Chapter 10
MATTEO
As I sit in class, attempting to pay attention to the lesson, the memory of the taste of Alexei’s flesh lingers on my tongue. I haven’t been able to get the guy out of my head since last Friday. Not just because of what we did, but because of this regret that consumes me.
It was a mistake. Not the fucking, but that I didn’t claim his mouth the way I should have when I had the chance. He was right there, his lips begging for it. I should have crushed my mouth against his, let our tongues meet.
I run my hand over my face, feeling the light scruff I’ve managed to grow since our fuck.
“…the scruff was kinda hot…”
He said it jokingly, but now I just want to please him—I hunger for the idea of making him moan again, hearing that sound resonate as it hits my ears, feeling the way his hips push back, begging to take my cock faster, harder.
As I glance around the classroom, I notice a guy checking out my junk, and our gazes meet briefly before he turns away. I reposition in my chair, trying to hide my raging hard-on.
Annoying as it may be in the middle of Calculus, it pleases me that I’m this hard. I’ve had several erections just thinking about what Alexei and I did, and what I want us to do next. I’m fairly confident I won’t need any pill to help me fuck him tomorrow night.
Wild that I’m like this over Alexei when I’ve never felt this way about a guy before. I mean, I did think Alexei’s ass was bitable, which in hindsight, isn’t that straight. But I never equated thinking guys were hot to wanting to do stuff with them.
I guess I do now.
Especially if their name is Alexei Veritov.
Maybe discovering I’m bi would be more of a thing if it didn’t seem insignificant next to finding out magic is real, discovering a part of the world I never even considered. Really, as far as attraction goes, the only thing that matters to me is that I get to mess around with Alexei again.
After class, I go to the library, hoping I might find him in his usual spot, and when I do, a rush of excitement pulses through me. He’s got his hair tied back in a ponytail as he reads something on his laptop screen, totally caught up in it as I sidle up beside him.
“Don’t know how you’re able to concentrate right now,” I say.
He’s already grinning when he turns to me. “I feel like I’ve had an easier time focusing since last week, actually.”
“You seem more relaxed too,” I whisper, “like you just needed a thick cock to loosen you up.”
“It definitely loosened me up.”
We share a laugh. I prefer this side of him to how stressed he was before.
I grab a chair, turn it and straddle it, facing Alexei.
He studies my expression. “You look like you got some sleep since I last saw you.”
“Yeah, it’s been kind of wonderful.”
“And is that scruff for me?”
I run my fingers just under my chin. “Well, you did say you wouldn’t have minded if I kept it.”
“Oh, I think I’m gonna enjoy feeling that against my face.”
I lean closer, and his brows tug together, his eyes narrowing. “What are you doing?”
“Torturing you the way you’re torturing me with those kissable lips. Tempted to give them a little nibble.”
There’s that familiar shade of pink in his fair cheeks. I love the effect I have on him about as much as I love the effect he has on me.
“Why not cave to temptation?” he asks.
“’Cause when I kiss you, I know what I’m gonna want to do to you next.”
His face twists up as he laughs. “This is so wild.”
It is. And I love it.
Although, just as soon as I let myself enjoy this moment, I have to remind myself that this isn’t all fun and games. “Sorry, I know this isn’t just messing around for you.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s nice that it gets to be a little fun.”
And I must admit, I’m happy to be a part of that fun, and not for entirely selfless reasons.
“Now,” he says, “you need to get out of here before I pull you into a study room and force you to have your way with me. I have studying to catch up on and homework assignments that are already late.”
“I have some work to do too. I’ll definitely see you tomorrow night, though.”
I take a whiff of that scent that, combined with the thought of getting to do naughty things to him again, makes my cock stiffen, then gently bite his cheek and run my tongue across his flesh.
“Fuck,” he mutters.
His eyes are closed when I pull away, his mouth hanging open, like it’s just begging for me to take it. I ball my hands into fists, grunting as I restrain myself. “Okay, Hot Ass, I’m outta here.” I hop up, return my chair to the desk beside his, then head on to continue my day.
Our exchange has me buzzing with excitement, and it must be written all over my face because that evening, when Brad returns to our room, I assume after whatever weird-ass shit he and his friends do over at that church, he says, “That pussy you got last week must’ve been real good.”
“What makes you say that?” I ask, since I’m just lying in bed, reading. Not doing anything that would give away what I was up to before.
Brad eyes me suspiciously. “I’ve been around you long enough to know how you get after a good lay. Relaxed. Zenned out. Corner of your lip curling up. You’re either sated from the best fuck of your life, or you’re high as fuck, and if you’re high, didn’t we agree we need to share?”
