Page 27 of Manhattan Tormentor

He shrugs his shoulders under the black t-shirt. I note how it moulds his frame. Now I know he’s a swimmer I can see it on his long body and doesn’t it make my mouth water.

“Kiss everyone you hate, huh?”

Biting the inside of my cheek, I stop thoughts about how good he tastes.

I hate that he looks so calm when I’m a tornado inside.

He’s unflappable and I’m combustible energy.

And I want to kiss him again.

I let his question go unanswered because I’d only be spouting lies.

He’s focused on my lips, and I lick them instinctively.

I can’t help myself when my body lurches forward.

I see his eyes round, but other than that, Fierro doesn’t react to my menacing stance. He has my remote, pressing buttons at will.

Because Idon’twant to be within touching distance of him.

I don’t want to smell sweetness on his breath. Or feel the touch of his fingertips brushing against my hanging wrist until it jump-starts my heart.

I don’t want any of it.

I’m an unwilling participant in this fucked up… whatever it is.

My lies go on and on inside my brain. Even when I know… Iknowhow badly I want to taste him right there on the side of his neck. His jaw stubble has given me a newfound fetish. I need it scraping my cheek.

“You are nothing. An irritant,” I croak between my clenched teeth. Unsure who I’m trying to convince, but it’s not working on him when Fierro smiles.

“Lie to yourself all you want, Finn.”

I don’t know how to breathe, and somehow I know the answer lies in the side of his neck.

“You know nothing about me. I warned you.” Agitated, I hiss my disturbance, taking a step toward him. Dropping my head, anchoring down the few inches difference. My body doesn’t feel like my own anymore.

No more words are exchanged. Though his penetrating eyes speak volumes. And they say everything about how confident he is, which only bothers me more.

A hand grabs me by the chest and shoves me away.

I spin to see Lachlan Fierro. We’ve gone through school together, but we’ve never been friends. Seeing as the ass monkey has put hands on me, I’m not inclined to act civil to him either.

“Back the hell up.” He demands, getting in the middle.

“It’s alright, Lachie. Finn was just leaving.” The raspy calmness of his voice does a number on me. I’m not sure whether to lick or punch. I suppose with the rottweiler snarling at me, licking is out of the question. Those Fierro’s are a weird family. As in, they seem to like and protect each other.

My father would toss any of us under the bus if it facilitated him being number one.

Staring at Lachlan, it would be so easy to put my fist in his sanctimonious face. This is between me and Damsel. What I’ve learned in these months, Sage doesn’t need protecting. He never retaliates against my shit, but he doesn’t back down either.

It’s been a drug.

Sage handles me better than most can. But I can’t help the words slicing through the space between us as he watches me in that calm, knowing way of his.

“Need saving by your big bro, Damsel, yeah, I figured.”

It’s a fucking delight watching Lachlan losing his cool. I’m urging him to, so I have an excuse to hurt someone, but Sage yanks on his arm.Pity.

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