Page 75 of Bound By Obsession

“The referee’s for these events are student sport’s representatives who mostly follow football. Last year, the guy had never stepped on a basketball court in his life and learnt the rules online the night before! It was a shitshow,” I grin wider, glancing into the distance to relive the memory behind my eyes and Dax takes over.

“Basically, anything we can talk our way out of goes.” He shares a sly smile with Huxley and I squeal. It makes me tingle when Captain Noble gets a little naughty. Hux shoulders the bag with all of our water bottles and hand towels in, grabbing his keys from the small dish by the door. I snigger knowingly.

“Wait, isn’t Wyatt coming?” Avery pulls against my arm and looks towards the stairs.

“Don’t worry, Peach, there’s more than enough of us to keep you entertained.” I lightly push my finger against her neck as Avery tries to shove me away. Her cheeks line with the faintest blush, causing some gooey reaction to happen inside of my gut. Maybe I’m just hungry, or maybe I find it adorable that she is still shy after what I caught her doing last night.

Holding her firmly beneath my arm, I walk us out onto the porch, keeping her lack of dignity as our dirty little secret. I’mgood at keeping secrets when necessary. We pile into Huxley’s SUV, Dax calling shotgun before anyone else can get a word in. I don’t even bother to fight him for it, happy to sit in the back grinning, keeping my fidgeting to a minimum.

As soon as we turn out of our street, it’s evident that the art geeks have put more than a little effort into decorating campus. Strings of bunting hanging from every streetlamp, banners plastered on every wall and fence, my face printed across many of them. Sure, the others are there too, but mine looks the best.

“Damn, I’m just so beautiful honestly,” I comment, not meaning for that thought to leave my head. Avery and Axel laugh to the point of offensive, Avery’s hand slapping down on my knee.

“I swear, if you weren’t self-conscious, you’d be a stripper.” A sudden tension spreads throughout the car, Avery quickly sobering with wide blue eyes. “Shit, Garrett, I didn’t-”

“Fuck,” I breathe. “I would have been such a good stripper!” I throw my head back on the headrest, visualizing it now. The confidence I could have had on a pole, slowly shedding my clothing to the whoops and hollers of a packed nightclub. Just when I thought my neglectful childhood couldn’t take anything else from me. “It’s probably for the best really. Axel would start trading his body parts for dollar bills again.” A soft chuckle ripples through the back seat.

“Yeah right. Gare, you are many things but you’d be a horrible stripper.” Axel rolls his head my way, looking over Avery’s blonde braids. “You’d end up paying me to watch you dance. Before long, you wouldn’t be able to afford clothes to wear anyway and just become a nudist.”

“What an equally lovely thought,” I smirk, nudging Avery. “Just twenty or so more tattoos to cover up my bland spots and that could become a reality.” She scoffs, leaning into my side and keeping her hands low.

“I see enough of your dick already,” she lies. Pure lies. I bet she can’t even keep a straight face whilst saying it.

Our conversation is drowned out by a distant roar. The closer Hux drives to the arena, the louder the chant becomes. It seems the whole student body has come out to watch the match of the year. It’s bigger and better than finals against another school, because these are students we know. People we see all the time. I get to stroll around playing I spy for wonky noses and broken jaws tomorrow. I get to vent my aggression with absolutely no repercussions.

From the direction of the field, people are spilling out into the street, decked out in our team colors. Black and yellow, baby. The football jocks are amongst them, caked in mud and blood from their own Madness game. Damn, I wish Axel hadn’t talked me out of signing up. I’d have sold my soul for a chance to nut Riley Buckshaw in the balls with a shin guard on. Alas, I’ll have to take the few members who’ve put themselves forward for our basketball game as the consolation prize.

“Look at that crowd,” Dax says, wide-eyed, taking in the mass of bodies gathered outside the arena. I sit up straighter, peeking over his shoulder, my heart thumping like a bass drum. Students are waving flags, some sporting face paint, others pumping their fists to some tune I can hear faintly through the window. I roll my shoulders, hyping myself up. It’s good to be on top again. We pull up to the packed parking lot, easily gliding into the space which has been reserved for us.

