Page 3 of I’ll Walk With You

Javier

W hy did I text him? I can handle this myself.

I don’t need rescuing like some damsel in distress.

Although Joel sure needs convincing. My older brother is only a few years older than me, but he’s worse than our parents ever were.

Or maybe I should say better since he actually cares. They never did.

My brother may be overprotective as hell, but it’s thanks to him I can even attend this university.

Scholarships only stretch so far. He’s working as much as possible to help pay my tuition so I’m not drowning in school loans after I graduate.

I owe him big, and one day, I’ll repay him, but today, I have Keith to worry about.

Joel told me not to trust him, but I was blinded by the attention Keith showered me in. I trusted him. Trusted he was only keeping our relationship a secret to avoid university gossip. And besides, Joel hadn’t even met Keith, so how could he know him better than I did?

I fell for Keith’s bullshit so easily; I would be embarrassed if I wasn’t so damn scared.

We met while I was tutoring him, and very quickly our relationship shifted. After he’d passed his courses, my usefulness had run out and he’d dropped me faster than I could blink.

I wanted answers. Needed them. And apparently, curiosity does, in fact, kill the cat.

I saw him in the quad after class two weeks ago, and my vision narrowed.

Keith was all I saw. Approaching him was a mistake.

He’d blown me off, intimating that I was his tutor turned stalker.

This motherfucker actually threatened to report me to the dean for stalking.

I need the income, so I backed off, my fledgling courage depleted.

Meanwhile, his fellow sportsball buddies had laughed.

Frankly, it felt like high school all over again, and not like I was dealing with a college senior who was preparing for the NFL draft.

Joel was right. He’d been using me. My naivete is embarrassing.

Keith fucked me physically and literally.

Got my ass and passed his classes. I snort at the thought.

I could chalk it all up to a teachable moment and move on if not for the fact he cornered me a few nights later.

He’d already won, but I guess it wasn’t enough for him.

Rough heavy footsteps rush up behind me and I’m shoved into the wall. Pain explodes in my wrist and ribs after taking the brunt of the impact. My arm had instinctively come up to protect my face from slamming into the bricks.

“Get over it, Javi.” Keith growls into my ear.

His voice is easily recognizable, even though I can’t see his face.

“Forget we ever happened, or I’ll make you regret it.

You were a hot piece of ass, and your deep throating skills were fantastic, but that’s all you were.

” He sounds menacing in a way I haven’t heard from him before.

Fear snakes its way down my spine. I believe him.

He can and he will hurt me. “We are nothing. We were nothing. You just helped me get my grades up like I paid you for. So, keep your fucking mouth shut.” His hands pull me towards him, then he slams me back into the wall, stealing the breath from my lungs. “Do you understand me?”

I gasp in a breath. I’m trembling, pain and fear trapping my voice into a lump in my throat. I want to cry, but I know better than to show that weakness in front of a bully.

“Don’t let them see you cry, Javi,” Joel’s voice echoes in my head. “We have to be strong.”

I nod my head at Keith. He releases me before disappearing around the corner.

So far, I’ve done a great job avoiding Keith around campus. My new route may take longer, but it’s working like a charm. I know his schedule as well as I know my own. That’s why I expected it would be safe to take on a new tutoring assignment in the library.

I was wrong. For some reason, Keith is here too.

I’m in the library tutoring a new client.

He’s across the way and doesn’t seem to have noticed me yet.

Dread fills me. I’m not even here for him, but I’m not convinced he’ll care about my reasons for being in the same place at the same time.

After everything that’s happened, it’s very likely he’ll cause a scene and make me look like a pathetic little gay boy stalking the hot, out-of-his-league, straight football player once again.

Gag. It’s so far from the truth, but who would believe me?

Bryce’s offer pops into my mind. He said I could text him if I need him. Do I actually need him now?

Maybe.

I don’t feel very safe. He could catch sight of me at any moment.

Tanesha draws my gaze back to the stats equation she’s currently working through.

She’s super smart but seems to be lacking confidence in her knowledge.

