Slippery Slopes (Winterhaven Series - Vol. 1)

Chapter 44

Fuck! Todd instinctively slid his hand up his neck as his heart began to pound harder and harder. His eyes widened fearfully, and he struggled to remain calm and cool. "Go to hell, Rodney," he muttered. "A guy didn't do it."

"I didn't put it there," Tonya smiled smartly.

"Good thing," Nikki quipped. "Or he'd need a shot of penicillin."

Tonya shot her a cold glare as the others snickered and nodded.

"You're not the only girl at the lodge." Todd glanced uneasily at his group of friends; would they believe Rodney's insinuations? He caught Lane's stare then looked away quick, glancing at Nolan; what was he doing in here?

"We could perform some little amateur forensics," Rodney said. "Test the bite on your neck against your bartender buddy's teeth. I bet we'd have a perfect match."

Todd felt like he couldn't breathe. Rodney wasn't letting it go. What the fuck was his deal? He'd never given this much attention to Todd before now, he had always been focused on Lane, trying to throw him off his game. He'd barely acknowledged Todd or anyone else who hung with Lane.

That was before the Hamptons.

This was the first time Todd had had direct one-on-one interaction with Rodney since the Hamptons. Lane had crossed paths with him at a few tournaments this last year, but Todd had been at school for most of them and wasn't at the events with Lane. If Rodney was making it all up, why would he keep pushing it? Keep harassing Todd? Why would he make it up to begin with? If he was going to invent some bullshit story about someone, why not Lane? He was his competitor, not Todd.

So, if he's not making it up—then Drew isn't the first guy to fuck you. You've been a fag all along and just didn't know it. Except at the Hamptons. Apparently, you know it when you're wasted.

"Just get off it, Rodney," Todd mumbled. He was starting to feel lightheaded and sick to his stomach. Even without proof of anything, his friends might start to suspect something was up if Rodney insisted on pushing the issue of Todd and Drew. Maybe they would start to think that where there's smoke, there's fire. His anxious stare skipped across Nolan's face again, and he saw it; Nolan knew he had been with Drew. Todd's guts knotted up tighter, and he averted his eyes, his heart racing faster. He felt trapped.

"As much as you talk about Todd and my buddy Drew," Nolan spoke up suddenly, pulling Rodney's focus back to him. "People might start to think you're jealous...of one of them. So, which one is it? You got a thing for Todd? Or Drew? It's hard to know since they're both pretty hot guys." Nolan smiled. "Or do you just want to nail them both?" His smile twitched. "Or maybe you like to be the one getting nailed. I know I do."

An instant rage ignited Rodney and moved toward Nolan. "You little motherfucker." His hand shot out suddenly, and he slapped Nolan open palmed across the face with enough force to knock him back against Lane.

A collective gasp swept through the room as Lane caught Nolan before he could go down. Nolan's eyes instantly watered from the fierceness of the slap, wetness streaking his face.

"Don't you ever fucking say that shit about me!" Rodney raged, snapping everyone out of their shocked state.

"You fucking bastard!" Lane let go of Nolan and lunged forward, right arm cocked and loaded, and nailed Rodney in the face, knuckles cracking jaw bone. The man's teeth clacked and his head snapped to the side as his body spun around and he went down hard, hitting the floor with an explosive exhale of breath.

Tonya yelped and jumped back, eyes bulging.

The room froze as Lane stood over Rodney, chest heaving, eyes blazing. "You fucking touch him again..." Lane panted. "...and you'll be eating your meals through a fucking straw."