Page 5 of Forbid Me
“Come on, man, that’s enough,” one of the guys behind him says, and with them in here, I feel my anger rise once again.
“Did it ever occur to you that maybe you just don’t fucking do it for me, Ryder, and that maybe you never really did?” I’m being petty, I know, sinking to his level, but fuck, am I supposed to keep taking this bullshit?
His nostrils flare, and before I can blink, he’s wrapping his hand around my throat and slamming me into the lockers behind, shocking the shit out of me.
Panic sets in, seconds appearing to turn into minutes as he holds me there, his face bright red and his eyes looking at me like he wants to kill me.
I can’t focus on anything except trying to breathe as his fingers tighten, but those fingers are pulled off me rapidly as Ryder is yanked back and thrown to the floor, a pissed off looking Travis standing where Ryder just was.
“Let me deal with him a sec and then we’ll get out of here,” he tells me quietly, his concerned eyes locked on mine as I nod at him, shock rendering me speechless. He turns to Ryder, who is just getting up off the floor, but he stays in front of me, blocking me from Ryder’s view.
“What the fuck, man?” Ryder shouts at Travis.
“You ever fucking touch her again and I’ll break every one of your fingers,” Travis growls, his body vibrating with anger. I’ve only seen Travis pissed off once before, but never like this.
“She was being a bitch,” Ryder retorts.
“And you’re a fucking weasel,” Travis shouts back at him. “Putting your fucking hands on a woman… who the fuck do you think you are?”
“Look, dude, chill the fuck out,” Ryder says, looking a little uneasy. “What do you care anyway?”
“I care because she’s my friend. I care because no man should ever touch a woman the way you just did.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be my friend, Travis?” Ryder says, because he can’t defend that he put his hands on me whatsoever.
Travis scoffs as he says, “Not anymore, and being friends with you in the first place was a fucking mistake on my part.”
“You got the hots for my girl, bro?” Ryder goads, and I see Travis’ body bristling with fury. My heart is pounding as I reach out to touch his arm, reminding him that I’m here and to calm down. And for some reason, it works, his body bristling a little less at my touch.
My heart may be pounding from what’s happening, but it’s also beating with something else entirely.
“Oh, look at that, you fucking do,” Ryder says, his voice becoming harder. “I always knew you had a thing for her, but I never really expected you to do anything about it. Too much of a fucking pussy to go after what you want. And now, you’ll always know she’s forbidden, because I fucking had her first.”
Travis’ hands ball into fists at his sides. Ryder needs to shut the fuck up.
“Come on, Trav,” I say quietly. “Let’s go.”
“That’s right, fucking run away like you always do, and that goes for the both of yo—” He doesn’t get to finish his sentence as Travis pulls his arm back and punches him in his face. Ryder immediately clutches his nose, tears pooling in his eyes.
“Fuck, I think you broke my fucking nose, man.”
“I’ll do a lot more than that if I so much as catch you breathing near her again,” Travis warns, and something inside me stirs again. What is that?
“Come on, Trav,” I say as I link my fingers with his. “Let’s go.” And he doesn’t even question it or argue as I lead him out of the changing rooms to the sounds of Ryder cussing. Suzie is stood by the door when we come out, her eyes full of worry.
“Christ, what the hell happened in there?” she says. “Travis told me to wait out here for you.”
“I’ll tell you over a drink or two,” I tell her, right as Travis says, “I hit the fucker on the nose.”
“Okay, guys, I’m going to need all the details. Was there blood? Please tell me you made the bitch bleed…” And the questions continue until she’s cut off by Coach calling Travis’ name.
“I’ll see you later,” he tells me, and I quickly throw my arms around him and say, “Thank you.”
“Anytime,” he says with a wink before he makes his way to a pissed off looking Coach.
“Girl, you’ve been holding out on me,” Suzie says, with a smile plastered on her face.
“Not really, but I’ll give you the rundown later. Right now I gotta get to class.”
