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The sex.
She had to be the hottest fuck I’d ever had. I wasn’t sure if it was just her, if it was because she was usually so damned feisty but was submissive as fuck right then, if it was because it was a threesome, or what it was, but it was absolutely the best sex I’d ever had. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I never gave girls a second thought, and yet Asher and I fucked her again this morning.
It wasn’t as elaborate this time—just the three of us in my bed, making out and taking turns fucking her. It was slower, gentler. She was so sore from the day before, so we decided to take it easy on her today. Andstill, it was the hottest sex I’d ever had.
There was something about that girl, and I didn’t like it.
Getting involved with Wilder outside of the bet was a bad idea. My father woulddestroyher. Some sad, financially poor girl from where-the-fuck-ever Indiana coming in and threatening his livelihood by being involved with me would be averybad idea.
Dad knew Harper. He approved of Harper. Mostly because he knew she could be controlled. The other reason was because of the benefit of bringing our two families together. He would be okay with someone else from Crestview of appropriate status, wealth, and power also, but Harper was the obvious choice. It’s why we’d always just accepted we’d end up together, even if we didn’t really care much for each other.
Temperance was like my biological mom. Headstrong. Smart. Witty. Unfortunately, my mother was dead, and I never once believed the story. I’ve always believed Sebastian had something to do with it. Which is why I wouldneverlet him get near Temperance. He only liked women he could control, and she was absolutelynotthat girl.
“You okay, man?” Asher asked as we walked into my dorm apartment.
I nodded. “Yeah.” My voice didn’t sound convincing at all, and I hoped he didn’t notice.
“Not gonna lie. You sound about as shitty as I feel. I don’t want to be back here.”
An unexpected sigh left me. Truth was, I didn’t want to be there either. I hated Crestview. I hated everything about it.
“Me neither.”
“I want to start the weekend over,” he said, flopping down on my couch. “Seriously, what the fuck even was that? It was like I was asleep the whole weekend. It all felt like a dream.”
I laughed at him. “A dream? Do you hear yourself?”
“You can’t tell me it didn’t feel the same way to you. You let herstaywith you.”
“So?” I said, sounding a bit more defensive than I’d meant to. “It wasn’t a big deal. She was a whiny fucking mess on Friday. She invited us along, and as annoying as I imagined it would be to listen to her cry all weekend over her dead hillbilly parents, I thought we might learn something we could use to get her the fuck out of here.”
He looked at me incredulously. “Seriously?That’swhat you’re going with?”
I groaned as I grabbed a bottle of Gran Patron and poured a double. “Asher, I know you want to think there’s more here than there is, but there isn’t. You’re the one with the squishy heart. Not me. She’s fun. She’sinfuriating.She’s alsoveryfucking talented with her body. That’s all there is to Temperance Wilder. I expect this shit from her, but not from you. Don’t tell me she got under your skin.”
“How could shenot?” he fired back. He leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands together as his eyes bored into mine. “She’s literally perfect. I can’t find a single actual flaw. All the flaws she has just make her that much more interesting. I’ve tried to stay away from her. I’ve tried to be a dick. It’shard. Not for you, apparently, but it was for me. Only this weekend, you were yourself. I’ve known you for years, and I’veneverseen you act that way around a girl. Ever. You were genuine with her.”
I shrugged. “We had a ceasefire for the weekend. Remember? That’s all it was. Why are you being such a fucking girl about this?”
“Because you’re lying to yourself! We didn’t have a ceasefire for theweekend, Damian. We had a truce for a single day.Youwere the one who quite literallybeggedher to stay.Youwere the one who told her the clock didn’t tell us when the truce was over—we did. You could have sent her packing that first night, but you made her stay. Not only that—” He leaned back, fully prepared to deliver the final blow, and I knew exactly which one.
“Say a word, and I’ll punch you in the fucking dick.”
“Ha!” He clapped his hands together. “See? You’resodefensive! Youmeantit when you called her baby, didn’t you? Don’t think I didn’t notice you calling her that all throughout sex, too. Youlikecalling her pet names. Admit it—you want her.”
I growled. “I just got caught up in the fucking moment, you tool.”
He laughed. “Yeah? You weren’t even fucking her the first time. You were only flirting with her, and you called her that. If you’d been fucking, I could see how it might slip. But not like that. It may haveslipped,but it was only because you felt that way right then. And during sex, if it slippedonce,it would make sense, but you used that namerepeatedly. Youwantedher.”
“You’re damn right I did! She’s fucking hot as hell, and she was in my clothes. Not to mention the fact that we’d been fucking with her for a while, and she was being nasty as fuck. Ofcourse,I wanted to fuck her.”
He shook his head. “Not like that, and you know it. It hadnothingto do with sex. In fact, you never once pushed her for sex. Yeah, we got in the shower with her, but you were fully prepared to pleasure her—again—while expecting nothing in return. If it hadn’t been for her being so pushy this time,demandingwe take control, you would have been perfectly content only giving. And in case you don’t remember, that’s not something you’veeverdone with girls. You give, but you’ll get yours in return, too. Not with Tempe, though.” He paused, and I let silence fill the air because I couldn’t think of anything to say in response. “Admit it, Damian. You have feelings for her.”
I couldn’t. I couldn’t admit that because admitting it meant I’d have to acknowledge there was a part of me that wanted her in my life. That I wanted to be part of hers. And if that were the case, I had no choice but to save her from me.
“You don’t know what you’re asking,” I said, my voice quiet, defeated.
He must have heard it because he stood and walked over to stand in front of me. “Yes, I do. I know what you’re afraid of, but you won’t always be under his thumb.”