3. Caleb

THREE

HONEST TO GOD, I had to be a masochist at this point. That was the only explanation for why I kept showing up at places I knew the Park Avenue Princes would be.

Well, where one prince in particular would be.

The only excuse I had was that one of my closest friends dated one of those fuckers, and I hated to leave JT out there alone to fend off the wolves. I hadn't even gotten a chance to shoot him more than a quick wave before Travis decided to show his ass and taunt me in front of everyone.

It didn't matter where we were or how much I tried to defuse the situation by ignoring him. He'd always find me, and shit was never pretty.

I ran a frustrated hand through my hair as I stormed out of the condo and had to push through the masses waiting to get inside. I wanted to warn them off, but that would be a waste of breath. Everyone fucking loved the Park Avenue Pricks for some reason, even after all the stupid shit they'd pulled over the years. Even though no one would ever get close enough because they never let anyone in unless they were fucking you.

I stopped abruptly in front of the elevators, realizing the illustrious Waldorf Towers residences didn't believe in anything as trivial as a normal button panel to push. There wasn't anything at all except a hidden scanner residents could use, so how the hell was I supposed to get out of there? I wasn't about to trek down the forty-four floors to the lobby.

An older man appeared out of nowhere, the pin on his lapel signifying he was part of the staff here at the Towers. "Going down?"

"Please." It didn't escape my notice that I was the only one leaving, because the party was just getting started. I just didn't care to waste my time or energy somewhere I wasn't wanted, and JT would have to understand.

Fucking Travis…

He didn't have to be drunk to be an asshole, but it made him even mouthier than usual. Apparently he got off on causing a scene.

"…Cheers to Caleb, or whoever he's pretending to be…"

Was he serious with that shit? I wasn't the one who instigated a fight at every turn.

As soon as the elevator opened, I rushed inside, only to hear someone call out my name. The second I turned around, I realized it was a mistake, because of course it was Travis who slapped his hand against the closing door and pushed it back.

His gunmetal-grey button-up rose a little with the move, showing off a strip of tanned skin just above his low-slung dark jeans. One of his flared bell sleeves dropped down his arm, revealing the multitude of rings adorning his fingers and the leather cuffs wrapped around his wrist. Tension radiated off him in waves, and I cursed at the confrontation I couldn't seem to avoid.

"Going somewhere?" The ice in his voice matched the blue of his kohl-lined eyes as they narrowed dangerously on mine.

"Do us both a favor and go back to your party."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"No. Was I that obvious?"

Travis cocked his head to the side, the alcohol he'd downed evident in the crooked smirk that crept over his full lips. The tension from seconds ago morphed into his preferred ammo when he got someone alone. Sex.

He was like this with everyone—it wasn't like I was special. I was, however, the only one who didn't succumb to his charms.

"Pity you can't be that obvious about other things you'd like."

"I'm not doing this with you." I moved to shove him out of the elevator, but he stepped inside and the door slid shut behind him.

"Oops."

"Oops my ass."

"Well, we could play that game too if you want to turn around and unzip."

I grinded my back molars together and did my level best to glare him to death. Unfortunately, the asshole remained upright.

"You're so fucking obnoxious, anyone ever tell you that?"

"Other than you?" Travis scrunched up his nose. "Nope. Most people lean toward hot, sexy, good in bed."

"Only good, huh? That must be a blow to your ego." The second the words were out of my mouth I realized my mistake, because if I'd learned anything over the years of verbal sparring with Travis, it was that I was never going to come out on top.

"Usually it's something else getting blown besides my ego. But if you'd like an up close and personal demonstration of just how good I can be, all you have to do is get down on your knees."

I shouldn't have been shocked by the words. Travis was all about being as outrageous as possible.The audacity behind these words, though? The arrogance? He was fucking delusional.

"You wish."

Travis crossed the car to stop opposite me, his eyes holding mine steady as he fired right back, "Yeah, well, at least I admit it."

Not about to play his little game, I refused to back down. "Why do you always do this?"

"Call you out on your shit?"

"Draw attention to me?" I angled my chin up, not about to let him think for a second I was intimidated by him the way others were around the Park Avenue Dicks. "You hate me so much and don't want me around, yet the second I am, you're all about fucking with me."

