Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26

LO

"You think deleting all your accounts is going to make this go away? News flash, Caulder—you stick your dick in without protection, this happens."

I feel increasingly angry with each damn video. Each new piece of evidence that this girl is a piece of shit. And the comments section?

Just another deadbeat parent.

Athletes should be held accountable for child support for their one night stands just like every other lowly American who fucks up.

Disgusting. Haines just lost another fan.

Put your money where your dick went.

Man up.

Dumpster fire. I don't know why I look at them. Probably because I'm waiting for someone to come to his defense. Anyone at all.

The league as a whole has been silent. Buffalo hasn't said anything. Caulder deleted every social media account he had. There's been zero response.

I close the app and look up—at the wrong fucking moment as a mention of this shit is skimmed over on Sports Spot.

"I'll be interested to see if the current social media slaughter will affect Buffalo's game tomorrow," Reese Davie says. "They've had a decent season. Not the best in the Atlantic Division, but such an improvement on last year."

"Very true. They're skating by the edge of their blades as far as making it to the playoffs. This disaster could have serious consequences on their game play," Dari Nolan responds.

Thankfully, they move on after that. I'm scowling. These fuckers. You're adding to the bullshit, even if in a neutral way. I'm thankful that almost all of Sports Spot focuses on sports. Not players' private lives or any other drama.

Molly Zubin is their ‘athletic lifestyles' anchor, which to me is a fancy title for gossip monger. I've turned the channel every time she comes on. I don't want to hear her opinion because it's just going to piss me off.

"You know," Keno says and I glance in his direction. He and Etna are sitting in front of my coffee table with game controllers in their hands.

I have a true bachelor pad. The big TV hanging on the wall usually always has Sports Spot on. Sometimes I change to one of the other sports channels, but this one is my favorite. When the big television's off, a screen saver pops up, making it look like living art. It's cool until one of the random graphics starts watching you as you move around the house. Then it's just creepy as fuck.

There's a fifty-inch television on the low stand beneath it that's connected to all the game consoles. I don't always have both running. In fact, I rarely do. Usually only when there's a game I want to watch, but it's not quite holding my attention, so I'm playing video games too. Or when my friends are over.

"I can appreciate that the world blows up straight boy drama just as much as gay boy drama," Keno comments.

Etna snorts.

"No really," Keno continues. "I think the last big thing was… Felton Cock Sucker. A couple months ago, right? Would it have been blown out of the water like that had it been a straight guy shooting porn?"

"Yes," Hilt and Horny say in unison.

"In his case—similar to Max Latham's—it would have gotten just as much negative attention. What wouldn't have been tagged on is the hate toward them that came with it," Hilt says. "Porn is porn."

"The world is still in its sex-shaming era," Etna says. "Ohh, people enjoy sex. Shaaaameful."

I chuckle, despite my sour attitude. His prissy woman voice always makes me laugh.

"But like… the Buffalo trio? Yeah, that was only heightened because it's three men. It probably would have gotten some attention if it was one man and two women, but not like it did for them," Hilt agrees.

"Then there's Coach Adak," Horny adds, "who did absolutely nothing wrong but rescue his boyfriend from an abusive situation, and look at the field day the media had there."

"At least that ended well," Etna says. "And Carolina is having a fucking year, man. Toby Eads says they're going to make the playoffs. He's calling it between Carolina and Tampa."

"Ugh," Keno groans. "I hate that Tampa might win. Why do the jackasses always win?"

"I'm totally rooting for Carolina," Horny says. "Unless we get our shit together and kick some ass—then I'm rooting for us."

I chuckle.

We fall silent again when Reese Davie makes another mention about Caulder. My blood turns hot and I'm real fucking close to shutting the TV off.

"You think he did it?" Horny asks.

"No," I say sharply. My tone is apparently aggressive enough that all four turn to look at me.

"You two are friends now, right?" Etna asks.

I nod, trying to curb my irritation. How can someone even question this?! I mean, that chick is looking for attention. Drama. Fucking money!

"You've talked to him about it?"

"Yes. He didn't touch her. He didn't even leave the hotel in Philly. Caulder doesn't go out unless he's in Buffalo and only then, he goes with his friends to a single place where they play pool and foosball and shit. He doesn't even know who she is," I say defensively. Because that's my only mode right now.

"You don't think he might have snuck out for a hookup?" Keno asks.

I glare at him.

Keno raises his hands. "Just asking, Lo."

"No, he wouldn't do that." The words grit between my teeth. There's that irrational anger again. I really shouldn't get this defensive, should I? It's just because it's Caulder and I know how much this is fucking with him. My. Caulder.

"What's the plan? There's been zero answer to her claims," Horny says.

I shrug. I'm not even withholding information because I don't know. Caulder doesn't know. Between his agent, his new lawyer, and the team, he's sitting quietly locked away in his house. Which isn't good for him.

He's not alone today, though. He has practice and then his friends are going to his house. Which is good. Hopefully they make sure he eats. They can't do anything about him not sleeping, though. The bags under his eyes, just two days since he learned about this, are dark.

"I don't know, but I believe him. His coach believes him. His agent believes him, and his entire team believes him. If you know Caulder, you know this isn't something he'd do. Not something he'd risk for a fucking hookup."

Never mind that he's never touched a girl in his life. He's never touched anyone in his life. Except me. My possessive caveman DNA really wants to keep it that way. Keep this man as mine. So his hands ever only touch me. His dick only touches me.

More importantly, I'm the only one who will ever touch him. Please him. Comfort him. I'm positive that this man is my soulmate. I sure as fuck won't be letting him go.

"We're just curious, Lo," Hilt teases, tossing one of my random throw pillows at me. I swat it away. "No need to get all papa bear on us."

Taking a breath, I nod. He's right. They're just asking. It's conversation. They're not accusing. "Sorry. It pisses me off. It would piss me off if this was directed at anyone, but someone I know? Especially someone like Caulder. It extra pisses me off."

"If it was someone like the crazy Max Latham was, I'd probably not believe him if he said it wasn't him," Keno says, "But yeah. Not even knowing Caulder personally, it seems… out of character. At least, out of character based on what he presents to the world."

"He's exactly like what he shows, but humbler. Kinder. Caulder's a really good guy." I stop there or I'm going to start gushing about how amazing my man is and they're going to know that this isn't just me being affronted for a new friend.

"Cool," Keno says.

"I think someone should be saying something, though," Hilt comments. "The silence just makes him look guilty."

"This is Buffalo's way," Horny says. "Remember with the trio? It was like fucking weeks before they were allowed to live their lives again and not shut themselves away because it was more comfortable for the world. But the silence came first."

"It's not just Buffalo. Max's thing? Absolute silence for months. I can't imagine the hell he was going through." Hilt sighs, shaking his head.

"Remember the football player who was having an affair? I think there was a kid involved on one side or the other. If I remember correctly, it was on the affair side. But yeah, silence there too," Etna agrees.

"I think the silence is used to gather the facts and then using them to create a plan," Hilt says. "I'm going to pretend that's why there's been no statements."

We nod in agreement. In Caulder's case, I know that's the reason. They're hoping the hotel can somehow dive deep into their virtual trash bins to pull security footage of the hours in which the team was there back in November.

But that was four months ago. Unless they have a reason to keep that footage, they don't keep it. It just takes up room on the server.

I get it. From a business standpoint, I absolutely understand. As a man watching his boyfriend freak out a little more every hour from hundreds of miles away and helpless to do anything to comfort him or make it go away? I understand it less.