Normally, I’d have laughed at that, but tonight I force a smile. He’s killed my Zen. “I guess you know me better than I know you.”
I shouldn’t have said that, but it’s true.
For the past semester, I thought this guy was my friend.
Thought I could read him as well as he can obviously read me, but after seeing what he and his friends were up to, I discovered just how little he lets me into his life.
Maybe he doesn’t even consider me a friend at all.
And whatever he and the Alpha Alpha Mu guys have done to put Alexei in this position, fuck them.
“What did I say?” he asks, his eyes widening with concern.
Damn, he really can read me well.
“Nothing. It’s true. I had a great time last Friday, and planning to have an even better time tomorrow. Can we just leave it there?”
Because I really can’t have you knowing a damn thing about what Alexei is up to, or shit is gonna hit the fan.
“So this is gonna be a regular thing?” He falls onto the side of my bed, tucking his hands under his chin, getting close, the way he would have done before all this stuff with Alexei.
Stop being so obvious. You’re gonna give yourself away, and he’s gonna get suspicious.
But I’m not the kind of guy who can pretend he feels differently than he does. If something’s on my mind, I say it. I’m not used to having to stuff this shit down.
“What’s up?” Brad asks, picking up on my mood. “Dude, I’m sorry. I was just trying to chat, not pry into your shit. We can talk about something else. I just wanted to talk. I’ve had a lot going on, and I haven’t seen you for a few days.”
I try to keep from looking at him, but I can’t help myself. Now I’m trying to read him the way he’s reading me. Why have you been gone so much this past weekend? What are you and the guys up to? What got you into this shit? And why did the guys at Alpha Alpha Mu need Alexei to spy on you?
“I don’t mean to be a dick,” I force out. “I just really need to get caught up with schoolwork right now.”
He studies my expression. “All right. I’ll leave you to it.”
As he hops back up, a sensation in my chest twists up…at the friendship I’ve lost.
Or maybe never had.
Brad works at his desk, and I finish my reading before hitting my light and passing out.
The past few nights, I’ve gotten a pretty good sleep, but tonight I wake up every once in a while, rolling each way to try and get comfortable.
As much as I’m looking forward to tomorrow night, once we’re finished, Alexei will be halfway through this spell that could do God knows what.
Neither of us knows what we’re playing with.
This is stupid as fuck.
But I guess I’m all in.
I try to focus on the parts of this that are easier to lose myself in…
That bitable, fuckable ass.
Those tempting lips.
His beautiful smile.
I could swear I hear him moan, but then another sound catches my attention. Is that Brad? Although it doesn’t seem to be coming from his bed.
I roll onto my back—and see something at the foot of the bed. I sit up, scooting back against my headboard.
The light from outside illuminates what looks like a face floating at the end of the mattress.
A tooth-filled smile is spread across its face, but its eyes are hidden in shadows.
And now that I’ve had time to recover from the surprise, I see it’s not floating.
There’s a neck attached, this person—a man—crouched down.
This is a trick of the mind. It must be.
The man shakes subtly, and there’s a sound, like he’s snickering. The creepy-ass grin shifts as the head tilts, and then the face moves slightly forward, enough that the light reveals the eyes that have been concealed in shadow.
The whites and irises are black.
My heart’s racing, my skin prickling. Every part of me is telling me I need to get the fuck out of here, but my choices are to pass it or sprint across Brad’s bed.
Brad’s bed it is!
As I start to move, the man springs up, his nude body coming into view, and before I can adjust in the bed, he’s on top of me.
“The fuck!” I call out, attempting to shove him off me, but he grips my wrists and pins them against the mattress on either side of me. Those black eyes bore into me, the grin expanding.
“Holy fuck!” I hear Brad say as saliva drips from the man’s mouth, hitting my face.
“Get off me!” I call out, but he’s too strong. I curse, straining against his hold.
Brad leaps out of bed, sprinting toward us, and the man turns to him, shouting, “He’s mine!” The words send Brad flying back over his bed, and there’s a thud as he hits the floor.
“What the fuck do you want?” I ask, and as he turns back to me, his eyes widen.
He leans closer, and despite my best efforts, I can’t free my wrists from his hold or buck him off me with my hips, and that face descends upon me until I feel his lips against mine.
I call out, my cry stifled by his kiss as I feel a tongue push into my mouth.
The next part is a blur. I’m struggling with the man, but I don’t feel in control of my body. Then he’s gone, I’m convulsing on the bed, and Brad rushes to my side.
“Matteo? Matteo!”
Why does he sound so far away?