Page 26 of Project: FU (Longwood U #3)

NOLAN

Fuck, my ass hurts. I wince every time I move.

My eyes meet my reflection in the mirror, and I snort. It looks like an octopus has wrapped its suckers around my neck haphazardly and sucked. And Jesus fuck, look at the teeth marks on my lip!

The fact I have blood under my nails says Tavis didn’t make it out unscathed. Knowing that makes me grin.

I continue the arduous task of cleaning my body of lube. I swear, it’s up into my stomach. Gross. I don’t regret a second of it.

While that might have been one of the sexiest moments of my life, it’s not one that will be a constant repeat.

I’m not sure I’m built for constant rough sex like that.

I think Tavis bruised my prostate. I’m not sure if that’s a thing, but it sure feels like a thing.

And my cock. There’s a strangulation mark around it.

Maybe that’s my imagination. He probably wasn’t squeezing that tightly. He wasn’t trying to choke my dick.

Then again, yeah, he was. Trying to choke off my orgasm. Too bad for him—and shocking to me—it only made me come faster.

My eyes catch on a pink loofah in my shower, and I glower at it. There are still a few little touches of Kelsey around here. I think for a while, I didn’t look closely enough because I still maybe felt a little fragile. Like a reminder of her might send me down a dark hole again.

I’m in a good place now. A really good place. A better place than I had been in when we were together.

Maybe it’s time to cleanse my life of all the little reminders of her, too. Once I’m finished with my sensitive hole. Probably a good thing he won’t be over after hockey. My ass needs a rest so it’s ready to go tomorrow night.

Once I’m relatively clean, I dress and then meticulously go through my room to find anything that I might have missed. By the time I’ve searched every single inch of every drawer and the far depths under my bed, there’s another pile on my bed, nearly as big as the first.

How is there anything left in my room? By all the crap I’m stripping from it, it feels as though my room should be empty.

There are always boxes in the basement, but I don’t go that far. Instead, I stop at Arek’s room and knock.

“Yeah?” his dark voice calls from inside. What makes a voice dark? I probably can’t give an explanation that truly explains what I mean, except that when I hear it, it gives me chills.

I push his door open and am surprised by how light his room is. He has three windows as opposed to two. His walls are a very light shade of blue, and his curtains are soft gray. I’m even more surprised when there are pops of purple all over the place.

When I finally meet his eyes, Arek is watching me with amusement. “You come to judge my room?”

“No, sorry.”

“Decide to ride my dick so I can see how much I can make you blush?”

I glare at him, even as my cheeks heat. “You’re an asshole.”

He smirks.

“Do you have a box?”

“Behind the door,” he says, nodding at the door I’m standing in.

I step inside and sure enough, there are half a dozen broken-down boxes there. “Are you saving them for something?”

“Nope. I store them there to take downstairs, but forget them every time I leave my room.” He shrugs. “What do you need them for?”

“Just one. I’m purging Kelsey from my room. There’s a lot of shit left, shockingly. As if it grew in dark corners.”

“Like mold.”

“Exactly.”

“You sure you aren’t going to punish her?” Arek asks, swiveling in his desk chair to face me.

I shrug. In reality, she’s going to be absolutely furious about me dating her father once the news comes out. I think that’s punishment enough, even though it has zero to do with her. She won’t see it that way, and it’ll make her angry for a good, long time.

“What’s the point? She’s not actually going to learn from it.”

“I don’t know what you saw in her,” he says, shaking his head.

I sigh, rolling my eyes. “I know, I know. I was blind and stupid. I get it.”

Arek frowns. “No. You’re far too good for her, Nolan.

She’s shallow, spiteful, ignorant, and arrogant.

Not to mention self-centered like no one else I’ve ever met, and I’ve grown up with a lot of arrogant Van Dorens, so trust me when I tell you, my threshold for being spoiled is high.

” I snort. “You’re the exact opposite. You’re kind and thoughtful, smart, and loyal.

You have passion and drive, and you care about people.

Your personality is real. She was never going to be enough for you. ”

I’m strangely touched by everything he just said. Words I never thought I’d hear from someone like Arek. I’m stunned, so I simply stare at him. “You really think that?” I ask.

“I’m shit at lying.” He pauses to consider me. “Actually, that’s a lie, so I suppose I’m fucking epic at lying.”

I shake my head.

“Yes, sugar cakes. I mean every word.”

“You almost had me,” I mutter as I grab a box and open it to judge the size.

