With a heavy sigh, I stormed to my room, grabbed a robe, and threw it on before marching down the stairs. I wrenched the door open with a sharp motion. “What do you want, Travis?”
He smiled when he saw me, and I couldn’t believe I’d once found it charming—the way his eyes slid over me, taking in every inch. Now, it was nothing more than a leer, making me instinctively cross my arms over my chest. “Well?” I snapped.
He rocked back and forth, always unable to stand still, even when sober. Moving too far to one side, he stumbled slightly before catching his balance. “Hey, babe.”
“Don’tbabeme, you asshole,” I bit out. “What the hell do you think you’re doing showing up at my door?”
“I missed you,” he replied with another smile, this one cold and empty.
I gripped the door frame, staring at him, disbelief in every inch of my posture. “Are you serious right now?”
“As serious as a kernel panic.”
“What?” I sighed, already exhausted by his nonsense. “I’m not in the mood for your tech babble.”
“A kernel panic,” he repeated, as if that cleared everything up. “You know… a critical system failure.” He exhaled a breath, punctuating his words with a self-satisfied grunt.
“Charming,” I muttered. “If we’re done here…” I tried to slam the door, but he stuck his foot out, stopping me.
“Wait… can we talk? I just… damn it, Fran, I really want to kiss you right now.”
Before I could respond or even scoff at the absurdity of it, a crash echoed from the living room. I jerked my head toward the noise, and he did the same.
“Someone else is here,” he growled, his eyes hardening. “Who the fuck is in my house?”
“First, it’s not your house. Second, you’re the one who fucked someone else, so you don’t get a say in who I?—”
He shoved past me, his heavy, uneven footsteps pounding across the old wooden floors. I tried to pull him back, but he was already moving too fast.
And there, by the fallen lamp, was Teddy, struggling to his feet. His eyes met mine. “Sorry, I was just trying to come to the door and?—”
Travis lunged for him, grabbing him by the shirt. “What the hell are you doing in my house?” he yelled.
To Teddy’s credit, he didn’t flinch. Not even a little.
“Again, not your house,” I said, stepping forward. “Let him go, Trav.”
I tried to pull his arm off Teddy, but he shoved me aside, still holding Teddy in place.
“Trav, is it?” Teddy smirked, completely unfazed by the hold Travis had on him. “I’d listen to the lady.”
“Oh yeah? And who the hell are you to tell me what to do with my fiancée?”
“Fiancée?” Teddy raised an eyebrow, looking from me to Travis. “Doesn’t seem like she’s jiving with that designation, mate.”
Travis hurled Teddy onto the couch. “Get out. Now.”
“No can do.” Teddy’s eyes flashed with pain as he struggled to his feet, but it was the only sign of injury he showed. This needed to end now. “You see, my dad taught me how not to treat women, and I take those lessons seriously.” He dusted off his shoulders. “Maybe you should let me teach you something about them.”
He took a step closer, his eyes locked on Travis’s. “Their respect is earned. Their love is what we fight for, not fight about. And something tells me you’re a colossal idiot who just lost the most intriguing woman in San Francisco.” He glanced at me, his voice dropping with a touch of reverence. “Frankie… she’s a fucking goddess.”
My breath hitched, and I froze.
“What did you do to lose her?” Teddy’s voice was low, taunting. “I bet you regret it, don’t you?” His chest was now inches from Travis. “But I’ll be damned before I let you come in here and treat her like she’s nothing.”
Travis swung, his fist aiming for Teddy’s face, but Teddy staggered back, narrowly dodging the blow. He was stunned for a split second before charging at Travis, knocking him backwards through the doorway, sending him crashing into the narrow hallway table. A picture frame shattered on the floor, and my phone fell from the table, its charging cord snapping taut.
Normally, Travis wouldn’t stand a chance against someone like Teddy. Teddy had years of practice in hockey fights, and the size difference was enough to put anyone at a disadvantage. But he was concussed, barely stable. With a sudden surge of strength, Travis slammed him into the doorframe, the sickening crack of Teddy’s back echoing through the house.
