Page 26 of Outplayed

Chapter Seven

Violet

Aweek passed by the time my luck ran out. All right, I’d just run out of good excuses to decline my dinner invitation from Izzy, who was five. Travis had told me as such over the phone. Speaking of the phone, Travis had called me every damn day. Sometimes it wasn’t even to ask about dinner, just to see what I was up to.

He’d ask about my day.

I could have, and probably should have, not answered his calls, but I begrudgingly admitted to myself that I wanted to hear from him. I’d always liked hearing his voice over the phone.

I was a glutton for punishment.

A punishment that could lead to me being hurt. Yes, I didn’t like the fact he made money off women who sold their bodies for sex. The thought made me sick to the stomach. But I also knew it was an excuse to hide behind because it scared me how being around Travis was addictive.

He was the man I loved.

The only man I loved.

We parted, and I knew I wouldn’t love another man like him.

I dated safe men. Men who weren’t anything like Travis—strong-willed, smoking hot, and arrogant, yet sweet, and also protective.

Fear had me building my walls higher around Travis because I worried we would get close and then something else could come between us. I wasn’t sure watching him walk away a second time would be good on me, regardless of the first time we’d both agreed to separate. I hadn’t realised how lost I’d feel without him.

I had to stay strong.

Shaking my head, I pulled into Travis’s driveway. The gates were closed. A man, different to the one I’d taken down, stood in the guard station. He came out when I stopped. I rolled down my window. “Violet Marcus.”

The man nodded. “He’s expecting you,” he said, then walked back into the station and pressed the button for the gates to open. I slowly drove through. My whole body was on edge. Not knowing what the night would be like didn’t sit right in my chest. My hands were even sweating.

But I was there for Izzy since she’d asked, okay, more like forced a dinner on me.

Then why did I have make-up on, my hair down, and a nice dress on?

For myself. I wanted to look nice for me. It had nothing to do with the man who stood in the open front door, leaning against the frame, dressed in jeans and a tee.

Jesus, he looked amazing in a suit, but in casual clothes, he was fantastic.

I opened my door, got out, and started for the house without glancing at him. I wanted to punch myself in the gut because I was already finding it hard to breathe. I wiped my hands on my dress and then brought my handbag strap back up on my shoulder when it started to fall.

“Evening,” Travis said. His voice seemed deeper, rougher.

Sexier?

No, dammit.

“Hey.” I nodded and looked over his shoulder. “Where’s Izzy?”

“Upstairs. She’ll be down in a second I’m sure.” He stepped back, and I moved in. When the door closed, I jumped. Christ, I had to calm down. I wasn’t sure where this jittery fool came from, but I refused to let her stay inside of me.

Only my body jolted when a hand touched my waist. Travis’s warm breath caressed my cheek when he leaned down to whisper, “You look beautiful.”

I cleared my throat, stepped out of his reach, and mumbled, “Yeah, well, um, I thought Izzy would like dresses, so I wore one.” The front foyer was large. I glanced around again, giving myself something to do. “So where’s Izzy?” Shit, had I already asked that?

When Travis chuckled, it told me I had. Thankfully, heavy footsteps sounded above, and I looked up in time to see Izzy bounding down the stairs. “You’re here.” She beamed.

Her smile was contagious. I grinned back just as wide. “I am, and I bought you something.” She stopped just before me, bouncing up and down on her feet. I reached into my bag and pulled out the wrapped present. As soon as I handed it over, she plonked her butt down on the floor and tore at the paper.

“Wow. Daddy, look, look at what Miss Violet got me.” She stood and thrust the present at her father. He grabbed it.

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