4. Blake
BLAKE
Ileaned against the kitchen counter, surrounded by my drunken teammates, and resisted the urge to follow them into oblivion.
“Blake, my man. Didn’t realize you’d been holding out on us.”
My teammates snickered at our star linebacker, Travis Devereaux.
I slid my bored gaze across the kitchen island, one eyebrow raised. A clear sign Travis should get on with whatever he planned to say.
Some third-string junior, Tweedle-Dum, nudged Tweedle-Douche Travis in the ribs, thinking he was hot shit as he jerked his chin toward the dance floor.
My hackles rose.
Awareness of exactly what they’d noticed set my teeth on edge.
Or rather, who they’d noticed.
If Travis finished his train of thought, the night would end badly for him and anyone else who got between us. Doing him a favor, I offered him a chance to back down. “You really about to open your mouth and say something stupid right now?”
Barely sparing him a glance, I crossed my arms over my chest to hide my clenched fists.
Some of these assholes would happily fuck with her just to stick it to me, so I took a breath and forced myself to chill. But if anyone here was stupid enough to think graduation and the end of my time on the football team meant the rules had changed, I’d prove them wrong.
I didn’t need to be the captain riding their asses to kick the shit out of them.
If he went after her, or if any of them touched her, they’d regret it.
Travis didn’t immediately respond, so he at least had two brain cells left to rub together. While I waited to see what came from that, I flicked my gaze to the makeshift dance floor.
I spotted her in the sea of drunk, horny seniors.
Fucking hell.
Sweat coated her skin. Neon party lights streaked over her low neckline and bare arms, illuminating each glistening bead as she weaved her hands above her head. She moved like smoke from a snake charmer’s pipe, writhing to the music and rolling her hips.
Her skirt flared out, flashing toned thighs and a hint of lace, and I stifled a groan.
My dick twitched against my fly, not so easily restrained.
Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t control my body’s response to her. It seemed perfectly aware that Addie was more than my best friend’s twin sister.
Far too aware in recent months.
A quick reminder of the stakes usually settled any inopportune reactions I had to her scent, the brush of her hair against my arm, or the softness of her skin as it touched mine. Passing moments of unexpected appreciation for her, I survived.
But tonight?
Instead of retreating, my dick strained against my zipper. It reached for her as she danced, ready to join her in a tangled mess of rolling hips and sweaty limbs gliding against each other.
What the hell?
I tore my eyes away, snatching my barely touched beer bottle off the counter beside me. The lukewarm swig trickled down my dry throat, doing nothing to sate my sudden thirst.
Irritation prickled my skin. Sanity and hormones battled for dominance inside my brain. And I clenched my hand around the neck of the bottle as Travis sidled up to me.
“Heard she let Dweebly pop her cherry,” he taunted, voice low enough for my ears only. “I bet she needs a real man after that. Someone to show her what it’s really like. Don’t you?”
My fingers twitched, every nerve inside my body itching to punch him in the face. But that move was like waving a red flag in front of a bull. He’d go after her for sport if I didn’t keep my emotions in check.
“She’s my best friend’s sister, Travis.” I kept my voice level but pinned him with a firm stare. “Off limits, and you fucking know it.”
He smirked, then bared his teeth in a sleazy grin. “High school’s over, Blake. And a sweet girl like that? Over protected. Repressed…I bet a firm hand in the bedroom turns her into a fucking wildcat.”
I set my bottle down, dropping my fists on the counter beside it. Without a word, I underscored the line he seemed hell bent on crossing.
Travis laughed, backing away with his hands raised. “Alright. Alright. I see you’re still on the edge. Toeing the line before diving into the water, huh? Afraid to dip inside that pool.”
The prick practically begged to be punched.
“We both know that good girls like her all come back the same. By winter break, she’ll be lonely and nostalgic for a little home-grown loving. So eager to please, too.”
He swung his gaze in her direction, and then he bit his knuckles with a groan.
Mine cracked.
“We may have followed your rules during high school. For your best friend.” He snorted, shooting me a wink like we shared a private joke. “After fall semester, her ass is fair game. And I do mean that literally.”
I snarled.
His head snapped to the side as I slammed my fist into his face. The satisfying crunch of knuckles against cheekbone only fueled my need to hit him again.
Somehow staying upright, Travis crashed into the kitchen island, barely planting his hands in time to stop his face from smacking into the marble. Empty beer bottles scattered, and a collective gasp rang out in the small kitchen, drawing attention to us.
