Bound by Obsession (Shadowed Souls #2)

48. Chapter Forty Eight

T he frat house is alive with a certain buzz this evening, or perhaps that’s just me. I’ve been practically vibrating with the need to get out of here since sundown, barely able to keep my hand steady whilst attending to Avery’s neck.

“Are you sure this is going to last?” she huffs from her stool at the kitchen island, keeping her head stretched to the side. I gently pat the concealer down, blending out the edges so no one would know the difference.

“It’s the highest grade of tattoo covering cream, Peach. Of course it will last.” Tilting her head to the other side, Avery flicks over her mass of hair and holds it out of the way.

“I’ve never even seen you cover your tattoos,” she mutters from beneath her mane. I grin widely.

“Because I don’t. What I do cover is Axel’s hand necklace every time I go a bit too hard so the guys are none the wiser. Big hands and brute strength aren’t always easy to control.” Avery stiffens beneath my fingertips as I continue dabbing the cream into her skin.

She snuck out of Wyatt’s room in his orange hoodie around midday, bruised and ashen, eyes ringed with lack of sleep. I was waiting against the wall for hours just to witness her walk of shame, and it was glorious. I’ve never been prouder.

Finishing with the marks on her neck, I offer to check her body for other bruises but she smacks me and jumps from the stool, rushing off to Dax’s room. He offered to braid her hair like all of the other sorority girls do theirs, and now she doesn’t need to explain who tried to choke her out. I did offer to take the fall like the noble gentleman I am, but she preferred to not address the issue at all.

Left with only myself for entertainment, I start to limber up, swinging my arms in wide circles and lunging across the living area. Excessively pushing Huxley to get back into shape has done wonders for my own fitness, snapping me back from my winter break slump. As soon as Axel is healed up, I’ll be dragging him along too. Our Peach can only be seen with the hottest of men groveling at her perfectly pointed feet.

Speaking of hot men…

“Riot!” I spot the broodiest of us all slumping down the stairs and bound over, coming up short at his attire. It’s a nice suit, the matte black slacks and tie against a pastel purple shirt. Expensive, just like the polished dress shoes upon his feet. “Dude, you can’t play ball in that,” I laugh incredulously. Wyatt’s frown doesn’t shift, his hair gelled back to perfection.

“I’m not. I have somewhere I need to be,” he tries to walk on by. I step into his way.

“Um, have you forgotten it’s Midnight Madness tonight? You’re the team leader,” I give him a rough shake. “We need you.” Wyatt pries my fingers from his arms and brushes down his jacket.

“You’ll manage. You’ve got your pretty little cheerleader to spur you on,” he drawls, his no-bullshit expression weighing heavy. Squinting one eye, I continue to obstruct his way whilst pondering that for a second.

“Just to clarify, are we talking about Avery or Axel?”

“Hey, there’s nothing little about me,” Axel says as Huxley aids his descent down the stairs. I smile warmly at the sight of him, freshly shaven and showered. He’s not even participating tonight but he’s wearing sweatpants and a college sweater, the Waversea Warriors logo printed onto the sleeve. Maybe Wyatt just didn’t get the memo?

I open my mouth to suggest such a thing when Wyatt shoves me aside and leaves, slamming the door behind him. Sadness wells in my eyes, a strange twinge tugging in my chest. Some of the best fun we’ve had has been during this event, running circles around our competitors. We’ve housed the trophy in a spare room for the past few years, not even giving a shit about displaying it. It’s all about the bragging rights.

“Where’s Wyatt running off to?” Huxley asks. I shrug.

“Fuck knows. He wasn’t very chatty.” Slipping into Huxley’s place, I walk Axel over to the front door and help to put his sneakers on. He’s probably more than capable these days, but I reckon he likes the attention. It’s an excuse to maintain the physical touch he loves so much, and a reason for me to shower him with the kind of care he deserves.

What a sappy fuck I’ve become.

Avery and Dax appear hand in hand, her hair styled beautifully in slick braids. Without smearing her cover-up, she’s managed to change into the yellow and black halter top we had ordered for this very occasion, adamant that she would be supporting our team’s colors throughout the night. On her lower half, a mini skirt that will do nothing against the winter chill has been paired with woolen black leg warmers and suede ankle boots.

The five of us gather in the entrance hall and my excitement plummets into overdrive. “I seriously can’t wait to kick some fucking ass!” I bounce on my heels, beating my fists through the air at some invisible foe. Avery raises a single brow.

“I thought you were just playing basketball?” God, she’s cute when she’s clueless. I sling my arm over her shoulder, careful not to smudge the concealer.

“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’m good 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 baring my 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 feels right .

“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 his tears away, I’ll never leave. Wrapping an arm around Avery’s middle, I pop the door and drag her out too.

Time to get back to the competition. The noise descends on us, people rushing forward to shove their phones in our faces. Waiting for Axel to round the SUV, Avery leans up and presses her mouth to my ear.