“You guys head on in. We’ll be there in a sec,” I tell the two in the front seat. They both give me a look which can only be interpreted as ‘no backseat blowjobs’ and I roll my eyes. If I thought I had time, I’d already be shaft-deep in Avery’s throat while Axel tickled my balls. “We’ll literally be right in?!” I protest. They hesitantly agree, the full force of the noise hitting us as the front doors are opened.

“I’m not kissing your dick good luck,” Avery looks at me through half-mast eyelids. Why does everyone think I’m so obsessed with my cock? Taking Avery’s chin in my hand, I twist her to face Axel.

“You owe this sexy beast a little something, and I want to make sure you hold up your end of the bargain before I head inside to defend your honor.”

“And what bargain is that?” Avery asks, her cheeks shifting against my fingers. I release her face in favor of toying with her braids, marveling how I could use them like a leash if I wanted. Axel is looking at me as if he’s trying to figure out my angle, his chiseled face catching the dim shadows of the rear seat. I smile softly, leaning forward to speak directly into Avery’s ear.

“I believe you told Axel that you wouldn’t tell him you love him until he’s sorted his nightmares out.” Avery stiffens beneath me.

“That wasn’t exactly what I said.”

“And guess who hasn’t so much as twitched in his sleep in two weeks.” I peer up into the stunning hazel eyes watching our exchange closely. Avery is looking too, and Axel shrugs guiltily. “So in my opinion, you owe him. He deserves to hear how you feel about him.”

He deserves the fucking world, and I’ll do whatever it takes to give it to him. Starting with the precious woman sandwiched between us. Avery breathes deeply, the air pushing through her parted lips.

“You first, Garrett.” She tilts her head, her lips brushing my cheek. “Tell Axel how you feel about him.” An instant bolt of panic flashing through me, which is no doubt evident on my face. The smile has slipped and I swallow hard, trying to tamper it down. I haven’t repeated those words since that night on the porch swing, and I definitely haven’t continually got over the fact that Axel hasn’t said it back. My first instinct is to refuse baringmy heart for a second time, but Avery’s right. I can’t keep these bold promises to Axel if they don’t exist outside of my mind. I can’t expect him to know how he completes me if I don’t get comfortable saying it.

“I love you Axe,” I whisper, meaning it from the depths of my soul. I love him, and I love the ripe little Peach shuddering beneath the weight I’m pushing onto her.

As if she’s been waiting to hear me say those words, Avery snaps into action, carefully crawling onto Axel’s lap. Her hands are on his face as she kisses him, hot and heavy, his fingers digging into her thighs. Soft moans fill the car, a desperate need to convey the height of emotion we all feel. Sliding closer, I add myself into the equation. Mouths and tongues all blend into one, the three of us sharing comfort and oxygen.

My hand glides over Axel’s shaved head whilst the other tugs at Avery’s pulling her head back. Only the thought of Wyatt’s love bites lingering beneath the concealer prevents me from creating my own. It’s taken Wyatt this long to come to terms with his feelings, with more than a little pushing from yours truly, I’m not going to plant mine directly on top. Let him have his small wins.

Parting and panting, the three of us remain huddled together. I’m not a soppy man, but there’s no denying this feels good. It feelsright.

“I love you too Axel,” Avery leans into him, pressing a kiss to his jaw and actively not touching his tender ribs. “You’re so incredibly special, you need two of us to give you the love you deserve.” A choking sound escapes Axel’s throat, the glisten of a single tear rolling down his cheek.

“Fucking hell you guys.” Using the cuff of his sweater, he wipes his eyes and I take my cue to escape the spell his weakness puts on me. If I get sucked into consoling Axel and kissing histears away, I’ll never leave. Wrapping an arm around Avery’s middle, I pop the door and drag her out too.

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