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How’s that?”
    “No. Don’t—” Laurent’s hands came up, and he wished to God he could dart past them without showing them his back.
    “What? Don’t worry, bro. I’m not getting my cock anywhere near you, but what’s the real reason you’re so shy?” Hux laughed and reached out to grab his arm. “C’mon, Murph. Let’s see that ass he’s so determined to keep safe.”
    “Please.” The word burst out of him before he could stop it, but all he got for it was hands on his arms, laughter, and—
    “What the fuck are you guys doing?”
    Drake. Of course. Because it wasn’t humiliating enough.
    You deserve it. You deserve it. You deserve it.
    “Just showing the new guy why saying dumb shit is… dumb.”
    “Yeah, Murph. Thanks. But could you take a look at yourself right now?” Drake was staring at his friends with a look not unlike one he might turn on Laurent. “Because I don’t know what you think you’re gonna do, but you’re not gonna do it.”
    “You know the stupid shit he said about why he won’t take a shower?”
    “No, Hux, but I can guess,” Drake said, and his voice was rising. “Because I’m used to that shit, and I’ve told you a thousand times that I don’t care what this stupid motherfucker thinks about me being gay.”
    “But it’s not… it’s not right, Drake.”
    “Well, no. But neither is whatever you’re doing. So could you stop it?” Drake gave a disgusted sigh. “And don’t you ever try and stand up for me by doing the same thing to him that you think he’s doing to me.”
    It took a few seconds for Hux and Murph to respond, but Drake’s obvious anger got through and they both let Laurent go.
    “Sorry, Drake,” Hux mumbled. “We just want him to shut up.”
    “Yeah,” Murph said. “You don’t deserve that shit from him.”
    “I know I don’t. But he’s our teammate, and no one gets threatened like that in my locker room.”
    Hux and Murph both looked appropriately sorry, and Laurent pressed himself back into the corner of the shower, grateful to have his back covered by the tile and still not sure what the fuck he was supposed to say to Isaac Drake.
    Drake looked about as exhausted as Laurent felt. “I hate what this team is becoming,” he said to Laurent, after Hux and Murph had left. “And I don’t know what else to do. We’ve never done anything to you, and you go out of your way to piss everyone off. Especially me and the coaches. Why?”
    Drake held up a hand. “Don’t answer, or I’m probably gonna break my word to Coach and punch you.” Drake made a disgusted noise and turned an equally disgusted look at Laurent. “But for the record? Even though you have spit in my face ,I’m not gonna let anyone bully you.
    “That’s the kind of team you’re on, and you don’t even see why you should be glad about it. But here’s something else, since we’re having this nice little talk. You don’t ever, ever have to worry about my cock touching anything of yours. I don’t fuck bullies, and that’s all you are, Laurent. A bully. Just like your father. He must be so proud of you. I can’t imagine anyone else ever is.”
    With that, Isaac turned and left Laurent alone in the spray.
    Laurent heard the door slam, and that was it. All his self-control fell away, and he turned around, buried his face in his arm, and started to sob.

Chapter Four
     
     
    ISAAC WAS pleased with his fuck-you speech in the locker room, even if he was so furious at his stupid friends that he was going to possibly murder them.
    And Laurent. First of all no one should be that hot when naked and being manhandled—and Isaac should in no way be thinking that—and second of all—
    Shit. Wait. Where were his keys?
    Scowling, Isaac reached his Jeep and dug around in his pockets and his gear bag and then remembered he’d hung them on the little hook in his locker that was specifically designed for keys. Goddammit.
    Isaac shouldered his bag and went back into the locker