“That was really sweet. Who knew you could be so vulnerable?”

“Don’t expect anything to change, Peach. I’m still a jackass,” I say, grinning as I give her a playful squeeze.

“I wouldn’t have you any other way,” she deadpans, but the smirk playing on her lips betrays her. That fluttering in my chest threatens to drag me down but luckily, Axel has made it to my side. Linking my fingers with his, I sling my arm over Avery’s shoulders and walk the pair of them towards the arena. The crowd parts like the Red Sea, the volume increasing. A few slurs are thrown in, calling Avery some unsavory names but she doesn’t let it affect her posture. She remains glued to my side, smiling as if she owns the fucking world. I’ve never been more attracted to her.

Once inside, the atmosphere turns electric. The stands are packed, the air buzzing with the sweet smell of popcorn and sweat. A giant screen above the court is already flashing our team’s logo and heavy-bass music pumps through the speakers. Avery catches the attention of the cheerleaders, a few giving her a small wave. I recognize one as the redhead she used to share a dorm room with, who’s apparently swapped track and field for a set of pom poms. Avery pauses before waving back hesitantly. They quickly go back to their warm-ups as if the exchange never happened.

Dax is yelling at me to head into the locker room for a pre-game pep talk with the subs we chose to join our team tonight. I wave him off until Huxley puts his fingers in his mouth and whistles sharply. It seems he’s taken on the role as leader in Wyatt’s absence. What a fucking let down Riot has become.

Withdrawing from Avery’s hold, I catch her looking curiously towards the jocks across the court, most likely because they’re glaring at me. A few are on crutches, awkwardly trying to take their seats on the opposition’s side. I vaguely recognize them but without a red haze over my vision and my fists ramming into their bruised, swollen faces, it’s hard to tell. Cupping Avery’s jaw, I lift her onto her tiptoes to meet my direct gaze.

“Don’t pay them any notice. You should be too busy cheering for me,” I tease, tugging her closer for our lips to touch. She blinks once, her lashes fluttering over my cheeks.

“I will, when you earn it,” she fires back, her eyes twinkling. Axel laughs under his breath, ignoring the fleeting moment where he winces. I drag Avery the last millimeter, planting a possessive kiss on her mouth. A mark of ownership.

“Challenge accepted, Peach.” Setting her back on her feet, I see Axel to the bench on the sidelines to make sure he has enough space. Avery takes his side and his hand, and I promptly shove my tongue into his mouth. The crowd at his back is a cohort of screams and wolf whistles until I finally pull away, leaving him breathless.

“Give ‘em hell,” he smirks, cheeks pink and eyes alive. I wink before jogging across the court to my team, throwing my arms wide to soak it all in.

“It’s about time,” Hux folds his arms. Dax tries to mirror him but he has a harder time staying mad at me.

“I’ve been waiting weeks for this.” Turning Huxley in the direction of the lockers, he walks with me.

“You do know everything you’re doing is being caught on video,” he huffs.

“Exactly!” I exclaim, unable to hide my grin. “They’re talking anyway. It’s about time we showed people we don’t give a shit about their rumors. We’re going to do our thing regardless. Feel free to join me by accosting Avery at half time.” Dax catches my eye, shooting me an approving glance as he pats my shoulder.

When we get back on the court, the momentum just keeps building and building. Every pass, every shot, it’s like we’re moving in perfect sync. The Subs do a much better job than I anticipated, given that their only instruction was to make sure either Hux, Dax or I had the ball. I catch sight of Avery often, especially when she’s up on her feet, fist pumping and bopping to the beat of the music. To be honest, she’s more of a distraction than a help but I wouldn’t change her being here for shit.

I end the first half with a dunk, swinging off the rim and milking it for all it’s worth before dropping down and jogging back to the bench. The crowd’s on their feet, Avery jumping up and down, clapping and cheering, her face lit up with pride. It strikes me like an arrow to the heart, everything clicking into place. Our girl, the center of our universe.

Whisking her into my sweaty arms, I’m promptly shoved in the face and she’s torn away by Hux. I laugh, admitting defeat. Returning to stand shoulder to shoulder with Dax across the court, I ignore the groans of the jocks I’ve elbowed at any possible opportunity. I have no doubt Kevin Tyler sprained his ankle when I tripped him up, and then ran back over said ankle to make sure. Now, my focus is pinned on Huxley’s hand.

Sitting on the bench beside Axel, he’s pulled Avery into his lap, his fingers trailing especially high up her thigh and disappearing beneath her short skirt. She bites on her lip, leaving nothing to the imagination. Arching slightly against him, she inhales sharply through her nose. I can’t look away. There’s nothing else I want to watch, other than Avery trying to hide how quickly she’s reaching her peak. I told Hux we should do our thing, and honestly, I’m impressed. I just need to figure out how I’m going to finish this game with a rock-hard boner.