Sage licked his lips. “Sorry. I didn’t think Arman would tell anyone.”
Xavier scoffed. “You’re such a naive baby. Never trust anyone.”
“And I should trust you?”
Xavier smiled. “You shouldn’t trust me, either.” His smile disappeared as quickly as it appeared. His face was grim now. “If people call you my bitch, you say you’re my bitch. Got it?”
“Fuck you.” Sage tried to shove him off, but only ended up rubbing himself against Xavier.
“I will,” Xavier murmured into his ear, biting it.
Sage flushed. “Fuck off.”
“You’ll be begging me soon,” Xavier said, pressing harder into him. His weight, his strength, his scent… It was overwhelming Sage’s senses in a strange, disturbing way.
“Never.”
Xavier pulled away. Sage breathed out.
“Fine. If you don’t want my protection, you’re free to do whatever you want. I’ll let people know I don’t give a fuck if anyone touches you.”
Sage swallowed, remembering the looks other inmates gave him in the showers. Being gangbanged wasn’t his idea of fun. He might hate Xavier, but at least the guy was unlikely to force him. Not because he was such a good guy—Xavier was an asshole, but he was an asshole who liked to play mind games and who was willing to wait until Sage begged him to fuck him. And since it was never going to happen, he was safer with Xavier. Probably. “Wait—don’t.”
Xavier didn’t gloat, but Sage hadn’t really expected it.
Xavier just nodded and said, “Now go to sleep.”
“You’re not the boss of me,” Sage muttered, scowling.
But he did as he was told.
* * *
Next time in the showers, Xavier’s soaped finger slipped between his ass cheeks.
Sage froze. “You said you wouldn’t force me,” he hissed.
“I’m not and I won’t,” Xavier said, pushing the finger inside him slowly. “I have to touch you to make sure others see me touching you. If I don’t, they’ll start thinking you have me wrapped around your little finger.”
Sage snorted—he couldn’t even imagine that—but he forced himself to relax. Xavier was right, damn him.
The finger pushed deeper. It didn’t really hurt, but it felt odd. Very odd.
The finger pulled out, then moved back in. Sage’s face went hot. He had another man’s finger in his ass. He couldn’t believe he had a man’s finger in his ass.
The finger brushed against something inside him, and Sage’s eyes widened, his mouth falling open as a bolt of pleasure shot through him.
“Say hello to your prostate,” Xavier said against his ear from behind, brushing that spot again.
“S-stop,” Sage whispered, hating how unsure his voice sounded. Against his will, his cock started hardening.
“That’s the only thing I’m going to do,” Xavier said. “You can jerk off.”
“Screw you,” Sage said weakly as Xavier moved the finger in and out slowly. He wondered how many people were watching them. He didn’t look.
“You like this,” Xavier said into his ear.
“I don’t.”
“You do,” Xavier said, rubbing his prostate again.
Sage couldn’t quite hold back a whimper. “I’m straight.”
“Of course you are.” Xavier started moving the finger quickly. “You just like having my finger in your ass.”
Sage bit his lip to prevent himself from moaning. “No.”
“No? Fine.” Xavier licked his ear and pulled the finger out. “You’ll be begging me for this soon.”
Sage closed his eyes. He felt odd. Empty.
“I hate you,” he said, turning his head to glare at Xavier. He tried hard not to look at Xavier’s erection.
“Of course you do, Pretty.”
* * *
Next day, his girlfriend came to visit him.
Sage looked at her through the glass that separated them and tried to find something to say. Laura looked lovely, as usual, her heart-shaped face very pretty and very feminine. She also looked very out of place.
“How… how are you?” she said into the phone.
Sage smiled wryly. “How do you think?”
“You… you look good,” Laura said after a moment.
He nearly laughed. If only she knew. If only she knew how much he would have liked not to look good. Had he been ugly, no one would have spared him a second glance. Had he been ugly, Xavier—
Sage pushed the thought away. No; he wouldn’t think of it. Not now, not with his girlfriend here.
“Thanks,” he muttered, awkwardly. “How is school?”
“Good,” Laura replied.
An awkward silence stretched between them.
Sage stared at her, taking her in. He missed her—missed his old life before all of this. He loved her. And yet… He felt so disconnected from her. She belonged to another world. A world in which he was just an average guy who didn’t get publicly groped and finger-fucked by another guy.
His face hot, Sage averted his gaze and looked down. “You don’t have to visit, you know,” he said without looking at her. “You don’t have to wait for me. A year is a long time.”
Silence.
“Do you—do you want me to wait?”
Sighing, Sage ran a hand over his face. “I have no right to ask this from you. I fucked up, now I’m paying for my stupidity.” He gave her a crooked smile. “You don’t have to wait for me—only if you really want to.”