This is Love (Travis & Viola, #2) (Checkmate Duet Series)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

TRAVIS

TEN HOURS EARLIER

I press my palms into my eyes and exhale deeply.

I cannot lose control. I cannot lose control.

I wish I’d told Viola what happened at work and talked to her about it instead of shutting down. Not that there’d be anything she could do, but she’s always been a great listener, even when she was being the biggest pain in my ass. When we were kids, she always made time to listen to my ramblings. I didn’t speak to my parents much about anything and had learned to keep most of my feelings buried inside. Being real and open felt natural with Viola.

That was before I f****d it all up and hurt her.

I should just call it a night and go to bed, but I’m too restless, thinking about that b***h, Alyssa. Which makes me think of f*****g Blake, who ripped my dream of moving up in the company away from me, but I won’t go down without a fight.

I decide I should probably eat something, but I hadn't gone grocery shopping since before Drew left, and he isn’t home tonight, so that leaves me with limited options.

Ramen noodles or PB&J on moldy bread.

Wrinkling my nose, I shut the cupboard and grab my car keys. I need to clear my head.

I take a drive down the highway, heading out of town, blaring my stereo with the windows rolled down. The evening breeze feels good, and the music numbs my mind. I allow the pavement to lead the way.

Hours later, I end up just outside of Sacramento and stop at a diner that’s open twenty-four hours. It looks old and run-down, but I’m ready to chew my damn arm off so I can’t be too picky.

Once I find a booth, I order a cup of coffee and some water. The sounds of clanking silverware and late-night chatter fill the diner. Only a handful of people sit at the counter—who look to be truck drivers—and a few couples occupy the other booths. I shouldn’t be surprised at this time of night, though.

The waitress comes back with my drinks and then takes my order of pancakes and bacon. She barely looks up from her writing pad as she scribbles it down and walks away before I can hand back the menu.

Tempted to text Viola and make sure she’s okay, I stop myself and decide I’d rather talk to her in person about it all. I don’t know what we’re going to do now that Drew is home early, and although I’ve broken the bro code by banging my best friend’s little sister, I don’t want him to find out from anyone besides me. Knowing I owe him that, at least, we need to figure out how we’re going to tell him. Or what I’m going to tell him.

The truth is, Viola and I aren’t a couple. We have a history—a damaged one—but nevertheless, a history that has bound us together since we were kids. The more I think about it, the more I want to punch myself for every sting I blew her way. She hadn’t deserved it, most of the time, but she made sure to give it right back.

That’s what I love most about her. She’s never taken my s**t, and she’s the only girl to challenge me at every damn opportunity. Perhaps that’s what kept the fire burning all these years, but I’m done playing those games. I lost her as one of my best friends all those years ago, and I’ll be damned if I lose her again.

The waitress drops my plates in front of me and mutters that she’ll be back to refill my coffee. I pour the syrup over my pancakes and begin cutting into them when I hear a familiar voice behind me.

I turn my head slightly, listening again. It can’t be.

“You jackass! You can’t just leave me here!”

“Get off me, you crazy b***h!”

The voice is definitely one I’ve heard before. Panic sets in as I set my fork down and slide out of the booth. Then I see her familiar face and curse under my breath.

Mia f*****g Montgomery.

She’s arguing with a guy as she pulls on his leather jacket. She’s crying and pleading with him, but he just pushes her off and walks out the door. I’m shocked to see her here, especially with someone else. It flat-out bothers the s**t out of me, considering she and Drew broke up only days ago.

“You’re a f*****g asshole, Will!” she calls out, rushing behind him through the door in a skimpy little dress.

I’m quick to follow as I call out her name. “Mia, stop!” I grab her elbow and turn her around. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Travis?” Her eyes widen. “Holy s**t! Thank God you’re here!” She wraps her body around my arm and cries even harder. It’s awkward as hell, but I don’t push her away.

