Page 17

Chapter 16

Merci

Flopping onto my bed, I run my fingers through my damp hair. The shower helped clear my head a bit, and the haze from the alcohol is also lifting, but that only makes shit worse. It leaves me feeling raw, like someone took sandpaper to my soul and decided to call it modern art.

Eli’s in his room, probably sleeping off whatever he drank. Ryan—Henneman—or whatever they call him, had given Eli an ice pack before heading out. I can’t believe some fucking douche punched my roommate in the thigh.

For fuck’s sake, he’s the sweetest thing ever. The guy apologizes to fucking houseplants when he has to move them to dust.

I hope Eli’s giant, scary boyfriend rearranged that asshole’s face. Hell, I hope he broke a few ribs for good measure.

But it’s what happened after that’s making my stomach churn like I just downed a gallon of spoiled milk.

I hurt Zach.

Again.

I didn’t mean to. Swear I didn’t. But he wouldn’t stop punching Ryan—who, by the way, was trying to help me—and I panicked. My teeth sank into the top of his shoulder like some feral raccoon.

Zach didn’t even react, and that’s also screwing with me. He didn’t flinch. He didn’t groan. He didn’t even fucking blink.

Just like when I bit his lip in his bathroom.

And the way he got all concerned thinking someone had actually hurt me.

My fingers tighten around the fabric of my hoodie, my knuckles turning white. He fucking ran back into the house. To fight.

I pull my knees to my chest, squeezing them hard.

What if he gets hurt worse? What if—

A door slams, followed by heavy stomping through the dorm and a low growl. “Solnyshko, don’t even try to pretend you’re asleep.” Then another door slams, the vibrations rattling my walls.

I sigh as a small smirk tugs at my lips. That man is ridiculously over the top, but also . . . weirdly adorable.

If Alexei’s here, the fight must be over. Maybe I should go ask him about Zach to make sure —

A door opens and closes again, softer this time. I sit up and fix my crop top sweatshirt, hoping the big guy will talk to me and not be too angry. He is kinda scary.

Just as I swing my legs to the floor, Zach appears in my entryway. His broad shoulders fill the space, the dim light from my nightlight casting shadows across his face.

My heart does this stupid flip-flop thing, and I spring out of bed, crossing the room in two quick steps. I wrap my arms around his torso and bury my face in his chest. He smells like sweat and beer and a faint hint of smoke. The tears come before I can stop them, my fingers clutching his shirt. “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”

He doesn’t hug me back. His arms just hang stiff at his sides while his breathing grows rapid and uneven, his chest rising and falling against me.

I let go and step back, his steel-gray eyes locking onto mine, intense and unreadable as always, but the right one is swollen. My gaze drops to a thin cut running along his bottom lip and there’s a faint red mark on his cheekbone. I lift his hand with mine, and his knuckles . . . Fuck, his knuckles are raw and split, dried blood filling the cracks.

Tears run down my cheeks as I drop his hand and look back up, my bottom lip quivering when my eyes land on his shoulder. “I didn’t mean to bite—”

His hand shoots out, wrapping around my throat. Not hard, but enough to make my breath catch. My eyes widen, and my heart hammers in my chest.

“That’s not what I’m angry about.” His voice is low and rough, like gravel scraping against pavement. His fingers tighten slightly, just enough to make my pulse race even more. “You on that table . . . dancing like that? Wearing that shirt? You’re not a community hole. You’re my fucking hole.”

“Was Viktor your hole too?” I stare at him, unblinking, because I can’t let it go.

He backs me farther into the room, and I grip his wrist to steady myself. “No. Just you. Only you.”

I whimper as heat floods my body, pooling low in my belly. When the backs of my knees bump into the mattress, his other hand comes into view and my mouth hangs agape, all the blood in my body instantly rushing to my dick.

Oh, fuck.

I glance between the collar and his face, my breath hitching. Fucking hell do I have a thing for leather around my neck. Like a full-blown, come-in-my-pants-level kink.

Does he know?

Because the black leather with the silver buckle is far from the metal one he put around my throat in the warehouse. But I had let out that one whimper when he’d yanked the chain.

This fucker must’ve gone back to his dorm after the fight because he certainly didn’t have it when he showed up at the frat house. Makes sense too, considering his wounds look cleaned up and he isn’t covered in blood.

“If you don’t start behaving, I may have to invest in a muzzle to keep those teeth in line.”

I bite the inside of my cheek as my gaze drops to the floor, heat crawling up my neck to my ears. “Said I was sorry.”

His fingers brush my jaw, tilting it up so our eyes meet. “You’re a possessive little shit. Marking your territory with your teeth and nails. Stinging like a little scorpion. Such a dangerous fucking pet.”

I stay quiet, unsure how to respond.

“Strip.” His hand drops from my face as he straightens, pulling his shoulders back. “Now.”

Without saying a word I tug off my crop top sweatshirt, then shimmy out of my pink jogger shorts, kicking them off to the side. Zach’s eyes rake over my naked body before he puts on the collar, the leather cool against my skin. And when he attaches the chain leash, my dick twitches, precum dripping to the floor.

If he didn’t know about my kink before, he definitely knows now. So fucking embarrassing .

Of course, the asshole gives the leash a gentle tug, pulling out a needy whimper from my lips. “On your knees.”

I drop to the floor, watching as he unzips his jeans and pushes them along with his boxers down his muscular thighs, freeing his thick and hard length. My mouth salivates at the sight.

