Rivals Redemption

chapter 44 : Trapped

Tina Diaz

The pulsing lights of the university party danced across the walls, casting a dizzying glow over the crowded room. My heart was pounding in my chest, not from the music or the crowd, but from the unsettling presence of Liam. He stood a few feet away, his familiar grey eyes locked on me with that same old intensity. I hadn't seen him in what felt like forever, and yet here he was, acting like no time had passed.

"You look amazing, Tina," Liam said smoothly, stepping closer. His voice was low, seductive, like it always had been when he wanted something.

I forced a smile, trying to ignore the tension building in my stomach. "Thanks."

I could feel his eyes trailing over my body, taking in the way the short, figure-hugging dress clung to my curves. It had taken me a while to muster the confidence to wear something like this again. I had picked it out for myself, not for anyone else. But Liam's presence, his gaze, made me feel like I was being put back under a microscope.

"I've missed you," he said, his voice softening. "I've been thinking about you, about us. Maybe we can talk?"

I swallowed hard, my fingers gripping the edge of my drink. The memories of our past came flooding back-his manipulation, his possessiveness, the way he'd twist everything to make it feel like my fault. But then, there were moments like this, when he'd say all the right things, when he'd look at me like I was the only person who mattered. And in those moments, it was so easy to fall back into old habits.

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, Liam's hand slid around my waist, pulling me close. His lips brushed against mine, and I froze. My brain screamed at me to pull away, to shove him off, but my body betrayed me. I stood there, caught in the moment, as if all the warning signs flashing in my mind had been muted.

And then I heard it-a sharp intake of breath, a low growl of anger.

I broke away from Liam just in time to see Rowan storming toward us, his face twisted in fury. My heart lurched in my chest as he shoved Liam hard, sending him stumbling backward.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Rowan snarled, his voice low and dangerous.

Liam straightened, his eyes narrowing as he wiped his mouth. "What's your problem, man? We're just talking."

Rowan's fists clenched, his eyes blazing. "Talking? Is that what you call that?"

"Rowan, stop-" I started, but he cut me off with a fierce look.

Before I could process what was happening, Rowan swung, his fist connecting with Liam's jaw in a sickening thud. Liam stumbled back, clutching his face, but before he could retaliate, he launched himself at Rowan, tackling him to the ground.

I screamed as the two of them went at it, fists flying, grunts of pain and rage filling the air. People started to gather around, watching in shock as they tore into each other. My heart pounded in my chest, panic surging through me.

"Stop it! Stop!" I yelled, but they didn't listen.

Rowan had the upper hand, pinning Liam to the ground as he landed punch after punch. I could see the pure anger in his eyes, the frustration boiling over. This wasn't just about Liam kissing me-it was about everything. All the manipulation, the lies, the hurt I had buried.

But this wasn't the way to fix it.

I rushed forward, grabbing Rowan's arm, trying to pull him off. "Rowan, stop! You're going to kill him!"

He froze at my touch, his chest heaving, his knuckles bloodied. Slowly, he turned to look at me, his eyes filled with something I couldn't quite place. Was it rage? Hurt? Jealousy?

Liam groaned beneath him, spitting out blood as he tried to push Rowan off.

"Get off me, you psycho!" Liam growled, but Rowan didn't budge.

I tugged harder at Rowan's arm, desperation lacing my voice. "Please, Rowan. Let him go."

After what felt like an eternity, Rowan finally relented, pushing off Liam and standing up. His breathing was ragged, his fists still clenched. He turned to face me, his eyes dark with emotion, and for a moment, we just stood there, the weight of everything hanging between us.

Liam struggled to his feet, wiping blood from his mouth. "You're crazy, Cortez. You don't know what you're messing with."

Rowan didn't even look at him. His gaze was fixed on me, and for a moment, everything else faded away. The music, the crowd, the party-it was just him and me, standing in the middle of this chaos.

"What was that, Tina?" Rowan asked, his voice low, almost broken. "Why were you kissing him?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I didn't have an answer, at least not one that made sense. I didn't even know why I had let it happen. Maybe it was the old part of me that still felt trapped by Liam's influence. Maybe it was the confusion of seeing him again after all this time. Or maybe it was just a mistake.

"I... I don't know," I whispered, my voice trembling.

Rowan's jaw tightened, the hurt flashing across his face. "You don't know?"

Tears stung at my eyes as the weight of everything crashed down on me. "Rowan, I'm sorry. I didn't-"

"I'm not mad at you, Tina. I'm mad because you deserve better than this," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "You deserve better than him."

His words cut through me, slicing away at the confusion and the doubt that had been swirling in my mind. I didn't know what to say, how to respond. All I knew was that I didn't want to lose Rowan. Not after everything we'd been through.

Liam, still clutching his jaw, shot a glare at Rowan before turning his eyes to me. "You're really going to choose him over me, Tina? After everything we had?"

I looked at Liam, and for the first time in a long time, I saw him for what he really was. Not the charming, perfect guy I once thought he was, but someone who had hurt me, manipulated me, and tried to make me feel small.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "I already made my choice, Liam. And it's not you."

Liam's face twisted in anger, but he didn't say anything. He just turned and walked away, leaving Rowan and me standing there in the middle of the party, the tension between us thick and heavy.

Rowan's eyes softened as he looked at me, his anger slowly fading away. "Are you okay?"

I nodded, though my heart was still racing. "I will be."

He stepped closer, his voice quiet. "I'm sorry about earlier. I just couldn't stand seeing him touch you."

I shook my head, tears spilling over. "I'm the one who's sorry, Rowan. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

He wiped a tear from my cheek, his touch gentle. "We'll figure it out, okay? Together."

And in that moment, I knew he meant it. Rowan wasn't just some rival, or some guy I was trying to avoid. He was the one person who had been there for me, who had seen me at my worst and still chose to stay. And that meant more than I could ever put into words.