and he loses his entire football career, spends some time in jail and has to register as a sex offender. He deserves to lose everything," he says bitterly. "He should have never gotten into the NFL. He's never going to stop."
"I know," I say shaking my head. "He got lucky last time but this girl can't be the last or the only one. He hides behind his money. I remember he tried to pay me off to keep me silent. I wasn't going to stay silent and I'm still not silent about it but he wasn't charged. Could you imagine if some of the laws today were around back then I would be sitting in jail right now for false rape accusations because there wasn't enough proof that he raped me? Can you imagine? I would rather die and our abortion would have been illegal in Georgia."
"We would have found a way," he says. "I just want you to think about meeting with this girl and meeting with Mack today. With your nightmares do you think meeting with Mack is the best thing for you?" he asks.
"Maybe meeting with him will make the nightmares go away," I say.
"Or make them worse," he says. "I'm not trying to tell you what to do but I am worried about how all this is going to affect you."
"Roman," I say taking his hand, "I am going to be fine."
"I hope so, Hayden," he says. "I'm just worried about you and what this is going to do to you."
"I will be fine. I promise," I say with a smile stroking his hand. "I promise."
"All right," he says taking our joint hands and kissing mine. "I trust you." I squeeze his hand making him smile.
Later that day I arrive at Bayley's house first to talk with her before I go to talk to Mack. I walk up to the front porch and ring the doorbell waiting for her to answer. She comes to the door dressed in a pair of knit shorts and a pink tank top with her pregnancy belly showing just a little bit. I don't know how far she is but I know she's further along than me probably by 3 months. "Hayden," she says.
"Bayley," I say.
"What are you doing here?" she asks. "I told you I was taking the money and dropping the charges against Mack. It can't be proven that he raped me," she says.
"I think you're making a mistake," I say. "You should at least try and for them to silence you with money isn't right, Bayley. His father tried to do the same thing to me when Mack raped me. He wanted to pay me to keep quiet. If you take the money he walks away again and free to rape another girl and another girl after that. I know I wasn't the first girl he raped and I know I'm not the last just like I know you're not the last girl," I say. "He's a predator."
"Why should I go to court so they can destroy my story, destroy my character and make me look like a liar? Do you remember how that felt? To know that he violated you and then you are made out to be a liar? Do you remember how it felt?" she asks.
"I do and it was the worst feeling in the world but not as bad as seeing him walk free. That was the worst feeling in the world, to make him free to do it again. He needs to be stopped," I say. "Bayley, don't drop the case."
She lets out a breath and says, "Hayden, I'm sorry. I'm taking the money and I am dropping the case," she says. "I'm sorry."
"Bayley, I think that's a mistake," I say.
"No, Hayden, it really isn't," she says as I hear a male voice come from behind her and I recognize it instantly. "I am dropping the case."
"Baby, who is at the d…" says my biggest enemy in my life as the door opens further. "Hayden," he says with a smile coming across his lips.
"Mack," I say with confusion. "What are you doing here? Bayley?"
"I see you're surprised," he says with a sly smile he says wrapping his arms around Bayley's waist.
"I'm confused, Bayley what is he doing here?" I ask. "I thought he raped you."
"Hayden," he says, "Bayley and I are having a baby."
"Because you raped her," I say. "Bayley, is this for real?"
"Hayden, when I told Mack I was pregnant he decided he wanted to be a family, he wanted to put everything behind us so we could be together for the baby," she explains.
I shake my head, "he raped you," I say.
"Oh here we go!" he says. "Hayden, why do you assume that I raped her, because she told you I raped her? I didn't rape anyone," he says.
"She told me you raped her and I believe her but now you are together?" I ask.
"We're together," she admits. "I'm sorry, Hayden but like I said I am dropping the charges."
"Did he actually rape you or was it a game all along for both of you to play with my head because this doesn't make sense. I was and still repulsed by him after he raped me but you're in a relationship with him talking about being a family? It doesn't make sense."
"Hayden, you and I both know I didn't rape you. You wanted it, you know that you did. You never said no. You loved it," he says with a smile. "I know I gave it to you better than Professor Reigns ever did."