“Oh, look. It took you less than thirty seconds to latch onto another guy,” Will yells. “Enjoy her, dude. She’s as easy as she looks.”

“Screw you, motherfucker!” she shouts, and it takes me a moment to recognize the guy she’s screaming at. Will Tamer.

“All right, man. That’s enough. Just go. I’ll make sure she gets back safely.”

He laughs. “Don’t f*****g care.”

I see red again at the way he’s yelling at her, and it takes every ounce of my being to keep my feet planted on the ground. The way he’s treating her is way too reminiscent of how my father treated my mother for all those years. Regardless of how much of a b***h Mia’s been to Drew, I’m not okay with any guy talking to a woman like that.

“She’s just another typical attention w***e. Just wanted to use me as a way to get her fifteen minutes of fame.”

“Oh right, Will, because a s*x tape is so unusual today. That’s exactly what I was doing because I definitely didn’t sleep with you for your three-inch d**k. Would be such a shame for the entire world to know that the only thing Will Tamer is packing is sugar-free gum and expired condoms.”

“Mia,” I hiss, warning her to shut her mouth. The sooner he leaves, the sooner I can get her out of here.

“What did you say, b***h?” He takes a step toward us, ready to get in her face, but I don’t care who he is, there’s no way I’m letting him touch her. The vile way he’s talking to her makes my fists clench.

“Just let it go, man.” I hold my hand up, blocking Mia behind me. “She runs her mouth a lot, but she’s harmless.” I try to defuse the situation. The last thing I need is to get into another fight, but he’s not taking the bait.

“f**k off, little mama’s boy.” He pushes a finger directly into my chest, and now I’m seething. Will Tamer isn’t someone I’d want to fight on one of my best days. He’s a world champion fighter, and he’s built like a f*****g rock. Everyone in Northern California knows about Will Tamer, and only a dumbass would throw the first punch.

“Mia, go back inside,” I say, keeping my eyes locked on him. He’s a ticking time bomb.

“But Travis…” she argues.

“Go,” I say firmer. “Get inside.”

“I’d listen to your new little f**k toy if I were you,” Will tells her, stretching his arms out in front of his chest and cracking his knuckles. “Unless you want to get blood on your fake designer shoes.”

His words hit me like a ton of bricks. He could snap me like a twig in less than two seconds. I work out and lift weights, but there’s absolutely no comparison. His biceps are as big as my head.

She gasps. “They aren’t fake!”

“Jesus Christ, Mia!” I snap. “Get in the f*****g diner.”

“We have some unresolved issues to discuss,” Will’s voice is thick with amusement. He obviously gets a rush from fighting, in or out of the ring.

We both stay standing as we hear her shoes click against the pavement as she heads back inside. I don’t want to fight this guy or rather, get pummeled into the ground, but somehow, I insinuated myself in her damn mess.

“Before you assume anything, Mia’s just a friend…”

He takes a step closer.

“She was actually my best friend’s girlfriend. So, whatever your tiff with her is, let’s just drop it. She’s a hot mess even on her best days.”

“You think I care about any of that s**t?” He steps forward again. “She took a video of us, and unless she gives it back, it’s your face I’m going to be punching in.”

“Okay, I’ll tell her to give it back.”

“It’s on her cell. I want it.”

“All right. No problem.”

“You have five minutes. She either gives it back, or I crush your skull.”

Fuck, and I thought I had anger issues. He’s on a totally different spectrum.

I pinch my lips together and slowly take a step back toward the diner again. Once I’m inside, I grab Mia and tell her his demands.

“I need it, Mia. Just hand it over, and you can get another one.”

“I don’t have it!” She crosses her arms. “I’ve been telling him that for the past thirty miles.”

“Where the hell is it?”

She shrugs. “Somewhere on I-50 between Riverton and Cedar Grove. I threw it out the car window.”

I inhale sharply, brushing my hand through my hair and turn slightly to see he’s watching our every move.

“Why the hell did you do that?” Now I’m annoyed.

