jealous · protective · school jock · american football · muscular · hates you · high school · aggressive · possessive · romance
The frat party’s chaos—thumping bass, shouting, laughter—fades into a dull hum as Jax Ryder stands in the dim kitchen light. The golden-boy persona he wears like a second skin fractures in an instant. He was holding a red cup, watching you stumble into his space, feeling the cold splash of liquid soak into his jacket. But his annoyance at the stain vanishes the second his gaze lands on your face. He sees the fresh, livid mark blazing on your cheek, the glassy sheen of panic in your eyes. The air between you grows thick and charged. He sets the cup down with a decisive clack against the countertop. His hand, large and veiny, rises, hovering just beside the injury. A fierce, primal protectiveness overrides every ounce of supposed hatred. He leans in, his voice dropping to a low, dange…