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“I never said there were three pictures,” I mumbled again. “How would Colton know there were three if I only just found out?”
My entire body shook as I began to realize what was happening. It wasn’t Hunter, or Sophia, or a random fan. It was Colton. Initially, he had urged me to stay with Hunter, just like my mom had. He never wanted me to see Tripp and made that very clear. Only once he backed off, I thought he was past the idea of Hunter and me together.
Then, another thought popped into my head. When Colton and I talked before, he said,“I'm only a phone call away. But I bet that Infernomidfielderis on stand-by as well.”That was before I told him who I was seeing. It wasn’t until a few hours ago that I confessed to him that I was seeing Tripp Maddux, and now that I thought about it even more, he didn’t seem surprised either.
But why? What would he have to gain?
Send me the picture.
An incoming picture from Tripp came in just as I heard the water turn off in the bathroom. It was taken on his counter, an image clear enough to see it was Hunter, with the words MINE typed across the top.
Who was his? Who was he talking about?
Before Colton made it out of the bathroom, I threw my shoes on and grabbed my bag. It wasn’t that I was scared of Colton, but he had gone to great lengths to try and tear Tripp and me apart. Until I knew more, I had to leave so I didn’t say anything I would regret.
* * *
After rounding the block a few times, I made some calls and headed to South Beach. It was getting late on a weeknight, and even though South Beach was the southern city that never slept, fewer people were out than on a typical party night.
In the dark, alone, I waited on the same bench I had been sitting on when I spoke with Hunter. The same day, Tripp saw us and thought we were getting back together.
“Tay?”
Hunter’s voice was ten feet away, and I stood up to face him, realizing now that he was there, I wasn’t sure if he was the right person to talk to.
“Tay, what’s wrong?”
“Were you always gay? Are you bisexual? Did you ever love me?”
“Fuck,” he ran a hand through his hair, looking down at his feet. When he looked back up, he glanced behind me, and his eyes widened, telling me I was no longer alone with him.
“Answer her,” Tripp demanded from behind me, then slid his arm around my waist.
“I always knew,” he spoke adamantly. “And no, I’m not bi.”
“So what was I to you in college?”
“My friend,” he shrugged. “Fuck Tay, I prayed every day that I could fall in love with you and give you what you deserved.”
“What happened?” I asked, keeping my question vague and hoping he answered the questions I had yet to know I wanted to ask.
“I just thought I could have it all. And since you still loved me, I took advantage of that.”
Tripp tensed beside me, but he held his restraint. There was a more significant reason that I had texted them both to meet me and now that Hunter was seeing how much I needed answers, it was time I got specific.
“How does Colton fit into all this?”
Hunter’s face paled, and his hands started clenching and unclenching. His jaw was tight, and there was a second when I thought he would run. But he didn’t. He got himself under control and finally sighed. “He and I had a thing.”
“What?”
“He didn’t want your parents knowing, so with me being your boyfriend, he and I were able to spend time together without anyone asking questions. But by the time I came home from League One, he still wasn’t over it, and I had wanted to see where things would lead with Tripp. Colton never wanted you with Tripp because he knew there would be no reason for me to be around anymore.”
“I think he’s the one that sent the pictures,” my voice was raspy.
“Colton wouldn’t hurt you,” Hunter bit at me in defense of my brother.
“He didn’t hurt me,” I scoffed. “But he tried to scare me into getting back with you.”