“Because he was being an asshole! He kept telling me to give it to him, so I said ‘fine, go get it,’ and then threw it out the window.”

“f**k, Mia,” I hiss under my breath.

“Well, I didn’t know he was going to lose his s**t over it.”

“You recorded you guys having s*x?” I whisper. “That’s not exactly something a guy like him wants leaked.”

She shrugs, and her indifference feeds my anger even more.

Reluctantly, I walk back outside and face him. “She says she threw it out the window, which means there’s no way it can go viral.”

His jaw clenches, and I watch as his hands ball into tight fists. “Bullshit. I know she uploaded it to the iCloud.”

“Dammit, Mia,” I mutter to myself.

“She won’t upload it. I know Mia. She’s all talk.”

“You think I’m going to take your word?”

Before I can respond, Mia flies out the door and begins swearing at him. I can see people inside the diner watching us from the windows. Mia is all fired up, and Will is a second away from losing his s**t.

“What are you so afraid of? Worried that people are going to wonder why I had to fake every single o****m? Or maybe you’re worried what people will think when they see you crying after you come?”

She storms past me, and I’m quick to grab her arm, pulling her back. For a petite girl, she’s pretty determined when she’s pissed.

“You f*****g cunt,” Will hisses. His body unleashes, and before he can make contact with Mia, I push her out of his way and take the hit.

I immediately lose my footing, and I can hear Mia shouting in the distance. His hands are on me before I even collide with the ground. Thankfully, the punch he served to my gut makes my head veer forward instead of slamming against the concrete.

I block his next hit, but just barely. There’s commotion and screaming around me, but I can’t open my eyes long enough to find a way out. It’s obvious this guy feeds off anger, and he won’t stop till I’m a lifeless lump. It’s engraved into him, so I do the only thing I can to break his fog.

It’s a b***h move, I know, but I lift a knee up and kick him right between the legs with every ounce of strength I have left.

As soon as I feel his weight lift off me, I roll out from under him and pull myself up. He’s muttering a variety of curse words as he cups his junk and struggles to breathe.

“Oh my God, Travis!” Mia runs toward me, a handful of customers now outside watching behind her. “Are you—”

“Get in the car,” I shout.

“What?” she asks as she runs behind me.

“Get in the f*****g car! We’re getting out of here.”

I grab my keys from my pocket and unlock the doors as fast as I can. I know he’s probably going to be down for a while, but I can’t risk someone calling the cops on me. I’m already in deep s**t at work; I don’t need to add a misdemeanor charge of disturbing the peace on top of that. They could lock my ass up in the county jail, fine me, or both.

We both slide in, and I rev the engine, shifting it into reverse and back into drive again. My heart is hammering in my chest as we make our way out of the parking lot, tires squealing and dust kicking up in our wake.

“What the actual f**k?” I’m so pissed to be in this position, that all I can do is drive faster and hold the steering wheel tighter. I’m so angry; I can’t even look at her. The ounce of control that I’ve worked so hard to keep all day is slowly slipping, but she doesn’t dare say a word, which I’m thankful for because I’m on the edge of losing my s**t. Honestly, I think she understands what she’s done, and I hope she feels a small sliver of regret, but as I glance over, I’m not sure if that’s even possible. I already know what kind of girl Mia is; she’s trouble.

“You just had to go piss off one of the strongest guys in the country?” I yell once we’ve cleared the area and are cruising back on the highway. The next time I turn and look at her, she’s pale, and I can see her chest rapidly moving up and down.

“Mia?” I reach over and shake her knee, trying to grab her attention. “You all right?”

She shakes her head without looking at me. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

She’s going into shock, and there’s no shoulder on the highway for me to pull over.

“Mia, listen to me,” I say softly, trying to change my tone. “Your adrenaline is decreasing, and you need to try to stay calm. Listen to my voice. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.”

