Page 203 of Fragments

“Mhm…” I mumble, picking at my cuticles.

“Are you sure?” he presses, firm tone giving away his displeasure. “’Cause he was touching you, Ren…”

“Yea, I know,” I huff. “Everyone’s always fucking touching me. I’ve got a building full of dudes slapping my ass and making bullshit excuses to rub their dicks on me. Linetti showed up at my cell last night while I was dead asleep.”

“Wow…” Lex’s fists clench on the table. “I really fucking hate what I’m hearing right now…”

“Fuck, I fuckingknow, baby.” I rub my eyes, exhausted by this whole thing. “Me too. I promise nothing happened… You know that, right?”

Peering at him, I observe the strain in his jaw and his rigid posture. He nods, though it doesn’t even look like he’s breathing and he hasn’t blinked in a while.

“I do,” he answers me, stiffly. “I believe you. I know this isn’t your fault…”

“What the fuck are you talking about?? Ofcourseit’s my fucking fault,” I hiss. “I brought this on myself. What did I think would happen… I’d give up whoring around and everyone would just get the memo??” Slouching over, I drop my forehead onto the table. “It’s too hard. I quit.”

“You’re being such a bitch right now,” Lex growls.

I turn my face to look at him through the hair in my eyes. “That’s not very supportive…”

“Supportive??” He scoffs. “Don’t give me that bullshit, Ren. I’m the one who has to fucking watch all these assholes touching you and hitting on you… And I can’t even fucking react because I’ll get sent to solitary and I’m terrified of leaving you alone up here!”

My head lifts slowly. “You wanna react…?”

“Are you kidding me??” His voice has taken on this snarling rumble that awakens my dick. “I want to chop their hands off so they can’t touch you, pluck their eyes out so they can’t look at you… Rip their goddamn tongues out so they can never speak another word to you again.”

I pull my lower lip between my teeth, breathing shallowed, as I shift in my seat. My balls are aching, dick filling up fast from how sexy and possessive and downrightmurderoushe’s acting right now. Forme.

Scooting closer to him, I reach for one of his balled fists, uncurling his fingers so I can play with them. “I thought I was the jealous one…”

“That’s different,” he grumbles. “No one hits on me. Not the way they do to you…”

“Want me to kill the next person who tries to touch what’s yours?” I whisper, subtly moving his hand down between my legs.

I push his fingers onto my erection, and he whimpers, lashes fluttering. “Ren…”

Easing myself closer, my lips brush his ear and I purr, “Oh,Luthor…”

“You’re such a dick,” he groans quietly, cupping my cock, trying to be subtle while I chuckle wickedly. “You actually like this, don’t you, you horrible, sexy nuisance? Having me acting all jealous, like some caveman…”

“Mmhmm… Show them all who I belong to, baby boy.” I lick his earlobe, and he shudders.

But he reluctantly pulls away and breathes, “Not now, sweet flame.” I pout, and he grasps my chin. “But you willnotbe quitting, do you understand me? If I don’t get to quit, you don’t get to quit.” My lashes flutter, and I nod slowly. “You’re doing a great job, baby. You’re so strong.”

He presses a small kiss on my lips, and I think I’m actually defying gravity, like my heart is full of helium.

Lexington believes in me… He knows I can do this.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

He winks at me, and I’m swooning. “You love me?”

“More than anything,” I hum, leaning in for more kisses.

But Lex backs away and gives me a knowing look, eyes flinging briefly to Byron, who’s sitting a few seats down at the table, staring at his fingers.

I do feel kind of bad. Either Byron is jealous, or lonely, or pissed, or some combination. And I just wish I knew how to fix it…

I mean, shit, he won’t even sit near us.