Page 52 of Outplayed

What did I want?

Travis.

Izzy.

Them, in my life.

But I was scared.

So fucking scared it wouldn’t work out, and I’d hurt not only Travis but Izzy as well.

Was it worth a risk?

Could I really be Travis’s happy ever after?

He’d said he loved me with my temper, and he’d proved it enough when we were younger, but I could be a real grudge-holding bitch.

Yet, I still got over him tapping my phone to go on a date with him.

I also got over the episode at the restaurant.

But what happened if I didn’t take a chance and I lost them forever?

Was I willing to risk that?

* * *

Sleep had been hard to come that night. I slowly blinked my eyes open to the morning light shining through the cracks of my blinds. My eyes were gritty, my mouth dry, and my head pounded. All of it told me I didn’t get enough sleep since I couldn’t shut my mind down.

Groaning, I threw back the blankets, knowing it wouldn’t do any good lying about. I got out of bed and headed straight for the bathroom. After a long hot shower, I dressed in another set of jeans and a tee. Just after I managed my first sip of coffee, my phone rang.

I raced to my bag by the front door, thinking it could be Travis and realising I actually wanted to hear his voice. It wasn’t.

“Jim,” I answered, making my way back into the kitchen.

“Vi, how’d it go last night?”

“He left. Then I left. Look, I wanted to apologise—”

“You don’t have to.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Honey.” He chuckled. “I’ll never see you look at me like the way you did him. I don’t fucking trust the douche, but when it comes to you, and it kills me a little inside to say this, but I know he’d do anything in his power to make sure you’re happy and safe because it’s what I’d do if I had your interest like that.”

Travis would.

God, he really would.

My throat thickened, and I sucked in an uneven breath. “But—”

“No buts, Vi. Understand the bastard gave up his illegal business for you. Someone must have tipped him off that you were out with me and he came to stop it. The schmuck doesn’t want to lose you from his life. Fuck, even as a man I can admit not many men would do that for a woman.”

He was right. Not many would.

Travis loved me.

Me.

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