“You’re lying,” I say, tears in my eyes. “We both know you’re lying—”
“You’re the fucking liar,” he snaps. “The cheater, the quitter. God, I can only imagine the lies you’ve spun to make me look like the villain. Meanwhile, you’re the one fucking anything that moves. We all know I’ve got enough evidence to end your little boy toy’s career. You’ve even had your turn with this one if the papers are to be believed,” he adds, gesturing at Jake.
“Those stories were all bullshit, and you know it,” I say.
“No, they aren’t.”
We both turn to look at Jake. “What?” I whisper.
His gaze softens as he looks at me. “Come on, Strawberry. There’s no reason to hide what we have. Even a broken clock is right once a day. That’s you,” he says at Troy. “You’re the stupid broken clock. But you’re right about Tess and me. We were together, and it was magnificent.”
Troy just scoffs. “You’re a lousy liar.”
“And you’re a lousy lay,” he counters. “But I’m not lying. Tess and I fucked like rabbits all over my beach house. Sorry, babe, you were at work, and I got horny,” he says at Rachel. “And we both know this one is no help in that department,” he adds, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder at Ilmari.
“Jake,” Ilmari says in warning.
“What?” Jake says at his partner. “Are you seriously upset with this cretin knowing our business? He’s a total piece of shit. No one will believe him either way, Mars.”
Troy’s gaze darts between them.
Ilmari just shakes his head. “He doesn’t deserve to know our private business.”
“Sure, he does. Clearly, he loves salacious gossip.” Jake turns back to Troy, gesturing at Mars. “He only fucks women. Yeah, that’s right, I said women. Don’t even ask me the number of times I’ve come home from a long day at practice to find these two riding his cock and face. I swear, it’s a sight to behold.”
Next to me, Rachel clings to my arm. “Oh god,” she whispers, her gaze darting between her men and Troy.
My eyes go wide, too, as the pieces of this curious new puzzle click into place. Could this actually work? My relationship with Ryan is the ace up Troy’s sleeve. He wants to hurt me by ruining Ryan. How is he supposed to do that if half the Rays on the team boisterously claim we’ve also had affairs? Jake and Mars are taking Troy’s sharpest arrow and burning it to ash.
“This is bullshit,” Troy huffs. “You’re all a bunch of fucking liars.”
“Are we all lying? Or are you lying?” Jake presses. “Because these stories just don’t add up.”
“Mars!”
My hand tightens around Rachel’s as Caleb approaches, his dark gaze locked on us. He hurries over, a slight hitch in his step. He looks to Mars as both men put their phones back in their pockets. Apparently, Mars sent on an SOS.
“What’s happening?” asks Caleb.
Mars nods at Troy. “This is Troy Owens.”
Caleb’s face becomes a mask of rage as he slowly turns, taking in Troy for the first time.
“Perfect,” Troy huffs. “The gang’s all here. You’re the washed up one, right? The gimp? You’re even more useless than the pretty idiot,” he adds, pointing at Jake with a vicious smirk.
Caleb’s face becomes unreadable as Rachel and I cease to breathe. He’s her mystery boy after all, the unpredictable one. Jake inches closer, his hand going to Caleb’s shoulder. “Babe, we’ve got it handled.”
Caleb just shrugs him away, his eyes locked on Troy. “Are you here to be the tough guy? You wanna say some shitty, hateful things, looking to spin us up so we throw the first punch?”
Troy just smirks.
“Yeah, I’ve known guys like you all my life.”
“What, rich guys?” Troy replies, squaring his shoulders at him. “Guys with power and purpose?”
“Don’t speak in my wife’s presence again,” Caleb counters, his expression obsidian. “She doesn’t need to suffer the sound of your obnoxious bleating for another second.”
Troy glares. “I don’t take orders from sorry, washed-up has-beens.”
Caleb just nods. “Clearly, you did your homework. You googled some footage of me taking a hit to my knee, yeah? So, like any bully, you think you’ve found my weakness. I can’t take the hits anymore. I have to get others to fight my battles for me. Is that what you think?”