Mal’s free hand skimmed up over Nico’s thigh where it was still over his, squeezing his ass. “So, what’s the problem?”
“What do you mean?” he whispered, his skin on fire, heart hammering so hard he thought he might pass out.
Mal rolled them, trapping Nico beneath him, his face half in shadow, his expression…menacing. He brought Nico’s hands over his head, trapping them in his iron grip, holding him hostage. Yet, despite all that, he still tilted his head like a curious dog, sounding genuinely baffled as he asked, “When have I evernotbeen in control of you, Fidget?”
“Wh-What?” Nico asked, head spinning.
Mal smiled, gripping his wrists tighter, letting his hips settle heavily between Nico’s, letting him feel his arousal. “Think about it,” he said, like Nico was a simpleton.
Nico’s head was spinning. How was he supposed to think like this? Mal dipped his head, nosing Nico’s face to the side so he could kiss just below his jaw, then his ear, Mal’s raw breaths making it impossible for Nico to comply with his request. “I-I don’t understand.”
Mal tsked, pulling back to shake his head like he was disappointed, his tone condescending. “Does my Fidget require help thinking?” he asked, slowly licking over his cheek. “You get so dumb when you’re horny. It’s adorable.”
Nico’s lids fluttered at his words. Who was this man? This…version of Mal? What was happening?
Mal rolled his hips, dragging their cocks against each other, sending another jolt of mind-numbing heat through Nico. He whimpered, squirming, as frantic as he was confused.
Mal appeared delighted by this. His low chuckle was as infuriating as it was sexy. “It’s okay, Fidget. I’ll spell it out for you,” he said, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. “I’ve been making your decisions for you since the day we met.”
Shock lanced through him, his startled gaze locking with Mal’s amused one. What was he talking about? Mal controlling Nico? Hardly. Everyone knew it was Nico who led Mal around by the nose. They joked about it all the time. Evenin frontof Mal. How he was so whipped for Nico it was embarrassing. How he should say no to Nico every once in a while. There was no way Mal was ever the one in control.
Was this his attempt at role play? If so, Nico wasn’t sure he could get in character. Mal had always been too good to him. Mal loved him too much to hurt him, to control him, to give him what he craved. That was the problem. Well, one of them, anyways.
“No,” Nico started, shaking his head. “That’s…”
What? That’s what? Crazy? A lie? A fantasy?
“No?” Mal countered, brow arching, his condescending tone making Nico’s insides feel swimmy. Mal shifted, taking both of Nico’s wrists into one of his, using the other to gently stroke his cheek.“Think about it, Fidget. You wake up when I say, shower when I say, eat what I cook you, take your vitamins because I lay them out for you. You drink water because I text you reminders. You get to class on time because I set your alarms. You do your homework when I say. You go to sleep when I say.”
Adrenaline spiked through Nico’s blood, his tongue suddenly dry enough to stick to the roof of his mouth. A tiny, icy finger of fear slid down his spine, but it did nothing to dampen the burning need inside.
Mal leaned in, pressing his lips right against Nico’s ear, rolling his hips again, chuckling when Nico gave another pathetic whimper. He hated the way his eyelids fluttered closed so he could focus on every word Mal said.
“Still not convinced?” he purred. “When we go out, you drink only what I give you, dance with only whoIallow…only hook up with menIapprove of and even when you’re with them, it’s me you’re texting. It’s me you’re thinking about.” He pulled back to look Nico in the eye. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
Nico’s heart slammed around his chest like a trapped animal.
He was right.
How had he never noticed? He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry or run screaming into the night. Had Mal manipulated him into this level of control or had Nico just handed it to him a little at a time? His life was certainly better with Mal in it. It was definitely better with Mal running it.
“You want me to take control of you,” he said, placing a soft kiss on his nose. “But I already am. You think the bedroom will be any different?”
Nico was reeling. “But the pain…” he managed.
Mal’s chuckle rolled over him, causing goosebumps to erupt along his skin. “You’ve seen how I kill, Fidget. Do I seem like someone who doesn’t know how to hurt you? I’ve studied torture techniques for fun. My hyperfixations are things like shibari knots and how much pain the human body can endure before it gives out.”
“You could hurt me?” Nico rasped. “It doesn’t—it wouldn’t…bother you?”
Mal pressed his lips to Nico’s forehead, his cheeks, his closed eyelids. Nico gasped when he licked the seam of Nico’s lips, eyes flying open to see the dark gleam in Mal’s blue eyes. “Bother me?” He rocked against Nico, pleasure whiting out his thoughts for a brief moment. “Do you feel how hard I am right now? Iwant to make you cry. I want to hear you beg. I want to have to gag you to keep our friends from calling the cops.” Nico worried he might actually pass out. He’d never imagined hearing these words from those pretty, flawless lips. “Hurt you? Baby…I want todestroyyou.”
Nico whimpered, his own hips jerking up against his will, craving more. “But…you’re always taking care of me,” he panted, bewildered.
“And I’ll keep taking care of you,” Mal promised, tone suddenly casual, like they were discussing the news. “Before, during, and after. Nobody knows what you need or want better than I do, Fidget. Nobody knows you like I do. Nobody loves you like I do.” He tilted his head to study Nico. “Does that scare you? DoIscare you?”
Nico chewed his bottom lip. He didn’t know if fear was the right word. He was just having a hard time reconciling this Mal with the one he thought he’d known just minutes ago. “I don’t understand.”
Mal stroked his cheek, gazing down at him with his usual level of adoration. “You will. Nothing has to change. I’ll still take care of you. Nobody has to know. The others can still think you call the shots. They can still think that I’m your slave, some sad little simp who worships the ground you walk on. I don’t really care what others think, anyway. It’s the truth that gets me hot.”
