Page 38 of Bitter When He Begs

“No, you love me,” Nate says smugly. “And you need me, otherwise you’d be booked every fucking hour of the day fixing people’s shit for free.”

I roll my eyes but don’t argue because he’s not wrong.

Instead, I sigh, pressing my fingers against my temples. A headache has been creeping up on me since this morning, but now it’s pounding. There’s a dull throb behind my eyes that makes me want to go back to my room, and not think for at least five fucking hours.

Nate notices because, of course, he does. He digs into his bag, pulls out a small bottle, then shakes out a couple of pills and holds them out. “Here. Aspirin.”

Thankful as fuck, I grab the pills and my water bottle, swallowing them before slumping back in my chair with a sigh. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” Nate says easily. Then he nudges my foot with his. “You need to stop letting people walk all over you, by the way.”

I hum, barely paying attention, my eyes closed as I wait for the headache to ease. Then the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I crack my eyes open, andfuck.

Luca is standing across the quad just a few feet away, watching me.

Correction: glaring at me.

His jaw is tight, his arms crossed, his entire fucking body wound up with tension. His blue eyes are locked onto mine, sharp and pissed, and I don’t even know why. But I know that look. I’ve seen that look.

And I do not like where this is going.

Luca

Idon’tevenrealizeI’m moving until I’m halfway across the quad, my blood still running too fucking hot, my hands curled into fists at my sides.

Because what the fuck did I just see?

Sage is sitting at one of the stone tables, looking relaxed in that way that isn’t really relaxed, in that way that saysI want to disappear but I don’t know how.

But the real kicker?

He doesn’t see me, but he feels me coming before he even lifts his head, and he immediately stiffens. Not in fear, not even in anticipation, but in awareness. His body is still reacting to me before his brain can catch up.

Nate’s gaze flicks between us, already brimming with irritation, his easy smirk vanishing, his muscles coiling tight, and I know he’s ready to jump across the table and get in my face.

I smirk, daring him.

I know guys like him. Guys who think they can protect their friends. Guys who think they can step in and save people, guys who don’t realize that some things don’t need saving. But before he can open his mouth, Sage moves. His hand barely brushes Nate’s arm; it’s a small motion, nothing obvious, but it’s enough to make Nate hesitate.

Sage looks up at me then, his brown eyes guarded, and his mouth set in a firm line. I could play this a dozen different ways. I could lean into arrogance, I could smirk, I could bait Nate into snapping just to see if Sage would defend me.

But I don’t. Because that’s not why I’m here.

I shove my hands into my pockets, tilt my head slightly, and say, “Can I talk to Sage for a few minutes?”

Nate doesn’t move, he just keeps staring at me.Assessing.He looks at Sage then, and Sage hesitates for a second, just enough to make my stomach tighten. But then he nods, and Nate rolls his eyes and gets up. He doesn’t say a word to me, but lingers long enough to make sure Sage is sure, and then he walks away with a tension in his shoulders that saysthis isn’t fucking over.

I wait until he’s out of earshot. Then I lean forward, planting my hands on the stone table, caging Sage in with nothing but my presence.

“What did you just take?”

Sage blinks at the question. “What?”

I clench my jaw. “The pill. What the fuck did you just take, Sage?”

For a second, he looks genuinely confused, his lips parting like he’s not following. Then it clicks, and instead of getting nervous, instead of getting flustered, instead of giving me the reaction I fucking want, he laughs. “Are you serious right now?”

I don’t flinch. “Answer the question.”