Travis's lips curled. "Nice choice of words. Accident or on purpose?"

"This might come as a newsflash to you, but not everyone who talks to you wants to fuck you."

"See, there you go again with the whole ‘everyone' spiel. I'm asking about you, Caleb." Travis leaned in a fraction, making me immediately rear back. "Do you wanna fuck me?"

God, he was such a prick. He always pushed at me. When it was around others, it was shit talking. He had to show how pissed he was at me and make sure all his friends knew that I was the enemy, that I had been since the night of our parents' wedding. But when we were alone like this, when it was just me and him, the anger and frustration came out in a whole different way.

"What? No response?"

"I want to fucking punch you. Does that count?"

"In some circles, maybe." Travis chuckled. "But I'm not into that."

"Yeah, you're more about the verbal punches, right?"

"If you don't like it, why do you keep showing up?"

My eyes widened a fraction. "Keep showing up? Where else have I been?"

"Daire's MMA thing?—"

"Months ago."

"The pop-up band event at Astor?—"

"Even longer ago, and a school event. You're reaching."

"And you're everywhere sucking some blonde chick's face." Travis moved in beside me then, and though I could feel the warmth of his body penetrating the sleeve of my shirt, I refused to move. "Interesting choice, by the way. Blonde…"

I turned until our faces were mere inches from each other and couldn't help but notice how thick his dark lashes were around his icy eyes. He probably put makeup on those too, knowing him.

"I like blondes."

"No you don't."

"And how the fuck would you know that?"

"Let's call it…intuition."

I rolled my eyes and willed us to hit the lobby so I could get the fuck out and away from him.

"Nothing to say?" Travis pushed, and while there was a whole lot I could say, I opted for silence. Nothing good ever came from these interactions, and the more I said, the more he'd use as ammunition the next time we came into contact.

He was still so close that I could smell his cologne and the alcohol on his breath. I needed him to get away from me. But I knew if I touched him, he'd only take that as an invitation to touch me.

I closed my eyes to block him out and focused on the fact that I'd be out of here in a few more seconds?—

The elevator jolted to a stop suddenly and my eyes flew open.

"What the?—"

Travis smirked as he moved his hand away from the only button in the whole car—the emergency stop button.

"Really?" I said, feeling my pulse kick up. "Very mature."

"It was an accident."

"Then key in whatever code it is that makes this thing start again."

"Good idea." He moved his hand to the wall beside my head, caging me in, and I stiffened. "Too bad I didn't bring my phone with me. Damn."

"You need to move."

"Ask nicely."

"Fucking move."

Travis chuckled, a deep, throaty sound that wasn't at all intimidated by what I might do. "See, the thing is, I don't think you want me to. Not really."

Before I could stop myself, I shoved against his chest, but he was somehow ready for it and grabbed my wrist to hold my hand there.

"Can I ask you something?" He leaned in, so close his nose brushed my ear. "What is it you're afraid of?"

A shiver rolled through me, and I tried to convince myself it wasn't from the way his breath tickled my neck.

"I'm not afraid. I'm annoyed."

Travis slid his leg in between mine and groaned."Annoyed? Really? Is that what's causing the hard-on in your jeans?"

As the elevator began to move again—thank fuck—I pushed against him, forcing him away from my neck.

He searched my face, and a smile slowly curved his lips. "Oh, I remember. You don't want to have a hard-on for your brother."

"Stepbrother," I said through clenched teeth.

"Family just the same." He punctuated that with a wink that I wanted to slap off his face. Just because he had a hard-on for fucking everyone didn't mean he needed to include me in that group.

With my hand curled into his shirt, I shoved him off me with more force than he'd obviously been expecting, because he lost his hold on me and stumbled back.

If the elevator doors hadn't opened right then, I had no doubt he would've thought this whole thing was foreplay, but it wasn't, and I'd had enough.

"Get the hell out of my way," I growled, and when he didn't move, I clipped him in the shoulder with mine.

His chuckle grated my nerves as I sped through the lobby, and just before I walked out, I heard him say, "See you at family dinner."