Page 85 of Penalty Kick

“You are the only guy I’ve been with in months. And, well, there are these.” Frisky held out two sheets of printer paper, gesturing for them to take a look.

Storming past Felicity and Gunnar, Talia grabbed them, unable to help herself. Just what the bitch thought she could do to prove anything was beyond her. That was, until her eyes settled on the paper. Printed in color ink was a set of pictures, a small time stamp in the bottom showing off three different dates. Somewhat blurry thanks to the smoke and the lights of the club, but there was no mistaking the two people in the photos.

Dash and Frisky.

Seated in his lap, straddling him, Frisky was leaning back, her face scrunched in ecstasy. Dash’s mouth was positioned on top of one of the swells of her breast, tongue sticking out like he was licking frosting off a cupcake.

Bile rose in Talia’s throat, unable to look away. It was the same position he had put her in their first time together after the reception. It hadn’t been special. He hadn’t put thought into what would make her the most comfortable as she gave him her V-card. It was simply his go-to position.

Tears burned in her eyes, her heart ripping into a million pieces. So this is what betrayal felt like.

“How…how could you?” she asked, turning back to Dash, holding up the pictures.

“Talia, I do not remember that night. You know that. I have never seen her before.”

“These say otherwise.”

Thrusting the papers at him, she watched as his eyes scanned over the images. Dash’s face paled as it sunk in that indeed, that was him, in the midst of passion with the stripper. Now she really felt like she was going to puke.

Her whole body went numb, arms and legs feeling like they weren’t going to be able to support her for much longer. Everything was crashing down around her, the floor feeling like it could give way at any moment.

She’d trusted him. Bared her soul and let him in like no one else. She’d given him her virginity, for fuck’s sake. She’d tried to tell herself that it wasn’t that big of a deal, but that was a lie. She’d held out for so long, wanting to make sure that she was really interested in the person. That it was someone who lit her up inside, understanding the real her. She really thought she’d found that in Dash.

Instead, he was just using her.

Just like Gunnar had warned. Fuck, she hated that he was right.

“So much for not being that guy.”

“Talia, I am not. You know that.”

“I don’t think I do. I think that I just believed your lies.”

Sucking in a breath, Talia let the tears trail down her cheeks. She didn’t have the energy to try and stop them. There was too much hurt and anger inside her right now. How could she have believed him? Oh, that’s right, because he’s that guy. The one who is smooth enough to know how to play anyone. And she fell for it.

All of it.

“What else was a lie, huh? The story about your dad? Maria? Your interest in the Unified team? I have to applaud you—it was a nice move to try to use me to improve your image after Vegas. Good thinking.”

“Talia, please, believe me. None of that was a lie. I do not remember what happened in Vegas. I am not that guy.” Stepping into her, he placed his hand on her hip. What moments ago had been a comforting move now burned, spurring on more tears.

“Don’t touch me,” she cried, pulling away. “I trusted you. I believed that you aren’t that guy. I defended you, telling people they had you all wrong. When really, they had it right. I had you all wrong.”

“You had it right.”

“Really? Really?! Because the Dash I thought I knew wouldn’t do this.”

A sob escaped her. Nothing right now was making sense. So much for everything in her life starting to align. Now, it was pure chaos. How had so much changed in just a few minutes?

It was a mistake, and everyone is allowed mistakes, right? Except it wasn’t just the night he’d “forgotten,” was it? He’d spent more than just that night at the Landing Strip. Even if he had forgotten that night, he certainly didn’t forget all three. She didn’t want to believe it, but she also didn’t have a way to disprove it. Players had a curfew during the tournament, but Talia wasn’t sure how exactly that was enforced. She could ask Liam—he was Dash’s road roommate—except Liam was probably shacked up with Avery, so he wouldn't have been around to confirm or deny if Dash was where he was supposed to be. All she had to go on were some pictures from a woman she’d never met. Pictures that were time stamped with different dates. And a picture was worth a thousand words.

Talia’s knees wobbled, the floor seeming to shift under her feet. It was too much. It was all too much.

She needed out of here. Needed to not be around him. Turning to go, the first thing she saw was Frisky, still standing there with the stupid smile on her face. The urge to punch her grew within Talia, but she knew that wouldn’t solve anything. It was bad enough the bitch had ripped her world apart; she didn’t need to give her fodder for an assault suit.

“Talia!”

Dash reached for her hands again, but she pulled away quickly, tripping in the process. Thankfully Felicity was there to catch her.