She abides and grips my hand that’s still resting on her knee. I want to pull it away, but I don’t because she’s in shock, and I’m genuinely concerned.

“I can’t believe that just happened.” She begins choking on her sobs, and I realize I’m going to have to take the next exit before she pukes everywhere.

“Stay with me, Mia,” I say evenly.

“I can’t.”

“It’s okay. We’re going to be okay.”

She finally turns and looks at me. “You’re not.”

The stiffness in my body is evident, but I won’t admit it—not right now at least. “I’ll be fine.”

“He could’ve killed you, Travis! I’ve never seen him act that way outside of the ring.”

“Well, he didn’t.” I try to sound confident, but we both know had he pinned me down long enough, he certainly could’ve. My entire body is bruising already, and I just hope I’m able to move tomorrow.

I take the exit ahead and pull into a gas station that’s nearly empty. It’s after one in the morning, but the streetlamps paint the parking lot in a mysterious orange glow. I can see the fear in her eyes as she stares off into the cloudy night sky.

“I can’t believe that after everything, you’d do all that for me, Travis,” she says moments later. Her voice is soft and sincere, her breathing finally regulating.

I shrug, not really wanting to get into the details of why I interfered. “Men shouldn’t yell at women that way.” As much as she probably deserved it, the moment I heard him raise his voice and get in her face, I snapped. If it’d been any other woman, I probably would’ve done the same thing, but the fact that it’s Drew’s ex meant ignoring it wasn’t an option.

She slowly exhales, bowing her head. “I’m such an idiot.”

“Yeah,” I say with a low chuckle, her hand still gripping mine. “You are.”

Her jaw drops as she turns, eyes wide as she chokes out a laugh, too. “You weren’t supposed to agree with me, jerk.”

“Well, I don’t sugarcoat s**t. If you’re being a pain in the ass, I’ll tell you.”

She laughs, her shoulders finally relaxing. “That’s actually a quality most girls like about you, I bet.” The look on her face causes me to release my grip, and she releases my hand. Mia and I haven’t spent that much time together, considering Drew went to visit her more than she visited him. Being with her feels awkward, even for me. The mood shifts, and I don’t care for how she’s looking at me.

“Most don’t stick around long enough to find out,” I mutter a bit too honestly.

“Why’s that? Not the relationship type?”

I c**k a brow. “Are you really one to be asking me that question?”

“What? You think I’m like a horrible person now?”

“I never said that, but given your current situation, you might not be the right person to be talking about relationships with.”

She sighs. “I didn’t cheat on him, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“I wasn’t thinking anything.”

“I doubt that. I can only imagine the things Drew has said about me.” Her lips turn down, and I can tell she’s in a vulnerable place right now, but she brought this onto herself.

“He loves you,” I say. “He thinks the world of you.”

She nods, avoiding my eye contact.

“Long-distance relationships are hard. I didn’t think it’d be this hard, but with Drew’s crazy work schedule and my school schedule, things just got way more complicated than I imagined they could. Even when he came up to visit me for a weekend, he’d be on his phone all the time checking in at work, or he’d be talking about work.”

She sighs and continues without waiting for me to respond.

“He’s married to his job, and I got lonely, but then when we are together and things are great, it gives me hope that things will stay great until they aren’t again.”

The way she’s rambling on is making my head spin. I don’t talk relationship crap with anyone, so I should get extra credit just for listening to her babble on now.

“Well, maybe it’s best you both make a clean break. Sometimes you have to let go even when it hurts because you know it’s what’s best.”

“Wow,” she says with a smile, turning toward me. “Who knew Travis King was so poetic?”

I laugh and shake my head. “Don’t tell anyone.”

She flashes a genuine smile, placing her hand on my cheek. “I won’t tell. This secret will be ours. You’re not as bad as you want everyone to think you are.”

My lips turn down. “I don’t know about that.”

She reaches for my hand and squeezes it. “Well, I do.”

Mia stares into my eyes. “You’re just the distraction I need…”