“We didn’t drop that puzzle piece,” Imogen said. “We never had it to begin with.”
Troy sighed. “No, you didn’t. I found it in the staging area after the Tribulation began. The show couldn’t look bad with the Marco Polo reps there, so I tossed it on the ground.Whichis why nobody went home at the next Trial. I kept things fair.”
How was he still so calm?
“Please, you thought Shawn and Luke would let their guards down if one of them was going home and the cameras were gone,” Imogen protested. “Then you leaked the video!”
I watched Barnes. If this was news, he betrayed nothing. No, he’d known Troy had leaked the sex tape, all to leave me as badly exposed as he was. I could have slapped him.
“How does a misplaced puzzle piece affect the competition if nobody goes home?” Troy countered. “As for Shawn and Luke, you’re all in power of your own decisions.”
“But once Barnes was here?” Zara asked coldly. “You think I won’t find footage of you two sneaking around? A sexual relationship with a contestant is nonnegotiable termination.”
“Which is why I’ve obviously never participated in any such thing.”
“That video you filmed of Barnes fucking Shawn at the party says different,” Greta volunteered, flooring the whole room. Not only had Troy been with them,but there was video?
I thought I’d be sick, the nightmare of that encounter twisting into a whole new low. “Did Shawn know he was there?” I managed to get out.
“No, Shawn’s high as a kite in the footage, clearly unaware of Peeping Troy,” Greta said tightly. “Who commemorated the whole glorious show on his phone.”
“Why wasn’tthatin your journal?” Imogen asked.
She cut me a guilty look. “I’ve dragged Shawn into enough. But if it’s the only way to take this bastard down, then I know what he’d want me to do.”
“When did you show Greta that?” Barnes asked Troy, finally speaking.
“Are you seriously that off your game, Barnes?” Greta sneered. “He said he’d leak that video next if I didn’t tell Luke about you and Shawn. I figured running my mouth was the lesser evil compared to another TMZ exclusive that left nothing to the imagination.”
Troy inhaled, choosing his words. “I’ll admit I pushed you to reveal a major story,since that’s my job, but claiming I did so with a sexual video is pathetic theatrics, Greta, even for you.”
“So you deleted it, great. Have fun when they subpoena your cloud, Troy!”
As Greta and Troy continued to trade barbs, I saw Barnes’ cool façade fraying, and I knew I had one card left to play. “Barnes, when did you meet Troy?”
“At that stupid wrap party, clearly,” Troy answered for him.
But Barnes’ attention was on me alone. “In DC, about a year after we moved there.”
“Barnes, what are you doing?” Troy asked, finally flushing.
“He wanted to get onLobby Boysbut needed a job in DC to be eligible. He cold emailed me but seemed smart,” Barnes continued. “I hired him and recommended him for filming.”
Troy shook his head. “That’s not—”
“Anyone who worked for me is public record, Troy!” he snapped. “Lobby Boyswouldn’t cast him, but they offered him a PA job. He left my office, and soon enough he got referred for a position onBeverly Blondein LA.”
“When did you two start sleeping together?” I asked, refusing to lose focus.
Troy’s cheeks burned red as a hot stove now. “Barnes, don’t—”
“AfterLobby Boyshired him,” Barnes answered. “There’d been… tension when he worked for me, and since you and I were—”
“You can skip that,” I cut him off. “Then you two…”
“Off and on. Even after he moved to LA.”
“We were consenting adults with no business relationship!” Troy interjected.