"Spit on my cock, Little Scorpion." He tugs the leash, pulling me closer until his dick is just inches from my face. "Get it nice and soaked before you worship it with your slutty little mouth."

Keeping my gaze locked with his piercing gray eyes, I spit on the swollen head, then open my mouth and stick out my tongue.

"Wider."

With a groan, I open as much as I can, then take his throbbing shaft into my mouth, the metal piercings press against my tongue. I pull back and swirl my tongue around the head, savoring his salty-sweet taste.

"That's it." He growls, fisting my hair, his balls slapping against my chin as he fucks my face, grunting with each thrust. "Take it deeper."

I relax my jaw, letting him use my mouth however he wants. Drool leaks from the corners of my lips as I gag and sputter around his length, my eyes watering .

“Such a good little cock slut.” The tension on the leash increases as he wraps more of the chain around his left hand. It pulls me forward, and I moan around him. "You like having your throat fucked?"

I nod, my hands gripping his muscular thighs, nails digging into his flesh as he continues to use my mouth. The large vein under his dick pulses, and I run my tongue along it.

“Fuck, Merci.” His breathing grows ragged, his grip on the leash tightening. “I’m going to come.”

Zach explodes into my mouth, and I gulp it all down, not wanting to waste a single drop. When he finally pulls out, a trickle of cum escapes my lips and drips down my chin.

Using his thumb, he swipes up his release then pushes it into my mouth.

I lick it up with a satisfied grin, savoring the taste.

He pulls up his navy-blue boxer briefs with one hand but kicks off his jeans, leaving them in a heap on the floor. Then he sits on the edge of the bed and yanks on the leash, guiding me until I’m bent over his lap. “Time to be punished.”

“For what?” I turn my head and look up at him, raising an eyebrow. “Being too good at giving head? ”

The corner of his mouth curls up into a one-sided smirk. “For the stunt with Raiyne’s jersey and kicking my friend in the face. Told you I’d deal with you later.”

“Don’t you dare!”

His hand comes down on my ass with a sharp crack, the sting sending a jolt of pleasure straight to my dick. My breath hitches, and I bite my lip to keep from making a sound.

“Count.”

“Fuck you.” But the next slap has me crying out, “Two!”

“Look at that beautiful handprint.” He spreads my cheeks. “It’s like art next to your tight little asshole.”

I glare at him. “I hate you so much right now.”

“Since you want to act like a snarky little brat, I’m going to treat you like one.” His hand connects with my left cheek, harder this time.

“Three! Fuck!”

He spanks me again and again until my ass is on fire and my balls ache. I writhe and moan, warmth enveloping my dick as his hand picks up speed. “Zach—fuck—I’m sorry, okay? I won’t do it again.”

Not sure what I’m even promising not to do. It’s just all overwhelming, suffocating in the best way.

He keeps going, alternating between soft caresses and sharp smacks until my skin is too hot and too tingling .

My dick is leaking as I hump his thigh, so close to coming that I can barely think. “Please, Zach. Please—”

He finally stops and flips me onto my back. I gasp as my sensitive skin hits the mattress, and my dick bobs obscenely. He smirks as he shifts down the bed. “So fucking hard, aren’t you, Little Scorpion? Bet it aches.”

I shudder when his hot breath washes over my throbbing length. Biting my bottom lip, I try to close my legs. "Zach, y-you don't have to—"

He growls, spreading my thighs wide. “Don’t deny me.”

My breath hitches, and I arch up, letting out a low whine because I need him. Want him. “Please. It hurts.”

A soft chuckle fills the room as he leans over. But he bypasses my dick, sucking and licking my balls instead. When his tongue swipes up the seam, my hands fist the sheets.

Dry humping Zach might’ve caused me to crave him, but his mouth . . . fuck. “My dick. Zach, suck it. Fuck. Please. Just suck it.”

Of course, the bastard doesn’t give me what I need. Instead, he slaps my length, and I lift off the bed. “Watch that mouth.”

I’m panting, sweat lining my forehead as I fuck the goddamn air. Zach grips my hips, pinning them to the mattress as he licks a slow stripe up my shaft. I try to buck, desperate for more friction, but he easily holds me down.

My head thrashes from side to side as I moan and curse, my hole clenching and unclenching. “Zach . . . so hard . . . fuck me, fuck me. Need to come.”

He swallows me to the hilt, his throat squeezing around my dick. I cry out, my hands fisting his hair as he bobs up and down, sucking me hard and fast.

I let out a strangled moan as his tongue plays with my piercing, my balls drawing up tight to my body. And when his teeth pull on it while he sucks the tip, I see stars and come harder than I ever have before, my whole body shaking and my vision whiting out from the force of it.

Zach swallows every drop, milking me until I'm spent and trembling. He pulls off my dick with a lewd pop, then crawls up my body.

When he goes to take off the collar, my fingers wrap around his wrist. “Leave it.”

He nods but unclips the leash and tosses it onto the floor. I grab his arm when he sits up, my heart pounding so loud my ears ring. “Stay. Please.”

My bottom lip trembles when he doesn’t say anything, his expression impassive like always. I let go of his arm, swallowing hard and waiting for him to walk out.

Why the fuck did I even ask ?

But instead of standing, he removes his shirt, then lays back down and pulls me to him. I burrow close, resting my head on his chest. My fingers trace over the tattoos on his left arm, lingering on the scars beneath.

If I could go back, if I could change everything . . . maybe things would be different.

Maybe neither of us would be so broken.