Page 13 of First Verse

He disconnects.

“I hate you,” I tell him.

And this time, I mean it.

CHAPTERFIVE

wilder

You stole seeds of me

And replaced them

With seeds of you

But you didn’t know

We’ll never grow

Because I’m poison

Evangeline wrenches open my bedroom door and flees at a run. Every muscle in my body tightens with the urge to go after her, but I curl forward instead and fist my hands in my hair.

“Eva? Whoa—what’s wrong?”

She must ignore Rye, because seconds later his frame fills my open doorway. He scowls at me. “What did you do this time?”

The low laugh that comes out of me sounds batshit crazy. “Made sure she’ll never come back to me.”

His eyes widen. “On purpose?”

“You hurt me on purpose.”

I didn’t mean to. Fuck, I didn’t mean to hurt her. I was barely hanging on to sanity, every shred of my self-control focused on not kissing her soft pink mouth. Not stripping off her clothes and feasting on every inch of her skin. Not freeing my dick and shoving inside her, stretching and claiming what no other man has.

I almost lost it a few times, overwhelmed by the way she looked at me, lust drunk and needy, and the texture and scent of her. Her blushing face, her supple thigh, her pussy… She was so wet. Drenched for me. So fucking soft. So hot and tight around my fingers.

My dick pulses angrily. I have no idea why I didn’t blow my load in my pants, the fly of which is currently wet from her. Probably because I was so focused on every breath she took that—for the first time ever—I wasn’t thinking about myself.

But I still fucked it up. I hurt her. Again.

Shame slithers around my shoulders, tightening around my neck.

“No,” I say hoarsely, “not on purpose.”

“What the hell, man?” Rye’s voice is low and concerned. “I know whatever happened on tour made things more complicated for you guys, but why can’t you apologize? Make it right?”

I shake my head, another unhinged laugh leaving me. “It’s not that simple.” Before he can say anything, I lift a hand and aim my glare. “Look, I get that you want to help, but leave it. Besides, you should be thanking me.”

He frowns. “For what?”

I stand, grabbing my car keys. “Come on, dude. It’s obvious you’re in love with her.” Ignoring the pound of trepidation in my chest, I force more poison out. “She’s all yours now. Virginity intact. Maybe give her a few hours to recover from how hard she just came on my fingers, though.”

The blood drains from Rye’s face, making his freckles stand out even more. He takes a step into the room, his big hands clenched into fists.

I hope he comes at me. I won’t even fight it.

I hope he breaks my fucking jaw.

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