I wanted to teach him a lesson a lot bigger than the one I just had.
I was no longer his bitch.
I’d never be his bitch again.
I took a step back, tugged my boxer briefs and jeans back into place while keeping our gazes locked as I took my time fastening my jeans and buckling my belt. Straightening my shirt.
When I was done, I waited a few more seconds, daring him to stop me. Daring him to complain or say one damn word. Then I headed back to my private entrance.
Walking away from him at that moment was one of the hardest things I’d ever done. Because when we went our separate ways twelve years ago, it wasn’t me who walked away.
Tonight it was.
Tate’s voice sounded strained when he called out, “This was punishment.”
Yes, it was.
Without a last glance back at the man still on his knees, I let the steel door close and lock behind me.
CHAPTER 6
Tate (Now)
I expected him to slam the door but it was the exact opposite. Even though the soft click behind me might as well have been a gunshot.
It tore into me, through me and left behind a gaping, bloody hole.
I was bleeding out. Dying a little inside.
I opened my eyes, shakily rose to my feet and located my towel.
Sitting on the edge of the closest lounge chair, I cleaned off my face. I wasn’t gentle. I scrubbed as hard as I could.
My tongue swept through my mouth, tasting the salty residue left behind.
Tasting what I’ve missed, what I’ve craved for over a decade.
I leaned forward and grabbed the glass from the ground, then stretched out my hand far enough to barely snag the bottle, too.
Reading the label, I recognized the name. It wasn’t cheap, but top quality and the average Joe didn’t spend that kind of money on a brand like that for their own stash.
And if they did, they certainly didn’t leave it behind.
I decided the glass wasn’t needed, so I set it back on the ground next to the chair, popped the top on the bottle and took a long swig to chase away the taste of Ronan.
When I put the bottle back to my lips and tipped it a second time, the scotch slid down my throat and pooled in my gut. I breathed through the burn, not used to drinking alcohol straight like this.
After settling back in the lounge chair, I stretched out my legs and stared up at a night sky only marred by the glow of the numerous city lights. Keeping a tight grip on the neck of the bottle, I balanced it in my lap as I went back over what just happened between Ronan and me.
Ultimately, I let it happen.
Admittedly, I wanted it to happen.
Now I regretted my moment of weakness.
My vulnerability.
The glaring truth smothered me, making it hard to breathe.
I had fallen in love with Roe when we were only in college.
And, damn it, I never fell back out.
Ronan (Then)
Another weekend. Another party.
I wasn’t quite sure why Tate kept asking me to go with him, but I knew why I kept accepting his invitation.
I wanted to be near him.
It was stupid because I knew he was straight. I knew he’d had a girlfriend for over a year.
But we had fallen into an easy friendship. In class and out of it.
We laughed, we joked, we teased and pushed each other around. We were constantly sharing funny or stupid stories from our childhood.
Even if that was all I’d ever have with him, I’d take what I could get. I’d remember this time forever because I…
Liked him.
“Liked” wasn’t a strong enough description but I wasn’t sure what else to call it. But it was more than a simple attraction because of his looks. Which were stellar, by the way.
So… Obsessed? Maybe. But not in a crazy stalker kind of way.
In lust? For sure.
Wishful that he wasn’t straight? Absolutely.
Tate was not only hot and handsome, he was smart. At first glance, I had thought he was a bit scattered and disorganized, but it turned out that he was only easily overwhelmed with new situations. Like starting a new semester, which had been the case the first morning I saw him.
But now we were over a month into the school year, he’d buckled down, got organized and was definitely more focused.
I decided to let loose tonight because, for once, I didn’t have a shift in the morning at the Power Center, the university’s recreation center. While the pay was garbage, the center was located on campus and I could easily walk to and from work. Even better, I could work out before or after my shift.
Admittedly, I started my freshman year as a scrawny guy. Not to mention, awkward as hell. Even though I was still developing and growing physically and mentally, I wanted to help it along faster.