My stomach churns at the sight waiting for us.
Leaning against the wall near our door is none other than Lexi, her arms crossed tightly over her chest and her foot tapping impatiently, like an annoyed parent waiting for a child to come home past curfew.
“What’s she doing here?”I ask, glancing at Fox.He’s already staring at her with a look of mild irritation.
His lips press into a firm line.“We’re about to find out,” he says, his tone steady yet unamused.He gives me a reassuring smile, but it doesn’t ease my nerves.
Fox strides toward her while I reluctantly follow, keeping a few steps behind.I don’t know what it is about Lexi, but her presence always feels suffocating.She’s manipulative, controlling, and, frankly, exhausting.The way she looks at me—like I’m a bug she wants to squash—doesn’t help.
“What are you doing here, Lexi?”Fox asks, his voice even, though I can sense the underlying annoyance.
She straightens up, her eyes immediately locking on me with a sneer before letting out a manic laugh.The sound sends a chill down my spine.
“I cannot believe this,” she says, her voice rising.“So you dumped me… for him?!”She points an accusatory, manicured finger directly at me, her tone dripping with disdain.
It takes a moment for her words to register, and when they do, my heart stops.She knows.Somehow, she knows about us.How?We’ve been careful, or so I thought.Apart from Blaze and a few close friends, no one was supposed to know.But Lexi—Lexi of all people—had figured it out.
“What are you talking about?”Fox asks, his expression hardening.
“Don’t you dare lie to me, Fox.I saw you two—outside that damn restaurant!You were kissing!”she yells, her voice echoing in the hallway.“It was disgusting.”
My stomach twists.Of all the people to witness that moment, why did it have to be her?What was she even doing there?
“This is pathetic!”she continues, her voice escalating.“You dumped me—you dumped all of this…” she gestures dramatically at herself before pointing at me again, her face a mix of fury and disbelief, “…for him?!How could you trade what I was offering you for that?”
“Careful, Lexi,” Fox warns, his voice low and sharp.He’s clearly trying to keep his temper in check, but she’s pushing it.
She scoffs.“Don’t you dare try to play the good guy here.I can’t believe you’d choose—ugh—him!I gave you everything, Fox.And now you’re into… dicks?Really?”
I can feel my cheeks burn, but Fox doesn’t flinch.I expect him to deny everything, to brush off her accusations as a misunderstanding.But instead, he surprises me, staying silent and unbothered.
“What do you want, Lexi?”he asks, his tone flat, almost bored.
Lexi steps closer to him, lowering her voice but keeping the venom.“What do you think your frat brothers and teammates will say when they find out their golden boy Fox Wilder is a… cock lover?”she spits, crossing her arms with a smug smirk.
“You can’t do that,” I blurt out, stepping forward before I can stop myself.Her hateful gaze whips to me.
“And who the hell are you to talk to me?”she sneers.
“Don’t talk to him like that,” Fox snaps, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife.
“Oh, I’m sorry, your royal dick lover?”she mocks, her voice dripping with false sweetness.“I forgot.He’s your little bitch, isn’t he?”
“And you better shut your little slut mouth,” Fox fires back, his patience finally snapping.
“Did you just call me a slut?”she hisses, her eyes narrowing dangerously.
“Isn’t that what you are?”Fox counters coldly.“What makes you think screwing Carter would magically make me want you back?God, Lexi, you’re smarter than this.”
She looks momentarily stunned, her mouth opening and closing as if she can’t believe the words coming out of his mouth.Then, she regains her composure, her smirk returning.
“Fine,” she says, pulling out her phone and waving it in his face.“I’ll just tell everyone.Let’s see how much of a golden boy you are when the whole campus knows you’re into guys.Oh, and don’t worry—I’ve got proof.”
Fox moves faster than I can react.He grabs her wrist and pins her against the wall, plucking the phone from her hand with ease.Lexi squeaks in protest, struggling to free herself, but it’s no use.
“Give it back!”she yells, trying to reach for the phone, but Fox is too tall, too strong.He scrolls through her phone, his expression unreadable as she glares daggers at him.
“You think I don’t have backups?”she snaps when he hands the phone back.“You think deleting one photo changes anything?God, you’re so naive.”
