Page 6 of Forbid Me
“Damn straight you will,” she says as I walk off smiling, despite what Ryder did just moments ago.
Chapter Five
TRAVIS
“He fucking punched me, for no reason,” Ryder squeals, like the little bitch he is. How I put up with him for so long, I’ll never know. Subconsciously I’d say it wasn’t so I lost Charlie completely.
“Watch your mouth, Ryder,” Coach bellows, and I swear fumes are going to come out of his ears at any minute.
Ryder flops back in the chair, clutching his nose that the college nurse took a look at just now. Fucking pussy.
“Look, you need to cut the shit out, and quick. The scouts will be at the next game, and if you don’t want to ruin your chances of going pro, you need to work out whatever the hell your differences are,” Coach says, and I can see the disappointment on his face.
“We didn’t have any differences until he punched me,” Ryder mutters, and I clench my hands into fists.
“I’m guessing you failed to mention that you had your hands around Charlotte’s throat as you pinned her to the lockers in the changing room?” I say, unwilling to keep quiet about this. Coach’s eyes widen as he looks from me to Ryder.
“Ryder?” Coach says, and Ryder splutters over his response, failing to come up with anything quick enough to make Coach think I might be lying. “Fuck,” Coach fumes. “Travis, I’ll speak with you later, wait outside my office.” Dismissed, I stand and leave the room, not even bothering to look at Ryder as I go. I have no loyalties to him, and I think the message is clear to him now.
“You’re on the bench for the next four weeks,” Coach says when I sit back down in his office, Ryder now absent after being escorted to the college head’s office.
“Okay,” I say, taking my punishment for punching a team player.
“I gotta say, Travis, I’m disappointed it’s come to this,” Coach says with a sigh.
“I know, but I will never condone a man doing what he did, and I’d do the same thing again,” I reply honestly.
“You’re a good guy, Travis, but rules are rules.”
“Heard you loud and clear, Coach. What happens to Ryder now?” I ask, because I have no idea how I’ll be able to play on the same team as him anymore.
“He’s off the team, and now it’ll be up to the college head to decide what to do with him.”
I guess I won’t need to worry about playing nice with him on the pitch then.
“Sorry, Coach,” I say, because I truly respect him and everything he’s done to get me where I am today.
“Just make sure you keep training and come back and play your fucking best.”
“Will do.”
Charlie text me earlier, telling me that Suzie was dragging her to Club Haven, so here I am, dressed in a black shirt and dark denim jeans, making my way through the club to find them. ‘A table at the back’ her text said, and I can guarantee that Suzie has sweet-talked their way into one of the booths.
I approach the edge of the dance floor, keeping to the side of the room, the booths coming into view. And there she is, in the middle booth, directly in line with the middle of the dance floor, looking absolutely fucking stunning in a black dress that shows off her curves and falls to her mid-thigh. Her long brunette hair is hanging loose, framing her face, and her smile is infectious from all the way over here. She’s talking to Suzie, sipping her drink and making my cock twitch with need. Fuck. How did I ever think it was right to stay away from her? Why did I let her go when we used to be so fucking close?
I know she’s going to need time to heal after what Ryder put her through, but I’m going to be there every step of the way, waiting until she’s ready to see what I already know. That we’re meant to be.
Chapter Six
CHARLOTTE
Despite what happened today, I’m having a really good night. My parents were disgusted with the way Ryder acted, but I’ve promised them that there is no going back, ever. I left out some of the details, like the words he said to me, because they mean nothing. Just venom from a snake that I would rather forget. My healing process starts now, and I refuse to live in the shadows anymore.
And here comes a guy that I know will help me along the way. Travis, dressed in a black shirt and jeans, looking like a model straight out of an advert. Christ, he could don billboards all over the world with his chiselled features and those smouldering eyes. The way he pulled Ryder away from me earlier, the way he stood in front of me like my protector, and the way he’s slotted back into my life like he never left makes me feel all gooey inside. I’ve wasted so much time with the wrong guy, when the right one was in front of me all along. But there’s still that niggle of self-doubt telling me that he doesn’t like me in that way, that he’s just being a friend, the one I let Ryder take from me for a while.
“Ladies,” he greets as he rocks up to our table with that signature smile of his on his face.
“Here he is, the fucking legend of the hour,” Suzie says, her words slightly slurred from the alcohol she’s sank so far. I’ve been a little more cautious, preferring to keep some of my wits about me, especially if a certain asshole shows up here tonight. I wouldn’t have thought so, not with a busted nose and his reputation in tatters, but still, can’t be too careful.