"You raped me, I couldn't say no because I was unconscious. And you thought you could silence me with your money, you can NEVER silence me. I will make sure the world knows you for what you truly are," I say. "I never wanted it from you. You make me sick, Mack. You walked around on campus like you were God's gift to women. You thought you could have anyone that you wanted and when I told you no you couldn't handle that so you had to drug me and make me unconscious so you could rape me, you're a disgusting human being, Mack. One day you're going to pay for your sins and don't think for one second you're going to keep me quiet. The world is going to know that you're a rapist. I don't know if you raped Bayley or not but what I do know is you raped me and you aren't going to get away with it."
He lets out a laugh as he sends Bayley away from the door, "Listen, Hayden, do you really want to go there? Do you really want to go back to 5 years ago?"
"I will do what I need to do so that you are known to be the monster you truly are. The world is going to know the truth about you. I'm taking time off when Roman and I move, taking time to write a book about what you did to me in college," I say.
"Hayden, I don't think my attorney would like that very much," he says, "and I heard you and Professor Reigns got married, how's that going? Congratulations by the way. I thought you were only sleeping with him to get good grades," he says, "I never thought you would have married him and it looks like you're pregnant too," he says reaching his hand out for my stomach and I move away.
"Don't fucking touch me!" I say. "Don't ever put your hands on me."
"Hayden," he shakes his head. "Let's talk about that book."
"I'm writing the book, Mack and you can't stop me from doing so."
"See, I know you're free to write whatever you want however I don't know if your husband is going to like the bad publicity brought to his team and the scandal that's going to come out when the book is released," he says.
"What are you talking about? My husband can't stand you, almost as much as I can't stand you in fact I think he hates you more than I do for what you did to me and what you cost him."
"I didn't cost him anything, he cost himself his career as Georgia Tech's football coach and the professor at Georgia Tech, he made the choice to sleep with you one of his students, he knew what was going to happen, don't blame me for your husband's mistakes," he says.
"Yeah, he got fired because of me, I know that. I know what our relationship cost him it's a shame that when you raped me that your career wasn't over then it should have been but you got off but I'm going to make sure the world knows the truth," I say. "Everyone is going to know that you raped me and you raped Grace too, that you drugged us and that you tried to pay me off to keep me quiet but I will not be silenced."
"Like I said, do you want to cause your husband that scandal?" he asks and I am still confused on what he's talking about. "I think your husband went through enough scandal when you falsely accused me of raping you back in college, Hayden. Don't make your husband look bad again."
"I didn't falsely accuse you of anything. You raped me, Mack and you know it and soon the world is going to know my story. They heard your fabricated story but it's time for them to hear the truth," I say, "and what scandal are you talking about, nothing is going to cause my husband scandal."
"Really? I take it that you haven't heard the news yet," he says with a smile, it's so taunting I want to punch him in the face. "I don't even know if I should tell you or if Roman should tell you."
"What, Mack? Don't play games with me," I demand.
"I know how much you like to play games, Hayden," he says. "But this time I am not playing games, you're looking at the new quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers," he says proudly.
"No," I say, "that's not true," I say, "there's no way that Roman would want you on his team."
"Well, it wasn't his call," he says, "the decision was made before he took the coaching job but you know with a rape allegation things got a little messy and it was on hold but when the charges were dropped yesterday they accepted me onto the team. You don't want to do the book Hayden, what do you think the world would say about you if they found out that the man you say 'raped' you was the quarterback on your husband's football team, but you had a secret affair with him. People might start questioning things like are we still sleeping together, they might start to question who the father of your baby is and I don't think you want that, Hayden," he says. "Do you? And then people might wonder why you were sleeping with your college professor and then they might question your past to see if your grades in college were from studying or if they were from sleeping with professors, do you want to start that scandal? Then there's the time Roman punched me in the face and I didn't go after him for assault. I mean really, Hayden, I think you should think about not writing that book because your husband is going to need me especially if he wants to go to the super bowl, writing a book about how I supposedly raped you won't look good for me and then I might have to be benched and suspended and your husband's dreams of going to the superbowl are going to go POOF! Just because you had to share a fabricated story. Is that what you want, Hayden?" He smiles at me and I feel a cramping pain in my stomach, I feel like I am going to be sick. He's threatening me.