Hands splayed on the countertop, he shook off my hit and spat.
Then he wheeled around to face me. “What the fuck, Hawthorne?”
Blood dribbled from the side of his mouth. He swiped it away with his fist before pushing off the counter to get in my face. Drawing back his arm to swing at me, he moved too late.
Already charging toward him, I rammed my left fist into his gut. His body caved over my punch, forcing us closer. He wheezed, spraying blood over my shoulder, and a girl shrieked in disgust.
I didn’t let him fold against me. I shoved him away.
But even in a heap on the floor, rage flared in his eyes, and he missed what I saw coming out of the corner of mine.
Resting back on my heels, I smirked down at the douche-canoe as he scrambled to his feet. As soon as he was upright, he charged at me.
And he met a brick wall in the form of one enraged twin brother.
“What the fuck did you say about my sister?”
Travis bounced off Adam’s chest and stumbled back.
But Adam just stalked closer, radiating fury.
With his spine ramrod straight and fists clenched at his sides, I took in the oh fuck look on everyone’s faces around us. Everyone thought I was the intimidating one in our trio, while Adam was the quieter, gentle giant. But his reaction didn’t surprise me at all.
My best friend was unflappable in most situations that required a response.
But he went from detached to deadly if someone fucked with Addie.
Sure I’d face him like a man if it ever came down to it, taking whatever he threw at me, I’d vowed never to be on the receiving end of that rage.
So, I did nothing to hide the shit-eating grin on my face when Travis looked from Adam to me, as if I might help him out.
Big mistake.
Adam’s voice cracked like a whip through the sudden quiet.
“Don’t you fucking look at him. Look at me.” Every eye in the party stared as Adam towered over the cowering linebacker and stepped on his chest. “I asked you a question.”
“I-I was just fucking with Blake,” Travis whimpered, and I smirked as Adam shifted his weight forward, ever so slightly. “I meant nothing by it. I swear!”
I sauntered over, glaring at the sniveling prick who messed with the wrong girl. Leaning down, I fisted the collar of Travis’s polo and got right in his face.
“If we ever hear you’ve gone within five feet of her, I’ll introduce my fist to your ass.” I jerked him forward, bringing us nose to nose. “And I do mean that, literally.”
When I released him, his head ricocheted off the tile floor. I wiped my hands on his shirt before returning to full height. As I turned away, a sharp grunt of pain confirmed Adam had stepped off his chest to join me.
I faced the dance floor, locking eyes with Addie Barrow, right as her razor-sharp gaze narrowed on both of us.
No longer swaying to the music, she stood eerily still. With her arms crossed over her chest and her body rigid, she didn’t flinch as partygoers around her kept dancing.
She marched off the dance floor, heading straight for the front door.
Adam, reverting to his Bruce Banner alter ego, shot me a wary glance. I shrugged, as confused by her reaction and sudden exit as he was. But we followed her either way.
As soon as we stepped outside, she whirled on us. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
Adam and I froze. We faced off with Addie at the top of the porch steps, saying nothing.
She jabbed her finger into our chests. “Is it too much to ask for one night without having to worry about what you two are getting into?” Spinning on her heel, she stomped down the porch steps. “This is our graduation party, for crying out loud!”
Adam kept his voice level. “We didn’t start that, Addie. If you’d heard—”
“What?” she challenged, wheeling around when she reached the sidewalk. “Let me guess. He made some asshole comment, and you just had to put him in his place, right?”
We shared a look that only infuriated her more.
“But why? What does it matter what some asshat like Travis says if it ruins my night?”
Adam winced at her response, snapping his mouth shut. Now safely out of earshot from the rest of the party, we both knew she planned to keep yelling at us.
“Adam, if you pull that shit with the wrong person, you could screw up your chances for med school. Did you think about that?”
She forged on before Adam could respond, turning to me.
“And you! What happens when the next asshole you beat up gets you kicked off the football team in college?”
“Addie, you don’t—”
“No!” She growled, dragging her hands through her hair in frustration. “What kind of petty comment from that asshole is worth losing your dream over before you even start playing for it, Blake?” She planted her hands on her hips. “Did you even think about that?”
I saw her point about our futures.
And I hated the thoughts that came with it.
My football scholarship was my way out of needing my dad’s help. My way out of following his plans for my life. If I lost that, I—
Addie bristled at my silence. “Go on. Tell me.”