Franco narrowed his eyes. “He’s your friend from the fort, isn’t he?”
“What?” Todd visibly trembled. “What the fuck are you talking about? What… fort?”
“The fort you told me about the day we graduated high school,” Franco said.
“I never told you anything about a fort.” A flicker of fear skittered through Todd’s eyes. Of course, he didn’t remember.
“You did,” Franco insisted, experiencing a level of satisfaction from what he was about to reveal. “It was after the graduation party. You were drunk off your ass and leaning on me because you could barely walk. Your face was close to mine, and you asked me if I had ever kissed a guy. I asked if you had, and you said when you were thirteen, you kissed your best friend. Then you told me everything that happened in the fort that day.”
Todd stared at him wide-eyed like a deer caught in headlights.
“Everything,” Franco emphasized. “Even the things your best friend didn’t know.”
“No,” Todd rasped.
“Yes.” Franco held his anxious stare. “Like the fact that you stashed that magazine in the bushes, so you guys would conveniently find it, and it would give you an excuse to test if Katt liked boys. Because you liked boys, and you thought Katt might, too. But instead of just being honest with him, you coaxed him into doing stuff with you, pretending you were just goofing around. And how, when you wanted to do more, and he didn’t, it pissed you off and made you feel ashamed andembarrassed. So you dumped him as your best friend, angry that you were gay and he wasn’t.”
“I’m not a faggot,” Todd snapped, jabbing a finger in Franco’s face. “And don’t you fucking spread it around that I am.”
“If I were going to tell people, I would’ve done so by now.”
“Why didn’t you?” Todd asked suspiciously.
“Because we were friends. And you were drunk when you told me those things. You didn’t remember.” His eyes narrowed. “And friends don’t pull that kind of shit on each other.” His stare chilled. “Like you did with Katt—back then and now.”
Todd scowled and moved away from Franco. “I didn’t make him do anything back then,” he muttered. “And I’m not making him now. If he’s really straight, he won’t do it.”
Franco stepped toward him, somewhat threatening. “You made him think you wanted to be friends again. Clearly, he missed his best friend—or who he thought you were.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Todd said. “No straight guy is gonna fuck a man for any reason.”
“So, what if he was gay?” Franco asked. “What would you do? Disown him again? Try to get him in bed?”
“Shut up!” Todd bit back. “I don’t fuck guys!”
“Say it a little louder,” Franco drawled. “And you’ll out yourself.”
Todd clamped up.
“Where is he?”
“What?”
“Where is Katt? Where the fuck did you send him? I want the fucking address.”
Todd frowned. “Why?”
“Because I’m going to go get him and tell him the fucking truth.”
Todd scoffed. “Why? You barely know him. You and I have been friends since high school. So, what? You’re gonna blow me off for him?”
Franco chuffed. “Trust me, I ain’t blowing you, any way, shape, or form.”
“Fuck you.”
“Not that either.”
Todd seethed. “Maybe you got a hardon for him. What? You think if you play the best friend and tell him I was lying, he’ll drop to his knees and thank you? Or maybe you’re hoping he’ll just bend over and take it up the ass—”