Page 111 of The Wrong Quarterback

The world tilted slightly, and I fought to keep my voice steady. “No. That’s—why would he do that?”

“Think about it,” he said, his voice softer now. “Think about everything. The way he always knows where you are, the way he got you to move in with him in a matter of days. He’s manipulating you, Casey. This guy is not who you think he is.”

A wave of doubt crept in, scratching at the corners of my mind, but I shoved it down. I didn’t want to believe any of it.

“Gray…” I trailed off, unsure of what to say, the words caught in my throat.

He stepped closer, “You know there’s something off about all of this. If you really let yourself think about it…you know.”

“I’ve got to go,” I told him, beginning to back away.

“Casey!” he said, reaching for me. But I turned and sprinted, to where I wasn’t sure, but trying to outrun the questions…and doubts now running through my head.

My fingers pressed down on the keys, each note echoing in the quiet room, but today, even the familiar rhythm didn’t help. Gray’s words kept looping through my mind, unsettling and sharp, filling the spaces between each chord. The harder I tried to lose myself in the music, the heavier everything felt.

Parker had surprised me with this piano. I’d walked through the door, and he’d been standing right by it. He’d even wrapped it with a huge bow—orange, he’d said, for the Tigers. He’d sat right by me every day since then, helping me steady my hand when it started to shake.

He’d done that and a million other sweet, perfect things that had made me feel seen—made me feel loved. There was no way that kind of man could do what Gray was claiming…right?

I moved to play the next part of the piece, pushing down on the keys harder than necessary, letting out some of the tension. But my hand froze, an uncomfortable twist shooting through my fingers and up my wrist. I grimaced, flexing my fingers, but they wouldn’t relax. The pressure kept building, and I could feel a tremor starting.

Tears pricked my eyes, blurring the keys in front of me.

I heard the door open, and my head whipped up. Parker stepped in, his face lighting up as he caught sight of me, but I couldn’t return the look. I could barely breathe as I stood up to face him.

I took a deep breath, my heart hammering. “Did you lie about needing help with math?” I began, starting with the lightest accusation—something that could even be considered romantic—if what else Gray had said wasn’t true.

Parker’s expression went blank, his usual ease slipping away. For a long second, he just stared at me, unreadable. Then his face settled into something smooth, too smooth, as he reached back and locked the door with a quiet, deliberate click. “Why are you asking me that?” His voice was low, almost calm, but it only made me more uneasy.

“Gray told me,” I said, feeling my pulse quicken, hands tightening into fists by my sides. “He said that you took that class years ago, that you got straight A’s…is that true?" I laughed. “It’s not, right? I mean?—”

“It’s correct. I took that two years ago. Straight A’s on every test,” Parker said calmly.

I blinked at him. “Oh…”

He shrugged, crossing his arms in front of him. “I needed a way to spend time with you. That’s what I came up with.” Parker grinned. “You can’t say it didn’t work.” He licked his bottom lip, like he was tasting me on his lips right then.

I blushed and then swallowed. I didn’t need him distracting me. If that was true, though…that didn’t necessarily make anything else true. Or at least that’s what I was telling myself as I prepared to ask him. He was probably going to be upset that I’d even believe that. I was already feeling bad that I had to ask.

But I had to.

“What else did he say?” Parker asked calmly, his eyes glimmering with something I couldn’t read. There was a different energy surrounding him, like a giant coiled cat before it pounced.

“Gray thinks that you drugged him,” I whispered, my eyes wide as he took a slow step toward me.

“He had a drug test that showed…something was in his system. He said you sent that girl to him. That you organized it all.”

A flicker of something I couldn’t read flashed across his face, but he stayed perfectly still, his eyes never leaving mine. “Gray thinks a lot of things,” he said quietly, taking a step closer. The way he looked at me, like he was trying to gauge my reaction, only twisted the knot in my stomach tighter.

“It sounds almost like Andrews thinks I’m some kind of mastermind,” he mused lightly, taking another step.

I swallowed, feeling trapped between wanting to pull back and needing to know the truth. “I need you to tell me, Parker,” I said, my voice barely a whisper, each word feeling like it might shatter the ground beneath us.

“And what would you say if I did, Casey? What would you say if I got the drugs from Jace’s brother, and I tossed it into a drink and gave it to Gray? What would you say if I watched him drink it with a smile on my face before I sent a girl after him. What would you say if I told you I’ve planned everything to make sure you were mine.” He grinned. “Hypothetically, of course?—”

I stood frozen, his words sinking in like stones, each one heavier than the last. My mind screamed to move, to put distance between us, but I couldn’t force myself to turn away.

Finally, I found my voice. “I’d say…I’d say you might be a monster.”

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