Page 6 of Bitter When He Begs

“Meet me later,” Lee cuts me off, biting his bottom lip and dragging his gaze over me. “My place.”

I want to say yes, but instead of agreeing, instead of turning back to the guy I actually want to end this night with, dread curls my stomach. Luca steps into my space, his presence making the air feel thinner.

Up close, he still looks the same. Still hot as fuck, with those blue eyes that can pin me from across the room. But there’ssomething else… He looks like he’s pissed at me, and I have no fucking clue why.

Lee must pick up on the tension immediately, but he doesn’t look intimidated. Although there’s an edge to his posture now, it’s more like he’s weighing whether this is a fight he wants to pick.

Luca notices. His gaze flicks toward Lee, and his mouth tilts into something that might be called a smirk if it wasn’t so fucking cold.

“I get it now,” Luca says, his tone casual, but there’s nothing casual about the way his eyes settle back on me. “Didn’t think you were the type, but hey—guess everyone’s got their thing.”

Lee frowns, shifting his weight. “What the fuck does that mean?”

Luca turns his attention back to him, still wearing that lazy, arrogant expression like he’s already won a game Lee didn’t even know he was playing.

“Nothing. Just saying it makes sense.” He tilts his head, voice dipping into something smooth and just condescending enough to make my stomach tighten. “You like ‘em pretty and desperate, huh?”

Lee stiffens. “You’ve got some fucking nerve—”

“Relax,” Luca cuts him off, his smirk widening. “I’m not judging. Just making an observation.” He glances at me, gaze dragging over my body and pinning me in place. “Though, I gotta say, I figured you’d at least aim a little higher.”

It’s deliberate, every word meant to twist the knife in just the right place. He’s not calling me out directly, but he’s making it clear enough—enough to piss Lee off, enough to make it uncomfortable and ruin the mood completely.

Lee tosses back the rest of his drink before setting the empty cup down with more force than necessary. He cuts a questioninggaze to me, like he’s waiting for me to say something, or push back and call Luca on his bullshit.

I normally would; everyone in the frat knows me as the brat with a mouth that doesn’t stop.

But I don’t.

Lee shakes his head, muttering something under his breath as he steps back and gives Luca one last glare before disappearing into the crowd.

And just like that, I’m alone with the guy who looks like he wants to eat me.

Luca watches me, his smirk lingering like he’s proud of himself, like all of this is exactly what he wanted.

I should walk away, too. I should tell him to go fuck himself and move on with my night, but instead, I’m just standing there, fingers clenched around my drink, pulse hammering in my throat.

“What the fuck was that?” Once I finally find it, my voice comes out louder than I expect, but Luca doesn’t even blink.

He tips his head slightly, feigning innocence. “What was what?”

“You know exactly what.”

He just shrugs. “Just looking out for you.”

“You’relooking out forme?”

“Yeah,” he says easily, like this isn’t the biggest load of bullshit I’ve ever heard in my life. “Thought I’d save you from making a bad decision.”

I let out a laugh, harsh and disbelieving. “Oh, fuck you, Devereaux.”

Luca’s gaze drags over me again. “Didn’t realize you’d gotten so comfortable,” he murmurs.

I don’t know what the hell that means, but the way he says it makes me defensive, like I’ve done something wrong just byexisting outside of whatever fucking box he put me in three months ago.

I set my drink down on the bar and cross my arms. “Yeah, well, guess what? I’m fine. I’m not some scared kid hiding in the corner. I made friends, I fit in, and you don’t get to just show up and act like that’s a problem.”

He raises an eyebrow, smirking like I just said something cute. And fuck, that pisses me off. My pulse kicks up, frustration curling in my chest, and before I can stop myself, I blurt out, “I haven’t said a word to anyone.”

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