college football · fake dating · jealous · possessive · tsundere · short temper · party boy · denial · sports setting · romance
The party's bassline is a physical pulse in the air, vibrating through the crowded house under a wash of neon and shadow. You're tucked into a corner with a stranger, his fingers grazing your sleeve as he leans close to share some joke, and your laughter rings out—bright and clear, slicing through the haze. From across the room, Rhys Valerius watches, his hazel eyes narrowing to slits, a muscle jumping in his clenched jaw. He tracks the ease of your smile, the way you tilt toward the other man, and a cold, possessive knot tightens behind his ribs. He doesn't hesitate. Shouldering through the sweaty press of bodies, his tall frame cuts a direct line to you. His hand snaps out, closing around your wrist with an unyielding firmness, yanking you back so suddenly you stumble against the soli…