I’m more here for guidance, I think. After I assure her she’s following the proper steps, I take my phone out of my pocket under the table and pull up Bryce’s contact.

Before I talk myself out of it, I send him a message.

Me: Hi, I’m sorry to bother you, Bryce, but it’s Javi.

Heat rushes to my cheeks. No shit.

Me: Omg, obviously. You literally texted yourself my name

Me: I could really use your help if you’re not busy.

Ten minutes pass, and Keith is still in the same cubicle. Maybe he’s chosen not to be an ass today. Regret rolls through me. Bryce must be busy. I shouldn’t have bothered him for no reason.

Me: I’m sorry! Ignore me. Erase the last messages from your mind. You’re definitely busy.

I send the final text, then resolutely stash my phone in my pocket. There. No more of that. Decisively, I give Tanesha my full attention. The session goes very well, and I don’t expect she’ll need me longer than a few weeks maximum.

Our session comes to an end, and we begin packing our things. I need to grab some lunch on my way back to my dorm. As movement catches my attention, my eyes flick up and land right on Keith’s.

Oh no. I drop my eyes back to the task at hand. Maybe if I ignore him, he’ll leave me alone.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, startling me. I pull it out and see Bryce’s name on the screen. Shit. Should I answer? Surely not.

The call rings out, but another call immediately comes through.

Bryce again.

Clicking the accept button, I put my phone up to my ear. “Hello?”

Bryce’s deep voice rumbles through the phone, “Hey, Javi, where are you?”

“Hi.” I cringe. Smooth, Javi, you said that already. “Um, I’m in the library. But you don’t have to–”

He doesn’t give me a chance to respond.

“I’ll be there in a sec.”

“But–”

The call disconnects. Movement draws my eyes again. Keith is heading our way, a smirk twisting his lips. My shoulders cave and my breathing speeds up.

Tanesha’s hand on my arm makes me jump. She’s frowning at me, a crease between her eyebrows. “Are you okay, Javi?”

I nod at her. She needs to go. The last thing I need is for someone else to witness Keith’s attempts to humiliate me. “Yeah, I’m good. I’ll see you next week, okay?” I force a smile, and it must be convincing, because she smiles back, then heads off.

Just in time, too, because Keith stops in front of me, bracing his hands on the table. “Following me again, huh? You just can’t help yourself, can you?” His voice is loud, too loud for the library. It carries, and I notice a few heads turn our way. How the fuck did I ever find him attractive?

Anger rises inside me, and I draw myself to my full height, ready to defend myself and put this asshole in his place.

I may be shy and timid, but I’m not a fucking doormat.

He must see the intent burning in my eyes, as his hand shoots across the table and tightly grasps my wrist. “Think very carefully about what comes out of that mouth.”

Before I can respond, warmth blankets my back, and a large hand cups my shoulder.

“How about you get your motherfucking hand off my boyfriend or I’ll do it for you, Miller?

” The deep rumble of Bryce’s voice is already recognizable.

Keith recoils and drops my wrist so fast, I’d laugh if I wasn’t just as blindsided by Bryce’s statement. Boyfriend?

Keith scoffs a laugh. “Boyfriend?” he asks, disbelief dripping from the word. “Yeah right. You’re way out of his league, Kennedy.”

“First of all, correction: he’s out of my league, and I’m lucky he agreed to date me.

Second: fuck off.” With that, Bryce’s large, gentle hands turn me to face him.

His hand cups my face, tilting my chin up to meet his gaze, thumb gently caressing my cheek, making my breath hitch. “You okay, Angel?”

Excuse me?! Angel? Swoon. My insides melt into a puddle.

My pulse races as his eyes hold me captive. I don’t know what the fuck is happening, but I play along, pressing my body closer to Bryce.

Sweet mother of all that is holy. He’s solid, and warm, and so damn hot I might spontaneously combust.

It’s an act, Javi. Don’t forget.

“Y-yeah, I’m good, babe,” I answer breathily. Who stole all the air in the room?