We’re both quiet for a few seconds. A glance over at the stands tells me the game has wrapped up. The crowd is dissipating and the football players jog past us to the locker room. Xander’s hard eyes are on me as he goes by, and a sinking feeling washes over me. “Have you seen Max? I should get out of here.” I can’t tell whether I feel like I need to go because I’m more worried about Justin or Xander.
“No, why?”
“I’m his ride.” I look around for Max again, with a sigh.Of all the times for you to disappear, dude.
Justin doesn’t appear to notice my discomfort. “Ah, gotcha.”
And since I’m stuck here, we talk about our classes and teachers for a few minutes. All the while, I keep out an eagle eye for Max. There are very few people hanging around still.Where the hell has he gone off to?
Justin puts a hand on my shoulder to get my attention. “You know, I was thinking…” He pauses like he’s trying to decide whether to say anything else. “What you said earlier about being the scholarship student for cross-country—that’s kind of odd.”
Perplexed at the change in conversation, I eye him warily. “Oh, really? Why?”
“Well, usually it’s just one person on an athletic scholarship per team each year.”
I frown. “Go on…” The seed of doubt that I’d felt when I first got the scholarship and decided to attend school here has only grown as I feel more and more targeted by Xander and whoever else has decided they don’t want me here—because I don’t think it’s all him. I’m pretty sure whoever was outside the shower stall had not been dark haired like Xander. Does this have to do with the scholarship? I hadn’t thought of that before.
“Kari—your captain—is my ex. She’s had the cross-country scholarship for four years running.”
My heart does a weird jump and falls into my gut. “Huh. I’ll have to ask Coach Lance.”
He shrugs. “Maybe they’ve changed the rules. What do I know?”
“Yeah, may—”
The sudden nervous look on Justin’s face has me pausing mid-thought. With everything in me, I know exactly who is making him freak out.
A low growl emanates from behind me. “Back the fuck off, cocksucker.”
I gasp and turn to look at him. Xander looks … royally pissed off.
His jaw twitches, then holds rigid as a little vein stands out on his forehead. His sole focus is Justin, and the look he’s giving him would make most people turn tail and run. “Stay away from Red, Justin. I’m warning you now.”
I blink, confusion filling my head.What?
Justin’s smiling face shifts into a sneer. “Okay, sure. Because I’m expected to just do everything you say because of who your daddy is, right?”
“No, I want you away from her because you’re a fucking prick, and she shouldn’t have to deal with you.”
My mouth drops open. I guess Xander was more serious about the Justin warning than I’d realized. But still—I can talk to who I want to. My brow furrows. “We were just talking, Xander. You aren’t my keeper. You don’t even want me here.” I turn back to Justin. “Really, it’s fine. I’m sorry.”
He backs away with a grim smile and a wave. “No, no. If you want to let your man control you like that, it’s cool.”
I call out to Justin’s retreating figure, “He’s not …” I’m flabbergasted. Can’t get another single word out as my mind spins. I whirl back around, my breath coming fast. Xander’s dark eyes lock on mine. His jaw twitches some more as he takes in my murderous expression. I throw my arms up in the air. “What the fuck was that? I heard your warning, but you didn’t explain yourself so you don’t get to tell me who I can talk to. You don’t evenknow me,Xander. You may rule the school in your big-man football uniform, but you don’t ruleme.”My heart pumps hard as I scan his features, looking for some clue as to why he would think any of what just went down was okay.
“And here I thought you were going to thank me for getting rid of Justin and his little dick.”
Beau and Micah walk up behind him just in time to hear me respond.
“Little dick? I guarantee you the only little dick around here is still standing in front of me.” My eyes dart down to his crotch. The bulge in his athletic pants reminds me he’s anything but little.Oops.
He smirks at me when my gaze returns to his face. “It’s okay if you want to flirt with my dick, Red. I’m down with that. Besides, you felt it. Why lie about the size?” He has the audacity to wink at me.
Beau and Micah cover their mouths, stifling their laughter. “Ah, fuck,” Beau snorts.
My mouth drops open and my eyes blaze at all three of them. I can’t handle how cocky this guy is. Or his friends.Assholes.All of them.
And I’ll have to ask myself, later, in the privacy of my room, why Xander makes my nipples tighten when he talks to me like that.