It was the first time I’d ever felt uncontrollable anger. I didn’t understand it. I jumped up, mumbled an excuse about going to the bathroom, and hid out until the class was over. My palms were sweaty, and my body shook with anxiety.
My first reaction to a girl’s attention was to yell at her. I knew yelling was rude and would’ve been completely out of line, but it was my gut instinct. It wasn’t until a couple of years later that I understood exactly what had happened. Yelling and anger were the only emotions I’d been taught growing up. It was the only means I had of reacting to an uncomfortable situation. Then when I met Viola, the urge to protect her overwhelmed me and for a while I thought maybe I wasn’t like my father. But then she started asking about boys, and how she could tell if a boy liked her, and I could only see red. My throat tightened, my hands balled into fists, and I nearly drew blood from my teeth sinking into my bottom lip. The urge to scream at her came out of nowhere, and I barely managed to stop myself.
Her soft voice calmed me down, and I reeled my emotions back in check, but I knew from that day forward, a part of my father would always be inside me. He’d been treating my mother like that for years, and now I knew—I was built from the same blueprint.
I didn’t have to protect Viola from boys at school.
I had to protect her from me.
“Hey, Travis.” Jeni’s voice brings me out of the past and back into the present with a small wave and knowing smile as I wipe down the equipment. “Lookin’ pretty good out there.”
I clear my throat, shaking the thoughts from my mind. “Thanks. Not looking so bad yourself, babe.” I wink, knowing it’ll get her excited. I finish cleaning the treadmill and walk over to put the spray back. She follows.
“How’ve you been?” I ask, remembering the last time we hooked up in the co-ed shower.
“Not too bad. Heading to Florida for spring break in the morning, but I don’t have any plans tonight.” I know exactly what she’s implying, and after Viola ran off my date last night, I don’t hesitate to take the bait.
“Well, we can’t have you leaving without a farewell party.” I grin, and her eyes sparkle. I let her take my hand and follow her into one of the vacant shower stalls.
“How do you want it, babe?” I ask, ripping my clothes off before turning the water on.
She smiles, undressing as she lowers her eyes down my body. “No limits,” she responds, making my dick jump.
“Fine by me…” I turn the water on and pull her chest to mine. The water cascades down my back, and before I can maneuver both of our bodies under the warmth, she has my dick in her hand.
I tilt her chin and bring her lips to mine. She hums into my mouth and strokes me harder. It feels fucking amazing. After dealing with Viola’s bullshit for the past twenty-four hours, I need a release.
I glide a hand up her side and palm her breast, rolling her nipple between my fingers. The way her body responds to mine has my skin on fire. One moment, I’m kissing and touching Jeni, a girl who means nothing to me, and the next, images of Viola surface in my mind. Ones of a wet and naked Viola with her gorgeous tits and ripe ass on display as she walked away from me. Then there was the way her body felt against mine last night. I know she was turned on just as much as I was. My cock was so fucking hard that I had to jerk off before bed just to calm the hell down.
“Travis…” Jeni purrs in my ear. She’s waiting for me to fuck her, but I can’t.
I remember the way Viola’s visibly taut nipples rubbed against the fabric of her tank and how I wanted to taste them. Goddammit, Viola Fisher! Even when she isn’t around, she’s cockblocking me.
“Jeni…” I say, trying to gently push her away.
“Yeah, baby? Want to bend me over?”
Fucking hell.
“Jeni, no.” I finally break away from her hold, forcing her to look me in the eyes. “I’m sorry. I can’t right now.” I can't believe I'm saying this.
“Are you fucking kidding?” Her face turns a dangerous shade of red, her temper hot.
I brush a hand through my wet hair, flustered just as much as she is. “I wish I was.”
“You son of a bitch,” she hisses, pressing both hands on my chest and pushing with every ounce of muscle she has. I stumble back, slipping as I try to regain my stance, but end up slamming my face against the shower faucet.
“Shit,” I curse, trying to find my balance. “The fuck was that for?” I press a hand to my cheek, already feeling the bruise form.
“You know exactly for what, asshole.” She grabs the shower curtain, pulls it open, and immediately grabs the only towel on the hook. She turns and glares at me. I watch as she wraps the towel around her body and storms out. Great.
I close my eyes and brush both hands over my face under the water. What the hell is wrong with me? And why am I letting Viola Fisher get in my damn head?
When I return to the house, there’s a car in the driveway I don’t recognize. I know Viola had her last day of classes today, but her car is here too, so she must’ve come back with someone.
Grabbing my gym bag from the car, I head in and am surprised to see Viola on the couch with another guy. The corner of my lips tilt as I see what a scrawny little shit he is.
“What’s up, V?” I ask in an overly friendly way, setting my bag on the table and grabbing the dude’s attention.
“We’re studying,” she says dryly, not even looking up at me. “Don’t get in the way.”
“You remember this is my house, right? I don’t have to go anywhere.”
“I-We can study another time…” scrawny boy interrupts.
“No, we’re in the middle of a session,” she tells him, ignoring the fact I’m standing right behind her. “Travis won’t be an issue.”
I raise my brow at that. “Not at all.” I grab the remote off the arm of the couch and click the TV on.
She sighs immediately. “Do you have to do that right now?”
“I watch the news every day, princess.”
“So, go watch it in your room.”
“Go study in your borrowed room,” I retort. “I pay rent here.”
“Maybe I should go.” Scrawny boy starts shuffling his books, preparing to stand until Viola grabs his wrist and yanks him back down. Even she is overpowering him with her small frame.
“No,” she demands, her lips pull in a tight line. “Just pretend he isn’t here.”
I scoff. Right. If she were capable of that, we wouldn’t be in this little war.
I busy myself in the kitchen, grabbing a bag of frozen peas, and just because I need a little extra pain reliever, the bottle of tequila.
I sit on the chair adjacent from the couch where Viola and her little study buddy are sitting. She avoids looking at me as she scoots herself closer to him, pressing a hand to his arm.
“So Professor Gable’s study guide is only about half of what he actually puts on his finals,” she explains, leaning over to show him the packet. And by leaning over, she’s actually giving him a VIP look down her shirt. Intentionally, I’m sure, considering they were at least a foot apart when I first walked in. “What we’ll need to focus on is everything else you took notes on during the semester.”