Page 11 of Bitter When He Begs

His breathing stutters. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

I press in close again, close enough that I can see the way his pulse kicks up against his throat.

“I don’t share, Sunshine,” I murmur, my voice smooth and deadly fucking serious. “So do yourself a favor and keep him the fuck away from you.”

He looks away from me, his jaw tight, like he’s still trying to convince himself that I didn’t just crawl under his skin and take up space he wasn’t ready to give. It would be adorable if it wasn’t so fucking transparent. But I don’t like being ignored, so I don’t let him hide.

Reaching out again, I slide my fingers under his jaw, tilting his head back toward me, making him look. His skin is hot beneath my touch, his breath unsteady, and his lips still parted.

“Don’t go quiet on me now,” I say, dragging my thumb over the sharp line of his jaw, watching the way his throat bobs when he swallows. “You always got so much to say when you’re pissed off. Where’d all that fire go?”

He glares, but it’s weaker this time. “What do you want from me, Luca?”

I hum, running my thumb along his bottom lip, my touch light and teasing. “I think you already know.”

I lean in close enough that I can feel his breath hitch against my lips again. Sage shudders, but he still doesn’t push me away. I let my tongue flick out, dragging it slowly along his lower lip, tasting the salt and heat of his skin.

“Let me in, Sunshine.”

And then I kiss him. Not soft. Not hesitant. Not gentle.

I fuckingtake.

His lips part, and when I deepen the kiss, sliding my tongue against his, he makes a sound low in his throat, almost like he hates himself for it.

I eat that fucking sound like it belongs to me.

My hand slides to the back of his neck, gripping tight, angling him exactly how I want. His teeth catch my bottom lip, biting just enough to sting. He tastes like peppermint, stubborn rage, and heat. I want all of it.

I feel that exact fucking moment where he stops thinking and just feels. He moans, and the sound makes my cock twitch hard enough to ache.

God, it’s perfect.

I break off the kiss, grab a fistful of his hair and yank his head back until he’s looking at me. His lips are wet, face is flushed and he looks like everything I’ve ever wanted to ruin. “There it is,” I murmur, my voice hoarse. “Knew you’d kiss me like that.”

“Fuck you,” he breathes.

“You wish,” I smirk, dragging my fingers along his throat before leaning back in my seat. “But keep kissing me like that, and I’ll make it a promise.”

His chest rises and falls fast, his eyes still dark, his face still flushed. I see the second he forces his brain to override his body, the second he hates himself for letting me take what I want.

I grin, biting back a chuckle, then start the truck and pull out of the lot, watching Sage from the corner of my eye as he moves, pressing himself against the passenger door like he needs space to breathe.

I want him unsteady.

I want him thinking about it.

The drive back to the frat house is quiet, except for the sound of his uneven breathing. I know he’s expecting me to say something, to make it worse. But I don’t. I let him stew and sit with what he allowed me to do to him.

I pull up in front of the house, throwing the truck into park before glancing over at him, my smirk still lingering. “Get out of my truck, Sunshine.”

Sage hesitates; his lips parting slightly, but then he shakes his head and opens the door. I watch him climb out, watch him take a few slow steps toward the house before stopping, his shoulders stiff, his hands clenching at his sides.

I almost want him to say something.

But he doesn’t. Instead, he keeps walking, disappearing inside without another word.

I exhale through my nose, my fingers flexing around the steering wheel, my pulse still thrumming in my veins, my whole body buzzing with satisfaction.

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