Watson accuser felt scared, threatened

CLEVELAND » One of the women accusing Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual misconduct while she gave him a massage said she felt threatened by a comment he made following a therapy session.

Appearing on HBO’S “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel,” Ashley Solis, who is among 22 women who have sued Watson over allegations he behaved inappropriately with them, provided graphic details of an encounter with the threetime Pro Bowler.

She also said at the end of a massage, Watson told her: “I know you have a career to protect,” and “I know you don’t want anyone messing with it just like I don’t want anyone messing with mine.”

Solis was asked by reporter Soledad O’brien why Watson’s message frightened her.

“Because that sounded like a threat to me,” she said.

During the interview airing Tuesday night, Solis and another massage therapist, Kyla Hayes, both provided details of their meetings with Watson, who is facing civil lawsuits by the 22 women alleging various sexual acts during massages he received while playing for the Houston Texans.

Watson has denied any wrongdoing and has maintained any sex with the women was consensual. Two grand juries in Texas declined to indict Watson on criminal complaints filed by 10 of the women.

Solis and Hayes both said they feel offended by the five-year, $230 million contract Watson received in March from the Browns. Watson’s deal is both the richest in NFL history and fully guaranteed.

“It’s just like a big screw you,” Solis said. ”That’s what it feels like. That we don’t care. He can run and throw, and that’s what we care about.”

Added Hayes, “It was sick to me. ... I felt like he’s being rewarded for bad behavior.”

Both women have previously spoken publicly about their interactions with Watson, and the quarterback’s lead attorney, Rusty Hardin, said the HBO interviews were “more of the same.”