was so important to him that Carlos and Will agree, but when both men nodded, the coiled ball of tension in Troy’s chest began to ease.
He showed them to the back door, not trying to hide what he was doing from the camera. There was no point, since he intended to go find his bosses and tell them what he’d done and that he was taking the rest of the night off.
Xavier and Chase weren’t in the office, but Troy found them in the break room, both of them looking suspiciously unsurprised to see him. Aware of the minutes already passed, and Will and Carlos waiting outside, Troy got right to the point.
“Y’all told me Will isn’t allowed in here.”
“That’s right,” Xavier said as Chase just watched Troy. “I know you didn’t know who he was last night, but now you do, and you understand why being involved with him—”
“Has nothing to do with you,” Troy interrupted calmly. “Or Chase, or anyone else. Will never hurt James, did he?”
Xavier sighed and Chase’s eyes narrowed. “He’s spying on one of my best friends.”
“He’s doing his job,” Troy said, trying to make Chase see the distinction there. “It’s not illegal, and if it wasn’t him doing it, it’d be someone else.”
“I don’t care.” Chase’s cold tone made it plain that he meant it, too. “I don’t like it, and your little fuck buddy tried his best to get into Glenn and Les’ pants, even knowing Les was involved with someone else.”
Troy imagined there was more Chase wanted to say but was holding back, which was good because Troy was flushed with anger and not feeling too terribly in control. Earlier he www.total-e-bound.com
WHERE THERE’S A WILL
Bailey Bradford
65
had sat and listened when Xavier went off about Will. Now he wished he’d spoken up then.
Everything Troy wanted to say seemed to be knotted in his throat. He hadn’t realised he’d fisted his hands until pain spread out from his knuckles from clenching his fingers so tight.
“And did he keep on, once he found out Les had a partner?” Troy finally got out. He didn’t know Will, he didn’t know Carlos, but he did know he wouldn’t be with either again if they were the kind of men who poached.
“Not once Adam knocked the shit out of him,” Xavier said. “And, to be fair—” he shot an apologetic look towards Chase, “he quit hitting on Les and Glenn once he knew they were serious about other people.”
Troy couldn’t really blame Adam, but it still angered him, thinking of anyone hitting Will. But hearing that Will hadn’t pursued either man once he knew they cared about someone else eased a lot of his doubts about Will.
Troy had seen enough couples play around, take in a third or fourth for a night or two, so he could understand Will testing the waters. But Will had backed off, which meant he wasn’t interested in breaking up a couple, just seeing if they wanted to play. At least, he thought that was what it meant.
“He was here,” Troy admitted, looking from Xavier to Chase. Both men tensed but Troy waved a hand at them. “He’s gone. Will only came here looking for me and Carlos. I had Carlos get him out of here, because y’all said Will would be thrown out or arrested if he came here. And if you did either of those things,” Troy shook his head. He didn’t want to give any ultimatums. “I think it’s best if I go home and take a few days off.” He had a lot to think about.
Xavier looked stunned and Chase just gave him an expressionless look. It made Troy want to shiver. Xavier pushed his chair back and stood, planting a hand on Chase’s shoulder when the blond would have risen. “You’d quit, is that what you’re saying? Over a guy you don’t even know? A guy you hooked up with for a quick fuck?”
Would he quit? Troy didn’t know. Everything was so confusing, and he needed time to think, and he needed Will and Carlos to help him not think for a little while. “I don’t know,”
Troy admitted,
He showed them to the back door, not trying to hide what he was doing from the camera. There was no point, since he intended to go find his bosses and tell them what he’d done and that he was taking the rest of the night off.
Xavier and Chase weren’t in the office, but Troy found them in the break room, both of them looking suspiciously unsurprised to see him. Aware of the minutes already passed, and Will and Carlos waiting outside, Troy got right to the point.
“Y’all told me Will isn’t allowed in here.”
“That’s right,” Xavier said as Chase just watched Troy. “I know you didn’t know who he was last night, but now you do, and you understand why being involved with him—”
“Has nothing to do with you,” Troy interrupted calmly. “Or Chase, or anyone else. Will never hurt James, did he?”
Xavier sighed and Chase’s eyes narrowed. “He’s spying on one of my best friends.”
“He’s doing his job,” Troy said, trying to make Chase see the distinction there. “It’s not illegal, and if it wasn’t him doing it, it’d be someone else.”
“I don’t care.” Chase’s cold tone made it plain that he meant it, too. “I don’t like it, and your little fuck buddy tried his best to get into Glenn and Les’ pants, even knowing Les was involved with someone else.”
Troy imagined there was more Chase wanted to say but was holding back, which was good because Troy was flushed with anger and not feeling too terribly in control. Earlier he www.total-e-bound.com
WHERE THERE’S A WILL
Bailey Bradford
65
had sat and listened when Xavier went off about Will. Now he wished he’d spoken up then.
Everything Troy wanted to say seemed to be knotted in his throat. He hadn’t realised he’d fisted his hands until pain spread out from his knuckles from clenching his fingers so tight.
“And did he keep on, once he found out Les had a partner?” Troy finally got out. He didn’t know Will, he didn’t know Carlos, but he did know he wouldn’t be with either again if they were the kind of men who poached.
“Not once Adam knocked the shit out of him,” Xavier said. “And, to be fair—” he shot an apologetic look towards Chase, “he quit hitting on Les and Glenn once he knew they were serious about other people.”
Troy couldn’t really blame Adam, but it still angered him, thinking of anyone hitting Will. But hearing that Will hadn’t pursued either man once he knew they cared about someone else eased a lot of his doubts about Will.
Troy had seen enough couples play around, take in a third or fourth for a night or two, so he could understand Will testing the waters. But Will had backed off, which meant he wasn’t interested in breaking up a couple, just seeing if they wanted to play. At least, he thought that was what it meant.
“He was here,” Troy admitted, looking from Xavier to Chase. Both men tensed but Troy waved a hand at them. “He’s gone. Will only came here looking for me and Carlos. I had Carlos get him out of here, because y’all said Will would be thrown out or arrested if he came here. And if you did either of those things,” Troy shook his head. He didn’t want to give any ultimatums. “I think it’s best if I go home and take a few days off.” He had a lot to think about.
Xavier looked stunned and Chase just gave him an expressionless look. It made Troy want to shiver. Xavier pushed his chair back and stood, planting a hand on Chase’s shoulder when the blond would have risen. “You’d quit, is that what you’re saying? Over a guy you don’t even know? A guy you hooked up with for a quick fuck?”
Would he quit? Troy didn’t know. Everything was so confusing, and he needed time to think, and he needed Will and Carlos to help him not think for a little while. “I don’t know,”
Troy admitted,
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