“Aw,” Thorne crooned. “Did you wear those forme?”
Sitting back down, I crossed my arms over my chest. “No,” I grumbled,notenjoying the look of pure happiness on his face.
He leaned over, his lips brushing the shell of my ear before he nipped at it.“Liar.”
“Well, you’re just an asshole,” I countered, trying my best to keep from smirking. If he wanted to tease, he’d need to make it up to me.
“An asshole you rather enjoyedtasting,”he corrected.
“Oh, so the commander finally has jokes?” I bit my lip, flicking my gaze to the rest of the group. “Guess I’ll see whatelseI can pry from you before we leave.”
“As much as we’d love to keep hosting,” Matthew interrupted, gesturing between Simon and me. “We have two very sore losers, which means the game has concluded. Hell, it should have once Simon elected to show his cock to the world.”
“Okay, fuck you.”
Continuing with a smile, Matthew tossed a glance at Thorne. “And considering we have an early?—”
“Yeah,” Thorne sighed, cutting him off before he could finish. “We do.”
“An early what?” I collected the cards, shuffling them once before handing them to Simon to put away.
“Nothing of pertinence. It doesn’t involve you.”
“Doesn’t involve me?” I flicked my gaze to him, not understanding the sudden shift in his demeanor. “Well, if it’s an early night, do younotwant me to stay?” I muttered, pulling my clothes back on.
“I’ll have to rain check,” he replied, his gaze flashing with something unreadable.
Simon and Liam were talking behind me, but I was too focused on Thorne. “What the fuck? Why?” I adjusted my belt through the loops. “Was this just a game? All that shit you said during it?” He acted like hewantedme the whole night, and to blow me off after everything he’d done and said?
“It’sneverbeen a game, Oren.Youtold me to play my part with your father;thatis what I’m doing. I still have responsibilities to keep up with, a title to uphold.”
“Yeah, but my father isn’t here. I said to play the part to keep up appearances. There’s no one around except friends, so what title do you have to uphold here,right now?”
“Fucking hell.” He ran a hand down his face, shaking his head. “I have shit I have to do tomorrow, per your father, Oren. Could you, foroncein your life,not make shit difficult?”
“So? You had shit to do yesterday as well, but that didn’t stop you from letting me in.” I plastered my hand against my chest, my breathing heightening. “If it was a one-night thing, fucking tell me, and I’ll leave. Sorry if this becamedifficult.”
“Itwasn’ta one-night stand,” he practically growled, his fingers curling around my bicep with nearly enough force to bruise. “Why do you always have to question me? My loyalty? My truthfulness? Myfeelings?Am I nothing but a joke to you? Not worth believing?”
“Because you’re not acting like you! You’re acting like you’re trying to discard me, and well, shit, if I’m sodifficult,maybe I should go fuck someone else. You’re the first person I’ve ever opened up to, and you’re toobusy?”
His eyes flashed, hurt crawling across his golden irises. Loosening his hold, he stepped away from me. “Ifyouwant to go fuck someone else, by all means, Oren, go right ahead.”
“So that’s it? You’re not… You’re not even going tofightfor me?”
“LIKE YOU’LL LISTEN TO ME!” His temperament snapped, his yell echoing off the surrounding walls. “I can fight, and fight, and fight for you, Oren, but ifyouwish to do something,Iwill never be able to stop you.”
“So I can do whatever as long as it’s not with you, right? Because mywishwas to stay with you tonight, but it seems…” I trailed off, clenching my teeth. “It doesn’t matter. I’d hate to take up more of your evening, Commander. You have an early morning after all.”
“Oren, stop.” He reached for me. “That’s not what I meant.”
I stepped back on instinct, tears already threatening to fall. “I… I’m too drunk for this shit,” I settled on. “Hope your morning goes pleasantly.”
“Oren!” His fingers curled around my wrist. “God. Fuck. Just stay here.”
“Why? Because I have to almost fucking cry for you to pay attention to me? Tohearwhat I’ve been trying to say?”
I was glad the room was empty as I hurled the thoughts muddying my mind. He was the first person I’deverbeen this open and honest with. Usually, I’d have already left at the first sign of conflict, but he was different. For the first fucking time, I wanted this to work… I wantedusto work, and I’d never committed myself to anyone before.