"I'm going to write the book, Mack and if you think Roman is going to allow you to be on his team, playing for him you're mistaken. He will not have it, he can't stand you."
"Hayden, I already signed the contract," he says with a shrug.
"And don't threaten me either," I say. "You have NO right to threaten me," I say. "You don't want your image to be destroyed because everyone thinks you're some hero when really you're a monster that preys on women. I don't know if you raped Bayley or not or if this is some kind of sick joke or if you're just manipulating her like you tried to do to me to keep her quiet but I'm not going to be quiet any longer. If double jeopardy didn't exist I would destroy you in a courtroom. I would file charges against you again but since I can't this is how I can make sure the world sees you for what you truly are and so that women can see they don't have to stay silent. I hope you burn in hell for everything you did and I hope that when everything is said and done that you lose your career. I forgive you for what you did to me but only for myself not for you. You truly don't deserve my forgiveness but to move on I forgive you for being the pig that you are and when the book comes out I hope that you lose everything like you should have years ago."
"Oh, Hayden," he shakes his head. "Writing that book will be the biggest mistake of your life, I warn you don't do it."
"Fuck you, Mack," I say.
"Make sure you tell Roman I can't wait to be one of his players again," he says with a smirk. "I'm sure he can't wait," he says before shutting the door.
I walk to my rental car and get in. I place my hand on my stomach as it cramps. I take a few breaths before I start the car. I can't believe Mack is on Roman's team. I don't know how that happened. If I know one thing Roman is not going to be happy not at all. All I can think about is Roman's state of mind as I drive back to the hotel. He has to know about Mack by now but maybe he knew about Mack before I left and didn't want to tell me but he wouldn't keep those things from me not something like that besides he was way too calm before I left to have known Mack was going to be his new quarterback and somehow I feel like it's my senior year of college all over again and we are in the same scenario as before.
I walk into the hotel room and see Roman watching TV, I know he's watching ESPN as I hear, "The Pittsburgh Steelers are cleaning house first the firing of Mike Tomlin with him being replaced by New Orleans Saints Defensive coach Roman Reigns and now the trade for Green Bay's Quarterback Mack Ryan, Mack Ryan will be the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers this coming season, the decision was made last night by the board when they traded Roethelsberger for Ryan. It is interesting to note that Mack Ryan was bonded on a rape charge of an Ohio woman. It is unclear if the charges have been dropped or if the woman is still pursuing the charges against Ryan and what does that mean for the Steelers if Mack Ryan is convicted of rape? It is interesting to note that Mack Ryan had played for Georgia Tech in college and was suspended for a time due to rape allegations against him from Roman Reigns' now wife Hayden Reigns, we will have to see how the season goes for the Steelers after this development," says the newscaster and Roman throws the remote.
"Son of a fucking bitch! I will kill him!" he yells making jump. He realizes I am in the room and looks at me.
"Mack already told me," I say shaking my head. "I'm sorry, Roman."
"That's bullshit, Hayden and you know it," he says angrily.
"It is, I don't disagree," I say rubbing at the cramps in my stomach, I think the stress of the day has gotten to me and something isn't feeling right.
"Are you okay?" he asks.
"I don't know," I say wincing in pain. "I have pain, something's not right," I say. "I need to go to the hospital."
"All right," he says calmly, "we'll go to the hospital."
*A/N: I told you a storm was coming and it arrived! What did you think? Do you think Hayden was stubborn? Should she have listened to Roman? What did you think of Bayley and Mack being together is Mack manipulating her like he is Hayden? Or do you think Bayley and Mack are both manipulating Hayden to get inside her head? Should she write the book? What do you think of Mack joining the Steelers? How do you think that's going to work? Please review and thank-you for reading.