Page 76 of Almost Rotten

He insisted on driving to dinner with the reps from the Galaxy. I insisted I didn’t feel like talking.

Yet here we are, with Ty once again bulldozing my desires and taking what he wants.

I’m disgusted with myself on so many levels. I’m also deeply frustrated by his ridiculous show of machismo when Mercer called me out of class this week.

Since then, I’ve avoided Tytus as much as possible.

Which, I admit, hasn’t been all that effective. Every night, when he shows up at my dorm, I meekly tell him to leave, yet he never does.

“Sawyer.”

“What?” I snap back.

“Answer my question,” he grumbles as he brings the car to a stop at a red light.

Ignoring the demand, I study the scene out my window. It’s still light, but thick storm clouds have rolled in and cast everything in shadow.

Raindrops quietly strike the window. Not enough to be considered a steady rain, but enough to blur the trees along the side of the road.

I’m watching a single bead of water cut a path down my window when Ty brushes my knee. He squeezes once, his fingers digging in. When the light turns green and he accelerates, his grip only gets more firm.

“Who did you fucking sit with?” he seethes.

I shift my legs, trying to escape his hold, but the move only makes him clamp down harder.

It’s not enough to hurt. But it is enough to spark my awareness. And arousal.

“I’m surprised you don’t already know,” I quip as I press my thighs together.

He yanks them apart, resituating his hold on my thigh.

The perpetual push and pull leaves me feeling heady. I refuse to sink into his touch, despite my body’s traitorous desire to do so. I don’t want to give in to him so easily right now.

“Are you going to test me all night?” he grits out. “This dinner is important, petit diable. I can’t fucking slip in front of these people.”

My chest spasms. Despite all my pent-up anger over this ludicrous situation, I would never sabotage this night for him.

“I know,” I assure him quietly.

I’m angry. Frustrated. Honestly I’m sick to my stomach over the situation with Mercer, and by extension, Noah, but I would never do anything to purposely ruin this night for him.

So much of what’s transpired between us over the last few weeks has been draped in artificial conflict. I’ve lost myself in the thrill of pushing back and blurring the lines.

We need to have a real conversation this weekend, and I need to set boundaries regarding what can and cannot happen moving forward.

The briefest of hopes flashed through me a few nights ago. Ty was asleep, breathing steadily beside me. Noah was texting me good night, and my mind was fixated on Mercer.

I thought that maybe, despite the impossibility of the dynamic, there was a way for all of us to co-exist.

Maybe I wouldn’t have to choose.

Maybe I could have everything—or in this case,everyone—I wanted, without anyone getting hurt in the process.

But then Tytus pulled that stunt when Mercer called me out of class, and all glimmers of hope were snuffed out.

If he’s going to make me choose, he’s the one who’s going to lose.

But none of that will be resolved tonight. Tonight, Ty needs to be level-headed and focused. And I want to support him through this dinner.