Damn man is stealthy because I’m startled when he grabs my shirt and yanks me backwards.

My shoulder hits his chest, and he wraps his arms around me, resting his forehead against the side of my head so his mouth is close to my ear.

“Do you know how many people will have a conversation with me, Nolan?” I shake my head. “I can count them on one hand. Antisocial disorders run rampant in my family, some more severe than others. Mine is very, very obvious. I know you can feel it. You shiver almost every time I first speak to you.”

“I’m sorry. I?—”

“Shut up and listen to me.”

I huff.

“I don’t make friends easily. I don’t trust a lot of people, and people are often put off by my personality, which I only moderately try to adjust to fit in.

But you haven’t treated me any differently than you do anyone else in this house.

You’re not put off by my cold tone and chilly personality.

You tease me. You laugh with me. You work on projects with me.

That makes you really special, Nolan. It takes a special person to not see someone like me as someone to be afraid of, even on a subconscious level. ”

“I’m not afraid of you,” I say. “That thought never crossed my mind.”

“I’m going to question your intelligence, then. A smart person is afraid of a psychopath.”

My heart jumps, and I twist my head to meet his eyes, though in this position, he’s far too close. “What?”

His smile is crooked. “Anti-social personalities range between a few different diagnoses. Mine is psychopathy. Look it up. You’ll fight against your insistence on not being scared of me, with just the knowledge I’ve been diagnosed as such alone.”

“You’re always trying to make me uncomfortable,” I mutter.

“I am. Blushing, innocent boys are my weakness. I’m pretty sure I’ve made that clear.”

Sighing, I try to pull away, but his arms tighten, not letting me go.

“I meant what I said. You’re far too good for her. Anyone who can look me in the eye and not avoid me as much as possible is far too good for someone like Kelsey Davenport. Whoever has your heart now— they’re worth your time. Keep them.”

I smile, closing my eyes. For just a second, I rest my weight against Arek. “Thanks.”

“If you ever change your mind about wanting to teach your ex a lesson, the offer stands,” Arek says as he steps back.

Just five minutes ago, I’d have laughed him off. But the word psychopath runs through my head, and now I’m slightly concerned that he’s serious. Which shouldn’t make my heart race like it is. Kole beat on her face. This world would burn if those two got together.

“You’re not into girls, are you?” I ask.

The way he looks at me makes me laugh. “No. Why?”

“Just making sure. Thanks for the box.” He stares at me as I leave his room.

Yep, Kole needs someone sweet and kind, and moldable.

Not someone who’s going to egg her on, and give her more muscle and means to conquer the world.

She’ll be the modern-day Alexander the Great.

I’m a little terrified of it. Especially if she had someone like Arek as a partner.

Back in my room, I dump all the remnants of Kelsey’s shit in the box and head out.

I don’t know where she is tonight, and I don’t care.

These are going to her parents’ house. I’m guessing only Rachel will be there.

Maybe Hannah. Tavis likely went to grab some dinner and then has hockey, and I think his sons usually go to his games.

The walk is only ten minutes. There’s laughter in the backyard as I approach the house. I’ve always loved Kelsey’s family. I hope that there’s a day when I get to spend time with them again and be a part of that laughter.

I ring the doorbell and wait. Sure enough, Rachel opens the door. She smiles. “Nolan. It’s so good to see you.” I appreciate that her smile and tone are genuine, even as she eyes the very obvious hickies and bites all over my exposed skin, including the one on my bottom lip.

She gives me a one-armed hug around the box. “Hi, Mrs. Davenport.”

“How many times do we need to go over this?”

I grin. “Sorry, Rachel.”

“Much better. Come in. We’re having dinner in the back.”

“Oh. No, no. I’m just dropping Kelsey’s things off.”

“That’s fine. I think maybe your presence will bring Kelsey’s whining to a stop, so come on.”

I don’t bother arguing anymore as she pulls me inside.

I keep the box in my arms as I follow her through the house and into the back.

I’m not expecting what I see. Tavis at the grill.

The boys sitting at the table. Hannah jumping rope.

And Kelsey on her cell phone, bitching at whoever she’s talking to.

The chatter stops, and Tavis turns to see why. Our eyes lock. “No hockey,” I say, hoping my tone doesn’t sound suspicious.

“Rescheduled to tomorrow. I thought you—” Tavis’ words stop, and he changes his sentence. “I thought the student body was notified.”

“Ticket holders, probably.”