Lyric’s answer made me smile. Most of the jealousy that was making my chest feel like someone was sitting on it eased. What he said did sound like Luca, but I couldn’t help the small bit of hurt that lingered.
Chapter 5
Luca
Sweat was pouring down my face and back by the end of the game. I was starving, sore, and ready for bed. But more than anything, I wanted to spend the rest of the night with Violet.
That wasn’t likely to happen, but hopefully I could talk her dad into letting me drive her home.
I rushed through a shower, ignoring the other players as they talked about a party the quarterback, Franklin, was having in the guesthouse his parents let him live in on their property.
“Yo, Luca,” Franklin said as he came up behind me and slapped me on the back. “You coming tonight? I know Megan would be really happy if you did.”
“Who?” I shrugged his hand off my back and pulled on a clean T-shirt. That name didn’t even sound familiar to me, and I didn’t care enough to try to figure out who he was talking about.
“Megan Hawthorn?” He rolled his eyes when I just looked at him with a blank stare. “Dude, that chick has been trying to get on your dick for, like, forever. You should come tonight and get some of that. Then maybe some of the rest of us will have a shot at her.”
“No thanks,” I told him as I grabbed my gym bag. “I’ve got something a million times better waiting on me.” I pushed past him, then called a goodnight to my fellow defense players as I left.
There were at least a hundred people standing around outside the field house locker room. Most of them called my name as I walked through the crowd, looking for my family and Violet. I spotted my dad’s bald head. He threw up his hand, waving me over, and I started toward him just as someone jumped on me.
I dropped my gym bag at the sight of blond hair flying and caught whoever it was in an effort to keep her from taking me to the ground. I didn’t even realize my hands had grabbed her ass until her lips connected with mine.
Everything around me seemed to go deathly silent, and I tried to pull my head back. But the girl grabbed my head and thrust her tongue into my mouth. She tasted like Diet Coke and mint gum, and she sure as hell knew how to kiss—and without even thinking, I let her.
“Vi!” I heard my brother call out, and that was enough to kick my ass into gear.
I dropped my hold on the girl and pushed he
r back. “Back the fuck up,” I snarled at her when she pouted up at me, and I glanced around for Lyric.
My twin stood there with his mouth gaping open at me, his eyes wide and his hands balled into fists at his side. “The fuck was that?” he demanded.
“Where is she?” I yelled and picked up my gym bag.
“She ran that way,” he said, nodding his head to his left. “Better go fix this, man.”
“Luca,” an annoying voice whined from beside me, and I looked down to see the girl still there. When I realized who she was—the annoying chick who followed me around like some pathetic lost puppy, whose name I couldn’t remember—I muttered a curse. “What do you even see in that kid anyway?”
“Who the fuck are you?”
Hurt filled her eyes. “You don’t remember my name?”
“Why would I?” Everyone around us was still quiet, and their eyes were riveted to the scene we were causing.
“I’m Megan,” she whispered.
“Well, Megan, don’t ever do that shit again. I’ve got all I need and more.” I tossed the strap of my gym bag over my shoulder. “Stay the fuck away from me.”
“But—”
“Back off,” I roared when she tried to touch me, and she flinched. I walked away but not before I saw not just my dad but Uncle Shane standing there watching me with narrowed eyes.
Fuck.
“She jumped me,” I tried to explain as I got closer.
“Yeah, we saw that,” Uncle Shane said, his eyes glued to my face. “But Violet only saw the end result. Wipe that girl’s lipstick off your face, and go after her.”